Some Tennessee football fans have eyes on 'championship' coaches | Adams

Tennessee football fans celebrated a rare victory in The Swamp against Florida on Nov. 22, but some of my literary contributors were more focused on winning a championship.

Doug writes: Georgia plays a tough, physical brand of football with full contact practices. Kirby Smart was like that as a player — hardnosed, scrappy and tough. The Vols play like they are coached by a soft ex-QB.

They must be more physical and have live tackling in the spring and scrimmages. That is why they can’t tackle. They never practice it.

My response: Despite Smart’s “hardnosed, scrappy, tough” background — and coach Josh Heupel’s “soft” leadership — the Vols were a missed field goal away from beating the Bulldogs this season.

But I concur that the Bulldogs are a tough-minded bunch. Regardless of the score, they play with confidence that their opponent isn’t as tough as they are.

Jimmy writes: I am bumfuzzled by the talk of Lane Kiffin going to Florida or LSU. Where is the UT offer?

Kiffin clearly would be an upgrade over Heupel. If Kiffin had stayed, I am convinced we would have had at least one national championship. Who cares if he foolishly went to the coaching graveyard known as Southern Cal?

We fans want a championship, and we won’t get one with our current coach. Make the play: Bring in Kiffin.

My response: Kiffin improved Tennessee in his only season in Knoxville and has worked wonders at Ole Miss. He’s also better suited for this era than he was when paying athletes was frowned on by the NCAA.

But he hasn’t won any championships.

If he had stayed at UT beyond the 2009 season, I’m not sure whether he would have led the Vols to a championship or NCAA probation — or both.

Katherine writes: I have been reading your column and watching Tennessee football for many years. It is getting more difficult to stomach the Tennessee fan base.

What short memories they have. Something worthy of pointing out is that except for a handful of missed plays the Vols would be undefeated at this point in the season. With the exception of Mississippi State on that particular day, we were hands down the better team on the field all season long.

Show Heupel some love.

My response: No doubt, Heupel is an improvement over his coaching predecessors. But scores of teams could say they would be undefeated if not for a handful of plays.

Championship teams make those plays. Also-rans don’t.

John writes: Jekyll and Hyde really applied to the game against the Gators.

Dr. Jekyll administered a first-half beatdown when nothing could go wrong for the Vols. Mr. Hyde showed he was in charge of the second half when the offense disappeared. Tennessee team will need to play four quarters to beat Vandy.

My response: The duality of human nature always makes for interesting reading. Thanks for reminding us with your reference to Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic.

Steve writes: If Tennessee has a lead on Vanderbilt after the first half and relies on conservative play-calling in the second half, the outcome will be a loss. I cannot ascertain why we hide the offense in a turtle shell in the second half of SEC games.

My response: Josh Heupel’s play-calling was brilliant in the first half. He probably was conserving his mental energy in the second half so he could be at his brightest against the high-scoring Commodores.

Why waste brainpower against the disinterested Gators, who might as well have waved a white flag at halftime? They were more interested in running the clock than mounting a comeback in the third quarter.

Chris writes: I feel bad for the young man (Boo Carter), seriously a sad situation for him, but there is a time to take out the trash. I’ll give Heupel kudos on this one.

It was time to go. Good for Heupel in this situation.

My response: It was past time.

Shemp writes: Carter’s performance was really a Peek a Boo this year

How do you think his NIL deal was affected by his antics over the last ten months?

My response: Those NIL deals aren’t performance-based. Bottom line: He likely prospered for doing little more than leading the team in fair catches.

ADAMS: Tennessee football, Vanderbilt in high-stakes game for a change

Mark writes: Has anyone else complained about the ragtag practice uniforms we wore in the New Mexico State game?

I am doing so now.

My response: There’s no statute of limitations on entries in this column. If you also want to complain about Arian Foster not protecting the football in a 2007 loss to Florida or Tennessee’s general disinterest in the outcome of the 2011 game in Lexington, Kentucky, feel free.

John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Some Tennessee football fans admire Kirby Smart, Lane Kiffin