Weekend Blogging #2 - Tennessee/Georgia

Tennessee Vols 35 Georgia Bulldogs 14

I don't even know what to write about this game. It was like the Pet Sounds of Tennessee Football. It was perfect. I have no complaints about anything about it. If I really tried, I might whine about the earliness of Fulmer's Gatorade bath. We had two stupid penalties after the blocked punt, but they were because we were a little too juiced up about the play. Jonathan Hefney fair-caught a ball without a Bulldog on the same side of the field as him. Um...is there anything else?

Let's have some real fun and list the good things:

1) The opening kickoff went into the end zone - we didn't give up 35-40 yards on a kickoff. Great start - set the tone for the afternoon.

2) Staying with special teams - we haven't covered kicks that well all year. By the third quarter, I wasn't even nervous about them anymore.

3) New punting formation - that was like catching your grandpa listening to an iPod. Fulmer never does anything like that - we still run 90% of our plays from the I-formation, for goodness sake. I don't even know if I like the new punting formation, but it was just another indication that things were different from the first four games of the season.

4) Things were different from the first four games of the season!!!

5) Blocked punt - holy, Virginia Tech! When was the last time we blocked a punt? Did we hire a special teams coach during the bye week?

6) Erik Ainge - if Tennessee was not 3-2, Ainge might be a sleeper Heisman candidate. He still might be if we run the table from here forward (did I just type that???). I have always liked Ainge, but never loved him. I'm starting to love him - Top 10 Vol QB's ever love (1. Peyton 2. Shuler 3. Kelly 4. Martin 5. Holloway (I was too young, but I've heard stories) 6. Tony Robinson 7. Erik Ainge 8. Joe Bob Cooter 9. Jeff Francis 10. Rick Clausen). Back to Ainge, he is making great reads, throwing catchable, accurate balls and looks cooler than a cucumber in the pocket.

7) Arian Foster - I think I might be able to beat Foster in the 40, but he is one nifty runner. And only a junior. He made a few fantastic runs and caught the ball too. Here is another small complaint - Fulmer should have gotten him two more yards for 100.

8) LaMarcus Coker - welcome back, LaMarcus.

9) Montario Hardesty - welcome back, Montario.

10) The offensive line - THAT is a Fulmer offensive line. We DOMINATED Georgia's defensive line on Saturday. There were holes for the backs and time for Ainge in the pocket all game long. Kudos, boys.

11) The defensive line - I wrote last week that if we stuffed the run, we could win. We stuffed the run and we won. The line got pressure on Stafford too. They seemed to play with a motor that never got out of 2nd gear against Cal or Florida. I know Georgia's offensive isn't in the same class as those two, but they aren't as bad as we made them look either.

12) The defensive secondary - Georgia's first touchdown was caught against blanket coverage from a first-time starter. The second one came after an interception nullified by a mercy-inspired interference call. One reason our line was able to get to Stafford was because our secondary did not let anyone get open.

13) Lucas Taylor to LaMarcus Coker - classic touchdown. Perfect call. Great execution. We stepped on their face...

14) David Cutcliffe - outstanding play-calling throughout, though I guess play-calling it pretty easy when you can run the ball for five yards at a time. The trick play to start the second quarter, the tricky over-the-top-fake-dive while Foster runs for a score play, running inside and outside the tackles - it all worked on Saturday.

15) Phil Fulmer - I have dogged Fulmer in this blog, but I really do like him and do appreciate what he has done for Tennessee. I hope this is an indication of the program's new, improved direction, not a blip on the radar. Fulmer has pulled these types of wins out before (Miami, Cal) when the pressure got turned up on him. I hope this is different. I hope this is a return to 1990s Tennessee football. For one afternoon, it felt that way.

Now, thanks to LSU, the Vols have their destiny in their own hands. Win out - they win the SEC East. After Saturday, I actually think it might happen.