‘It was closer than this’ – Former Georgia DL David Pollack drops some truth about Tennessee’s loss to Alabama that Vols fans need to hear
The Tennessee Vols and the Alabama Crimson Tide played a strange game in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night. Alabama came out with the 37-20 win.
The Tennessee Vols lost 37-20 to the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa.
The final score, however, doesn’t tell the full story of Tennessee’s loss to Alabama.
Tennessee botched numerous opportunities that could’ve made the game more competitive in the fourth quarter.
Former Georgia standout David Pollack drops some truth about Tennessee’s loss to Alabama that Vols fans need to hear
Former Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman David Pollack shared his thoughts on Tennessee’s loss to Alabama late Saturday night and he was quick to point out that the game was closer than the final score indicated.
“This was a weird freaking game,” said Pollack. “This was weird because it starts off — first of all, (Vols QB) Joey Aguilar is tough as crap, man. You got to really like him. The final score is 37 to 20. It was closer than this. It actually was closer than this. Aguilar had some good moments. They ran the football really, really well. (DeSean) Bishop’s a stud man. Bishop’s a big stud for Tennessee. They can run it. They’ve changed offensively. They’ve done a good job of kind of morphing.
“But if you’re going to be really upset, Tennessee had a chance to make it such a close game going into the half. It’s 7-7, it’s a ball game. Bama gets a safety — he drives the tackle back, Aguilar trips, throws the ball away, intentional grounding. Safety. Bama takes it down the field. They score. So now they’re up 16 to 7. Tennessee goes the length of the field, converts two fourth downs. They call two time outs, it’s [second] and goal from the one. They are so run heavy, they’re so good at it, but they go pass. Interception, returned to the house — 99 yards.”
“The ball game wasn’t over, and I’ll even give Tennessee credit — I was actually proud of how, if you compare Auburn to Tennessee the week before, Auburn was was very upset at half. They were ticked off, and they didn’t show up (in the second half). Tennessee got a bad break. Now they’re down 23 to 7 at the half. They should not have been. But Tennessee comes out, gets a stop — a three and out. They go down and score. They force a fumble. They get the ball again. They shoot themselves in the foot with a bad snap. But I loved watching Tennessee continue to compete when it didn’t go their way — especially when Alabama’s [defense] outscores your offense. Their defense scores nine, and your offense scores seven in the first half.”
I think Pollack is spot on. Tennessee had the players to make that game a coin flip. But the Vols’ self-inflicted mistakes robbed them of any chance to actually win the game.
Tennessee has the talent to win these kinds of games. Coaching and execution, though, has to be better. The Vols will be playing in Music City Bowl in December if they continue to shoot themselves in the foot with penalties, drops, and boneheaded coaching decisions.
Tennessee Volunteers News
Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks gave Alabama an unreal gift in the second half of the Crimson Tide’s 37-20 win over the Vols
The Tennessee Vols made plenty of mistakes in their 37-20 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide in Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday night
