southalvol

Do it, Gators and Dawgs!

I don't think Dooley had much of a chance from the start considering the circumstances under which he was hired. He was UT's equivalent of Mike Shula. I don't have any ill will toward Kiffin either. Who wouldn't take an offer from USC? But Jones and Pruitt put UT even further behind the 8 ball than was necessary. It was very poor timing to be bad/mediocre during these last 15 years when the game has changed so much (especially in the last two with NIL). I hope UT can, but I'm not sure UT will ever get back to the elite level of Bama and UGa.

Wow! You sound like a UT fan who has drunk the Kool-Aid. I really hope you are right. Seeing will be believing. I'm just afraid it will be hard to recruit defenders who want to play 100 snaps a game.

When you are at the level Smart is, you need any small advantage to get the 5 stars from the likes of Bama and Clemson. It's not enough to be top 5 recruiting. It makes sense.

I agree. That is the same thing that happened to UT basketball this year. It might be good to lose a few down the stretch to get a dose of reality. BUT I would rather win every one of them and win the CWS, too. That's not too much to ask, is it? ;)

Bayou, I can remember when UT went to Baton Rouge (I think after Katrina?), and Rick Clausen led a miraculous comeback victory for the Vols. Before the game, some LSU fans attacked the UT cheerleaders' bus breaking windows. Let's agree all teams have their jerk fans.

At least you had something fun to keep your mind diverted until January 10th.

In a close game, it's always free throws

Did anyone else notice all but one Duke player walked off the court without shaking hands with the UNC players?

What does Saturday's loss say about UK's NCAA tournament chances? Nothing. UK is good...certainly good enough to get to the Final Four. Weighing heavily on the plus side of the ledger is the intangible feeling UK will almost always be a contender for another title. It's like Alabama with football.

The Cats will be there in the Final Four because they know how to get there. It would be fun if UT could figure that out.

Don't worry about your seeding. Let them underestimate the Cats at their own peril. Your guys will probably be in the Final Four. I just hope UT doesn't come out like Auburn did yesterday and take themselves out of the game early.

Run fast. Jump high.

"Unfortunately it's not inconceivable UT could go 2-4 (UK, AU, Arkx2 as losses) or even 1-5 (add Mizzou on the road as a loss) the rest of the way. They have been mighty inconsistent. I hope I'm wrong, though." That was me last week. I'm glad I was wrong. I hope I continue to be wrong. The road games will be scary still.

HaHa! Agreed!

No hard feelings toward Dooley as a UT fan. I think he was pretty successful as an assistant in the pros. He was thrust into an impossible situation after Kiffin bolted. I thought at the time Dooley would be our Mike Shula.

This isn't hard. 1. Hendon Hooker 2. Hendon Hooker 3. Hendon Hooker 4. Hendon Hooker 5. Hendon Hooker

Unfortunately it's not inconceivable UT could go 2-4 (UK, AU, Arkx2 as losses) or even 1-5 (add Mizzou on the road as a loss) the rest of the way. They have been mighty inconsistent. I hope I'm wrong, though.

It's not premature for UT. Any article with this topic automatically starts out with UT in the loser column.

As a lifelong UT fan (and someone who believes a school should only count actual NCs as bestowed by the AP poll way back in the day or BCS or playoff now), it's only right to point out UT last won an actual NC in 1951 before the 1998 NC. That's 47 years...so nothing to crow about. Congrats to UGa. They earned it. I HOPE it's not 2045 before UT wins another.

Congratulations to the Tigers and Coach Pearl. I remember how he got UT there, at least for a week. But still it was a great accomplishment. I wish he was still coaching UT. It is a clear indication how good a coach he is to have gotten both schools, neither of which are basketball bluebloods, to the top of the rankings.

One other thing that bothered me about Heupel was his refusal to call TOs toward the end of the first half in a few games. I'm sure it made no difference in the outcomes ultimately, but it seemed inexplicable when it was happening.

I'm a Tennessee fan, and that is FUNNY!

I'm pretty sure the rule had been changed in recent years allowing teammates to push and/or pull a ball carrier forward.

I hope Bama destroys Cincinnati. I also hope the same for UGa against Michigan. But I would love to see Bama prove Cincinnati is not in the same league. That cumulative 20 passer rating against Gardner did not did not come against the likes of Bryce Young and you-name-him (any Bama receiver).

Are you really saying something about being in a better bowl after all the years of UT outperforming UK in bowl appearances? And, where it really matters, remind me who won the UT-UK game this year.

Go Bama! Go Dawgs!

Who cares what anyone else thinks? Is it better to be horrible and not go to a bowl game? I guess 1976 thinks so. I thought we'd be 4-8 or 5-7 (at best) before the season. I don't think any realistic Vol fan would have thought otherwise given the last 15 years (minus a few bright spots). So I'm pretty happy with a potential 7-5 campaign. I'm REALLY happy for the players who put in the work and have significantly more invested in it than I have. And just maybe Hype-ul is the guy to keep it going. We've been burned before. GO BIG ORANGE!

I would take 8-4 any day. I figured 4-8 or 5-7 before the season.

If Hooker had started from the beginning, there would have been better chances to win more games early.