Tennessee squanders another lead in 24-20 loss to Arkansas

3Tennessee’s Passing Game With all the hype entering 2015 for Joshua Dobbs at quarterback for Tennessee, he has yet to offer the dynamic threat that was teased the second half of 2014. Folks this Razorback bunch had lost to the Toledo freakin’ Mud Hens and hapless and defenseless Texas Tech at home!!

“There’s a feeling that Tennessee should have won all three of the games they lost”, said Russell Smith, co-host of The Drive. The responsibility lies simply on coaching, preparation and game management. Said Vols coach Butch Jones-“I always talk the truth”. Tennessee leads the series 13-4. “If Tennessee doesn’t get a bounce back against Georgia, it’s very unrealistic that it will happen with Alabama”. There is certainly hope the numbers will improve when competition decreases, but failing to open things up more fully against the Razorbacks means we probably shouldn’t hope to see a significant change in what Tennessee, as it is now constructed, will do through the air this fall.

Afterward the players celebrated together on the field with their fans and in the locker-room next to the location of Arkansas’ post game press conference. In losses to Oklahoma and Florida, the Vols collapsed in the fourth quarter. That, my friends, speaks volumes!!

To put UT’s string of collapses this season in perspective, former head coach Phil Fulmer’s teams only blew a two-possession lead six times in 17 seasons. We need more big plays. Win field position, turnovers, and special teams. Which may reflect extra pressure and lack of confidence. That is a comparison the Big Orange faithful does not want to exist. We could have had Hart’s first choice, Charlie Strong of Texas, who won’t last past this season at college football’s wealthiest program with its rightfully angry richest boosters.

“It will be a smokey gray game”, said Jones, “Which does not help you win a football game, but I know everyone’s been looking forward to that”. At issue is how he and his coaching staff manage that talent. Offensive coordinator Mike “Neanderthal” DeBord’s head will likely roll first.

The Vols are now 0-2 in smokey gray uniforms.

“Alex is playing as good a football as I’ve seen out of him”. Arkansas finished with 494 yards of total offense, and the faintest of pulses in the race for the SEC West, at least mathematically. Last year, Tennessee started out 3-5 before winning four of its last five games to end a string of four straight losing seasons.

Today I reached out to an experienced, successful and well-respected source, with mega-credibility inside and outside the University of Tennessee system, and asked him point blank, “You’ve spent many years in that business and been ultra-successful in wading through these “mine fields”.

The Volunteers come into the game against Georgia without a win in the SEC. Tennessee fans cringe as they realize it is the exact same record Derek Dooley had through his first 30 games.

Bielema said the Razorbacks weren’t going to be negatively impacted or become conservative by their previous close losses.

Their time in the polls lasted two weeks.

“Second I believe the president should serve notice to Hart and Cheek that their jobs are on the line”. In short, the president and/or the Board of Trustees must step up to the plate and evaluate the performance or lack thereof of Hart and Cheek, dictate that Butch surround himself with more credentialed and qualified assistants and be prepared to clean house when necessary.

“I think they learned how to win on the road”. “All you can do is keep working – and work your way through it”.