Looks like the Bobby Hillbillies have already started writing the prologue to their next book about another two loss season. File this gem of a take under the category titled “impetuousness of youth”.

Trust when I say that Twix has been flush with Volunteer optimism. You won’t find another pack of assholes happier with the expansion of the playoffs than Tennessee fans. It’s almost as if they are content with a loss or two, but back-dooring their way to their cousin’s bedroom to a title shot seems to be the cunning strategy of the moment in Knoxville.

And let’s analyze “elite competitor mindset”. When you merge the offensive genius of Hype-ul to some young talent with upside, the fan base gets an absolute Dollywoody just imagining in their heads what could be. One problem with Nico’s “elite” perspective:

Kind of hard to translate that mindset into actual results when you’ve never been in the arena. It’s not the away game environment he should be visualizing. He should be thinking about what it will be like when Mykel and company have snapped him in half, and the only thing running through his conscious mind is the deafening screams of 92000 people who are more than happy to see the first death blow land true. And the people who caused the fans to scream and the band to play are not in the stands, but they’re across the line from you and they want to do it more, and more, and more…until they’ve broken you and your mindset.

The odds aren’t determined by the location, Nico. It’s the players you’re facing in their own house. Sanford has stepped up when challenged, and the Tennessee faithful should have very recent memory of how that turns out. Even when the fanbase is not challenged, the Arkansas game in 2021 is evidence enough that a top 10 team can wither in an hostile environment and fall away to irrelevance in the blink of an eye. Hell, that was against a coach that our players and coaches genuinely liked, and the final 37-0 score was an act of respectful mercy on behalf of Smart, imo.

All I’m saying is that at the intersectional clash of youthful confidence against fiercely prepared competition lies two options: the hero’s genesis story, or the moment of humility that leaves a mark of permanence that is hard to erase. The Cheez Its Bowl isn’t an “away” game, and Nico needs to realize a depleted Iowa team that competed all season long under the premise that “offense is optional” isn’t comparative to anything he’ll face in an away environment against a good SEC team.

Tennessee travels first to Raleigh against a decent ACC Wolfpack team, but their first road game in the SEC is against Oklahoma, followed a week later by Arkansas. They don’t see another away game until November when they come to Athens.

Personally, I hope they lose every game, regardless of who it is or where they are at. But honestly, I hope the young man gets the road wins and brings another top 5 Vols squad to Athens. By then, their next book will already have nine chapters of glory written, and I’d love to see them have to rewrite their first draft to reflect that we violently redirected them to their #12 seed instead of a trip to the SECCG.

Hell, I enjoyed that story so much the first time, I’d love reading it again. And so would you.