What Tennessee’s Loss to UCLA Really Means

This loss was as crippling to the team as it was to the fan base. Much like the fans, this team was starting to believe that they were back and that last season was a fluke. You could tell after Crompton’s first pick that the doubts began to creep back in. 

The offense is awful. None of it was Dave Clawson’s fault, and there really isn’t any depth on either line of scrimmage.

Here's what Saturday's game tells us:

• Crompton is done, and the coach’s hands are tied. A lot of people are asking why the staff didn’t yank Crompton in the third quarter Saturday. Lane Kiffin and Jim Chaney rolled the dice, risking the game to save the season. If they pull Crompton now, with his fragile mental state, you’ve lost him for the year. That leaves Nick Stephens and Nick Lamaison as your only 2 QB’s for the rest of the season. This may be a 4-8 team if that is the case. It may be any way.
• Running a “wildcat” or Nukeese Richardson in the shotgun is not the answer. Look at Steve Spurrier’s situation. The OBC elected to use WR Syvelle Newton at QB because of a lack of an established option at the position. It’s taken Spurrier 3 years to recruit and develop a pro-style QB. Kiffin does not have more than 3 years to turn things around in Knoxville. He needs to stick with his offense and hope that he can find a QB in the next 2 years to run that system.
• It’s not all on Crompton. The Vols averaged 2.6 ypc on Saturday and the OL had no answer for Bruins DT Brian Price. UCLA’s top 2 rushers averaged more than a yard per carry more than the Vols top 2. The Bruins put the ball on the turf 6 times and Tennessee only recovered one of those fumbles. This team has plenty of other problems to worry about besides just the QB’s.
• Tennessee fans are going to have to be patient. Folks, it looks like it could be worse next year than it is this. The Vols lose 5 of their top 7 OL to graduation this year. The DL will be young, and Eric Berry’s not going to be around for the 2010 season. You may commence to cringing.