Ineptitude Reins on Rocky Top: Look for Dismal Finish to Tennessee Season

After three games, we have an idea of what to expect from the University of Tennessee football team for the rest of the season.  That idea is disappointment.

Now the big question is, will the Volunteers be able to hang with the front runners in the Southeastern Conference? 

After the display of ineptitude against Florida, the answer is a no followed by a few chuckles.  There seems to be no way for the Vols to pick themselves off the mat after the aforementioned no-show.  That makes the outlook for the remainder of the season dismal at best. 

Now of course there will be talk about how last season started the same way.  The only difference is this is not the same team as the last.  This year’s edition of the Vols has no leadership and plays with no inspiration.

Hang with the big boys in the SEC?  The question should be will they stay out of the last place cellar?  They won’t finish last, but it will be so close it really won’t matter.

Three out their next five games are against Top 15 opponents: at Auburn, at Georgia, and Alabama at home.  That is just a brutal stretch.  That is one of the reasons they won’t be able to turn the season around. 

After looking at that stretch, it looks like the best possible finish for the Volunteers will be 6-6.  They will make a bowl game for the sole reason that a 6-6 SEC team will garner better attendance and ratings than a 9-3 Conference USA team.

The biggest area where Tennessee needs to improve is on the offense.  There seems to be no method to it at all.  The running game is the strength, but they go away from it far too often.  The gimmicky pass offense that they are using is not working at all.  All they need to do, to quote an oft-used phrase, is line up and hit somebody in the mouth.

What are the reasons for this?  Is it coach Phillip Fulmer?  Is if new offensive coordination Dave Clawson?  Is it the play of quarterback Jonathan Crompton?  It could be one, it could be all.

Whatever the reason is, the Vols need to fix it quick. If they don’t there, will be a revolt within the Orange Nation—and that won’t be pretty.