Interview With an Actual Tennessee Football Fan
"We interviewed a Tennessee football fan about the upcoming UT vs Alabama game. His answers are funny and actually pretty smart."
The Alabama versus Tennessee football game is this weekend. We couldn’t think of anything better than finding out what actual UT fan thinks about the game.
It took a while to find one, but we finally located Caleb Calhoun. Calhoun, the expert for FanSided’s All For Tennessee site, talked with us about the Vols’ strengths, weaknesses, and that hideous color orange.
1) What do you think is the biggest strength for Tennessee football this season?
Joshua Dobbs, Joshua Dobbs, and then the defensive line. Butch Jones recruited well and stacked the roster with a ton of talent, but Dobbs is really everything for Tennessee football. He’s not only a great quarterback, but he’s an amazing leader. He keeps everybody composed when things go wrong, which is why the Vols have been great in close games this year. Outside of Dobbs, the defensive line has been awesome. Derek Barnett is probably the best pass rusher in the SEC, and Corey Vereen is solid on the other side as well.
2) Where is the Vol’s biggest weakness or area of concern?
Given their injuries, it’d have to be at linebacker and offensive line. Tennessee was thin going into the year at linebacker, so losing both starters in Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Darrin Kirkland Jr. was a killer. Kirkland could be back this week, but he won’t be 100 percent. Meanwhile, the Vols’ backup offensive linemen did not develop the way they needed to this past offseason, so any injuries up front have been costly. One final weakness is turnovers. Tennessee’s runners have a bad habit of putting the ball on the ground, and they got lucky early in the year to recover their own fumbles. But over the past two weeks, that luck has run out.
3) Do you get sick of hearing Rocky Top 15384752 times at every Tennessee football game?
Never. The best part is the band might play it when the other team does something well, and it annoys the heck out of them to the point that they start making mistakes. LOL.
4) How do you think Butch Jones is doing overall?
Off the field, Butch Jones gets an A+. He’s hired the right staff, recruited the right talent, promoted the Tennessee football program in the right way, and ran practices as well as anybody could. On the field, the play-calling by the coordinators has been great too. However, Butch Jones is not great in making in-game decisions. For instance, last week, when Tennessee scored a touchdown against Texas A&M late and were about to tie with an extra point, the Aggies ran offside on the PAT. Jones should’ve gone for 2 and the win at that point from the one-yard line considering his team was banged up and on the road. Overtime favored Texas A&M. Two weeks ago, he almost cost Tennessee by trying to run out the clock against Georgia rather than going for the win.
5) Is having home-field advantage going to make a difference for Tennessee in this game?
For the first time in 15 years, I’d have to say yes. Vols fans are more excited than they have been in over a decade, and the Neyland crowd has been amazing this year. Bob Shoop’s defense feeds off the momentum, and the offense does not make as many mistakes at home. And despite what he did at Ole Miss and Arkansas, those fans are very confident they can rattle Jalen Hurts.
6) Let’s be honest for a second – does anyone really look good in that pee-pee orange color?
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- Alabama Football: How improved is the Ole Miss defense?
- Alabama Football: Power Ranking the SEC after week three
- Alabama’s latest win total projection hints that team is in trouble this season
- Alabama Football: What happened with again QB1 Jalen Milroe
Better than the awful ways Bama fans mix in Houndstooth clothing with their outfits. There’s just something weird about fawning over the fashion of a guy who has been dead for 35 years.
7) Why do you think Tennessee will beat Alabama?
I said from the start of 2016 that this would be the year the Vols get the best of the Tide. Tennessee has the mental advantage in quarterback Joshua Dobbs, and after coming so close last year, they have the confidence. That combined with the Neyland crowd will propel the Vols to an upset.
8) What’s your honest final score prediction?
In a typical back and forth, SEC-style struggle, the Vols win this game 23-21. They’ll get a late field goal and then a defensive stop on the final drive.
9) Last question – you’re not allergic to cigar smoke, are you?
Absolutely not! The first time I ever tried a cigar was the last time the Vols beat the Tide in 2006.
Next: 5 Things You Didn't Know: Alabama vs Tennessee
The last time Tennessee beat Alabama really was waaaaay back in 2006 – TEN years ago. In fact, the Tide has never lost to UT under Coach Saban. Bama fans do not have any reason to believe this weekend will end the streak. The betting line currently stands at Alabama -13, so even Vegas is on the Tide’s side.