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Tennessee football: Vols 5 worst seasons with a junior starting quarterback

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 19: Justin Worley #14 of the Tennessee Volunteers throws a pass in the first half of the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Neyland Stadium on October 19, 2013 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 19: Justin Worley #14 of the Tennessee Volunteers throws a pass in the first half of the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Neyland Stadium on October 19, 2013 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images
Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images /

2. 2012

Starting quarterback: Tyler Bray

Record: 5-7 (1-7)

The 1978 and 1980 seasons were part of a long-term rebuilding process for Tennessee football under Johnny Majors. That’s why they were forgivable. However, the 2012 season was the year for the Vols to arrive under Derek Dooley.

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Tyler Bray returned with a ton of offensive weapons and Jim Chaney calling the plays. The Vols even added Cordarrelle Patterson in the offseason, and Dooley famously said that the SEC would not have UT to kick around anymore. It should have been that way.

However, there was one major problem: Sal Sunseri. A series of bad breaks landed Dooley Sunseri as defensive coordinator. The 5-7 2011 season, brought on by Bray’s injury, Justin Hunter’s injury and a loss to the Kentucky Wildcats, made Dave Hart put the whole staff on the hot seat. As a result, many left, most notably defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox.

So Dooley had to find a replacement. His top guy was Kevin Steele. But at the worst time, Steele had a defensive meltdown with the Clemson Tigers, allowing 70 points to the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Orange Bowl. That made him turn to Sunseri, who was much less qualified and brought the added issue of the switch to a 3-4.

Still, things started off right with a win over the N.C. State Wolfpack and the Vols entering the top 25 two weeks later. College Gameday arrived for the Florida Gators game. But up 20-13 in the fourth with the ball, a grounding penalty stalled a drive. Florida then exposed the 3-4 with 24 fourth-quarter points, including two 80 yard touchdown runs.

That switch became a larger issue as time went on. Tennessee football then scored 44 points at the Georgia Bulldogs but gave up 51. They scored 31 at the Mississippi State Bulldogs but gave up 41. They scored 35 at the South Carolina Gamecocks but gave up 38. Finally, after scoring 55 to beat Troy by only a touchdown, they scored 48 against the Missouri Tigers but gave up 51.

light. Related Story. 10 memorable game-winning drives in Vols history

At that point, UT was 4-6 and Dooley was already basically fired. The distractions resulted in a 41-18 loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores. Dooley was then fired for good, and Chaney led UT to beat the Kentucky Wildcats. But a record-setting offense behind Bray and those weapons was undone by a poor defense. It was a really sad year for the Vols as a result.

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