SINCE WE LAST SPOKE: 11-19-15

BIG ORANGE REARVIEW MIRROR:

-In games against totally out-manned opponents you hope to 1-win; 2-stay healthy; 3-sharpen areas of concern and 4-get reserves significant snaps. The Vols accomplished both #s 1 and 2 –which are the most important- but fell far short of successfully completing 3 and 4

-While our key offensive players didn’t get as much rest as hoped from the physical toils of the season at least they were removed from the mental strain. After the first series they obviously never gave North Texas State another thought.

-If we can’t throw the football proficiently against the Mean Green we may need to think about running Army’s offense.

-If we make offensive staff changes after the season it dang-sure shouldn’t be Don Mahoney as rumored. His offensive line has progressed miles further than Zach Azzani’s WRs. And while we’re at it why would you elevate Nick Sheridan? He’s not exactly done a Lane Kiffin-like job of developing Josh Dobbs as a passer.

-Hats off to the defense. They weren’t as dominant as the game stats would suggest but they gave much greater effort than their offensive counterparts against an opponent whose best talents were on the offensive side of the football

BEANO-RHYTHMS Players and coaches have to -as Butch Jones says- “snap and clear”. As a fan however I’m more likely to “clearly snap”. Therefore each week I will take just a second to describe what the results of the previous game have done to my Big Orange outlook: I’m not sure if my frustration stems more from playing a total schlep in a November schedule spot or the fact we were far from dominant against a wretched opponent but frustrated I am.

Beano-Rhythm Status: Though the opportunity is clearly available to run the table and finish a respectable 8-4 doubt has crept in my mind that we will finish the job. Results from the season to-date are proof positive that Tennessee has been right there against one of the Nation’s most difficult schedules yet the unimpressive play of the last 7 quarters against two of the most vulnerable opponents of that slate gives me pause. While Missouri and Vandy couldn’t score with a huge bankroll in Vegas they are salty defensively especially against the run (#3 and #5 in SEC respectively). If we’ve learned anything about our offense this season it’s when teams stop the run we have few if any answers. Throw in the added inspiration that the Tigers will draw from Gary Pinkel’s last home appearance and the Missouri matchup looks a lot more difficult than it appeared just days earlier.

WHAT WE LEARNED IN WEEK 11:

FEDORA WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE When the brain trust at Tennessee decided against pursuing Jon Gruden during our most recent football coaching search the next name on my list was Larry Fedora at North Carolina. I thought he would have been an excellent selection due to his familiarity with the SEC (where during his three year stay at Florida from 2002-04 he filled various roles including coaching RBs and WRs and serving as Running Game Coordinator, Passing Game Coordinator then Offensive Coordinator) and a successful stint as the Head Coach at Southern Miss (34-19 in four seasons). He was probably a long shot since he had just completed his first season in Chapel Hill when we were in the market but I would hope that Tennessee at least attempted to gauge his interest. I began to question my interest when his second and third editions of Tar Heels finished a combined 13-13 but in his fourth season he has UNC riding high at 9-1 and playing entertaining and inspired football.

COUGARS ARE COOKIN: Trailing 20-0 and losing your starting QB to injury probably isn’t the ideal recipe for a comeback but somehow the Houston Cougars did just that stunning Memphis and placing themselves in position to grab a New Year’s Six Bowl spot in the process. I have no idea of the exact resume required for the Cougars to crash the big day party but being undefeated with two wins over Power-5 League opponents (Louisville and Vandy) seems like a good way to go about it. There is still one huge regular season leap to take when…well let’s talk about that in a second…

VOLS SCHEDULE EVEN BETTER THAN ADVERTISED Florida 24 S Carolina 14; Alabama 31 Mississippi St 6; Arkansas 31 LSU 14 and Oklahoma 44 Baylor 34. With all playing on the road and all but the Gators taking on ranked opponents the four teams that Tennessee lost to this season rolled through their opponents by a combined 130-68. All but Arkansas presently reside in the AP’s Top-10 proving again just how thin the line can be between a special season and a disappointment.

RICHT AND HOLGORSEN HOLDING ON: With a victory over an aged-old rival and a conference icon Mark Richt and Dana Holgorsen probably positioned themselves to remain in their current jobs next season pending late-season catastrophes. With losses to Alabama, Florida and Tennessee already staining his season Richt could not afford to lose to Auburn and maintain any leverage in today’s “we don’t want a history lesson” era. Fans are understandably unsympathetic with guys making millions while programs slip behind rivals under their watch and both guys have given their critics plenty of critical ammunition during the present campaign. Holgorsen at 5-4 this season and 33-27 overall at WVU probably needs to make sure that his Mountaineers don’t slip at Kansas or at home versus Iowa State or he will be back in the soup with a trip to Kansas State looming. Richt needs only to defeat underwhelming in-state rivals Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech to somehow finish 9-3. The ease of the late Dawg slate however could prove to be a curse; lose one of those and all the equity in the Peach State won’t keep you employed.

ONE LOSS BIG-12 TEAM MAY MAKE IT IN AFTERALL: Prior to Saturday’s Oklahoma-Baylor matchup I felt the only way the Big-12 could avoid a second consecutive playoff snub would be for either Baylor or Oklahoma State to run the table. The sticking point seemed to be a possible play-in game looming between Stanford and Notre Dame in South Bend on November 28th. Then a less-than-stellar Oregon squad did something a couple of their much stronger predecessors could not do; beat the Cardinal. Now saddled with two losses Stanford will be relegated to the spoiler role against the Fighting Irish and a potential Big-12 hero. Undefeated Oklahoma State is obviously in the league’s enviable position but with Baylor and Oklahoma set to visit Stillwater there is reason to believe one can emerge from the battle royal with a playoff invite in hand.. even if they have one loss.

WHAT WE WILL LEARN IN WEEK 12:

BEARS INTO PLAYOFF HYBERNATION? Well Baylor’s first foray into big boy tackle football did not go well did it? The Bears who had mauled a cavalcade of cupcakes by an average score of 57-25 were beaten by double-digits themselves by a much more tested Oklahoma Sooner squad. It gets no easier from here as BU travels to Stillwater to play undefeated Oklahoma State. After failing to make the playoffs as a one-loss squad in 2014 the dirty deed may already be done this season but winning out would at least force the committee to mention your name on their last days of discussion.

CAN OHIO STATE FAIR BETTER? Welcome to the 2015 season Ohio State, where have you been? The defending National Champs haven’t exactly faced murderer’s row themselves thus far but Saturday the stakes -and challenge- rise exponentially. Michigan State is one point –or a correct official’s ruling- from perfection but are probably where they belong after their own miracle escape versus hated rival Michigan. The Spartans have won only 3 times in their last 14 visits to Columbus but it will be interesting to see if the Buckeyes have a gear other than coast.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T PLAY NINE: Conference games that is; you get such highly anticipated clashes as Charleston Southern-Alabama; Idaho-Auburn; FAU-Florida; Ga-Southern-Georgia; UNC-Charlotte-Kentucky and Citadel-South Carolina. This isn’t September 6th its frickin November 21st. I will continue to say it until it is rectified the SEC is the most cowardly scheduling conference in America.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO: Then you get drama and meaningful conference battles like The Duel in the Desert between Arizona and Arizona State; The Big Game pitting Cal and Stanford; #19 UCLA at #14 Utah and USC @ Oregon. Kudos to the PAC-12 for the courage to schedule as all leagues should and having the common courtesy to treat their fans with meaningful football down the stretch.

AMERICAN COMEBACK: I really thought this would be the first of two matchups between Memphis and Temple including the American Athletic Conference Championship. Instead the Tigers are mathematically eliminated after back-to-back losses to AAC West rivals Houston and Navy and Temple is teetering at the top of the East after getting clubbed by South Florida in Tampa. The Owls must now win Saturday versus the Tigers and again the following week against U-Conn or hope that Cincinnati can pin a third conference loss on USF because dreadful Central Florida certainly won’t in the Bulls finale. Temple will be the beneficiary of odd scheduling as they will host Memphis for the second consecutive season.

WHAT WE MUST SEE FROM VOLS IN WEEK 12:

REMAIN RESILIENT: This will remain a point of emphasis for the remainder of the schedule regardless of the opponent. There is simply no regular season foe looming that has as good a football team as Tennessee. If the Vols remain focused and resolute they will win the game.

RIDE THE EARLY EMOTIONAL WAVE: Campus upheaval, roster solidarity, bowl eligibility, Senior Night and Gary Pinkel’s last game a Faurot Field. Any one of those would be enough to give the Tigers an emotional edge but all together they could spell real trouble for the Vols if they allow themselves to be caught up in things not of their making. Stay focused on fundamentals and executing the game plan and let the Tigers expend energy and attention on the wrong things. Once the emotional high wears off then take advantage of that as well.

PUNT PREDICTABILITY: The Tigers are too strong against the run and Josh Dobbs and company are too inconsistent in the passing game for the Vols to find success in a run on first and second downs and throw on third mentality. If we stubbornly attempt to establish a running game and put Dobbs in third and long passing situations the Tigers defense will win the game in spite of their pedestrian offense.

TURNOVER A NEW LEAF: The Vols and Tigers have both been rather equal opportunity when it comes to charity and thievery. Missouri has 15 takeaways compared to 14 turnovers while the Vols have suffered through and celebrated a dozen of each. Tennessee needs to be at its miserly and pilfering best on Saturday as turnovers will fuel –and extend- the Mizzou emotional high discussed above. Not to mention that since joining the SEC, Mizzou is 17-2 when winning the TO battle.

PRESSURE, PRESSURE, PRESSURE: Tiger QBs have thrown twice the amount of interceptions (10-5) as Josh Dobbs and a hurried QB is a careless QB. Freshman Drew Lock has thrown six of the Tigers picks against only four TDs. The only way he becomes comfortable in this game is if the Vols defensive staff allows it to happen by failing to dial up the pressure from the get-go.

WHAT VOL FANS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MISSOURI

OFFENSE
-QB Drew Lock played his best game as a Tiger last week in a 20-16 win over BYU, tossing for a career-high 244 yards on 19 completions. He reset career-highs in completion percentage (67.9%), yards, rating (145.7) and yards per attempt (8.7)

-Sr RB Russell Hansbrough’s (2289 career rush yards) 26 carries last time out vs. BYU are the most by a Tiger since Nov. 17, 2012. Mizzou ran the ball 55 times in the game.

-The receiver foursome of TE-Sean Culkin (16 rec), X-Receiver J’Mon Moore (26), H-Receiver Nate Brown (25) and Z-Receiver Wesley Leftwich (17) have combined for 84 of Mizzou’s 164 receptions this season.

Mizzou’s O-line boasts 128 career starts with four of five spots being occupied by seniors (LT-Connor McGovern; C-Evan Boehm; RG-Mitch Hall; RT-Taylor Chappel). Boehm leads the group with 50 career starts while McGovern has 38

DEFENSE:
-The DE duo of Charles Harris and Walter Brady have combined for 28.0 tackles for loss (-131 yds) and 14 sacks (-92 yds) over 10 games

-Mizzou leads the SEC and is fourth nationally with 87 tackles for loss and has at least seven TFLs in nine of 10 games this season

-WLB Kentrell Brothers leads the nation with 128 tackles and leads the SEC in total tackles and tackles per game. He also has a pair of INTs, three blocked kicks, a forced fumble and fumble recovery

-MLB Michael Scherer is 2nd on the team with 75 tackles

-The Tigers rank fourth in the SEC in pass defense and 17th nationally, allowing just 184.0 yards per game.

-The Tigers Safety duo of Ian Simon (FS) and Anthony Sherrils have combined for 91 tackles, 9 pbu and 3 Ints

SPECIAL TEAMS
-Sr PK Andrew Baggett is 15-19 on FGs with a long of 41 yds

-Fr P Corey Fatony averages 44 ypp and has 19 of 50 or more with a long of 61

-Thankfully there is no Marcus Murphy returning punts/kicks for the Tigers but Aarion Penton has 9 PRs for an average of 9.1 with one TD and KR John Gibson average 14.6 ypkr

OTHER FUN (or not so much) STUFF
-Gary Pinkel will coach his final home game for the Tigers Saturday night. He’s amassed a 118-71 record at Mizzou in 14 seasons so far, and his 191 career wins stand as the 19th-most all-time in NCAA FBS history

- Since Pinkel took over the Mizzou program in 2001 the Tigers own a plus-84 advantage in turnover margin (189 games).

- Since joining the SEC, Mizzou is 17-2 when winning the TO battle

-Mizzou is honoring 21 seniors before Saturday’s game

- The Tigers limited BYU to just 46 yards on the ground

- Since 2013, Mizzou is a perfect 8-0 in the month of November.

IN A PERFECT WORLD: The Vols wouldn’t land on Missouri’s schedule on Senior Night and Gary Pinkel’s last home game of his career.

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