The CheckerBoard

May I just say that I am proud of the way the Vols played tonight! We fought to the end never gave up, it just didn't go our way at the end. I truly believe we are on our way back, almost there, GO VOLS!!!

This was a game of big breaks. We got some. We lost some. I am feeling very encouraged to see them take the fight to this excellent Georgia team for the full sixty. Hope we learn how to stop the big runs. Things ARE looking better! Go Vols!

I'm proud of the way the guys fought back when they could have gave up. Bray has to be better in crunch time.

I believe as the year goes on the defense WILL get better. This defense is still new to the players and as much as we don't like to admit it, it takes time. The run game looked better than it has in years. If they play like this the rest of the year and slowly improve on defense we'll win some big games that we're not suppose to.

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I was really pleased with the composure of our coaches and players in the first half. The breaks we got were not just luck, our guys made some of those plays happen. For all the greatness of their freshmen running backs, they are still freshmen, and an apparently missed assignment that let Lathers in free on the sack was one of the things freshmen do. Two forced fumbles, genuinely forced, and immediately capitalized on. I was just proud of the toughness and persistence.

I really wish Bray could get a close win like this in a big situation. At this point almost for his sake as much as for the team. I know he's confident, but I don't think he really believes in himself as the dream-crushing juggernaut he has the ability to be. At least not yet. I want him to experience that and believe that. If and when he does, they will be nearly unstoppable. The late int (not the last one), and the fumble.. those things didn't have to happen. Especially the fumble. I really thought he had time to take a step, look around, and throw it somewhere, even if just away. And CP... look it in man, look it in!

But overall, some electric performances and some great football. Extremely happy about the rushing success in the fourth quarter. Wish we could have made that one big stride we still haven't made. But that really was some good, tough-nosed football against the #5 team in the nation, so have to say, great job Vols.

I hate to say that confidence can be built on from a loss, but this game gives me hope that the Vols can go to Mississippi St. and win that one and quite possibly beat the Gamecocks. Before this game I was worried about Missouri. There's hope people!

Talk about a game that inflects all kind of emotions, so proud of them for giving us HOPE right up to the end. Didnt win, but the WIN was there for the taking. We ARE making progress, look at the differences between FL and GA. Downside we are 0-2 in Conference :/ Not much chance winning the East now, but we can still have a good season. We REALLY need to beat MS State.... 2 weeks to prepare and we made it through the GA game mostly healthy. I certainly hope we have some speedy secondary recruits lined up...

First time post (after almost a year on the site), and I guess I'll make up for missed time in one post

I want to state that I am proud of our guys. I HATE losing, and the big plays allowed and last 3 turnovers were frustrating, but this is the first time I have seen a UT team play through this kind of adversity for an entire game in a long time. Unlike some of the other posters on this and other sites, I actually like Dooley. Was he prepared for such a high profile job? Probably not, but this was a one-of-a-kind chance, and he took it. Who wouldn't have? Besides, he was definitely more prepared than 100% of us.

Why is it seen as crazy to be optimistic about your favorite team and its coaches? I was in high school during the Manning years, and I hated losing to FL. I couldn't believe it when we lost to Memphis during Manning's SR year, a game that probably cost us a shot at the national title. Yet, I never looked at our coaches or the teams of the 90's as bums. I was proud of them, and I supported them through good and bad. That's what fans do. Is there a time to evaluate the coaches and players? Absolutely, but we must look at this team and coaching staff through the lens of the end of the Fulmer era, the Lane Train Express, both of which left the cupboard bare, and the threat of LK's one-year possibly leading to NCAA sanctions. On top of this, Dooley has only now put together the staff he would have preferred (which includes the tough switch to a 3-4 look on defense) in his 3rd year at the helm, and other coaches have been able to recruit against us with the never-ending hot-seat rumor as ammunition for the 2012 and 2013 recruiting class.

I know what some will say: "You're drinking the Dooley Kool-Aid...Dooley can't coach...Bray can't win...blah, blah, blah"

I don't care. I am proud of our guys, and I can see the growth over the last 3 years. Is it as fast as I would have liked? No, but what changes in life (or football) happen at the speed of a few hundred thousand dollars thrown the way of Cam Newton Inc.? I am willing to be patient and give these guys the space they need to play without unnecessary pressure or the almost impossible to meet fan expectations hanging over them.

GO VOLS!!!

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