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Tennessee football vs. UTEP: 10 keys for Vols against Miners

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers brings his team onto the field prior to a game against the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennesee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers brings his team onto the field prior to a game against the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennesee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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10. Dana Dimel’s familiarity with Neyland Stadium

This may not be common knowledge to many people. But Dana Dimel has coached a game on Rocky Top before, and yes, it was as as head coach. In 1999, he led the Wyoming Cowboys into Neyland Stadium, and it was the opener for both teams, as Tennessee football was getting set to defend its national championship.

Wyoming, under Dimel, actually built a 10-7 lead. It wasn’t until they lost their quarterback that the Vols went off. And the Vols only went off for a period of eight minutes in the second quarter, when they reeled off four touchdowns.

If you take away that period, the Cowboys actually tied the Vols in the game. However, this is a completely different Vols program heading into this game against Dimel. And to be fair, Dimel is leading a significantly worse program himself.

So maybe it evens out. Either way, Dimel’s familiarity with the crowd and fan base will give him something to prepare his team for. It may not make too much of a difference, but there’s a chance it could.

And if you’re the UTEP Miners, you take any advantage you can get. One thing working in Dimel’s favor is that the fan base is likely to be a lot less enthusiastic than it was back in 1999. Facing a program on much worse times will do that. So the easier talent combined with the decreased enthusiasm may make things seem easier for his team with the way he’ll prepare them.

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