Bleacher Report - Tennessee Volunteers Football

Eric Berry: Deserving Of Every Accolade

john white — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:52:07 -0500

Since everyone else is chiming in on this I thought I might too. Yes, I know it's shameless but gosh how we love this guy. I couldn't resist.

We all held our breath when he took the field for the first time against Cal back in 2007. We were on the edge of our seats as Bears from sideline to sideline cleared the cobwebs of a pintsized concussion. "How can somebody that small, hit so hard?" was the question that left everybody scratching their heads; it appeared Phil had yet discovered another phenom to wear orange. He immediately showed the promise of one of those athletes that you hitched your wagon to, and everyone was more than happy to ride with glee yelling "GO VOLS" as we bounced along an uncertain Volunteer future.

I was won over to the Berry side when those keen eyes and nimble fingers made the first grab that really mattered in my eyes.

Another phenom down in the swamp was about to throw another touchdown and score on us again; Tebow stood erect and lobbed a bullet towards the endzone but Berry was there where his receiver should have been. I'm sure there have been hosts of players that can and have run faster, but on that day I think he was the fastest by far. The only Gator to have a chance at stopping him was Tebow, and when the time came his chance was a sportscaster's illusion, he outran his shadow on that interception—95 yards, the fourth longest in Tennessee history, it wasn't the longest but I believe it was the "prettiest" return I've seen to this day. We lost that day but Berry played every play like we had a chance to win until the clock ticked zero, with all of the sportsmanship you expect from talented players.

Truth be known he has played every game that way, recording at least three tackles per game which is no small feat for any player. I don't think there is a single news source, player, coach or statistical entity that can say anything negative for his collective ability. I will point out that everytime he was in a position to make a play and didn't strike gold he was passively criticized by anouncers and even their remarks were markedly kind, I believe they didn't want the foot-mouth extraction on the very next play. He is that good and deserves that kind of respect. Which brings me to my next publicly shared epiphany.

He deserves to go first round in the draft—he has earned that and more. He has been an unselfish player his entire career and more than fullfilled all our expectations. I sincerely believe that had someone else been running the defense he would have already broke the NCAA record for return yardage and set the bar high enough that decades again would pass before being broken. It's not because Monte Kiffin's defense isn't sound, it's because Monte is spreading Berry in areas that he knows are weak which makes him watch the ground more than the sky, he can't be everywhere at once when he's defending two sometimes three positions. Again he is unselfish and does what's best for the team but still, if you don't want to be in ESPN highlights don't even throw in his direction and never ever ever bobble a pass, or juggle the ball, or single-hand the ball, or..... well you get the picture.

As I was saying he is deserving of many things, including a little silence from the fans as well. He is already torn as to what to do. There is no shadow of doubt regarding him knowing the love the faithfuls have for him. Since 2007 he has been our Manning surrogate and he knows that, which makes it that much harder for him to make a decision. We all know the risk, which is high that he could be injured and never play again (remember Iroqouis "Inky" Johnson?). The guilt would be the same had Peyton's injury in his last bowl game been more severe, we still held our breath though. I know we are all going to be watching from the corner of our eye when the draft arrives. We know he'll go first round, hopefully 1st or 2nd pick. Then there is the other option which we all want; we're greedy with young men like him. The question remains as to how we'll feel should he decide to finish school and how his health will be three games into next season. Will it be elation or remorse? Do we gamble with such a precious resource ? I'll go ahead and say what I believe you are thinking. His number should be getting enshrined right now in one of those fancy polished wood frames. You know the ones I'm talking about right? The ones they'd hang beside Peyton's and Reggie's.

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Tennessee Vols Football: Vandy and Kentucky Usually A Safe Landing

Joel Barker — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:34:37 -0500

For years, no matter how inconsistent Tennessee was thoughout the season, no matter how much adversity they faced, no matter how tough that schedule seemed, there was always Vanderbilt and Kentucky at the end of the rainbow.

Many years the final two games began with Kentucky and ended with Vanderbilt, but that changed in 2002 when Vandy was played the week before the Kentucky game. No matter the order, however, it's almost always been a safe landing place after a long grueling schedule over the season's first two months.

Vanderbilt has beaten Tennessee once ('05) since I've been alive (almost 28 years). I have yet to see Kentucky defeat the Vols.

Somehow though these two always save their best for last. For many years these two games have been Vandy and Kentucky's bowl games. Vanderbilt's only trip to a real bowl since 1982 came last season. Kentucky has had more success in recent years, but it wasn't always that way.

I remember epic games in '97 as Peyton Manning outdueled Tim Couch in Lexington, 59-31. I remember watching that same Peyton Manning-led team follow that up with a 17-10 win against a much weaker Vanderbilt team the following week on Senior Day.

The year before that, '96, Peyton carved up the Wildcats 56-10 before eaking out a 14-7 win over Vanderbilt.

In 1998 we drove to Knoxville in hopes of obtaining a scalped ticket to watch the No. 1 Vols take on Kentucky. After the prices were still $150 per ticket midway through the first half, we decided to listen to John Ward call the game on the radio and we drove back to Chattanooga without seeing a down. The Vols won 59-21.

The next week they carried the SEC sign around Vanderbilt stadium, 41-0 winners on their way to the SEC title game, and eventually the national championship.

In '03 my dad and I drove up to Lexington to watch the Vols play at Commonwealth Stadium. It was classic UT vs. Kentucky as it took a last minute Casey Clausen drive to finally put the Wildcats away 20-7.

I still cringe when I watch Kentucky games on tv and hear the P.A. announcer say "FIRST DOWN KENTUCKY!" We heard those words too many times that day, and it's an inside joke in the Barker family to this day.

Another highly anticipated season in '05 quickly became disastrous. Ranked No. 2 in the preseason, Tennessee would quickly fall flat on their face in the season. Going into the Vanderbilt game on Senior Day the Vols were 4-5 needing two wins to become bowl eligible.

Vanderbilt senior QB, Jay Cutler seemingly willed the 'Dores to the win, shutting the Vols out of the postseason for the first time since 1988 with a 28-24 victory. After so many years of being able to count those final two wins, the door was shut in the Vols face.

Tennessee finished 5-6 that season as they beat Kentucky 27-8 to finish the year.

In '07 all Tennessee had to do to win the SEC East was defeat Vanderbilt and Kentucky to finish the season.

It took a last minute missed field goal by Vandy for the Vols to hold on 25-24 in Knoxville. The Kentucky game ended up being an instant classic as it took four overtimes, a blocked field goal attempt, and a great defensive play for the Vols to overcome the 'Cats 52-50 before stamping their ticket to Atlanta.

Last season was one of the worst in Vol memory, yet Tennessee followed up the devastating Wyoming loss on homecoming, with 20-10 and 28-10 victories over Vandy and Kentucky respectively.

This season has been about as up-and-down as any UT fans have seen.

It started out on a high vs. Western Kentucky; quickly dropped vs. UCLA, Florida, and Auburn; back to high with the 45-19 win over Georgia; then back to the heartbreaking column after 12-10 loss to Alabama; back to another high with two straight wins over South Carolina and Memphis; and now it's back down after the infamous arrests and a blowout in Oxford.

Thank goodness for Vanderbilt.

The Vols are one win away from bowl eligibility and luckily this is about the worst Vanderbilt team we have seen in quite a while.

On one hand that's kind of disappointing. I really respect and admire Vandy head coach Bobby Johnson and I pull for the 'Dores to do well until late November every year.

On the other hand, however, I am relieved that they are so bad, because the Vols need to whip someone. At this point, with the yo-yo season they've had, someone needs to pay dearly. It might as well be Vanderbilt.

I expect nothing short of a 41-9 victory on Saturday to send the 'Dores to 0-8 in the SEC and 2-10 overall.

Kentucky will be a taller order as they are clearly better than Vanderbilt, but we'll worry about that one after taking care of the Commodores.

Lane Kiffin's first season has been cleared for landing. The decent begins Saturday night at 7 p.m. Here's hoping for another in a long line of safe landings.

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Can Tennessee Overcome These Newest Distractions and Finish Strong?

Larry Burton — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:28:37 -0500

The loss to SEC foe Auburn seemed to be a wake-up call to most fans. It was a contest of two rebuilding teams with two new SEC coaches. This game would go far in showing which team was making the biggest strides.

Auburn won that in a close contest, but it may have been a turning point for Tennessee. They committed themselves to knuckle down and work hard, and they certainly did that the next week in completely demolishing an old SEC foe, Georgia, 45-19.

Crompton ended up silencing many of his boo bird fans, and the following week they almost succeeded in pulling off the upset of perhaps one of the best teams in the nation, a 12-10 loss to Alabama.

Tennessee came back the next week, however, and once again humiliated South Carolina 31-13 and pummeled an out-manned Memphis team 56-28.

Then came news of the arrest of three players in an armed holdup attempt. Whether that was the cause of the distraction or not, the wheels came flying off and Tennessee was beaten like a plow mule by Ole Miss 42-17 in a game that was almost painful to watch.

Now no one in his right mind would bet the house that Tennessee will lose to Vanderbilt this weekend; they simply have too much firepower. But will all these distractions hurt them in that game that they need so badly to become bowl eligible?

And what about next week when the competition gets a little stiffer with Kentucky? There are going to be a lot of 6-6 teams in the SEC this year. Could Tennessee be the odd man out watching everyone else go bowling?

Certainly these next two weeks are the most important in the young Lane Kiffin era. To have the wheels come off as they did last week and not come back would signal that this team has taken no steps forward since firing Phillip Fulmer.

It will also leave many fans wondering if they indeed took a step backward.

The world will be waiting to see not only how the team deals with all of these latest developments, but how Lane Kiffin will deal with the fact that he was caught exaggerating the cleanliness of his program as well as the ongoing dilemma of what to do with the two remaining students who have not yet been asked to leave the program.

Kiffin wanted a high profile, high-paying job and he got it. Now we're all waiting to see how he deals with the high profile, high stress ramifications that go with it.

Can he, and in turn Tennessee, get past all this and finish strong? The football world is waiting and watching.

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Tennessee Volunteer Closet Fantasy

john white — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:24:38 -0500

As I sit in front of my TV watching Sportscenter's highlight-doctoral presentation between two of the NFL's best quarterbacks, I find myself quietly pondering again about a scenario that many in Rocky-Top's front office could only wish for.

I know it's a bit too soon to even be thinking of this, but I will go ahead and throw out there what many, many, Volunteers have as I coin, a "closet fantasy". He has got at least another ten to twelve years left in him by Marino and Favre standards.

I don't believe anyone in the Colts organization would trade him for a dozen first round picks, nor would they even dream about any scenario that involved free agency but as I said there is a fantasy.

What if he won another Super Bowl and said "Okay I've accomplished what I wanted to do, I've got plenty of Gatorade money, a family, I think I'm gonna try my hand at coaching." Don't tell me you haven't thought about it too.

Just imagine the staff he would put together. He would have more NFL and NCAA connections than a 55 gallon drum of legos. I mean really who are we kidding? He has one of the best offensive mentalities in the business.

Let's not forget that he had the best of four years to pick David Cutcliffes brain, who in my opinion is the best offensive coordinator in the business. Yea, I know he hasn't done that well as a head coach but what he created in Peyton and Eli, it was artistic genius.

With everything that has happened in the last year the faithful Vols are still supporting Lane Kiffin and we should. He really has put Tennessee back in the limelight, granted some of that limelight we would have been happy to eschew.

For better or worse the recruiting has come back to national contention and a lot of athletes are thinking and deciding that Tennessee has more to offer than a catchy celebration tune.

There is Bryce Brown who may very well become one of the best running backs to grace Neyland stadium, and there are other committed athletes rated among the nations best who could become All Americans for the Vol Nation if they have the ability and stamina.

Even this though doesn't come close to the feelings we all had when a tall lanky kid took the field and won our hearts. We all loved him so much that having never beat the Gators he was forgiven. We all knew he gave a hundred percent and more, and we thanked him for his efforts; the key to the city was already being forged.

In fact we loved him so much we retired his jersey, then we named children and streets after him not to mention every time he donated any dollar amount something else was named for his patronage.

More than anything else, before Peyton left I don't remember as much profane name calling and badgering from the rest of the SEC, including us. After much of the scandals in the last ten years everyone got really sensitive about their programs and took to pointing fingers at other schools instead of looking in the mirror.

I distinctly remember that the very first Tennessee game I went to was in another state and what sticks out the most was the warmth in which we were received. No one yelled at us as we approached the stadium, no one was staggering drunk as they flipped burgers from a rusted hibachi, and most of all no one screamed profanities at us when we won. I do remember "Ya'll r' tough this year!" "Good game." "We're gonna get ya next year son!"

It is a very different time and I don't want to become numb to the poor behavior but I can't take my kids to a game now, not in any stadium without somebody yelling compound profanities in every direction.

So before you suggest it, yes I will leave my kids at home and explain why I can't take them in person. Do I think that Peyton could suddenly cure this? No, the entire nation, except for Utah, would have to wash their mouth with soap.

No I don't believe he could but he would stand taller, prouder, and probably a little quieter. Could he restore the Vols to dominance? Who knows, really. What I do know is that when he was playing everybody loved to be a Vol regardless of a win or loss and I guess people were a little(I did say a little) nicer back then.

I will be the first to admit I have met some of the best people in all of the SEC states, and I refuse to call any of them out as being more profane than the other but when it comes to criticizing Tennessee, there has been quite a few schools that have been fighting for dominance in the orange jokes and mother cracks the last decade and it's not getting any better.

I must declare at this point that I do not have my walls lined with pictures of Peyton, nor are there statues of him adorning my shelves, but even in the heavy hitting world of NFL fans it seems there is an absence of profane criticism for Peyton. Yeah, I'm sure there is plenty if you look in the blogs but his persona on and off-field speaks for the nature of his character.

That is what is missed at Tennessee, true character. Apologies to anybody if any of this stings but I'm still looking for concrete evidence of this. Gosh, out of faith and loyalty I retract the previous sentence and allow benefit of the doubt for the next year, so don't prove us wrong.

I also know that being an exceptional athlete doesn't necessarily give you the ability to coach in any sport, but there are exceptions. Just about every coach worth their salt in any sport has played their prescribed sport at some level, even Poor old Phil. He helped the Vols amass 30-5 record from 69-71, won the SEC championship, the Sugar and Liberty Bowls. I won't even start to list all the stuff the crooked-nose guy has done.

I really wished we had let Phil leave on his own terms at the end of the season without all of the pomp and circumstance that involved his firing. I think he earned a graceful exit despite the bad seasons. He is to this day a very humble man who I regret to say I have only had the pleasure of meeting once, and I would have no hesitation of trusting to him my son's education or well-being.

Anyone can say what they want but those boys loved him. He really did try, his attempts just fell very short twice. He loved the University and he really was our native son. Now, Peyton was an exceptional sportsman down there in New Orleans before he got to Tennessee but it was at Tennessee that he learned respect for fans, which encompassed and entire state and abroad.

He then demonstrated exceptional character on and off the field. I don't know if we can ever get back to that feeling we had with him. Phil did give us a National Championship bone that we have been chewing on for ten years. Even if Lane takes us to the dance and we win, we'll still be looking for a prettier bone.

We were all happiest in the arms of a native son from Winchester and we loved the feeling that we had. Despite the success we will have in the future, I hope that feeling emerges in the ranks again that says Rocky Top and not Top Dollar, but I am very afraid the closest we're going to get to that again is a closet fantasy.

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Tennessee Vols Football: If This is the Lane Train, I'd Rather Walk

Joel Barker — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:29:04 -0500

I’m not going to spend this entire article explaining my past support for Lane Kiffin. I don’t have to tell you how many articles I’ve written in his defense or how many times I’ve felt the need to explain his decisions, words, and actions.

In retrospect, I wish I had never taken that path, but my passion for all things Tennessee Vols and the program’s new direction took over. Even still, I have relayed concerns about Lane Kiffin in multiple articles (here, here, and here ).

As of this very minute, it seems that maybe I should have stuck with that line of opinion rather than going all-in on a coach who now appears to be a novice.

I recently came to this conclusion after almost an entire season’s worth of cheering for and believing in what he is doing at Tennessee.

Even though Kiffin’s early remarks were ridiculous and classless (as I wrote here), it showed us fans that we had a coach who was going to go to the mat for this program. Most of us felt that the passion was back.

During the Memphis game, Kiffin was the last man off the field at halftime. He went to speak with the Conference USA referee to discuss his displeasure over certain calls made toward the end of the half that allowed Memphis to close to within 35 points. Thousands of fans, including myself, gave the man a standing ovation.

You have to understand, coming from my perspective, we haven’t seen a coach with that much passion in a while. Phillip Fulmer was great in his heyday, but over the years, his passion began to erode, and UT fans could easily tell that it wasn’t the same as it used to be.

Even in the early losses this season, the team played with passion, and they left it all on the field. That’s why so many of us were proud when the Vols lost by 10 at Florida after being expected to give up 60 points to the furious Gators.

During the nice ride from the Georgia game through the Memphis game, there was no doubt in my mind that Lane Kiffin was the right hire for this program. For that four-week stretch, the Vols were one of the hottest teams in the conference. Even with the two-point loss at then-No.1 Alabama, the team was playing lights out.

Then came that fateful night, four days after the win over Memphis and three days before Ole Miss. Two freshmen attempted to rob two men at a Pilot gas station in Knoxville.

A third, Janzen Jackson—a potential Freshman All-American—was there as well, though charges may be dropped against him soon as he apparently had no part in the attempted armed robbery.

However, it was revealed that Jackson failed a drug test before the Memphis game, which is why he was suspended for that game.

You know, back when discipline was easy to come by in Knoxville.

Now it appears that Lane Kiffin does not believe in curfews for his players.

Kiffin told reporters on Tuesday, "I don't like to make rules or have things that you can't really enforce," Kiffin said. "What are you going to do when they're broken? I'd be interested to hear anyone around the country that has one, because we have 120 kids on our team. Are we going to go to 120 houses at 11 o'clock at night and knock on their door and find out if they're there?

"I've never heard of that, and I don't really know how you do that."

Actually Lane, it’s quite easy. That’s what Residential Directors and Residential Assistants are for. That’s what leadership is for.

What happened to leadership? What happened to accountability? What happened to rules and expectations?

To hear Coach Kiffin say things like, "I've never heard of that, and I don't really know how you do that" shows me that this is a young coach who is in over his head. What else does he not know how to do?

Apparently, he does know how to lie and cover things up.

We found out just yesterday that Kiffin actually lied twice, before and after the Pilot incident, about not having an incident.

Nyshier Oliver, who is currently a redshirt freshman, was cited for shoplifting the day of the Memphis game. Kiffin dealt with it and managed to keep it under wraps until yesterday.

Lane Kiffin has preached a big game. He’s rallied the base with his flamboyant attitude. He has talked about how Tennessee will have the biggest and best recruits. He’s even had this team playing above their capability (see: Jonathan Crompton).

But Kiffin is no leader. Not even close.

A leader gets his players on the same page before a big game after a huge distraction. A leader deals with a detrimental situation promptly. A leader rallies the troops and takes a no-holds barred attitude toward the enemy in an adverse atmosphere. A leader leads.

The program that I have adored for more than 20 years now has a kid attempting to lead kids.

I apologize for ever stating, “as long as he wins, we don’t care how he acts or who he recruits.” That statement was dead wrong, and it has slapped me in the face repeatedly over the past two weeks.

I hope Kiffin proves me wrong. I hope that I will, once again, have to eat my words.

I am pulling for Kiffin to turn things around at UT, because I love Tennessee football and I don’t want the Vols to go through what Alabama and Florida went through before finding the right coach.

I find it ironic that almost a year ago to the date, I wrote this article about the coach who I wanted to take over the Tennessee program.

Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly is now an even hotter commodity and will soon be the top candidate at Notre Dame once Charlie Weis is cut loose. It will be interesting to compare the two programs in a few years if that hire takes place.

Less than a year into the process, I think I’d rather walk than stay on the Lane Train.

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Lane Kiffin Has Serious Issues with Judging Character

Jonathan Kelley — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:35:42 -0500

This is just getting out of hand and fast. Lane Kiffin may be a wonderful recruiter but he apparently is horrible judge of character. Today it was released that yet another Lane Kiffin Tennessee recruit was arrested for a form of theft.

This latest incident is nowhere near as serious as armed robbery, but still it must raise some questions as to Lane and his staff’s evaluation of players. Nyshier Oliver was arrested earlier this month for shoplifting a minor enough offense, but still this is not little kid stuff anymore.

This is D-1 football and these boy's are men (if you are old enough to be drafted sorry but the kid crap is out). They should start acting like it and apparently the Kiffin should set them straight. These men are not just football players they are ambassadors of their team and more importantly their school.

The University of Tennessee also bears the name of its respective state and this continued crime spree in Knoxville is a black eye to all those who reside there. It is one thing to have a losing season but it is whole different level of embarrassment to be known as Convict U.

Tennessee fans before you fire into a hate comment frenzy defending Lane Kiffin take a long look at who these players are. Every single one of them was recruited by Lane Kiffin and is part of his famous or now infamous recruiting class. The one he has so often bragged about.

That first recruiting class he brought in on such short notice that ranked in the top 15 nationally. The one where he took players from rival programs, and rubbed it in all of your enemies faces. How big do you think the roars of laughter are now coming out of Gainesville, Baton Rouge, Athens, Tuscaloosa, and even Nashville?

Lane put this class together consisting of 22 commitments. So far four of them have been arrested for theft, and three for armed robbery. That translates to 18 percent of Lane Kiffin players have been linked to theft in some form or another. That is not a very encouraging trend.

Then there is the argument that Lane can't be with them 24 hours a day to keep them out of trouble. True as that maybe he can set a better example. Is it really a coincidence that his players seem to be having a thuggish attitude? Considering how brash, bold, cocky, and fame seeking their coach is, is it any wonder why some have acted the way they have.

It is too early to pass judgment on Kiffin or Tennessee for hiring him, but trends have a nasty habit of either staying in style or coming back in. It is worth noting that in Kiffin's initial press conference as a coach he called out Florida and said he came to Tennessee to win championships. Well from the looks of things the attitude in locker room is leaning more towards stealing a title rather than wining it.

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Lane Kiffin Exposed as a Liar: Vols Coach Kept Player's Arrest Under Wraps

Larry Burton — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:36:50 -0500

We've all heard the story about the three Tennessee players arrested for their part in an attempted armed robbery attempt. We all heard how Kiffin had just spoken hours before the incident and proclaimed how there had been no such incidents.

We finally heard his explanation and how proud he was that they went "Eleven months and 11 days without an incident."

Our hearts went out to him as we felt this could have happened anywhere and we were willing to give him a pass since nothing else had transpired, as he told us repeatedly.

But today word came out that this was indeed not the first incident.

Freshman defensive back Nyshier Oliver was charged with shoplifting on Nov. 7, just hours before the Vols played Memphis. According to the Knoxville News Sentinel , a police officer spotted Oliver trying to conceal a $110 polo shirt in a Dillards bag.

Oliver's punishment was handled quietly, and he was taken off the dress roster for that game and banned from team activities, according to Tennessee athletic department spokesperson Tiffany Carpenter.

Then four days after Oliver's run-in with the law, Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin went on the SEC coaches teleconference and praised his team for not having any arrests or incidents in 11 months.

Maybe he thought nobody would miss a player who has only played in one game. Maybe he thought the media would just give him a pass, but the simple truth is Lane Kiffin is a liar.

A player being arrested for shoplifting and facing a Nov. 23 court date is an "incident", Mr. Kiffin. Would you rather us think you're simply too stupid to know that, or just a liar?

Now not even the most fervent Volunteer fan will ever have faith in your ability to tell the truth in crunch time. Now they can not even hold their heads up and defend you. You sir, just got caught in a very bad way.

What will the reaction be? I can't wait for this one.

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Lane Kiffin vs. Urban Meyer: SEC's Premier Coaching Rivalry

Ben Garrett — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:19:10 -0500

Woody Hayes vs. Bo Schembechler. Bear Bryant vs. Robert Neyland. Steve Spurrier vs. Bobby Bowden. Lane Kiffin vs. Urban Meyer?

It's too soon to include the Kiffin-Meyer feud with those classic coaching rivalries of bygone eras—unless vehemence determines a rivalry's worth—but the budding rivalry between the freshman coach at Tennessee and Florida's two-time national champ is one of the best things going for the Southeastern Conference.

Modern football has bequeathed us a few coaching rivalries that are classics in the making: Texas's Mack Brown vs. Oklahoma's Bob Stoops; Southern Cal's Pete Carroll vs. UCLA's Rick Neuheisel.

But in a conference where half the coaches have been on their current job less than three years (Alabama's Nick Saban is in his third season, Arkansas's Bobby Petrino and Ole Miss's Houston Nutt are in their second season, while Kiffin, Auburn's Gene Chizik and Mississippi State's Dan Mullen are in their first season), coaching rivalries haven't had time to bud.

Saban vs. Les Miles (LSU) has promise in the SEC West. Mullen vs. Nutt is certain to gain traction if both coaches stay with their current gigs long enough.

But Meyer and Kiffin? That's as close to a sure bet as you can get.

Less than one year after Kiffin accepted an offer to succeed Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee, things have gotten so tense between he and Meyer that SEC Commissioner Mike Slive has already stepped in to tell both coaches to cool their heels. Twice.

With two conference and national titles under his belt, Meyer has proven himself at Florida. With a bucket-load of confidence and a loud mouth, Kiffin has proven that he's ready to tackle the task of unseating the SEC's most dominant team since the conference expansion in 1992.

"I'm looking forward to singing Rocky Top all night after we beat Florida next year."

That's what Kiffin said at his introductory press conference as he was introduced as Tennessee's head coach on Dec. 1, 2008.

"I love the fact that Urban had to cheat and still didn't get him."

That's what Kiffin said the morning after National Signing Day, when he lured disgraced recruit Nu'Keese Richardson away from Meyer and the Gators.

There's a method behind Kiffin's madness. In 13 of the 18 seasons since the SEC split into two divisions and began playing a season-ending championship game, the winner of the Tennessee-Florida game on the third Saturday of September has represented the East in Atlanta on the first Saturday of December.

Florida also represents the South's most fertile hotbed of prep football talent. Recruiting, as well as conference championships, go through Gainesville. One of Kiffin's highly-publicized strategies/stunts (depending on whether you're a fan of Tennessee or Florida) since arriving at UT was to purchase a strategically-placed billboard in south Florida.

Gator fans will argue that Kiffin is merely an annoyance; that Florida is more worried about Mark Richt's Georgia Bulldogs and Bowden's Seminoles until Kiffin proves he's ready for serious competition on college football's biggest stage.

It's true that a few sound bytes for the sports segment of the six o'clock newscast and a couple of public battles for coveted recruits does not a rivalry make.

But a cursory glance at Gator-themed Internet message boards finds Kiffin and the Vols dominating the discussion. "CLK's in their heads," Tennessee fans laugh. On the flip-side, Meyer and the Gators command a great deal of attention wherever Vols fans hang out in cyberspace. "They're obsessed with our success," Florida fans say.

Tennessee fans refer to Meyer as "Urban Creyer." Florida fans dub Kiffin "Lame Kittin." It's safe to say that there's no love lost for Meyer in Knoxville, or vice-versa.

And while Kiffin did most of his pre-season jabbing at Florida in the printed pages, Meyer made Tennessee a top priority in a more subtle but no less assertive way: Tennessee orange adorned the Gators' locker room at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium almost as much as Florida orange. Kiffin quotes were enshrined in the facility, along with a countdown to the Sept. 19 meeting between the two teams at Florida Field.

"I think it's a neat thing that Tennessee's logo is all over Florida's locker room," Kiffin said, not about to let an opportunity pass to needle Meyer.

Those verbal jabs at Florida haven't slowed down since Kiffin arrived at Knoxville's McGhee-Tyson Airport last December. Not even a public reprimand from the SEC after falsely accusing Meyer of a recruiting violation at that Feb. 5 recruiting breakfast could muzzle Kiffin.

"I would think in their locker room there are some frustrated guys," Kiffin said in a reference to Florida failing to meet expectations when the highly anticipated Sept. 19 drubbing turned out to be a 23-13 struggle.

But Florida still won the game—making Meyer 1-0 against Kiffin—and Gator fans haven't let him forget it, referring to "moral victories" as Tennessee's losses have mounted during the 2009 season.

Nevertheless, Kiffin hasn't stopped talking, much to the chagrin of Florida fans. After Meyer suspended linebacker Brandon Spikes for one half of a game after Spikes' eye-gouging incident against Georgia—a suspension that was heavily criticized, Kiffin weighed in.

"Obviously, he'll discipline his team...or not," Kiffin said when asked about the suspension.

While Meyer's response to all of Kiffin's chit-chat has been mostly even keel, the Tennessee coach isn't the only one talking.

After the Gators' win over the Vols, Meyer accused Kiffin of playing to avoid a lopsided loss rather than playing to win.

"When I saw them start handing the ball off, I didn't feel like they were going after the win," Meyer said, referring to Tennessee's play-calling in the fourth quarter. He added that his team had been slowed by the flu.

"I guess we'll wait and after we're not excited about a performance, we'll tell you everybody was sick," Kiffin fired back.

Tennessee wasn't exactly flying below Meyer's radar before Kiffin arrived on the scene. It was well known that there was no love lost between Meyer and Fulmer. In a 59-20 win over the Vols in 2007, Meyer tacked on a couple of late scores to rub it in.

But there's no doubt that the arrival of Kiffin (and his propensity for talking smack) in Knoxville has added a special flavor to the rivalry. And while Kiffin's approach to returning the UT-UF series to its 1990s status—shooting off his mouth before proving it on the field—might not be the most common approach, it's certainly not unprecedented.

It's a path similar to that taken by none other than Florida coach Steve Spurrier when he was helping move the series into the limelight. Spurrier, like Kiffin, chose to approach rival coaches by making every effort to get under their skin. When Tennessee started 1-3 in 1994, Spurrier accused Fulmer of making excuses because he couldn't win games. (He also nicknamed Georgia coach Ray Goff "Ray Goof.")

So far, each coach seems to be enjoying himself.

Kiffin actually cost Meyer $30,000 in a round-about way: After the SEC announced harsher penalties for criticizing officials in the wake of Kiffin's accusations that Slive's reprimands were meaningless and that Florida was getting preferential treatment, the first coach to slip up was none other than Meyer himself.

And Meyer, well, he's undefeated against Kiffin and the Vols.

Kiffin may have won the first battle, albeit a small one and by an indecisive margin, when his 2009 recruiting class finished ahead of Meyer's '09 class, according to recruiting experts. Meyer won round two, with his head-to-head victory to clear the path for a second consecutive trip to the SEC title game. Early indications are that Kiffin may claim yet another recruiting victory on National Signing Day 2010.

As for Round Four, when the Vols and Gators meet at Neyland Stadium next September? Yet to be determined.

But this much is clear: the two coaches' highly publicized showdown at The Swamp this season was no flash in the pan. With Kiffin and Meyer set to do battle on the gridiron each September and on the recruiting trail each February, this is likely to be the hottest topic in the SEC, if not in all of college football, as long as these two are coaching at their respective schools.

Respect, like Woody had for Bo and The General (Neyland) had for The Bear, makes for a good rivalry. But a healthy dose of disdain and loathing makes for a memorable rivalry, too. And these coaches and their respective fan bases certainly have enough of those key ingredients to make this rivalry just that: Memorable.

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When Do the Tennessee Vols Fans Start To Wake Up?

Jim Folsom — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:48:08 -0500

Imagine you are the University of Tennessee. You've had a pretty good football program for as long as anyone can remember. Not as good as the fanbase thinks it is, but not bad either. You have a coach who's been pretty successful. He's about 150-50 at your school. He also played for you and bleeds Tennessee Orange (or whatever that color is).

But he is getting a bit long in the tooth. And his team is slipping.

You look around at Penn State and Florida State, two programs you have wet dreams about. Though they are now mired in mediocrity, their coaches are college football legends. So legendary are they that they coach into their 80s, and their schools cannot get rid of them.

You don't want this to happen to you.

So after the third non-bowl season in five years, you decide it's time to make a move. You let the old coach go, and you need a new one. Who might he be? You got rid of a coach because he wasn't getting it done, so maybe it's time to hire someone who is the complete opposite.

Let's make a list:

Old Coach: Old. What's the opposite? Young.

Old Coach: Fat. New Coach: In shape.

Old Coach: Outstanding football resume. New Coach: Resume you could write on a napkin.

Old Coach: Class guy, for the most part. New Coach: Loudmouth pain in the ass.

Old Coach: A former player for UT. New Coach: Never even heard of Tennessee.

Old Coach: Struggles with discipline problems among players. New Coach: Must promise he won't have these problems.

Who fits this profile?

How about that kid the Raiders just canned? You know, the one who got the job because of his daddy.

He's about as opposite from Fulmer as you can get. So you hire him. Didn't even bother to look at anyone else. Didn't interview anyone else. Didn't want to wait a week to see if anyone else might become available. You found the anti-Fulmer, and you hired him.

You cheered wildly at his offseason antics. You loved it when he made an ass of himself. Fulmer would have never done that. In fact, you are getting pretty sick of Fulmer's perceived inferiority complex whenever an Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, Mark Richt, or Steve Spurrier entered the room.

Fulmer wasn't going to get in these guys' faces. Why would he? They beat him like a rented mule already.

Lanie has no problem with doing it though. He's used to losing. And he hasn't lost to these guys yet. Plus, he was in the NFL! Saban and Spurrier couldn't win in the NFL either. They got nothing on him. So you just love it when UT is ridiculed in the press because of him. "Hey, at least they notice us now," he reassures.

When the games begin, Lanie and the boys lay a whooping on some school from Kentucky. You proclaim that the Vols are back! They are going to shock the world! Next up is UCLA. That team beat us with the old coach. But bring them on. We've got a new guy, and we're playing in our house.

Uh-oh. They beat us again? Should we be pissed yet? Why not? He ran the ball up the middle from inside the three-yard line FOUR STRAIGHT TIMES! But we do still have Fulmer's QB. He sucks. Let's blame it on him.

Next up, Florida. We'll get killed in this game no matter who the coach is. But it wasn't so bad. We only lost by 10! Let's throw a party!

Now the coach is talking smack to Urban Meyer again. Isn't this great! Yeah, I know we're 1-2 again. But it feels a whole lot better than last year.

Then Auburn comes to town with a new coach who hasn't spent the whole year running his mouth. He's 4-0. Damn. After they kill us, he's 5-0.

Next? WOW! We destroyed Georgia. No matter that they are only a shadow of last year's team. We LOOK AWESOME! This new guy is turning it around!

A trip to Tuscaloosa to take on the No. 1 team in the nation. We are out-playing them. We could actually beat them! TOUCHDOWN! Onside kick to help seal victory? GOT IT! Great catch, check. Still plenty of time left. We could score another touchdown!

Wait, what? A run up the middle? Why is the clock running? Call a time out! Spike the ball! DO SOMETHING! We're kicking a field goal from there? Haven't we already missed 100 of those today? BLOCKED! WAY TO GO! Do we start to grumble yet?

Hold on. We just slammed the Old Ball Coach. We're going to go to a bowl game! Maybe even one played on New Year's in Florida. What a recruiting trip that will be!

Uh-oh. What's this? Three of Lane's prized freshmen tried to rob somebody at a gas station? Huh? A PELLET GUN? And they get stuffed in the squad car wearing their UT-issue T-shirts? On camera? Great! Do we start wondering what we've done yet?

42-17? Complete domination by Ole Miss? The Rebels used to be an automatic win. And now they're killing us?

At 5-5, we've beaten Western Kentucky, Ohio (not State), Memphis (who fired their coach after losing to us), South Carolina, who will most likely end up under .500 again, and Georgia, who may fire their coach. Impressive.

Is it time to start grumbling yet? Can we at least question what we've done? Can we ask why the University of Tennessee hired a coach with a paper-thin resume and beyond-cocky attitude who didn't get a shining endorsement from any of his previous employers?

When do we get to? After a loss to Vanderbilt? Or Kentucky? When one of our players ends up on "America's Most Wanted?" Are we supposed to give him time to completely wreck the program?

We're getting tired of watching as the rest of the world laughs at us. When do we get to do something about it? Somebody please give us the signal.

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Tennessee's Lane Kiffin Dismisses Richardson, Edwards From Team

Bryan Kelly — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:18:40 -0500

The decision is in: Lane Kiffin has kicked Nu'Keese Richardson and Mike Edwards off the Tennessee Volunteers .

The two players, along with defensive back Janzen Jackson, were arrested last week on suspicion of armed robbery for allegedly holding up customers outside a gas station with a pellet gun.

Kiffin initially declined to make any final judgment on the fate of the three freshmen, assuring the media that a decision would be made when all the information was in.

The Tennessee coach handed down indefinite suspensions of the three players following the arrest and forbade them from coming near practices or games. But the evidence against Richardson and Edwards was apparently profound enough to lead to their outright dismissal.

"After extensive and thorough research of the situation over the last four days and considering various disciplinary options, I've decided it's in the best interest of our program to remove Nu'Keese and Mike," Kiffin said in a statement.

There was no word on whether Jackson would also be dismissed. Though his suspension has not been lifted, it is believed that Jackson only drove the vehicle the three men were using , while the dismissed players actually committed the attempted robbery.

Whether Jackson will take steps toward reinstatement is not yet known.

Richardson and Jackson were both highly-rated recruits. Nu'Keese was a four-star athlete out of Pahokee, Fla., who had originally committed to the Gators before switching his commitment after Kiffin's arrival.

Richardson's recruitment was subject to scrutiny when it became part of Kiffin's spat with Urban Meyer in the offeseason. Kiffin alleged that Meyer violated recruiting rules by calling and texting Nu'Keese while the player was on Tennessee's campus.

Richardson had a minor impact on Tennessee's offense and special teams, fielding kickoffs and catching eight passes for 100 yards and a touchdown on the year

Jackson was a five-star player and the No. 2 safety overall to Rivals.com, hailing from Louisiana. The freshman had played in limited duty, contributing 24 tackles, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble mostly in garbage time.

Edwards, a defensive back out of Cleveland, Ohio, was not highly ranked.

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Lane Kiffin Dismisses Nu'Keese Richardson, Mike Edwards from Tennessee

Ben Garrett — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:02:38 -0500

One of the most heralded football signees in recent Tennessee history will have one of the shortest careers.

True freshmen Nu'Keese Richardson and Mike Edwards were dismissed by Vols coach Lane Kiffin Monday after being arrested last week on charges of attempted armed robbery.

Freshman Janzen Jackson remains suspended indefinitely, though Kiffin has not formerly tagged the disciplinary action against Jackson a suspension.

All three were arrested last week, along with another University of Tennessee student, after allegedly confronting a pair of other students with an air pistol outside a Knoxville convenience store just off the school's campus.

"After extensive and thorough research of the situation over the last four days and considering various disciplinary options, I’ve decided it’s in the best interest of our program to remove Nu’Keese and Mike," Kiffin said at a Monday afternoon press conference.

"As I’ve said many times before, we hold our student-athletes to an extremely high standard on and off the field. Our student-athletes must be responsible members of society, and this type of conduct will not be tolerated....clearly, their actions have no place in our program."

The arrests were seen as an embarrassment for Kiffin, who recruited all three and had publicly touted as recently as the previous afternoon his team's lack of off-the-field incidents since he was named Tennessee's head coach on Dec. 1, 2008.

All three were major components of the Vols' highly-touted recruiting class of 2009, which Kiffin and his staff compiled with less than eight weeks together on the job before National Signing Day.

Jackson has been mentioned by many as the next Eric Berry; Berry—a junior All-American who is likely to forego his last year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft—himself said that Jackson was more talented as a true freshman than Berry was at that age.

The Louisiana native, who chose Tennessee over LSU, had started the first eight games of the season in the Vols' secondary. He was suspended for the Memphis game for a violation of team rules; according to multiple reports, the violation was a failed drug test.

Richardson was an especially important recruit for Tennessee. Hailing from the recruiting hotbed of Pahokee, FL, Richardson was a fan favorite because of Kiffin's intensely public recruiting battle with Florida coach Urban Meyer to land Richardson.

Richardson was the source of Kiffin's accusation that Meyer violated NCAA recruiting rules. At a post-Signing Day breakfast with boosters, he joked, "I love the fact that Urban had to cheat and still didn't get him," a reference to Meyer allegedly calling Richardson's cell phone repeatedly while Richardson was on an official visit to Tennessee. SEC Commissioner Mike Slive publicly reprimanded Kiffin for the remark.

In addition to Meyer and LSU's Les Miles, Kiffin beat out another key rival for both Jackson and Richardson; Alabama had offered scholarships to both players.

Edwards, who chose Tennessee over in-state Cincinnati and Ohio State, among others, was lesser known than Richardson or Jackson but was expected to be a starter in the Vols' secondary by the 2010 season.

The three players did not participate in Saturday's loss to Ole Miss, nor did they make the trip to Oxford with the rest of the team. There had been some speculation from Kiffin's critics that the first-year coach would delay action on the three players because of their value to the team.

However, Kiffin made it clear in a Sunday interview with the Knoxville News Sentinel that the players' actions would not be tolerated.

"No way would we ever, with something like this possibly having happened, no way would we ever let one of those guys ever play for us," Kiffin told the News Sentinel . "We don't let them come to the functions over here, meetings or practice or anything."

While Jackson will continue to not be allowed to attend team functions—including practice and team meetings—Kiffin has delayed announcing a punishment for him.

Jackson was in the vehicle with Richardson and Edwards when all three were arrested, but his role in the alleged crime remains unclear. Police affidavits indicate that the victims said Jackson emerged from the store after his teammates had approached the victims' car, telling them, "We have to go."

Jackson was initially being held under a $15,000 bond; however, he was later released on his own recognizance. His attorney has speculated that the charges against him may be dropped.

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Tennessee Vols: The Truth About Lane Kiffin and the Three Banditos

Joel Barker — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:04:54 -0500

Much has been said over the last four days about Lane Kiffin and the arrest of three freshmen players for attempted armed robbery.

We've heard nonsense like, "'Lil Wayne made them do it," to, "Kiffin's an irresponsible jerk! How could he not be watching these kids every single minute of the day!?"

So I decided to set the record straight and give folks a glimpse into what is actually happening in Knoxville. I'm fairly sick of all the ridiculous comments being made by people who have absolutely no clue about what is going on.

Fact is, those folks have only one source: their undying hatred for a man that they have never met.

It's true that Lane Kiffin brought a lot of this on himself. But to unfairly characterize someone as being complicit in a crime of this magnitude is not only irresponsible but quite reprehensible as well. It's borderline slander.

As a matter of fact, if anyone important was actually reading some of this crap, some folks could actually be held liable for the ridiculous misinformation that is floating out there.

It reminds me of something else that floats in water. Something that stinks and is putrid...if you catch my drift.

So to attempt to set the record straight here is what Lane Kiffin told the Knoxville News Sentinel yesterday:

"They won't play or practice until I get all the information in, because this is too critical," Kiffin said. "No way would we ever, with something like this possibly having happened, no way would we ever let one of those guys ever play for us. We don't let them come to the functions over here, meetings or practice or anything."

Does that sound like a coach who is ignoring the situation? Does that sound like a coach who is proud of what happened with the three knuckleheads?

Does that sound like a coach who would allow a program full of miscreants to ruin everything he has built up so far? I think not.

Kiffin went on to say, "I'm not calling it anything except for telling you that they're not part of any of our activities until we get more information in.

"There's no way I would ever let them be around our team and be around our functions with what's been said that may have happened."

Kiffin ended his comments with this: "We've got to make sure we have all the accurate information and know exactly what happened before we make any rash decisions."

Accurate information. Now there's the phrase of the day. Some folks are so hellbent on Kiffin being made a fool that things have been made up, sensationalized, and just outright lied about.

These people have no clue. Absolutely no clue what Lane Kiffin is all about. These writers/haters just know one thing, Kiffin has a big mouth.

Congratulations! What a big shock that is! Even Tennessee fans know the guy has a big mouth and comes off like a jerk when he's at pep rallies and talking with the media.

When it comes to three players ruining their lives, however, the man is serious. The man is reserved and ready to act once he finds the accurate information.

When it comes to propaganda from bloggers and yellow journalism from writers, Kiffin and the Volnation could care less about fiction and more about fact.

The facts are that Kiffin is taking care of business. He hasn't rushed to judgment like the thousands of anti-fans who hate him because he made inappropriate remarks to a bunch of big-money Tennessee supporters.

Hopefully, his quotes set the record straight for those of you who like truth and accurate information.

The rest can just keep lying because it makes you and your coaches/teams "better" than the loud-mouthed coach who has never done anything to you personally.

The truth will set you free.

-All quotes were taken from the Knoxville-News Sentinel

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Tennessee's Lane Kiffin's Silence Is Deafening As The Orange Is Crushed

Larry Burton — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:22:44 -0500

As someone who has blasted Lane Kiffin in the past for his stupid statements, lies and mental miscues, I was fully ready and willing to give Lane Kiffin a pass for this, his first player arrest.

He has kept the team pretty much in check for a month short of a year and at Tennessee, that's quite an accomplishment.

What happened last week was possibly three young men who made a terrible decision. It was something that could have happened to any coach at any team. Unfortunately, such things have become all to common.

Kiffin has talked the good talk about discipline and even the fans outside of Tennessee fully expected him to follow through with a quick and swift verdict and appropriate punishment.

However, the silence coming from Tennessee is deafening.

His only two statements boiled down to "no comment" and "we need to get all the facts."

Lane, the facts are that at least two of your players tried to rob some citizens at gunpoint. That much seems pretty clear, the involvement of the third seems to be in question as does the speculation that they were smoking pot as well.

Police found the drugs in the car with paraphenalia along with the gun and the suspects were caught in the car and with the clothing described to the police and then eye witness I.D.'d.

How many more facts do you need? What other facts are you hoping this so called investigation will deliver?

You should have sent a representative to the jail to administer a drug test and you would have already had the results. You should have issued a statement immediately that said something like "Because of the overwhelming evidence at this point against the players arrested that they are suspended from the team for an indefinite period of time and if the charges prove true, they will be asked to leave both the team and the University."

You had time today to meet with the police, the players and even the victims. There was not much to investigate. Either they did or did not stick a gun in a citizen's face and demand money.

Even Inspector Clouseau could have solved this case by now. Each day you drag this out is another 100 pounds of credibility you lose.

Lane, you want to be considered a big time coach, now is the time to step up and act like one. Make your decision and stand by it. Let us see your convictions in action and let us see it soon. Your silence is deafening.

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The Terrible 10: College Football's Biggest Disappointments (Nov 15)

Drew Gatewood — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:21:19 -0500

10) San Jose State (1-8)

You know you’re bad when a 3-7 team comes in a drubs you. Next up, Hawaii.

9) This week’s stellar officiating:

During the Ohio State vs. Iowa game, Iowa was penalized 6 yards for a false start. Apparently in the Big Ten it’s a sliding scale, the earlier the start the more yards attached to the penalty. This weeks winner was during the West Virginia vs. Cincinnati game, when Isaiah Pead was given a touchdown without crossing the goal line or having the ball. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3Lz9trVMZw

8) Washington State (1-9)

They’ve been outscored 14-91 in the last two games. Next up, Oregon State.

7) Miami Ohio (1-10)

This week they reverted back to their old self, look for that to continue. Next up, Bowling Green.

6) Ball State (1-9)

Don’t be surprised if Central Michigan drops 50 on them this week, This Cardinal team looks like a bunch of parakeets. Next up, Central Michigan.

5) Rice (1-9)

Rice shocked us all and finally got on the board, better late than never. Next up, UTEP.

4) Western Kentucky (0-10)

They have one last beat down before they get to a game they might actually have a chance to win. Next up, Florida Atlantic.

3) New Mexico (0-10)

They gave us a scare against BYU and actually looked competent. Next up, Colorado State.

2) Eastern Michigan (0-10)

Do they have one more win in them before the end of the season? Not unless someone forfeits. Next up, Toledo.

1) The Tennessee Volunteers’ Rocky Flop Trio of NuKeese Richardson, Janzen Jackson, and Mike Edwards.

These three geniuses tried to hold up some people at a Knoxville gas station: Problem one: It’s Knoxville, they do know who you are. Problem two: Don’t commit armed robbery in your Tennessee Volunteers Football shirts; it’s sort of a clue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edQjfOGZvzY&feature=related

Here’s a look at the Top 25:

The Way I See It: A Look at College Football's Top 25 (Nov. 15)

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Tennessee Vols Biggest Opponent This Season: Adversity

Joel Barker — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:15:36 -0500

Merely one week ago Tennessee fans were rejoicing. For nearly a month, the Vols were the hottest team in the SEC. A 45-19 beat down of Georgia began a streak of positive momentum on the field for the first time since 2007.

A week later we saw a heartbreaking loss to then-No. 1 Alabama. Only to be followed up by a 31-13 thrashing of South Carolina. Homecoming was over before it started as the Vols had their way with Memphis. Fans were giddy.

The Vols lost two close games to two No. 1 teams, Florida and Alabama. It's other losses came when the offense was still trying to find any semblance of rhythm (UCLA and Auburn).

Once the Vols got on track against UGA and continued that momentum through last week, many of the Vol-faithful were excited about football again.

Folks were making reservations for New Year's in Dallas, Orlando, and Tampa.

Then came that terrible Thursday. Vols fans awoke to the terrible news that three key freshmen had been involved in an unspeakable act of stupidity in the overnight hours.

Momentum vanished. Adversity appeared.

At approximately 2:30 Thursday morning, Nu'Keese Richardson, Mike Edwards, and Janzen Jackson, all freshmen, attempted to rob two men sitting in a gas station parking lot. They had a weapon, a pellet gun. The charge? Attempted Armed Robbery.

Defensive standout, Jackson was supposedly in the restroom at the time, but he was still out, after curfew, with the two troublemakers.

In the days and hours since that terrible moment, Lane Kiffin has been flooded with questions and concerns about the incident. And rightfully so.

At the time, I wrote that we would see just what kind of coach we had this weekend. Could he take care of the issue? Could he focus his player's attention past the issue and onto a big football game?

Those were questions I asked. Unfortunately I received the answer.

I will not blame the 42-17 loss solely on the three amigos and their ridiculous lapse in judgment. No way. The majority of this loss is on a defense that simply could not stop Dexter McCluster. But I am not so naive as to think that Thursday morning's incident had nothing to do with this loss.

By and large the defense looked listless on Saturday. Missed tackles, missed assignments, and overall terrible play was the determining factor. For a defense that had been swarming and hitting hard all season long, this was definitely a departure from the norm.

No one can argue against the fact that the wind was completely taken out of the Vols sails on Thursday.

I felt Lane Kiffin should have taken action immediately. He did not. I can certainly understand his wanting to get all the facts before reacting. I can certainly understand wanting to keep the focus on the game.

I cannot understand how he expected 80 other 18 to 22-year-olds to keep that focus when three friends, compadres, and teammates had just committed the stupidest act of their lives.

Did it contribute to the loss? No doubt in my mind. Should it have? I do not know.

I do know that this has been quite possibly the worst week for Tennessee football in a long time.

When you have momentum and it's suddenly snatched from your grasp, it's tough to deal with.

Lane Kiffin has a lot on his plate this week. He has to prepare for two opponents. One on the field and one in the minds of his players. Vanderbilt and adversity go hand-in-hand as big time obstacles in the week ahead.

At this point adversity is a much larger threat than the Commodores ever could be. Losing to one, however, could equal losing to both.

Once again, Lane Kiffin has an opportunity. An opportunity to show that he's a leader. An opportunity to prove that he's more than a big mouth. An opportunity to seize momentum once again.

Will adversity become the theme of '09? Or will overcoming adversity be this team's destiny?

The ball is in Kiffin's court, it's time to act.

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