FLORIDA THOUGHTS

INTRO

The first thing that comes to mind is what an incredible setting and environment Saturday was. You could feel something different about the day the moment you stepped on campus. And for a change the Vols rewarded the unmatched loyalty, passion and dedication of the fan base with an offensive performance and victory fans will remember and revisit for as long as they live.

Forget the defensive gaffes, special team’s inability to recover the critical on-side kick, the current state of the Gator Program or the scarier-than-it-should-have-been ending this is one of the most memorable victories in Tennessee football history. As J. R’s daughter said on the Garza Law Firm 5th Quarter Fan Reaction it injected new life into this fanbase and may prove to be the resurrection of the program itself.

You knew you were witnessing something totally different in the Tennessee-Florida series than we’ve become accustomed to illustrated by three highly uncommon occurrences:

-The Vols 99-yard drive in the final minutes of the first half to take the lead into the locker room

-On the Vols first possession of the second half an apparent Hendon Hooker TD run was nullified by what -from my seat- appeared to be a bogus holding call. In years past the Vols would have settled for a FG or not scored at all. Saturday however the Vols simply rebuckled their chin straps and scored the next play on a 16-yard pass from Hooker to Jabari Small.

-Finally leading by 10 -after the defense made one of their few plays on the day forcing a Gator fumble- Josh Heupel schemes Jacob Warren wide-open for the biggest play of the drive that gave the Vols all the points they would eventually need to secure a huge win.

GAME ACTION:

-Hendon Hooker had one of the great big-game performances ever by a Vol. 22-28 for 349 yards and 2 TDs with no interceptions would be enough in itself. Throw in leading the Vols in rushing with 112 yards and a TD with no turnovers (a fumble on 4th down short of the sticks ain’t a turnover) as well and you have a historic effort.

-No Cedric Tillman? No problem. The remaining receiving corps was just fine thank you. Bru McCoy was the stud you would expect from a former 5-Star recruit with 5 catches for 102 yards; 56 yac and a TD. Jalin Hyatt had 5 for 58 and Ramel Keyton had 3 for 69 including a beautiful diving catch for 43 yards which was the game changer in the Vols late first half go-ahead TD drive.

-The Vols TE unit will likely be stronger in the years ahead but both Princeton Fant and Jacob Warren made up for early game errors. Fant had 5 catches and Warren made the big catch in the Vols last TD drive mentioned above.

-Jabari Small grinded for 90 hard-earned yards and Jaylin Wright not only scored the game clinching TD but snuck in a beautiful Gator Chomp AND throat slash afterward. Not sure how smart that is but sans a penalty flag I sure enjoyed it.

I thought our D-line actually played very well in the midst of a defensive meltdown. They stuffed a 4th down conversion attempt on the Gators first possession, spearheaded holding the Gators to 3.4 yards per rushing attempt, forced the fumble that thwarted a critical drive and kept Anthony Richardson from killing us running the football.

Little else to say about our defensive effort. We stink on the back end.

Can’t say enough about Anthony Richardson’s effort (24-44 for 453 yards and 2 TDs along with 62 yards rushing and 2 TDs). For a previously struggling QB to come into the most raucous environment he’ll ever face and perform the way he did is phenomenal. Hats off to AR-15.

Billy Napier may be the first Florida coach to lose to both Kentucky and the Vols since 1955 but his gameplan gave the Gators a chance to win a game they shouldn’t have been in. His devil-may-care four-down approach was absolutely the correct plan. Not sure what he was thinking going for two down eleven but that was likely the only blemish for him on the afternoon.

Both teams shot every bullet in the chamber. Can you imagine what the score would have been under previous regimes if we had forced the Gators to punt only once all afternoon? It might have resulted in the first running second half clock in SEC history.

CLOSING

Just a great afternoon made special by everyone involved. Big Orange Nation showed up ready to see -and be an active part in- something they would remember for a lifetime and the Vol staff and roster rewarded them for their efforts. Savor that folks, that type symmetry is rare indeed in these parts.

---