Rocky Top Troubles

Big Orange Continue to Struggle

The sleight looked daunting heading into the season for the In-coming SEC Eastern Champion Tennessee Volunteers, however no one would have projected that entering the clash with the Georgia Bulldogs the Vols would be at the bottom at the conference and in such a crisis. No one, except for…well me.

Looking down the schedule in July, I thought it would be daunting. Going into a NEW ERA UCLA team, and then in a matter of weeks have to take on Florida and Auburn is sucession, they were going to struggle. Not only did the schedule look difficult out of the gates, but the Vols had to reload the defense but also insert a NEW quarterback. Both new commodities have taken leaps and jumps backwards as opposed to the 2007 squad.

Along with a new cast of players, the Vols have not been as lucky as they were last season. 2007 was a magical year for Rocky Top as they narrowly defeated teams and got hot when in mattered to truly sneak into the SEC Championship and win the Eastern Conference.

This year the Vols have been exposed and it does not look like it is going to get any better any quicker. The Vols went to a NEW quarterback last week against Northern Illinois at home and still struggled to get any offensive momentum. They hardly played decently on defense also, as they allowed Northern Illinois to control the time of possession with more than 33 minutes of offensive play.

Orange and white faithful are calling for the coach’s head, and people in the Volunteer state are unhappy. Looking down the schedule, they might become more and more perturbed. Their remaining games in October have them facing #10 Georgia, an aggressive Mississippi State squad, and #2 ranked Alabama. These opponents all have a good chance to get a victory over the struggling Vols. If the Vols fail to win 2 of the next 3 they will severely risk any possibility to making a bowl. Missing bowl season for the Vols will be the first time since 2006. But what is worse than that is the fact that Tennessee could see themselves in LAST PLACE in the SEC, which has NOT occurred in over a century….

What will happen in the next few weeks for the Vols will be a telling tale of what is to become of the program and its coach, Phil Fulmer.