GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Every number was crunched, and the play of both candidates was evaluated tirelessly on film. Finally, the team received word on Friday. Nathan Peterman would start at quarterback for UT the following day.
Statistically, Peterman performed better than Justin Worley in practice last week, and in the eyes of Butch Jones that meant he was Tennessee’s best option at quarterback against Florida.
The UT staff evaluated each snap and each throw the two quarterbacks made in team drills, individual drills, walkthroughs and game-like situations over the week of practice leading into Tennessee’s 31-17 loss to Florida.
Nothing goes unnoticed by Jones.
“I think you know this by now: everything is calculated,” Jones said in response to an inquisition to the criteria that he used to decide on Peterman as the starting quarterback. “Everything is evaluated.”
The attention to detail that UT’s coaches show is undeniable, but there is one thing they underestimated in their formula for deciding who to start under center against Florida.
Playing in The Swamp is no place for a freshman quarterback to make a debut. It’s a reality that does not show up even in a meticulous evaluation of a quarterback’s week of practice.
It’s a reality that transcends any level of film dissection or analytical statistics.
Peyton Manning lost on both of his trips to Florida in 1995 and 1997. Tee Martin beat the Gators in 1998 at Neyland Stadium, but threw 23 incompletions in a UT loss at Florida in 1999.
Aside from the Vols’ 2001 and 2003 victories in Gainesville with Casey Clausen at quarterback, no other UT signal caller since Phil Pierce in 1971 has led the Vols to a victory at UF’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
To shed some perspective on how long ago that was: Phillip Fulmer was among those on the offensive line protecting Pierce that season.
To insinuate that Tennessee would have won if Worley started on Saturday is reckless. But starting the quarterback with some actual starting experience would have provided the missing element of the formula UT’s coaches used to choose the starter for Saturday’s game.
The missing element was the common sense that Jones should ascertain as he continues coaching in the SEC.
But UT’s first-year coach should be commended for his defense of Peterman following the game.
“It’s not all Nate Peterman. I love Nate Peterman,” Jones said protectively before pausing and offering the conclusion he probably should have put more stock in prior to naming a starting quarterback.
Added Jones: “There’s a little bit of difference from practice to the game.”
Especially when that game is at The Swamp.
— David Cobb is a junior in journalism & electronic media. He can be reached at [email protected] or followed on Twitter @DavidWCobb.
