Game Review: Martin v. UT 9-4-10

I could start by moaning about the fear our underdeveloped offense strikes in my heart. I could start by praising the hope our stalwart defense instills in me. I could even—miracle of miracles—pontificate over the best special teams UT has fielded this century. What is most striking in our fifty point victory over Martin is not the product on the field but the culture of change Dooley promised. The student paper included, next to an ad proclaiming its product “The best thing to happen to Knoxville since Lane Kiffin left,” a quotation from Coach Dooley claiming the Power T could stand for tradition. Tonight was entirely about reclaiming our Tradition of Excellence.

The changes start upon entering the shadow of Neyland Stadium. Gone is the ‘70’s era erector set; in is a classic brick style monument, that admittedly won’t feel complete until the end of September, when the double-life size statue of General Neyland is unveiled. Even the fans comprising the waves in the Sea of Orange don an upgrade celebrating our tradition: the official game day shirt displays the lyrics of our official fight song, Down the Field, on the back. The souvenir cup did not feature our new coach’s smirking mug (like last year) but a photo of the iconic Run through the T with the caption Tennessee Football: Unrivaled Tradition. That tradition continued, of course, with the pre-game festivities. From the quirky (the announcer promoting the available concessions, imploring the crowd to “Pay these prices, and Please. Pay. NO. MORE!”), to the sentimental (the presentation of a former Vol on the field while highlights from his career play on the JumboTron) and awe inspiring (one cannot know what passion means unless they have experienced the Pride’s nearly unchanged pre-game march, culminating with “Stars and Stripes” while the crowd excitedly begins murmuring “Here it comes, here it comes” just before the Split T, unveiling our beloved team). Neyland’s Maxims flashed on side marquees throughout the game. Even our snazzy new JumboTron displayed a moving video history of Volunteer football. All these touches were much appreciated by the 99,123 faithful packed in the stadium, not as a nostalgic yearning-for-the-past way, but as a reminder: this is where we come from, this is who we are. Whatever leadership complacency of recent years has affected the current loss of national respect, nothing can upend us from our roots, and there is no better privilege than being a part of the University of Tennessee.

Winning the game also brought us back to our foundation. We adhered to all seven of General Neyland’s maxims. We won not by shock and awe trickery, but pounding away with near perfect execution of defensive fundamentals.

More importantly, the boys played the way a Volunteer should. Even from the tippy top of our steep stadium, I could feel their hunger. They were a team determined to exceed expectations. Not the expectations of the fans, desperate for a season to be proud of after the nightmarish past five years. They were determined to meet the expectations they have put on themselves, as a team, as players proud to wear the Orange and White, as boys ready to do right by themselves, their school, and their program. Their conviction radiated from every sinew of their well-conditioned bodies.

A program’s season is decided in the final minute of its first game. Here you will see how your team will stand up to adversity or carry itself in victory. The scene for the final minute of the Martin game: in the previous series, Martin had gotten into scoring position for the first time and missed their field goal. UT put together a drive with its second and third stringers, poised with a first and ten from the Skyhawk fifteen. Last year’s coach would have gone for the jugular, missing one final touchdown by seconds, then trashed his team’s effort on Sunday morning. Coach Dooley lined the offense up in the Victory formation and ran the clock out. He accomplished the evening’s goal, and that was enough.