CHALK TALK
VOLUNTEER STYLE
VOLUME 48
OCTOBER 31, 2016
WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH...THE TOUGH GET GOING
We (if you are a Tennessee fan it includes you) played a terrible game this past Saturday. The head coach had a bad day, each coordinator had a bad night, all Tennessee assistants had a bad night, our quarterback had a bad game and save a few individuals like Derek Barnett much of the team had a bad night. We had a hard time running the ball, couldn’t get much going in the passing game, couldn’t stop the run, let a rookie QB beat us……so on and so forth. Many, myself included have a lot of good ideas for what went wrong, what we should have done and what needs to happen going forward. Many, myself included had this team cruising into Atlanta in December with 10 wins and a SEC eastern division championship in hand. Many, myself included were disappointed, discouraged and angry with the outcome of the loss in South Carolina. But as our great hall of fame basketball coach was often quoted as saying……“toughen up buttercup”. This was not the first Volunteer team that underperformed from the head coach to the last player on the team, this was not the first top shelf quarterback to have a bad game, this was not the first team that appeared lethargic in a game that meant so much. And I can almost guarantee you it won’t be the last.
Here are some truths that history has taught me…… there have been and will be calls for a change in the offensive coordinator, the defensive coordinator, the head coach….a change in the quarterback position. Each of these positions have and will be scrutinized and criticized….rightly or wrongly. The names of men who occupy these four positions don’t really matter, the position they hold at the University of Tennessee football program brings a tremendous amount of praise when things are going well and an equal amount of grief when things are going badly. That is part of the job description in Big Orange Country. John Majors and Phillip Fulmer both saw the top of the mountain and the depth of the valley and heard about it, a myriad of coordinators have been demonized for poor play calling, Peyton Manning was booed at times, Al Wilson was called soft (not by me Al). But they were tough people who thrived on tough times. If anything they got tougher and more determined. So to each of the men holding these four positions…..take Coach Summitt’s time proven advice….“toughen up buttercup”….better days are ahead.
“Tough folks”…….both coaches, players AND fans are needed right now…..not when we were 5-0, not when we were ranked in the top 10, not when CBJ was a brilliant motivator, not when our team fought back from late game deficits to win big rival games led by the same young man at QB who played this past Saturday, not when it was easy to be a Big Orange coach, player or fan…..any softie or faux toughie could be a full throated supporter of the Big Orange during those good times. Now this team and program needs really tough people….coaches, players AND fans/supporters.
I don’t know why we are not playing well right now……certainly injuries have been a problem but it is more than just injuries. We seem to have digressed in areas where we should be progressing. I question why any player would quit his team when the going is tough, but I know it has happened before and I wish #1 the best…..he helped us win a lot of games the past year and one-half. Another Tennessee truism comes to mind right now….. “those who stay will play” . We have good coaches, good players and I know we have good fans, I hear from many of you each week.
Will changes be made going forward….my guess is yes but that is the responsibility of the guy that has been put in charge of this great program. I believe he takes that responsibility very seriously……and while I will continue to give my opinion and perspective each week on Big Orange Sunday and in future Chalk Talks you can rest assured that Coach Butch Jones has my full support as long as he is leading OUR football program. We are a heck of a lot better off than we were 3 ½ years ago….not where we would like to be or maybe should be….but he and this staff know that as much as we do.
VOLUNTEER STYLE
VOLUME 48
OCTOBER 31, 2016
WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH...THE TOUGH GET GOING
We (if you are a Tennessee fan it includes you) played a terrible game this past Saturday. The head coach had a bad day, each coordinator had a bad night, all Tennessee assistants had a bad night, our quarterback had a bad game and save a few individuals like Derek Barnett much of the team had a bad night. We had a hard time running the ball, couldn’t get much going in the passing game, couldn’t stop the run, let a rookie QB beat us……so on and so forth. Many, myself included have a lot of good ideas for what went wrong, what we should have done and what needs to happen going forward. Many, myself included had this team cruising into Atlanta in December with 10 wins and a SEC eastern division championship in hand. Many, myself included were disappointed, discouraged and angry with the outcome of the loss in South Carolina. But as our great hall of fame basketball coach was often quoted as saying……“toughen up buttercup”. This was not the first Volunteer team that underperformed from the head coach to the last player on the team, this was not the first top shelf quarterback to have a bad game, this was not the first team that appeared lethargic in a game that meant so much. And I can almost guarantee you it won’t be the last.
Here are some truths that history has taught me…… there have been and will be calls for a change in the offensive coordinator, the defensive coordinator, the head coach….a change in the quarterback position. Each of these positions have and will be scrutinized and criticized….rightly or wrongly. The names of men who occupy these four positions don’t really matter, the position they hold at the University of Tennessee football program brings a tremendous amount of praise when things are going well and an equal amount of grief when things are going badly. That is part of the job description in Big Orange Country. John Majors and Phillip Fulmer both saw the top of the mountain and the depth of the valley and heard about it, a myriad of coordinators have been demonized for poor play calling, Peyton Manning was booed at times, Al Wilson was called soft (not by me Al). But they were tough people who thrived on tough times. If anything they got tougher and more determined. So to each of the men holding these four positions…..take Coach Summitt’s time proven advice….“toughen up buttercup”….better days are ahead.
“Tough folks”…….both coaches, players AND fans are needed right now…..not when we were 5-0, not when we were ranked in the top 10, not when CBJ was a brilliant motivator, not when our team fought back from late game deficits to win big rival games led by the same young man at QB who played this past Saturday, not when it was easy to be a Big Orange coach, player or fan…..any softie or faux toughie could be a full throated supporter of the Big Orange during those good times. Now this team and program needs really tough people….coaches, players AND fans/supporters.
I don’t know why we are not playing well right now……certainly injuries have been a problem but it is more than just injuries. We seem to have digressed in areas where we should be progressing. I question why any player would quit his team when the going is tough, but I know it has happened before and I wish #1 the best…..he helped us win a lot of games the past year and one-half. Another Tennessee truism comes to mind right now….. “those who stay will play” . We have good coaches, good players and I know we have good fans, I hear from many of you each week.
Will changes be made going forward….my guess is yes but that is the responsibility of the guy that has been put in charge of this great program. I believe he takes that responsibility very seriously……and while I will continue to give my opinion and perspective each week on Big Orange Sunday and in future Chalk Talks you can rest assured that Coach Butch Jones has my full support as long as he is leading OUR football program. We are a heck of a lot better off than we were 3 ½ years ago….not where we would like to be or maybe should be….but he and this staff know that as much as we do.
