Tennessee suffered its first loss of the season in a 34-10 rout by No. 4 Oklahoma in Norman Saturday. The Vols ran into the buzz saw that was a balanced Sooners team, with Oklahoma dominating a young, inexperienced Tennessee team on both sides of the ball.

While the final score was ugly, fans are still showing their support of the program. At the University of Tennessee, the Rock outside McClung Museum is an artifacts synonymous with school tradition. The ninety-eight ton, Knox dolomite rock has served as a communication hub and palette of expression for the student body since the 1960s. The Rock has been a mainstay on UT’s campus, changing often with hellos, goodbyes, birthday wishes, marriage proposals and, of course, sports celebrations.

On Tuesday, the Rock was used to show that the students are still buying into Tennessee’s “Brick by brick” rebuilding process, despite the disappointing outcome this past weekend. Running backs coach Robert Gillespie tweeted out the following:

Thank you! We believe in you guys too. #Vols#TToughpic.twitter.com/uwov12kb1Q

— Robert Gillespie (@UTCoachG) September 16, 2014

Tennessee’s fanbase– or at least a reasonable portion– realizes that a rebuilding process takes time to see results. Butch Jones and his staff have made great strides since arriving in Knoxville and look to continue their progress moving forward.

As it stands, Tennessee is not yet on par with a program the likes of Oklahoma, as reflected by the final score. However, if the Vols continue to make progress, they should be back in national contention farther down the road. Jones still has the backing of a passionate fanbase and student body and optimism remains high on Rocky Top.