Why Danny White should fundraise for a Tennessee football SEC West champions banner | Toppmeyer
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When Tennessee athletics director Danny White sticks his hand out, Vols fans fill it with money.
And, as a fundraiser extraordinaire, White’s natural state is to have his hand out.
His latest successful cash grab came after Tennessee upset Alabama 52-49.
The Vols’ first victory over Alabama since 2006 set off a field-storming by thousands of Vols fans, who tore down the goal posts behind each end zone.
The SEC fined UT $100,000, and there was the matter of replacing the goal posts.
No problem.
Tennessee launched a fundraising campaign for “new goalposts.”
We had some fun, didn't we?
New link below. Help us out #VolNation! https://t.co/iybdSw14dn— Danny White (@AD_DannyWhite) October 16, 2022
This was tongue in check – the Vols’ didn’t need money for new goal posts and in fact already had a spare set – but the money Tennessee raised was real.
The fundraiser, according to UT’s campaign site, raised more than $160,000.
While some thought it in poor taste to turn a field-storming into a fundraiser, the Vols say: Cha-ching!
“We had some fun, didn't we?” White tweeted.
A grifter as talented as White probably already has plans for his next fundraiser, but I’m told an idea man welcomes ideas from all comers, so allow me to offer a suggestion:
A fundraiser to install a banner inside Neyland Stadium declaring the Vols 2022 SEC West Champions.
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Now, you might be thinking, don’t the Vols compete in the SEC East? Well, sure, but why let that stand in the way?
After all, while UCF’s AD, White proclaimed the undefeated Knights 2017 national champions, despite UCF not qualifying for the College Football Playoff. White rode in a national championship parade with Mickey Mouse at Disney World, and UCF unveiled national championship signage inside its stadium.
By that logic, why can’t the Vols proclaim themselves SEC West champions after beating division stalwarts Alabama and LSU?
The Vols (6-0, 3-0 SEC) are unbeaten and untied against SEC West foes.
Pass the hat, and hang the banner.
Auburn's Bryan Harsin considers bold strategy
You often hear coaches talk about the importance of playing mistake-free football or limiting miscues, but it’s gotten so bad at Auburn (3-4, 1-3) that coach Bryan Harsin is willing to settle for “new mistakes.”
“We’ve just got to start making some new mistakes,” Harsin said. “There’s been some things that have hurt us that have been repeated.
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“We have to eliminate those. We have to move on. There’s got to be new things that show up with every opponent we face — some new mistakes. We’ve got to start making those.”
A bold strategy, and a unique one.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard a coach say his team needs to find new ways to screw up.
Lane Kiffin wins the hand
Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin usually plays his fourth-down strategy by the analytics book, but he straddled the fence early in the fourth quarter last week against Auburn.
Leading by a touchdown, Ole Miss faced fourth down at AU’s 23-yard line. It needed to gain 3½ yards for a first down. The Rebels lined up to go for it and were preparing to snap the ball when Harsin called a timeout.
“There’s certain (analytics) situations where it comes down to choice, like in blackjack if the percentages are 50/50,” Kiffin told me Wednesday when I asked him about that fourth down.
The analytics, Kiffin said, leaned 52% toward field goal for a fourth-and-4 in that situation.
Kiffin changed his mind during the timeout, ordered the field goal, and Ole Miss converted for a two-possession lead with 12:28 remaining en route to 48-34 victory.
Email of the week
Terry writes: I read and enjoyed your Sunday article (on Tennessee’s win over Alabama), except for comment that should have begun your writing and was missing … “I was wrong.” I read your prediction on Saturday as well as every other sports typist.
You all predicted Alabama would win. How difficult it must be to sit on the self-imagined high perch of sports typist and make your fingers concede to readers that “I was wrong.” Your article was typed out as if your prediction never happened. Honor ought to be part of journalism. But, I bet they don’t teach that in journalism school.
My response: I didn't go to journalism school, so I wouldn't know what they teach there.
Three and out
1. PowerMizzou.com publisher Gabe DeArmond wrote that Missouri’s home game Saturday against Vanderbilt (3-4, 0-3) is the most important game of Eliah Drinkwitz’s tenure. DeArmond knows the Tigers (2-4, 0-3) as well as anyone, and I agree with his assessment, but what a cause for concern that a pivotal game in a third-year coach’s tenure is against Vanderbilt.
2. Before the season, Kiffin told me he considers two SEC venues to have a next-level home-field advantage in night games: Tennessee and LSU. “Night games there, those places are electric,” Kiffin said.
No. 7 Ole Miss (7-0, 3-0) will play LSU (5-2, 3-1) at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday at Tiger Stadium.
Sunset in Baton Rouge will occur at 6:26 p.m. The Rebels better hope for no overtime.
3. Mississippi State was Alabama’s first opponent after Texas A&M upset the Tide last October. Alabama responded by thrashing the Bulldogs 49-9 en route to the national championship game.
MSU (5-2, 2-2) once again has the misfortunate of playing Alabama on the heels of the Tide (6-1, 3-1) losing.
Blake Toppmeyer is an SEC Columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.
The "Topp Rope," is his twice-weekly SEC football column publishing throughout the USA TODAY Network. If you enjoy Blake’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it. Also, check out his podcast, SEC Football Unfiltered, or access exclusive columns via the SEC Unfiltered newsletter.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Danny White should fundraise for Vols football SEC West Champs banner
