Let’s go back in time to 1980.
JM gets railroaded by UGA, USC, Bama. Not even competitive. Keeps it from completely going off the rails by whipping mediocre UK, OM and Vandy to end the season, status quo till a guy named Tony Robinson is on campus. 85 TR gets us through the tough part of schedule and DD comes in and gets us sugar bowl victory over more talented UM team. TR leaves and we go back to average at best QB play. Seasons go back to loosing to big boys again while winning the end of schedule with KY, OM and Vandy. Andy Kelly shows up and in 89, 90 other than Bama, we are back playing big time football. I still say JM blew the 90 season, the national championship was ours for the taking. Heath Shuler shows up in 92, beats both UGA and UF, we loose to Bama national championship team. Our evolution as a national player continues with PM, T Martin. CC shows up and 02 should have played Miami for another natty.
It appears to me that as a program, we are not a national or even conference contender without dynamic QB on campus. We can have the Steve Alitores, Jeff Francis, Sterling Hintons, Randy Sanders, all serviceable QBs to get over the Candy’s, UKs, OMs, Arks, USCs. As far as Vol history shows, without a dynamic QB, we are only middle of the pack at best hoping to get a Gator bowl invite every few years.
JM gets railroaded by UGA, USC, Bama. Not even competitive. Keeps it from completely going off the rails by whipping mediocre UK, OM and Vandy to end the season, status quo till a guy named Tony Robinson is on campus. 85 TR gets us through the tough part of schedule and DD comes in and gets us sugar bowl victory over more talented UM team. TR leaves and we go back to average at best QB play. Seasons go back to loosing to big boys again while winning the end of schedule with KY, OM and Vandy. Andy Kelly shows up and in 89, 90 other than Bama, we are back playing big time football. I still say JM blew the 90 season, the national championship was ours for the taking. Heath Shuler shows up in 92, beats both UGA and UF, we loose to Bama national championship team. Our evolution as a national player continues with PM, T Martin. CC shows up and 02 should have played Miami for another natty.
It appears to me that as a program, we are not a national or even conference contender without dynamic QB on campus. We can have the Steve Alitores, Jeff Francis, Sterling Hintons, Randy Sanders, all serviceable QBs to get over the Candy’s, UKs, OMs, Arks, USCs. As far as Vol history shows, without a dynamic QB, we are only middle of the pack at best hoping to get a Gator bowl invite every few years.
