Meh, Charlie Ward chose basketball after football. He had a phenomenal season. Shuler did as well leading the Vols to 472 points. Ward was just better that season.

I didn't see it mentioned in this article, but how many 1997 Heisman ballots omitted Manning entirely? There were enough that if he'd have even been included on those ballots, he would have had the points for the win.

Amen on Hines Ward. I seem to remember that this is a guy who finished his career at Georgia with 1000 yards rushing, receiving, and passing. Now that's extremely rare.

Thank you, Auburn. Sincerely All of America

"Why Dabo Swinney undoubtedly should be considered the best coach in America right now ... if he beats LSU (on Monday night)" Maybe just wait until after the game is played to publish this? Is this another one of those SDS fearless predictions like where they pick the score by the Vegas point spread or tell us why Tua is staying at Alabama?

...or when Lane Kiffin told Tajh Boyd (who was going to come to Tennessee) that he just wouldn't fit into his system. Clemson may have committed identity theft on Tennessee. But thanks to the clueless leadership of that period, Tennessee left identity out on the table, unguarded. Clemson has done a great job of reeling in the kind of players Tennessee used to get. When’s the last time you heard the term, “Clemsoning”? Jones was worse for Tennessee than Dooley. Dooley was clueless and it was obvious. Jones was clueless, but had clichés. Josh Dobbs gave Jones an extra 2 years. Tennessee got "Haslamed." Just like the Cleveland Browns. The major milestones since ~2008 all flow from the influence of Jimmy Haslam over the athletic department. The only surprise was Schiano Sunday. That led to the dismissal of Currie and the hiring of Fulmer. A Haslam gofer was fired and replaced by a true Tennessee Man. Tennessee is reclaiming their identity.

Also, John Cooper still maintains that Tennessee used cleats that were 1/4" too long in the 1996 Citrus Bowl.

"So it has to turn into an Alabama thing?" ...says the Alabama fan who was the first to comment on this article regarding a Tennessee player's decision, comparing it to an Alabama player's decision-thereby turning it into an Alabama thing.

…and that Bruce Pearl got a 3 year show cause for lying about a BBQ at his house with a recruit while with Cam Newton, there was nothing to see.

If you have to rationalize and explain the decision, then it's probably not the best decision and the answer needs to be, "No". In Kiffin's shoes, I would not have offered him. Anyone who casts stones at Ole Miss for hiring Durkin is hereby disqualified from throwing them at Tennessee for passing on Schiano.

Contrast the way Saban handled Tua Tagovailoa with the way that Pruitt has handled Trey Smith. Saban needlessly started Tua and kept him on the field. Tua was still recovering from a surgery for a high ankle sprain suffered against Tennessee. Instead of sitting out that game and continuing to heal/recover, he got demolished in one of those freak Theismann-esque tackles that occurred when Alabama was leading 35-7 in a game that would never have been in doubt even if Mac Jones started. Pruitt on the other hand has worked with what Smith COULD give him on the field without demanding that he go through the full rigors of practice like everyone else.

In Bamaspeak, “Mama called.” I love how Trey talked about “grinding” with this team. His team. Doing the hard work to get better. I love how he talked about there being unfinished business. Like he’s ready right now to go out there and pancake somebody. And having just lost my own mom, it hits close to me the heart of this Man saying that he’s keeping his promise to mom. What a great young man!

In 2001, I said, "Good grief! We're gonna see him (David Greene) for the next 4 years." In 2004, I was so glad he was gone. I feel exactly the same about Fromm. Respect and best of luck to him.

Right. Instead, come to Missouri where we let hunger strikes shut down the campus. And lose to the team that lost to Georgia State. As well as the team that beat Georgia State in their bowl game.

SDS: "Here's why Tua will return..." 20 hours ago. SDS: "Tua going to NFL..." 4 hours ago. I love SDS's fearless predictions

Jauan Jennings. A winner who would not tolerate losing losers who lose being in charge. So he ranted. The losers kicked him off the team, then the losers were kicked to the curb. They left. He stayed. He was a part of a program that brought in talented kids, didn’t instill a winning culture, and claimed Life Championships. Now he’s leaving behind a program that is instilling a winning culture, bringing in talented kids, and will soon contend for championships. Jennings is a first team, unanimous selection to the Tennessee Mount Rushmore of Alpha Dogs. He’s worthy of inclusion on the backside of the Jumbotron. GO VOLS! CLEAT ANDY!

The culture seems to be turning and that's a great thing. With a winning culture, you can overcome your own mistakes, hang in there, and win even when you don't really have the horses to do so. Without a winning culture, you can be wildly talented, but still lose when it matters. (see Lyle Jones). Instead, you can claim Life Championships. Without either, you're losing to Kentucky with kids that don't care that they're losing to Kentucky. (See Derek Dooley.) When you have both the culture and the kids, you can work towards contending for Championships. Pruitt seems to have the culture headed in the right direction. Recruiting is going that way as well, but it's done one class at a time. It will take a few years to overcome the hole that Jones put us into.

Indiana went full Kentucky. Missed an extra point that left the door open. Tennessee walked through. Then the IU defense let them down in the 4th quarter. Indiana is B1G Ten (actual size 14) Kentucky.

Lamonte Turner is a stone cold killer. When you have just a few seconds and need a dagger, that's the kid I want to take the shot. He's done it many times for Tennessee. And he's done it while battling those shoulder injuries of his that just won't heal up right. I will give my ALL for Tennessee today. I'd put Lamonte's name up beside anybody's for epitomizing that statement. Well done, Lamonte and prayers for a full recovery. We're gonna miss you.

Tennessee fan here; The Kick Six is the biggest play in college football history. Certainly the biggest I've ever seen.

That was a great pass. What got me about that game though is that if Jalen Hurd simply finishes that touchdown catch and run at full speed, then several things happen. The two biggest being that Tennessee scores and extends their lead such that the Eason to Ridley TD doesn't give Georgia the lead. The second is that Hurd would not have been concussed and had his health put at risk by that jerk Lyle "The Intern" Jones.

Arguably, the more appropriate call should have been illegal participation-a 15 yard call instead of a 5 yard flag. Even so, according to the rules, for an offensive penalty, the clock is supposed to start when the ball is spotted ready for play. Ref spots the ball ready for play, makes the signal and the clock rolls while he is withdrawing from the line. Meaning that the clock runs out and UNC loses. Failing all of that, the rules at that time also stated that when the referee declares the game to be over (which in this case he did), it is not subject to review (which they did anyway).

So then it would look really bad for Indiana to lose to a team that is merely lucky to be in any bowl-especially after losing to Georgia State. Thanks for clearing that up.

Strange. Beating Kentucky annually never seems to hurt Tennessee in recruiting.

Technically speaking, there's something wrong with Ole Miss. Come ON, Bully! You can't pass up the chance to hit that piñata!

Is this like when Bryce Drew had a 20 point plan to fix Vanderbilt basketball after they went winless in the SEC?

Well someone has to be the first to comment on this article. Even if it is 8 days after it's posted. GO VOLS! CLEAT ANDY!

Right. It isn't like they poisoned trees, then called in to brag to the world about it, committed sexual assault against a passed out fan of a rival team, shot someone over the outcome of a game, or jumped over the top to fight an opposing team's fans in the stands or anything.

So...you're THANKFUL that backroom politics is still going on in bowl selections? I guess it's also a good thing that Kentucky didn't defeat Tennessee head to head. Otherwise you might have been doomed to suffer in Jacksonville in January. Enjoy the payout, the opponent, and the weather.

Maybe Missouri should have another hunger strike?