Tennessee's program was heading in the upward direction under Cutcliffe's reign as offensive coordinator. His experience and production is definitely one HUGE upside over Randy Sanders. Cutcliffe has obtained even more insight into the inner workings of the game- game planning and strategy, as a head coach. What he failed to get out of Peyton's time at Tennessee, he managed to improve upon during Eli's time at Ole Miss. No one at Ole Miss has ever experienced the success he managed to achieve there. Then he had a short stint at Notre Dame with Charlie Weiss until he had to resign due to health reasons. According to him, he learned quite a bit more about molding offenses around personnel during that short time. The upside is as plain as the nose on your face. I was also hoping for some "fresh blood." But one thing is certain with Cutcliffe. His players believe in him, and he wins games. He does have an edge over Sanders in the discipline department as well. He found that if you don't constantly remind the kids that it is a team game, they tend to forget that... and it is almost impossible to correct after that. Remember the difference between the team in 98 and the one we fielded in 99? Remember how the '99 team was one of the most talented teams to ever take the field (garnering a record number of draft picks at the time)? Yet, they lacked the discipline they had had the previous year (one filled with injuries and controversies) when they managed to go 13-0 to win the NC. Remember how they played as individuals, played at half speed, played down to their opponents, and coasted to a 9-3 season? Remember the bad taste that left in our mouths? What was the difference?
Coach Cutcliffe will not be at Tennessee long. Some school out there will eventually lure him away again to be their head coach... especially if Tennessee turns it around next season and wins their allotment of 10+ games again. I just hope the rest of the powers that be understand that and are keeping their eyes open for that "fresh blood." We're going to need it regardless of how this works out.
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