The State Of Tennessee Football: Is There an Avalanche Coming to Rocky Top?

As a storm gathers off the coast here in Virginia Beach, it looks like a storm is gathering on Rocky Top with Phillip Fulmer and the Vols in the center of it all.

Right now things are not looking good for the Volunteers after a dismal performance against the Florida Gators last Saturday. The Vols failed to score twice inside the 5-yard line, and they missed five tackles on their way to giving up a punt return touchdown. 

What made things even worse was the fact that Tim Tebow, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, did not have to do much. Tennessee mostly just beat themselves.

What made me very sad was watching all the fans leave the stadium en masse during the third quarter.  A mass exodus like that is usually reserved for fourth-quarter beatdowns of a Conference USA opponent.

My passion for the Vols runs deep, as is the case for many who bleed orange.  However, for many, patience is running thin. Right now, Tennessee looks nothing like the dominant force they were in the late '90s, when they were tops of the SEC.

When Tennessee won the National Title 10 years ago, it really spoiled the fans, as they now expected to be contending for a title every year.  However, people on Rocky Top instead got to watch Florida and LSU win the crystal football while Tennessee came up short.

Tennessee fans had to put up with their first losing season back in 2005, and by the looks of the offensive performance against the Gators and the brutal SEC schedule, Tennessee may be headed that way again.  I don't know if Fulmer can survive another season like that.

Nevertheless, all is not lost for the Big Orange.  They can start to mend some fences with the fans if the offense can somehow find a rhythm and beat Auburn on the plains this Saturday. 

The season is far from over.  Tennessee still has some fight left in them.  Do not look for the Volunteers to just go quietly into the night.