No Such Thing As a Moral Victory? I Couldn't Disagree More!

A funny thing happened in The Swamp Saturday- someone didn't read the script. The Tennessee Volunteers went into the toughest atmosphere in college football as 30-point underdogs and played the game of their lives!

Even in a 10-point loss to the hated Gators, the Vols looked every bit their equal on the defensive side of the ball. I would venture a guess that Tim Tebow hasn't been hit that much in quite a while. And of course the interception by Eric Berry might have been one of the greatest interceptions by a Vol defender in the last decade.

Consider all the hype coming into this game; "Florida's going to win by 50, UT doesn't stand a chance!" "The Vols will be manhandled by the Gators." "Urban Meyer's going call timeouts late to run up the score." Once again, the Vols didn't get the script.

Say what you want to about Jonathan Crompton (and I know you will, because you are UT fans and "complain" is your middle name), but the embattled quarterback did not lose this game! Sure, his two interceptions hurt, but so did Gerald Jones' inability to run an easy route. Then there's the fact that Lane Kiffin had to keep his playcalling vanilla most of the game due to the lack of efficient skill players.

If you want to look for blame on this loss you need to look no further than a one-dimensional offense that could not move the ball through the air well enough. Blame that on coaching or Crompton if you want (and I know you will), but I think the blame lies in the previous regime's inability to recruit decent skill players.

So blame it on the lack of talent that Tennessee currently has. Blame it on the fact that your former coach is still ticked off about being fired for allowing this program to grow stagnant and rusty. Blame it on four offensive schemes in four years that have wreaked havoc on a former five-star QB prospect.

I defy you, however, to blame the loss on any current Tennessee Vols player or coach. I defy you to blame this loss on anyone that is a part of the solution.

Vols fans, the problem is gone! The problem was given a $6 million contract buyout to spend his days on the lake. That's where the blame for this loss belongs.

I hate to even talk about blame in a match-up where the Vols played their guts out. If you bleed orange like I do and you aren't proud of this team after today's game, I beg you to get a blood transfusion and jump on someone else's bandwagon.

If you came out of that game with anything less than pride, you probably are not much of a fan in the first place. Last week, you had reason to gripe. UCLA had no business outplaying the Vols. This week, the Big Orange left it all on the field.

In a week filled with nothing but media hype and comments that were completely blown out of proportion that our coach made at a glorified pep rally, this is a great ending.

Say what you want to about moral victories, but this game shows exactly where the Tennessee Vols are in their rebuilding process; not as far behind as most pundits think. I understand we Vols fans aren't used to enjoying moral victories, but this one you have to enjoy. Rebuilding programs aren't supposed to go to the No. 1 team's backyard and play that well.

Today's result was as much mental preparation as it was game preparation. Lane Kiffin is turning the psyche of this program around. You Kiffin-haters had better enjoy writing negative stories on him while you can. You anti-Vols better enjoy it this season.

This team is not that far from being back. With one or two more recruiting classes like Kiffin's first, the Vols will once again be back on Rocky Top!