All Hail the King!
I can still recall the Arkansas game from 1998. I was 10 years old, and sitting at my house with my mom and step-dad. It felt as if our magical season was slipping away, as Arkansas QB, Clint Stoener lined up under center. All they had to do was run a few plays, and burn out the remaining two minutes. But faith and Tennessee defensive tackle, Billy Ratliff had other things in mind. And so went the historic Stumble and Fumble, in which Stoener all but placed the ball in the hands of the defense. Tennessee would drive the rest of the field to win the game, and the play would go on to live forever in Tennessee folklore history. Anytime the '98 season is mentioned, the play is like to come up. It was a moment in time that will never be forgotten; one of those fluke plays that was more special than anyone realized at the time. Without that play, there is no National Championship. And so we ask ourselves, did we just witness history all over again?
To say it was improbable would be the understatement of the century. Yet once more, the Tennessee Volunteers found a way to grit it out in the closing seconds of their 34-31 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs. It was one of those moments that will be etched into the annals of UT history. It was a glimpse of orange and white in a sea of red, and a player determined to walk away victorious. Jauan Jennings refused to be denied, and Vols took one more step in what has been an unbelievable season.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Sophomore receiver, Jauan Jennings is carried off the field by teammates after his game winning, Hail Mary catch in the closing seconds of the game.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
It was a play made necessary after UGA's, Jacob Eason put a ball right on the money for the go ahead score, and only 10 seconds left on the clock. Vol fans around the country could only stare on in disbelief once more, as their magical season seemed to finally come to an end. As big as the Florida win was, this was bigger. A win here and the East is all but secured. A loss, and all of a sudden things look that much more uncertain. Call it luck, call it destiny, call it whatever you'd like. The only thing that matters is this team's never quit attitude. So when Josh Dobbs lined up for that last play, fans had to dig deep into that special place in their hearts. No matter how bleak things looked, there was still that glimmer of hope. For the players, it was a belief. For Jauan Jennings, it was a certainty.
I won't say that I'm a believer in destiny, but I won't say it's hogwash either. What I cannot deny, however, is that this season certainly has a special feel about it. Maybe it's still the thrill of a close win and seeing the Vols at 5-0 for the first time since 1998. We all know how special that year was for Vol fans around the country. I'm not quite ready to crown us just yet, but I'm confident that this team has the resolve to make this a year to remember. With arguably their toughest two games still to come, the Vols have to find a way to put together a full game of winning football. The come-from-behind wins have been enough to keep my heart rate at sky high levels, but sooner or later that luck runs out. The Vols travel to College Station this week to take on No. 8 Texas A&M. One thing's for sure, the Aggies won't be so easily beaten. The Vols must come out faster, or they may see their special season take a turn for the worst.
For now, though, Vol fans can relish in a special moment. We can also take solace in the fact that we have a coach who truly cares about this program. He loves his players, and he has embraced our traditions. Fans aren't always the easiest on him, and perhaps that's unfair. After all, look at where we were when he came into town. Back to back 5-7 seasons saw us reach an all-time low. Our once proud program had hit rock bottom like a crack addict after a month-long binge, with Dooley feeding us our supply. Then came Butch Jones, the man we needed to smack us in the face and put us back on the path to righteousness. It's been one hell of a fight, and an even crazier ride, but we're finally seeing his hard work come to fruition. But if you really want to see how much this win means to him, look no further than the video below. In all my years of watching football - and the improbable wins that come with it - I don't think I've ever witnessed a coach show so much emotion after a win. And he wasn't alone. Vol fans everywhere shared his emotions. We all knew what was at stake, just as Jones did.
Still, though, I can't help but think back to that '98 season, and something my step-dad told me. He told me that sometimes it takes more than just talent to win a National Championship. It takes resolve, and more importantly, it takes a fair amount of luck. The '98 team saw their first glimpse of that when Florida missed wide on an overtime field goal. The goalposts came down, as chaos ensued. We saw even more when Stoener tripped and handed us the game. In the time between then and now, that luck has been avoiding this program like the plague. From the blocked kick against Bama in '09, to Pig Howard's fumble in overtime against Georgia in 2013, to last year's 4th quarter collapses, it felt as if we had used up all of our fairy dust back in the 90's. No matter how bright the season seemed, we were all knocked back to reality in seemingly no time at all. It's been 18 years since that fateful season in '98. Our current recruiting class could very well be filled with in-state kids who were conceived after one of those historic wins. Most of them don't what it is to see Tennessee on top. Maybe it's nostalgia that makes this win against Georgia so special. It's a glimpse of that luck we've been missing all these years, though Josh Dobbs and Jauan Jennings may beg to differ.
No matter how I look at it, though, I can't help but feel good about this team. There's an indefinable trait to them that I can't quite put my finger on. I've seen more than a fair share of fans and analysts claim they can't buy in until Tennessee proves it's more than a fluke. Call me a sunshine pumper, call me a homer, call me whatever it is you choose to call me, but I'm taking the exact opposite view. After watching this team play five games, I am choosing to believe until they give me a reason not to. I know we have yet to see their best football, and I fully believe it's about to be seen. It's time for these Vols to put up or shut up, and there's a fight in this team that refuses to be silenced. It's time to show the world what it means to be a Volunteer. It's time to embrace that "Feels like '98" spirit. It's time to buckle up, hold on tight, and enjoy the ride. Oh be still, my beating heart. Be still.
