Tennessee-Georgia Report Card: Writing Lines on the Blackboard

Remember when you were a little kid and you got in trouble and you had to write, "I will not..." 100 times?  While some members of the Tennessee football team did all right, the rest of the team needs to join Bart Simpson at the chalkboard and write some lines after their 26-14 loss at Georgia.

Quarterback

Nick Stephens has been the definition of gunslinger in his first two games as starting quarterback.  While he only completed 13 of 30 passes for 208 yards, he had two touchdowns and no interceptions despite throwing into coverage repeatedly and having several balls tipped.

Stephens, who held the ball a bit too long early, is emerging as a great deep ball thrower.  All of his passes are on a rope and thrown with confidence.  He is to be commended for his poise in his first SEC start and first road start.  No lines needed.

GRADE: B

Running Backs

One.  One yard net rushing is all Tennessee could muster.  In all the years I have watched Tennessee football, they have never been this dreadful in the running game.  Sure, Georgia was poised to stop the run, but your leading rusher only had 20 yards.

What makes the situation worse is the fact that Arian Foster and Montario Hardesty are veteran SEC backs.  They should be able to at least break a tackle now and then.  Fulmer should give Lennon Creer more chances to break a big play.

All running backs need to write, "I need to break tackles" 100 times.

GRADE: F

Wide Receivers

There were times when the Vols got good separation against the Bulldogs, but not enough. This just in: Denarius Moore is fast.  It looks like Tennessee finally has a receiver that can make the defense back off in coverage.

But aside from his 60-yarder, UT's receivers only caught eight passes for 115 yards. Gerald Jones dropped a promising screen pass.  So much for getting the ball in the hands of your playmakers.

GRADE: C

Offensive Line

Speaking of a bad day rushing, the offensive line had more holes than Swiss cheese.  On each sweep play, it appeared as if every lineman missed the block as the Bulldogs swarmed to the running back.

The line also allowed five tackles for a loss, including two sacks. Stephens shares some of the blame for holding the ball too long on the sacks, but this certainly doesn't look like the offensive line that was so good in pass protection last season.

Each lineman must write, "I will pancake my opponents" 200 times.

GRADE: F

Defensive Line

Georgia's offensive line is being held together by duct tape and glue because of injuries, and yet this patchwork line was able to dominate and wear down Tennessee's defensive line.

End Robert Ayers played a screen pass perfectly for an interception that kept the Vols in the game. Ayers also threw Moreno for a six-yard loss and had 3.5 tackles for a loss.  So at least one lineman is playing with some courage.

The rest of the defensive line will write, "I will play like John Henderson and Reggie White" 150 times.

GRADE: D

Linebackers

The only real solid performance from the linebackers came from an injured Ellix Wilson, who led the Vols with 16 tackles despite a sore shoulder.  Nevin McKenzie struggled mightily in pass coverage but had a tackle for a loss.

Also, what has happened to Rico McCoy?  He only had two tackles and has not made the big plays we were expecting from him.

McCoy will write, "I will play like Al Wilson" 100 times.

GRADE: D

Secondary

Thank goodness for Eric Berry.  His third quarter interception kept the game from getting totally out of hand, and his big hit on Knowshon Moreno was the big highlight.  Meanwhile, the secondary gave up 310 yards passing.  Yikes.

Safety Demetrice Morley was woefully out of position on several plays.  Officials added insult to injury with a bad personal foul call.  Drops were the only thing that could stop Georgia's receivers against UT's soft coverage.  Well, the Vols also tried holding, but that's illegal.  DeAngelo Willingham was called for a personal foul.

All secondary players besides Berry will write, "I will cover my man like glue" 150 times.

GRADE: D

Special Teams

Britton "DWI" Colquitt was back from his suspension and punted well.  Georgia's longest return was only 27 yards, which is good considering how back kick coverage has been.  However, he was also called for a personal foul...not a good thing from your punter.

GRADE: C-

Coaching

UT's defense looked overrated against the best offense they've played all year.  Still, the Vols aren't doing much of anything offensively, and it is becoming very predictable.  Solid scheme contributed to UT's long passes on offense.  The players committed four personal fouls (one was a lousy call), which is a big indicator of lack of discipline from the coaching staff.

Fulmer and Clawson must write, "I will be more creative" 250 times.

GRADE: D-

FINAL GPA: 1.14

Tennessee had a couple of big plays to keep things respectable, but they were dominated on both sides of the ball all game long.  Tennessee had better win against Mississippi State, or Fulmer may follow in the footsteps of Ron Zook and Mike Shula by getting "Croomed."