Tennessee Grades

It is a well documented scientific fact: young people between the ages of 18 and 22 are not fully functional adults. Their brains are not completely formed. They benefit from being institutionalized. In the U.S., colleges and universities are the institutions in which a large cohort of such people are committed. One of the things that concerns me most about the out-of-control increase in the cost of a college education is that parents will not be able to afford incubating their kids in those critical years between high school graduation and full-time employment.

Notwithstanding some of the sillier, politically correct stuff the media reports about present-day college life-everything from "trigger warnings" to dis-invited graduation speakers-most young people benefit from spending a few years on campus. They grow up. They learn to take on responsibility; to meet life's challenges. Often that maturation is gradual. Sometimes it is dramatic, like the "Greek Relief" effort responding to the devastation of the 2011 tornados.

Alabama's 19-14 win over Tennessee is another example of college students growing up in dramatic fashion. 

After more than 54 minutes of a slug-fest with the Vols, the Tide found itself trailing by a point. The defense, which had forced four three-and-outs and two missed long field goal attempts in the previous six Tennessee possessions, had surrendered a touchdown on a 75 yard, four play UT drive to give the Oranges their first lead of the game. Jake Coker and the Tide offense found itself 71yards from the UT goal line with an eight game win streak, the season, and any glimmer of championship aspirations hanging in the perilous balance. 

There is no other way to say it: Jake grew up right then. Right there. After losing 2 yards to a sack on first down, Jake found Ardarius Stewart along the side line for a 29 yard gain. Facing 3rd and 6, Jake connected with Calvin Ridley for a first down at the Tennessee 25. Jake handed the ball to Derek Henry for the next three plays and Henry delivered runs of 6, 5 and 14 yards for the game-winning score. 

Jake was poised, decisive and precise as he executed the drive. He was also self-effacing and humble in post-game comments as he credited everyone else for the success of the drive. 

He was not the only player that grew up on The Drive. O. J. Howard, who led all receivers with 7 catches, was asked about Stewart and Ridley's clutch receptions, well-covered and on the side lines: "Those are big-boy plays." Howard said of the two younger receivers, "and they really grew up."

More than two minutes remained in the game, however, and the last time Tennessee had the ball Josh Dobbs and the Vol offense gashed the Tide defense like no opponent this season. Could the Stop Troops respond? Could they recover from being embarrassed? Tim Williams, Minka Fitzpatrick, Cy Jones, Jonathan Allen, Ryan Anderson, A'Shawn Robinson and the rest of the Bama defense played like grown men as they blew up the Tennessee O-Line, sacked Dobbs twice, forced and recovered a fumble and turned the ball over to Coker and the offense at the UT 4 yard line.

It was one heck of a ball game. One that deserves never to be forgotten in this storied rivalry. Nobody left early. I cannot recall hearing a Bryant-Denny crowd louder or seeing cigar smoke in the student section thicker. So this is how I grade the game:

Offense: B Bama gained 364 yards of offense [117 net rushing] that accounted for 23 first downs and 35:39 time of possession. Jake completed 21 of 27 pass attempts for 247 yards and was intercepted once. 

OJ Howard gained 55 yards on 7 receptions. Ardarius Stewart gained 114 yards on 6 catches. Calvin Ridley also caught 6 passes for 62 yards. Richard Mullaney and Kenyan Drake each caught one pass.

Henry was the leading rusher, gaining 143 net yards on 28 attempts. He scored 2 rushing TDs to extend his school record of consecutive games with a rushing touchdown. Drake added 10 net yards on 3 rushes. Jake ran the ball twice for a net gain of 1 yard, and he suffered 5 sacks for 26 lost yards. 

Each of Alabama's scores [2 TDs and 2 FGs] came on long drives [75, 73, 56, 71]. The Tide had  only one possession that ended after three plays and a punt. The Tide converted 5 of its 12 third down plays, and possessed the ball for 35:39 of the game [11:41 of the 4th quarter]. 

By objective measurements, the Tide Offense earned a B; but this was the Tennessee game. The Commissioner lives in the Volunteer State. The Large Citrus Fruits are going to be hard enough to endure as it is. Therefore, a full letter upgrade is in order. Final Grade A.

Defense: B+ UT was able to gain 303 yards total offense [132 rushing] make 21 first downs, and convert 7 of 13 third down opportunities.  The Defense, which leads the nation in forcing three-and-outs only achieved that mark twice against the Vols.  And when the D needed to protect a 6 point lead late in the game, Josh Dobbs found wide open receivers who gobbled up 61 yards on two receptions. 

As usual, Reggie Ragland led all defenders with 12 tackles [8 solo]. Reuben Foster recorded 11 stops [7 solo; 2 TFL]. Minka Fitzpatrick was credited with 7 tackles [5 solo]. The Defense made 8 tackles for lost yardage, 5 of which were sacks, and hurried Dobbs 8 times. Ryan Anderson forced Dobbs to fumble and A'Shawn Robinson recovered the loose ball. 

This was not the best statistical showing by the Defense. But, this was Tennessee. Just as with the Offense, a full letter upgrade is appropriate. Therefore, the Final Grade is A+.

Special Teams: 

Punting: A+ JK Scott looks like he has out grown his sophomore slump. He punted the ball four times for an average of 49.8 yards. Two of his kicks were for more than 50 yards and two were downed inside the Vol 20 yard line. Only one punt was returned and that was for only 3 yards.   

Place Kicking: A+ Griff was good on both of his FG attempts [19, 24] and on his only PAT try.

Kickoffs: A Griff kicked off 5 times for an average of 64.6 yards per kick. Four of his kicks resulted in touchbacks. The lone return surrendered 31 yards. The kick return game only had 2 opportunities. Kenyan Drake gained 62 yards on kick returns with a longest return of 33 yards. One of the plus-yardage returns followed UT's 4th quarter TD.

Coaching: B Alabama was penalized 7 times for 64 yards. The participation report lists 51 players who saw action in the game. 

Bama ran 69 offensive plays; 37 were called as runs and 32 as passes. Five of the pass calls resulted in sacks. The run/pass ratio on first downs was 20/11. 

On the drive home Sunday morning, we stopped for gas at one of the Culman exists on I-65. While I was fueling up the car, a fellow walked up to me and asked if I had been to the game. I told him I had. He said that he was a Tennessee fan from Union City and had just taken his wife to her first-ever college football game. We both agreed that the game was an exciting, hard-fought affair. Then he told me that he was very favorably impressed with everyone he and his wife encountered in Tuscaloosa. He particularly complimented the students.  "They were all very friendly and respectful. They all said 'yes sir and yes ma'am'. I was just really impressed. It was a tough loss for us, but I could not have asked for a better experience for my wife's first trip to a college ball game."

How's that for evidence of young people growing up at college?

The Tide and the Grades have an open date this coming weekend. The Commissioner and his Patient and Long-Suffering Wife will be back in T'Town for LSU on November 7. 

Roll Tide, y'all.......

The Commissioner