Before every game, the Tennessee Volunteers recite 7 keys to playing winning football in the locker room. The common coach speak is there to the casual observer. Protect the football. Play hard for 60 minutes. Play through the echo of the whistle. It is easy for an outsider to underestimate the impact of the moment. However, these 7 keys to winning football are vastly important to every Volunteer letterman and every fan in orange that eagerly awaits the Vols running through the T. These words are the maxims of General Robert Neyland himself. The namesake of the stadium that will hold 102,455 maniacal, deranged “wackos” who prepare for a showdown with their arch rivals under the lights on Saturday.
How can the Vols use Neyland’s Maxims to defeat Florida
As Tennessee aims to be relevant in the SEC again, history could prove to be a blueprint for the path to prominence. Few coaches in SEC history have had the success General Neyland was able to achieve as the coach at Tennessee. For all the accolades Bear Bryant (rightfully) receives, Neyland never lost a game to the legendary Alabama coach. Former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer was able to taste a little of the success that General Neyland achieved. Fulmer channeled the legendary coach in reciting the maxims with his team before every game. That is a tradition that has transcended coaching changes to this day.
1. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
This has been a key for Tennessee all year. Come Saturday, it will be even more vital for success. Jeremy Pruitt has preached both avoiding mistakes while also forcing mistakes from opponents. Despite going two games without surrendering a touchdown, he has voiced displeasure with the lack of takeaways from his defense. The Pruitt defense centers around aggressive plays and turnovers. It seems Tennessee has moved on from the bend but don’t break mantra. The new coaching philosophy centers on aggression and capitalizing on opportunities. In the 24-0 shutout win vs UTEP, Shawn Shamburger made a beautiful play to break up a deep pass at the goal line. In his press conference, rather than congratulate the safety, Pruitt pointed out that he should have made the interception. Pruitt understands that in order to be competitive with elite competition, Tennessee needs to force a few mistakes.
On the other side of the coin, Tennessee needs to stay mistake free if they are to upset the Gators. Tennessee made too many drive killing mistakes such as turnovers and penalties in their win against UTEP. If Tennessee fumbles in the red zone or muffs punts this week, it will cost them the game. Jarrett Guarantano has played efficiently and eliminated many of the mistakes from last season. They need the sophomore quarterback to continue to avoid key mistakes this weekend. If Tennessee limits their own mistakes while forcing Florida into a few, the General tells us that fortune will favor the Vols.
2. Play for and make the breaks and when one comes your way – SCORE.
This maxim again plays into Pruitt’s aggressive philosophy mentioned above. Tennessee must force Florida into undesirable situations, and when these arrive they must capitalize. Tennessee fans won’t soon to forget the 10-9 loss in 2014. In that game, Tennessee forced numerous turnovers in Gator territory throughout a sloppy game in Neyland Stadium. The defense played for and created breaks, but the Vols came away with only 3 field goals in that game. Ultimately, that cost the Vols a chance to end the streak two years early and a chance at Atlanta. In this year’s edition, when the breaks come Tennessee’s way, they must find a way to get into the checkerboards.
3. If at first the game – or the breaks – go against you, don’t let up… put on more steam.
For all the negatives Vol fans can take from the last few years on Rocky Top, the team’s unwillingness to waiver in the face of adversity is not one of them. Fans watched with awe in 2016 as the Vols erased double digit deficit after double digit deficit with classics from the end of the streak to the Dobbsnail boot. The upperclassmen on this team need to heed the example that was given to them by the core leaders of that unit.
If the history of this series tells us anything, it’s that Florida will get breaks in this game. Incompletions will be called touchdowns. The Gators will complete fourth and 17. How this team responds to adversity will keep them in this game, and this is the key to the third maxim. This team needs to recall the perseverance it takes to win SEC games. The psyche of this Florida team is just as fragile after an embarrassing loss to Kentucky. If the Vols can pull themselves off the mat and punch back each time, not only will they wear down their opponent, but they can keep the raucous crowd loud and engaged.
4. Protect our kickers, our quarterback, our lead and our ball game.
Please stop me if you have heard this before. Tennessee’s offensive line needs to protect Guarantano better and give him time in the pocket to make throws downfield. Last week, we identified the offensive line as one of the three keys to watch for improvement against UTEP. While the backfield was able to muster 345 yards on the ground in that game, there were too many negative plays in the backfield against an inept UTEP defensive front to give Tennessee confidence in this unit moving forward. If fans are looking for one maxim that has been lost to attribute the last decade of frustration, General Neyland’s Fourth Maxim may be the perfect candidate. Tennessee’s offensive line has been a liability for far too long. The offensive line needs to dig deep this week and have pride in their work. Through three games, Guarantano has shown extreme toughness. Now it is time for his blockers to step up and give him time to make an impact in this game.
Offensive line play is also important for the latter half of the Fourth Maxim. If Tennessee is able to take a lead into the final stanza of this game, the ability to run the ball is paramount to maintaining that lead. Jeremy Banks is teeming with excitement to take on the Gators. He even called out former Vols recruit Jacob Copeland on social media. His smash-mouth, downhill running style is perfect for churning out game closing drives to kill the clock. He looks for contact and seems to always fall forward. If this offensive lane can open holes for him, he can protect the lead for General Neyland’s troops this weekend.
5. Ball, oskie, cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle… for this is the WINNING EDGE.
This coaching staff has really focused on doing the small things right. This was the philosophy behind General Neyland’s Fifth Maxim above. With nine simple words, “ball, oskie, cover, block, cut, slice, pursue, and gang tackle,” he makes a clear statement. Do the little things right in the game to gain a winning edge over your opponent. Communicate with your teammates on the field and fight for the endzone if you can force a turnover (Ball, Oskie). Protect your quarterbacks. Cut defenders to get their hands down in the short passing game. Understand your blocking assignment and footwork. Block downfield (Block, Cut, Slice). Play hard to the whistle on defense. Get 11 orange jerseys to the football. Understand and utilize your angles to the ball carrier (pursue and gang tackle). This is the football acumen that at times seemed missing from the previous staff.
The fundamentals are improving on Rocky top, particularly on defense. If the Vols want to overcome the Gators, they need to be fundamentally sound. Good fundamentals force your opponent to be perfect and make plays, and this Florida team has looked far from perfect through the first three weeks. Tennessee can’t afford to give the Gators anything easy. Getting the details right can prevent Florida from ripping off large chunk plays.
6. Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
With these two teams looking so even on paper, the kicking game may be the difference in winning and losing. During last year’s contest in Gainesville, several missed field goals allowed the Gators to stick around and defeat the Vols despite being outplayed for much of the game. Brent Cimaglia has looked solid through the start of the season. The Vols need him to convert every easy kick and maybe a tough kick or two to pull out the victory. With two offenses that seem to have more questions than answers, points will be at a premium. Tennessee needs to use the kicking game to force Florida to drive the length of the field on offense and convert as many drives into points as possible when they have the ball.
7. Carry the fight to your opponent and keep it there for 60 minutes.
This is the litmus test for the season as the Vols try to reestablish some ground in the SEC East pecking order. A win against Florida with two new head coaches gives you a head start in your rebuild and some positive momentum. That will take a total effort from everyone for a full 60 minutes. Tennessee players cannot take plays off. This team must play with intensity and a consistency they have not achieved thus far in the season. The team should need no pep talk to start this game with a fire under them. However, they must show discipline to maintain that aggressive mentality and wear down their foe.
Likewise, the environment may be just as important as the on field play. Tennessee fans need to reestablish Neyland as one of the toughest venues in sports to visit. A night game in Neyland should be an exciting environment, but the Vols need the fans to stay engaged for 60 minutes, too. Florida cannot be allowed to take the energy out of the stands. If the breaks go against the Vols, the big orange army must heed the words of their General and put on more steam. If they can make this a miserable night for the Gators on offense, they can make a huge impact to the final score.
Maxims For a Win
There’s no doubt that this is a big game. It’s the first real test in the Jeremy Pruitt era for Tennessee. Tennessee coaches have historically been measured by how successful they are against Alabama and Florida. General Neyland, himself, was hired to beat Vanderbilt and wound up usurping Alabama. Johnny Majors couldn’t get past Alabama. Phillip Fulmer struggled against Florida.
For Jeremy Pruitt to get his first SEC victory in Knoxville, he’d be well advised to turn to Neyland’s seven maxims.
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