JacketFan77
Bokonon High Priest
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2010
- Messages
- 21,230
What a game.
I have to admit, my heart sank to my feet when I saw the missed block and TM get hit, but I slept easy. Last night, on a national stage, we put up more yards than anyone else in the history of Tennessee football. We watched a first-time starter at QB channel the spirits of Joe Ham, JfN, and JT5 and make miraculous things happen. We stood, mouths agape, watching a dude named Benson run roughshod over a bunch of 4 and 5 stars like a man possessed when just a week ago we were hand-wringing over the loss of, what we believed to be, our best BB recruit in years. We saw our defense make stops and play with intensity. We watched our team - a Georgia Tech team - step up to a challenge with swagger and confidence.
We saw a loss, yes. A loss that stemmed from familiar mistakes, but even the mistakes look to be curable. Ugh, it's a loss, and I hate to be one of those people, but it was a loss that showed a lot of promise. Think of all those seasons where we have come out absolutely flat against far lesser teams than Tennessee. Think of those seasons where we looked like world beaters against the likes of Alcorn State only to lay eggs when faced with real competition. This year, we were faced with a true test right out of the gate and we dominated in every aspect except the final score. Even that sad reality wasn't without its high points, which for me begins with TaQuon Marshall and ends with our coach making a balls-out call to win the game. It didn't work out this round, but it showed me he believes in this team and is going to give them the benefit of the doubt. It came up short, yes, but the coach and the players know why it didn't work and it appears they have what it takes to dig in and correct the error.
I love this team. I expect we will see great things from this group over the next two seasons. My hope and prayer is that it is a narrative that begins with one loss - a loss that we remember as the night this team came together, learned from its successes and its failures, and put together one helluva run. This morning, it sure as shit feels like what's in front of us.
Onward.
Go Jackets!
I have to admit, my heart sank to my feet when I saw the missed block and TM get hit, but I slept easy. Last night, on a national stage, we put up more yards than anyone else in the history of Tennessee football. We watched a first-time starter at QB channel the spirits of Joe Ham, JfN, and JT5 and make miraculous things happen. We stood, mouths agape, watching a dude named Benson run roughshod over a bunch of 4 and 5 stars like a man possessed when just a week ago we were hand-wringing over the loss of, what we believed to be, our best BB recruit in years. We saw our defense make stops and play with intensity. We watched our team - a Georgia Tech team - step up to a challenge with swagger and confidence.
We saw a loss, yes. A loss that stemmed from familiar mistakes, but even the mistakes look to be curable. Ugh, it's a loss, and I hate to be one of those people, but it was a loss that showed a lot of promise. Think of all those seasons where we have come out absolutely flat against far lesser teams than Tennessee. Think of those seasons where we looked like world beaters against the likes of Alcorn State only to lay eggs when faced with real competition. This year, we were faced with a true test right out of the gate and we dominated in every aspect except the final score. Even that sad reality wasn't without its high points, which for me begins with TaQuon Marshall and ends with our coach making a balls-out call to win the game. It didn't work out this round, but it showed me he believes in this team and is going to give them the benefit of the doubt. It came up short, yes, but the coach and the players know why it didn't work and it appears they have what it takes to dig in and correct the error.
I love this team. I expect we will see great things from this group over the next two seasons. My hope and prayer is that it is a narrative that begins with one loss - a loss that we remember as the night this team came together, learned from its successes and its failures, and put together one helluva run. This morning, it sure as shit feels like what's in front of us.
Onward.
Go Jackets!
