I think that from a fan standpoint, which I am, I’d never been to a ball game that was as electric as that one sitting in the stands. From that standpoint it was a lot of fun to watch. From a coaching standpoint I was really impressed with how both teams played, particularly the way that Tennessee was able to keep fighting back. They were down 7-0, 21-14, then 28-21, and finally 28-27, and each time found a way to get back.

It’s one thing to come back once in a game, but to keep coming back like they did was impressive. Did they get some help? Yes they did, but they made a lot of that help themselves. That was as good of a job as coaching during a ball game, keeping kids in it, and the players themselves had a lot to do with it too. Too me, that was the impressive thing about the ball game from Tennessee’s standpoint.

You look at the history of that ball game, when Tennessee has lost in that ball game, it’s been primarily because of turnovers. The rushing numbers are always important, like we discussed last week, but Tennessee’s had games against Florida where they’ve had four or five turnovers and never had a chance.

I didn’t think they could win if that happened in this ball game. And not only did they have three turnovers, but two of them were in bad spots. Turnovers are one thing, but when you have them in your end of the field, they’re really bad, and Tennessee gave them the ball twice around their own 30-yard line.

It was an impressive thing that Tennessee was able to come back from that.

The offense, despite the youth at some positions, notably quarterback, looks so much better and more efficient this fall. What do you think are some of the reasons?

I think you start with players. People have asked me a lot what I think is the difference with this team; experience at quarterback’s not one of them, and you look at a lot of areas and you don’t really know. Are the freshman quarterbacks playing well? Yes, but they’re not playing better than Casey played last year. They’re playing different but not better.

I think that there are two areas where things are clearly better. I think the offensive line is playing much better, much better, than last year, and the other spot is the wide receivers. They’re making plays, they’re getting open, they’re running good routes. I think those are the two areas that have made the most difference, and I’d probably lean a little bit stronger to the wide receivers. We’ve got some guys out there that can make plays right now.

It’s hard to pick who to give credit to, but I think that Trooper Taylor has done a great job. I love his enthusiasm. He’s brought a little bit of enthusiasm back to the sidelines over there, which has been needed in my opinion.

I’m surprised at some of the guys that are getting it done right now. I would have thought, just from watching practice, that probably Meachem would have been the big guy there right now, but after two games he’s just got the one catch. I think that bodes well for Tennessee, because anybody that’s watched him practice knows at some point that he’s going to be a factor and make some plays.

Swain, Chris Hannon, Tony Brown, Tinsley, there’s been four or five guys that have been making plays there so far. That’s a very, very encouraging spot on this ball club.

I think that it’s really just a part of the discipline that they’ve finally been able to get through to the players, but I think there were some things that helped that. There’s pluses and minuses in starting a freshman quarterback, more pluses with minuses, but one thing I think it has done is make this team realize that we’re going to have to play harder, and along with that, play smarter.

I think that in most cases, you see penalties come about as the result of laziness, or just a lack of concentration. You’ll get an occasional hold or a block in the back that is just a mistake. But even a lot of holds are because someone was lazy and out of position.

I think this team has really bought into that. Phillip has really been preaching it and they’ve just bought into it, and the result has been a smarter football team, that so far, isn’t hurting itself with penalties.

In my opinion, he was their best player on defense, definitely in the front-seven, though I guess Jason Allen needs to be in the discussion if you’re talking about the best player overall over there. I think they’re going to miss him a bunch.

I’ve always thought that he, from a linebacker standpoint, was the key to the linebackers. There’s no question that it’s going to hurt. There going to have to find some ways to try and compensate, but it won’t be easy.

I thought that John Poe came in and played about as well as you could ask a guy to play, who hadn’t played a whole lot, against Florida.

They’ll move Mitchell in there a little bit I think, but right now I think that John’s (Chavis) only got probably four guys that have played much that are healthy. Daniel Brooks is going to have to get ready to play some.

I think they’ll probably play a little bit more nickel some. I don’t think that it will hurt them this week much, but Auburn’s going to be put those two tight ends in there, and we’ll talk about it more next week, but they’re going to give Tennessee some match-up problems.

Right now Tennessee has some problems on defense, but the bright side of that is that it’s not because of effort or hustle. They’ve got a few guys out of position, they’re a little young in areas, but as this season goes on they will get better and better and better.

I think Tennessee had a pretty good feeling, Johnny and them, that they weren’t comfortable with their safety positions going into the fall. They gave Campbell and Brandon Johnson an opportunity there, and after the first game it was very apparent that they needed help in there.

They’re better off with Jason Allen inside at safety, and Wade or Hefney on the outside. I think that both those guys can be really good cornerbacks. They just need practice and game experience.