By the way, thank you guys at Rocky Top for the great commentaries, based on sound analysis and picking a part the details. You led me to believe in the last week after Auburn that this would happen based on your analysis of the steady, improving evolution of the offense.

Two things I did not see in all the articles written in the glow of victory. GA is not as bad right now as claimed. And Coach Lane Kiffin believing in himself, the system he has installed, and his players, in light of all the criticism since the UCLA game.

First, GA might be on a decline, but they almost beat an LSU team that kept it close against FLA last night. They also beat a hell of a good SC team (who will wear on Alabama before we play the tide). If not for a bad call, GA would have beat LSU, and came in to Neyland still ranked with a 4-1 record). So we did better than everyone expected except for you guys at Rocky Top and of course, Coach Kiffin and his staff.

Second, the biggest thing that came out of the GA game was that Coach Lane Kiffin showed a lot of strength of character.  Strength of character is the seeking of, no the love of, responsibility and making decisions in the face of adversity, be it peers, fans and subordinates (players). Everyone was calling for Nick Stephens to replace Jonathan Crompton (even I was humming along), but the Coach knew he had to give his quarterback time. Crompton has the talent and smarts. He just had to have time (along with the receivers and offensive line) to pick up his pro style system (as you guys at Rocky Top have pointed out too often, four systems in five years?).  People were also calling for a "no huddle-two minute offense", but Coach Kiffin calmly told us why it may not work, and that he was not going to deviate from the system he has installed.  A system that given time and more talent will work as well as it did at USC.

I did laugh at some of the negative comments against Coach Kiffin after Auburn, but these are the same fools that probably made death threats against Crompton while they lay on their couches and eat Cheetoes and drink Pabst Blue Ribbon while wearing orange jump suits.

I have maintained faith in Coach Kiffin and his staff on the long term, but it was nice to confirm the character of the Coach with Crompton’s, most everyone's performance yesterday.

Also, the defense is the "unwritten story line". They were kept off the field while seeing their turnovers transformed into points. They got more motivated as the game went on.

Bye week could not have come at a better time. Coach Kiffin and his staff are fixing/improving the team, and special teams may not be fixed by Alabama (I know seven points were also off a reflected throw), but we can be assured that our team will go in with a good plan, confident and special teams will not be as costly.

Go VOLs and beat Bama.

Looking forward to a tight game and possible upset of Alabama.

Don Vandergriff

www.donvandergriff.com