Monday Musings -- Oct. 2

 One was a coach few wanted, while the other seemed to be a very popular choice with the locals.

 Both are now suddenly feeling heat, because, in the case of one, the program has failed to reached expected heights and, in the case of the other, there have been two bad losses already this season, including one at home to a Sun Belt Conference team.

 Butch Jones and Ed Orgeron may not be linked by geography or coaching style or demeanor, but they are linked by the disdain their fanbases have for them at the moment.

Butch Jones (Rocky Top Talk)

 Jones, hired just after the end of the 2012 season to replace the failed Derek Dooley, was never really embraced by Rocky Top, as he wasn't seen as a big enough name. Now, forgive Tennessee fans for having delusions of grandeur -- the Vols ain't Alabama or USC or Ohio State or Texas, and can't just have anyone they want.

 They should, however, be able to do better than someone who came from a non-Power 5 school, as Jones did from Cincinnati. They got "no" responses from Mike Gundy, Larry Fedora, Charlie Strong and Jon Gruden, and reportedly looked into Butch Davis, Jim Mora, Kirby Smart, Bobby Petrino -- and the guy they fired because they felt he didn't win enough, Phil Fulmer. He only took Tennessee to a national title, and was consistently among the best in the SEC. But fans are a fickle bunch, and they must have grown tired of double digit wins.

 Tennessee got Jones, despite protestations from Peyton Manning, who attempted to lure him to Colorado despite being a Tennessee alum. Jones went 9-4 the last two seasons, calling them two of the "best seasons" in school annals -- never mind the aforementioned national championship and double digit winning campaigns. But in four seasons under Jones, Tennessee has never won the SEC East, and it won't again this year.

 Jones became upset with the media earlier last week, apparently believing the media should be a cheerleader for his program. And then his team goes out and lays a colossal egg, getting shut out by Georgia 41-0, the team's first shutout at home since 1994 and worst shutout loss since 1905.

 Jones' teams often looked unorganized, unprepared, and the coaching staff does not seem to know how to utilize its talent.

 There are huge questions at quarterback, and recruiting has slipped to the point that there are no real emerging stars at receiver. Running back John Kelly is a good one, but he can't do it by himself, even though he tries.

 The defense looked like it quit against Georgia, and if that's true then it could just be a matter of time for Jones.

 "We will dissect everything. Everything will be looked at, from A to Z. we have to work to get better.

 "Everyone should hurt. If it doesn't hurt, then that shows you are not heavily invested. if that's not motivation, then I don't know what is. There is a tradition of excellence here that we demand."

Ed Orgeron (The Advocate)

Orgeron was widely hailed as a stable, if not flashy, choice for the LSU gig after Jimbo Fisher and Tom Herman turned it down. Unlike Tennessee, LSU can -- and should -- shoot for the moon, so settling for Orgeron -- wildly likable and entertaining, but ultimately an average coach -- was a bit of a letdown.

 But at least he was one of them, a Louisiana native, so the Geaux Tigers crowd gave him a chance. He went 6-2 after taking over for Les Miles last season, but the two were against Florida and Alabama, LSU's biggest rivals. There was talk that the offense was getting an overhaul this season, and dynamic coordinator Matt Canada arrived from Pittsburgh, the only team in America to score at least 40 points in every game in 2016. Coupled with holdover defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, the Tigers were going to be something.

 They were, albeit against lesser competition, and then they weren't, absorbing a 37-7 body blow from Mississippi State before being knocked out at home by Troy, an upper level Group of Five team that is nowhere near as talented as the Tigers yet outplayed, outcoached and outhustled them on every level, leaving with a 24-21 victory. LSU is 67th in total offense and 83rd in scoring offense, and the defense is also an issue, allowing 87 points in the last three games. Very un-LSU.

 When interviewed for the job, Orgeron brought with him a binder, showing what he would do in every conceivable situation. So it was funny that he and his team looked so lost from the outset against Troy -- to the point that he didn't even know what play was being run. Third team back Nick Brossette got the opening carry, gained five yards and then fumbled.

 "I was not aware we were going to do that," Orgeron said. "I wish I could have that first play back. I wanted Darrel Williams to get the ball. Our third string back got the ball. I should have done a better job of game-planning. I think, that's not the way we ought to start the game."

 Orgeron presented himself as a CEO, who would know every aspect of the program yet would give his coaches freedom to do their jobs. So when he doesn't know what's going on, especially in this day and age of scripted offenses, that's a real red flag.

 LSU fans appear to be stuck with him, as the powers that be put in a $12 million buyout were he to somehow be fired this season. If the unthinkable happened and LSU let him go, it would be paying him, Miles and whomever it hired as the new coach.

"It's not about Troy, it's about us," Orgeron said. "Its a disappointing performance. We were outcoached and outplayed. It seems like we got outphysicaled by Troy tonight, which is not Tiger football."

 Truth be told, LSU hasn't played Tiger football for some time, and may not as long as Oregeron is around. Florida and Alabama are still on the schedule, so it might get worse before it gets better.

 This should be a lesson to fans, to be careful what you wish for -- you just might get it.
  
Barrett Becomes Top Buckeye -- So Why Do So Many Want Him Replaced?

 In all of my years covering the Ohio State football beat, one record I was sure was safe -- Art Schlichter's passing mark of 7,547 yards. The Buckeyes would never find someone to start for four years, or throw the ball enough to really challenge the mark.

 So imagine my surprise when J.T. Barrett broke it on Saturday in the Buckeyes 56-0 romp over Rutgers. He already held most of the school records, including most wins as a starter and most touchdowns responsible for, so checking all of the boxes with the yardage figure seemed only right.

 Amazing that a guy who many in Buckeye Nation believe can't play -- or, more succinctly, can't throw -- could achieve so much.

 Barrett has more wins than anyone in school annals, yet fans say he hasn't won a championship of any kind, and that he wilts in big games. Never mind that in 11 games against ranked teams, Barrett has gone 8-3, and the Buckeyes have averaged 33 points in those games. His 2014 campaign was the best in OSU history, with over 2,800 yards, 34 touchdown passes (and another 10 running) and the highest passer rating in school history (169.8).

JT Barrett (The Lantern)

Detractors point to his lackluster showing in last year's national semifinal against Clemson (a 31-0 loss) and this year's home loss to Oklahoma (31-16) as evidence Barrett can't get it done when the stakes are high. Never mind that in the Clemson loss, the Buckeyes line couldn't block anyone, and that OSU's defense was woefully prepared to stop Baker Mayfield and company this season. Sure, Barrett bares some of the blame, but it's a team effort -- the receivers have been underwhelming, the offensive line play has been spotty, and the coaching dynamic, with new coordinator Kevin Wilson, has been spotty.

 Barrett has improved the last few weeks after the offense was tweaked to feature more quick decisions and quick throws, and utilize more bubble and tunnel screens -- though detractors will say that the improvement came against Army, UNLV and Rutgers, not exactly a Murderers Row of defenses. And there is some legitimacy to that.

 But there are a couple of things to remember here -- first, OSU is not a passing team. Sure, it needs to be able to pass enough to keep defenses from stacking the box against its power running spread, but if the Buckeyes are throwing the ball more than 25 times a game consistently, it's probably not a good sign. OSU should lean on running backs J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber, and rely on Barrett's savvy to handle the RPO Urban Meyer's offense demands.

 Which brings us to point two -- Barrett is a perfect fit for this offense. He will never be mistaken for a gunslinger, but Meyer has never had a truly prolific passer. He's always favored quarterbacks as part of the run game, with shorter passes to the perimeter that could utilize playmakers in space. He did it with Percy Harvin at Florida and with Curtis Samuel last year at OSU.

 Fans who clamor for Dwayne Haskins or Joe Burrow see the precise passing, but what they don't realize is that neither is ready to really take over an offense that is pretty complex, even though its based on simple concepts. Meyer has often cited Barrett's toughness and leadership as two reasons he loves him, and those aren't going to change anytime soon.

 You know what is changing? OSU's offense, and with it Barrett's efficiency.

 In the last three games, Barrett has moved from the 40s in ESPN's QBR metric to 17th, tops in the B1G and one of just two league quarterbacks in the top 20. Barrett has even hit a few deep balls, which was the biggest complaint from OSU fans -- who fail to realize that the Buckeyes aren't the 1970s Oakland Raiders, taking shots downfield every other throw.

 If the receivers continue to progress -- Parris Campbell is the closest thing Ohio State has to a Harvin or Samuel, and Bin Victor showed some fight and determination in going up for a 50-50 ball against Rutgers -- Barrett should continue to improve. Many say this kind of offense won't work against better defenses, and they may be right. But it has worked in the past, including in the 2014 national championship campaign, so I am giving Meyer the benefit of the doubt.

 Of course, fans won't be happy until or unless the Buckeyes knock off Penn State on Oct. 28th. I am sure that if OSU wins, but Barrett plays average or worse, fans will find a way to be upset.

 After all, going back as far as Woody Hayes, many OSU fans are more concerned with HOW the Buckeyes win rather than THAT they win.

 Barrett is a winner, and while he will never be mistaken for Schlichter in a passing sense, he does have him beaten in most important measurables.

 Should the Buckeyes run the table and win the B1G title game, it will be in the discussion for the College Football Playoff, at which point Barrett will have a chance to prove his doubters wrong.

Thanks For Playing

 While their coaches will say there is still plenty to play for, a handful of teams saw their seasons, for all intents and purposes, end on Saturday. No longer part of the chase for the College Football Playoff, these teams are more than welcome to pick up their lovely parting gifts on the way out:

Iowa -- The Hawkeyes were never serious players, though their defense is good enough to cause problems for teams that don't come to play. The offense is archaic, and there is little semblance of a passing game. But Kirk Ferentz will still get his millions -- it must be nice to not have expectations, Iowa.

Northwestern -- The Wildcats were seen by many (including the person typing these words) as a darkhorse pick to win the Big Ten West division. Um, about that ... who knew the ground game would be so poor, that the defense would regress back to 2014 and 2015 levels, and that, for one of the few times in Pat Fitzgerald's tenure, the team wouldn't play hard all the time.

Ole Miss -- You weren't really allowed to play, anyway, so we aren't going to waste a lot of space.

Vanderbilt -- Solid defense, anemic offense, and no one to open holes for Ralph Webb at running back, which is a shame because he's been one of the more unheralded backs in the land for a couple of seasons now. There just isn't enough offense in Music City for the Commodores to truly compete, though Kyle Shurmur may have a football job beyond college.

LSU -- See above. The less (Miles) said about the Tigers, the better. Florida and Alabama are still on the schedule, so at least the Bayou Bengals aren't harboring any false hopes about being any good.

Indiana -- If it was basketball, we could talk. As it is, the Hoosiers were pretty much fools gold this year

South Carolina -- The effort is there, the talent is not, at least not yet. The Gamecocks had Texas A&M on the ropes but couldn't finish the job, so now it can build for the future.

Colorado -- While last year's resurgence wasn't a complete fluke, the Buffs are still a year or so away from being a consistent contender in the Pac-12. There just isn't enough firepower in the passing game, and too many issues in the secondary.

Cal -- Another team taking positive steps forward, it's just too young to really be a factor this year. Justin Wilcox will get it going because he's an excellent coach, but the early season optimism probably was a bit much for a team that came into the year as one of the least experienced in America.

 The number of unbeatens has fallen to 17, while the winless has dwindled to seven -- though one, UTEP, saw its head coach, Sean Kugler, step down after an 0-5 start.

Gators Ready For Vols After Dealing With Irma

 There has been plenty of history, bad blood and big plays in the rivalry between Tennessee and Florida.

 The SEC East rivals square off at Florida Field this Saturday, both with something to prove after residing in the lower levels of the national rankings rather than their customary spots in or near the top 10.

 But football isn't the first, or only thing, on the Gators' minds. The aftermath of Hurricane Irma, which affected millions of Floridians, brought real life right into Florida's backyard. There was a question about whether this game would be played, but the school announced recently that it would go on as scheduled.

Florida coach Jim McElwain believes his team is ready for Tennessee (247Sports)

 "Our guys are going to go play hard," Florida coach Jim McElwain said. "We are going to put a good thing together to give them an opportunity to play fast and release some of their pent-up frustrations. And as we come out in The Swamp, I think our thoughts go a lot farther than the selfish reasons you play a game, but more so the big-picture reasons you play a game, and hopefully give some relief to some people whose lives have been changed forever."

 The Vols come into the game 2-0 after an easy win over Indiana State, while the Gators haven't played since Labor Day weekend, when they suffered a 33-17 loss to Michigan that wasn't nearly as close as the score indicates. Their scheduled home game against Northern Colorado last weekend was cancelled.

 Tennessee typically has the burden of expectation on its shoulders, but after a few seasons of underachieving, the Vols are flying a bit under the radar at No. 23. Not much is known about the Vols, who have new starters at many offensive skill positions, including quarterback Quentin Dormady, and a defense that was far too generous at times last year, allowing an FBS high six carries of 60-plus yards in 2016.

 That defense and youth means that Vols coach Butch Jones doesn't exactly know what he might see on Saturday.

 "We have to start fast on the road," Jones said. "Over half our football team has never been to The Swamp. It takes a mature football team to go down there."

 A good way to get Dormady comfortable would be to have him hand off to John Kelly, who has impressed with a 5.62 yards per carry average and four touchdowns through four games. Kelly also leads the team in receptions, with 10, and will be the workhorse against a very good Florida defense. Wideout Marquez Calloway has been a big play threat, catching five passes for 152 yards and three scores. 

Butch Jones has his Vols at 2-0 heading into Gainesville (RockyTopInsider)

 If Dormady can navigate the hostile atmosphere, he could have a big day. Through two games, the junior has shown that the moment isn't too large, completing 60 percent of his passes for 415 yards and four touchdowns, with just one interception. Florida has speed and athleticism and will test the Vols offensive line, so Dormady will have to play with precision.

 "I want to see poise," Jones said. "The great quarterbacks have the ability to lead their teams on game-winning drives on the road."

 Florida looked woefully overmatched against the Wolverines, scoring both of its touchdowns on interception returns. The quarterback position, supposedly an area of expertise for coach Jim McElwain over the year, continues to be dismal, and if the Gators can't get it done this week against Tennessee, it could be the beginning of a real downward spiral in Gainesville.

 Feleipe Franks and Malik Zaire will both play this week, as they did in the opener, and McElwain will go "by feel" as the game progresses. Neither was terribly impressive against Michigan, though Franks was a bit more willing to take some chances downfield.

 The Gators will still be without nearly a dozen players suspended for the opener for misusing school-issued funds, including star receiver Antonio Callaway and leading rusher Jordan Scarlett. It could be another tough week offensively, though Tennessee's defense hasn't been great through two games, netting just one sack on 153 plays.

 Florida will rely on defense, led by linebacker David Reese (11 tackles) and defensive end Jordan Sherit (five tackles, two sacks), play field position and hope that its thus-far dormant offense (3.62 yards per play) can break through.

 "Make no mistake about it, this is a line of scrimmage league," Jones said. "There is a lot that goes into impacting the quarterback. We haven't played two schemes that allows us to get pressure."

 The Vols ended an 11-game losing streak in the series last year, beating the Gators 38-28 at home. Tennessee hasn't won at Florida Field since 2003, but was painfully close in 2015, falling 28-27 after Callaway took a curl route 63 yards for the game-winning score with 1:26 left to play.

 This one may not have the drama of "Faxgate," or "The Catch?" or Steve Spurrier telling a booster club "you can't spell Citrus without UT," but there isn't a lot of extra fuel needed in this contest.

 A loss for Florida knocks them out of not only the College Football Playoff picture, but quite likely the SEC East race, which it has won three of the last five years, including the previous two seasons.

 "One of the great lessons you learn in athletics, and especially in the game of football, is sometimes you get knocked down," McElwain said. "The measure of a true man is how he gets back up and that's what we're going to do"