ON MY ALLEGED MIND (11-5-21)
DAWG TALES: In the years I traveled the SEC road circuit to watch the Vols we were extremely successful in Athens. I saw the 1992, 94 and 96 editions and the Dawg crowd was totally docile exiting their own stadium on each occasion. That was a far cry from the 1981 contest that Fab-5 Freddie claims is the worst he’s ever been treated as a visiting fan including multiple trips to the hell hole known as Gainesville. Since that 44-0 thrashing of the Vols was the opener played on Labor Day weekend I escaped the humiliation playing softball in Saint Louis.
The 92 and 94 games both had a couple of humorous memories supplementing rewarding victories. The 92 Vols surprised not only Vol fans with their performance in Athens that day but Georgia faithful as well. The Dawgs were ranked 14th and the Vols 20th but Phillip Fulmer was an interim coach with only a game versus SW Louisiana under his belt. Heath Shuler was a relatively unknown commodity as well. The Big Orange and Shuler played with a flair that day that was a precursor of just how good the decade of Tennessee Football would be. The game itself was a shootout with neither team able to get a comfortable lead. There was an
“alleged” Dawg fan sitting directly behind me who took joy in leaning forward and barking in my ear with each Georgia highlight. In a 34-31 game there were plenty of them. When Shuler ran for a first down with a minute or so remaining to ensure victory the barker told his buddy
“that’s alright, I’m an Alabama fan myself”. I rarely if ever say a cross word to an opposing fan but that was too much. I turned and relayed to him that I wish he had figured that out three hours earlier and saved us all the kennel treatment.
The 94 contest was another somewhat surprising Vol victory. Tennessee had suffered a season-opening loss to UCLA in which the great Jerry Colquitt was lost for the season the week before. Playing your second consecutive road game versus a ranked opponent with either a baseball player (Todd Helton) or one of two freshmen (Peyton Manning and Brandon Stewart) set to make their first start at QB in a hostile environment is not the most comforting of situations to find yourself in. Helton got the nod but I might have been able to execute the Vols game plan that day. He simply handed the ball to James Stewart and Aaron Hayden who rushed for 212 and 121 yards respectively. In those days it was almost impossible to hear your home team’s broadcast on the road and it was an era when most everyone listened to a headset to hear the game as well as see it. I had the great Larry Munson on mine that day and will never forget his gravely voice lamenting
“they just keep handing it to those BIG BACKS and they’re pounding and pounding and pounding and they’re runnin us out of our own house!” Sure beats the hell out of a hobnail boot to break our nose. I believe 94 was also the day that security or a pilfering dawg fan reached under the late, great, Paison’s seat and stole his liquor during the national anthem which remains one of the most unamerican things in history.
BULLDOGS VOL FANS SHOULD WATCH FOR:
Stetson Bennett in 8 games (six starts) is 80-for-120 (66.7 percent) for 1,412 yds with 14 TDs and 4 ints. He has 27 carries for 193 yds.
J.T Daniels was 7-for-11 for 82 yds a TD and an interception vs Missouri last Saturday
Srs Zamir White (106 attempts, 519 yds, 9 TDs) and James Cook (66-383-4) split a majority of the carries at RB for the Dawgs
WRs Ladd McConkey (21-338; 3 TDs), Adonai Mitchell (17-248; 2 TDs) and Jermaine Burton (16-300; 3 TDs) lead the Bulldogs beat up receiving corps
Freshman TE Brock Bowers has a team-best 28 catches for 493 yds and 7 TDs (one rush).
NG Jordan Davis anchors the Dawg D-Line with 21 tackles, 3.5 tfl and 2 sacks
NG Jalen Carter is also a disruptor with 22 tack, 6.5 tfl and 3 sacks
DE Travon Walker has 26 stops, 5 TFLs and 3.5 sacks
LB Channing Tindall leads the team in tackles with 45 along with 2.5 tfl and 1 sack
LB Nakobe Dean is the heart of the Georgia defense with 38 tack, 5 tfl, 3.5 sacks and 2 interceptions on the season
LB Nolan Smith has 32 stops and 4.5 tfl and 1.5 sacks to go along with a blocked punt versus Missouri.
Jr safety Lewis Cine ranks 2nd on the squad with 40 tackles
SS Christopher Smith has 2 interceptions on the season.
WHAT VOLS MUST DO SATURDAY:
PROTECT HOOKER: As I stated in my Sunday blog Hendon Hooker has to be among the most pleasant surprises in the history of Tennessee Football. His emergence is a major reason why the Vols are overachieving for one of the few times in recent memory. There is an ugly confluence of statistics facing the Vols Saturday. The Bulldogs sack the QB almost 3 times per game good for 2nd in the SEC and the Vols are the worst in the league at protecting allowing almost 4. We not only need Hooker to have adequate time to find open receivers against the league’s best defense but also to exit the game in one piece.
MAKE STETSON PEDESTRIAN: Stetson Bennett has reemerged as the Georgia QB after J.T. Daniels early injury and has acquitted himself fairly well. I would never jump another fanbase for criticizing their team’s QB play after the Guarantano years but Bennett’s stats belie their level of angst. He leads the SEC in QB rating at 197.3 and has thrown 14 TDs with only 4 interceptions. With their defense the almost extinct “game manager” might be enough. What we need is for him to mismanage one for a change. He did that on a couple of occasions last season until Daniels came to the rescue. Let’s hope Saturday turns back the clock and J.T. isn’t the savior either.
DON’T LET GEORGIA’S DEFENSE SCORE: The Dawgs defense gives up an amazingly paltry 6.6 pts/game. What is this 1950? No one has been able to dent the Georgia D for more than 13 points. Both South Carolina and Kentucky reached those lofty heights. With Georgia limiting opponent’s offenses so efficiently letting them score points of their own would erase what small chance the Vols have at a program-changing victory.
WHAT I WANT TO SEE:
SCORE 21 POINTS: This may be the best defense to grace Neyland Stadium since the 1992 Alabama crew. Not sure how many more ways it can be said than above but they’re damn good. Let’s score three TDs on them. That’s two more than they are accustomed to surrendering
SCARE THE #1 TEAM IN AMERICA: As Tony and crew mentioned earlier in the week it’s been 36 years since the Vols beat a #1 Ranked opponent. That was the glorious day that Bo Jackson went from the front page of Sport Illustrated to sitting on the bench with a towel over his head. This would be more unexpected and a win is likely a pipe dream but let’s at least make them sweat. Seeing the Vols play a game versus the best team in the land as if they’re unafraid would be another sign that things will soon be better.
FORCE SOME FGs IN THE RED ZONE: After surrendering 5 TDs to Kentucky in 5 trips to the red zone last Saturday in Lexington, Tennessee is now allowing opponents to score Red Zone TDs on 80% of their opportunities. That is horrendous. Somehow, someway, let’s get a few stops inside our 20 for a change.
EXIT THE GAME HEALTHY: The Vols have laid the foundation for a very satisfying 7-5 record in Josh Heupel’s first season on The Hill. The team has exhibited the next man up mantra as well as any in memory but there is only so much attrition any roster -let alone one this thin- can overcome. Georgia will be the most physical defense we’ll play short of the NFL with two very winnable games to follow separating the Vols from a good and a very good season. Let’s play the Dawgs off their feet, survive and advance.
NEXT TIME: Georgia breakdown
CLOSING COMMENT: God Bless all of you veterans and your families. We owe you a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid.
