Tennessee vs The Maxims vs Ohio

Tennessee vs The Maxims vs Ohio

The months of July and August were heady times for the US Army in Europe sixty-five years ago. After breaking out of Normandy in late June, Ike's boys rampaged across France, in some instances rolling over one hundred miles in single day. As the Americans crossed the German border enemy resistance increased but that was to be expected. Surely this was just a last gasp.

On the First Army front, the maps showed a green spot, a forested area bounded on the east by the Roer River. Generals like tidy maps and so the orders went out to clear the forest. The battle was expected to take only a few a days. The attack was scheduled to begin on 14 September. Intelligence indicated it was lightly held and those Germans were second-line troops anyway. Nobody from Army or Corps headquarters bestirred themselves to actually go to the front and see the situation first hand. The green feature on the map was the Hürtgen Forest.

The Hürtgen Forest was none of the above. It was basically the last wild forest in Europe with hundred-foot trees, tangled underbrush, no paved roads and the Germans had owned it since the days of the Roman Empire. The battle to take it was a nightmare that only finally ended in February 1945. No less than four American divisions were chewed up in the dank, dark and deadly woods. The US Army suffered over 23,000 battle casualties and 9,000 more non-battle casualties to “clean out” that green feature.

Until the very end, no officer from 12th Army Group, First Army or even VII Corps ever went to the front to find out what was happening. They just bitched and whined at divisional and regimental commanders for not getting the job done.

By the end of Saturday's game against the Ohio University Bobcats, a team nobody south of Cincinnati took seriously, the Vols were bloody and beat up but they did manage to win.

So how did the team do compared to the Maxims?

1.The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
It might be said that Ohio's critical error was not scheduling this game before the advent of the Jumbo-Tron and instant-replay review. Crompton fades to throw, gives ground, runs around like a crazed camel until the inevitable sack, then compounds the error by fumbling the ball. A Bobcat scoops up the gift and sets sail, next to be seen accepting the accolades of teammates in the checkerboards. Pre-replay, this would have stood and the Vols would have been in a deep hole late in the game. However, on “further review” the Bobcat's foot was clearly out-of-bounds as he picked up the ball and the touchdown disappeared and Crompton was redeemed, through no effort of his own.

2.Play for and make the breaks. When one comes your way … SCORE!
Fat Man's dream: defensive end Chris Walker intercepts a Bobcat pass on the Ohio 7 and waltzes in for a touchdown. I can haz cheezeburger!!!

3.If at first the game – or the breaks – go against you, don’t let up … PUT ON MORE STEAM!
Monterio Hardesty NEVER GAVE UP. Lane Kiffen put the game on his back in the second half and he did not disappoint. Monterio HAD to step up as UT's wide receivers remain MIA.

4.Protect our kickers, our quarterback, our lead and our ballgame.
Daniel Lincoln is really coming into his own. Kicking a wet ball is no fun and nailing a 49-yard field goal with one is above and beyond. Monte's Maulers got bumfuzzled by a talented OU quarterback and Frank Solich's game plan but did enough. Despite the appearances, pass protection was OK, Crompton just can't seem to make up his mind what to do with it.

This is also as good a place as any to wonder why coaches insist on trying to out-coach themselves. In the second half, the Vols were routinely ripping off five- to ten-yard runs between the “twenties” but as soon as the running game got them in scoring position, the offense shifted gears and began throwing the ball with generally dismal results. My progeny were much amused as during one of UT's late drives when I did my best “Pete” impression and intoned, “DO NAWT THROW THE FOOTBAWL.” Coach Kiffen though rejected my advice and continued to channel Randy Sanders and an otherwise promising drive ended with a missed field goal.

5.Ball! Oskie! Cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle … THIS IS THE WINNING EDGE.
This speaks directly to ATTITUDE. Nick Reveiz has it, and Rico McCoy hits with authority. Hardesty has it. The offensive line is developing one, but one still gets the feeling the jury is out on the rest of them.

6.Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
KICKOFF COVERAGE??? ANYBODY???

7.Carry the fight to Ohio and keep it there for sixty minutes.
Make no mistake, this game was a football war and it went from kickoff to the final gun.

In his classic diary of the 1967 Green Bay Packers, All-Pro guard Jerry Kramer mused on the challenges for a big-time program facing a “lesser” opponent. The mighty Packers found themselves playing the then-hapless Pittsburgh Steelers late in the season. Kramer wrote, “I hate games like this. If you go out and beat them by 40 you look like a bully and if you lose you look like a dummy.”

The Vols should have won this by 40, but despite reaching for the dunce cap on several occasions, managed to not lose.

MAXOMG

© 2009 One Man Gang