Tennessee Vols Football: It's Bama Week!

I'm not quite sure if we should be happy, scared, and downright depressed about the fact expressed in that headline, but nonetheless, it's finally upon us.

As soon as the Vols were finished with their utter dismantling of the Georgia Bulldogs last weekend, I told myself that I was going to enjoy that 45-19 blowout for a week. Guess what, that week is over and now it's time to build.

Tennessee has to build on the success it achieved last Saturday. The Vols and coach Lane Kiffin have to get back to the grind beginning now. The off-week is over, wounds are healed, and it's time to hit it hard.

Make no mistake, Volniacs: Georgia is not Alabama. As a matter of fact, Georgia is not anywhere near the category of Alabama.

Alabama plays defense, has a certified football genius running the show and a legit Heisman front-runner running the ball 20-plus times a game.

Georgia had none of that.  

So before you go bragging to all your 'Bama friends that since your team scored 45 on Georgia that the Vols are all of a sudden a great team, just stop. Stop right now.

I actually heard Tennessee fans talking smack to other SEC fans after scoring 63 points on hapless Western Kentucky. Western Kentucky!? And as day follows the night, it all started back up after the 45-19 win a week ago.

Do I feel better about the Vols after putting up that many points and completely demoralizing an SEC rival? Absolutely!

Do I think the ability is there to build on that and maybe pull off the unthinkable next weekend? Absolutely!

Am I going on 'Bama message boards and taunting them after Jonathan Crompton's third decent game out 12 career starts? No! Actually, heck no!

How can the Vols build off that Georgia victory? What do we have before us now considering the newfound success we experienced a week ago on the offensive side of the ball?

First of all, we have a new "method to the madness" on offense. That new method includes rolling Crompton out time and again so he can become more accurate. Crompton is not a pocket passer. He has to be on the move. 

Utilizing play-action is a precursor to that rollout success. Against Georgia, Lane Kiffin ingeniously used their over- aggressiveness to stop the run to his advantage.

Georgia studied and practiced all week to snuff out the running game. They didn't think that Crompton had the ability to win the game on his own. They were wrong.

That luxury will not be afforded the coaches Kiffin this week. Alabama has the tape and you can bet they will dissect, decipher, and dredge out every last bit of it.

I think Tennessee has to approach this game more like it did the Florida game. Run the ball. Pound the rock. Play ball control offense and keep field position in your favor.

Now that we know the play-action/rollout works we have that to lean on when we have to use it.

This Alabama team is ferocious on defense. The blitz, stop the run, and have a tremendously talented secondary that can give you fits.

The Vols might be able to use their aggression against them. The cure for the blitz is screens, draws, and a stout running game. The Vols have the ability to do all three well.

On defense, well do I really have to say anything else about this defense? Perhaps the most telling fact of the Georgia game was that the 'Dawgs never made it past the Tennessee 34-yard line.

The same Georgia team that put up 52 on Arkansas and 41 on South Carolina was held without a single offensive touchdown against this Vols defense.

Of course the 'Dawgs don't have Mark Ingram, who should be the Heisman frontrunner right now. And as if Ingram's not enough, they can throw Trent Richardson and Roy Upchurch at you at any time.

Quarterback Greg McElroy is nothing to write home about, but he can manage a game and keep 'Bama out of the loss column.

Can Tennessee do it? Can they even keep it close? Will this year be another in the long line of Instant Classics in this rivalry? As a lifelong member of the Volnation and a certified Alabama-hater, I sure hope so.

This is the first installment of my "It's Bama Week" series.

Later on in the week I will discuss the game at length with my good friend, James Morrison , a rabid Bama fan and fellow-B/R writer in our weekly Rivalry Picks article.

My special look back at this rivalry will also be a part of this series.

Because for most old-school Vol fans (of which I am a proud member) it doesn't get any bigger or better than 'Bama Week.