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Tennessee football: Fan outrage vs. Ole Miss was culmination of these events

By Caleb Calhoun

Oct 16, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers tight end Jacob Warren (87) is tackled by Mississippi Rebels defensive back Otis Reese (3) during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 16, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers tight end Jacob Warren (87) is tackled by Mississippi Rebels defensive back Otis Reese (3) during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mississippi Football Coach Lane Kiffin is escorted off the field after Ole Miss defeated Tennessee at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021.Kns Tennessee Ole Miss Football Bp
Mississippi Football Coach Lane Kiffin is escorted off the field after Ole Miss defeated Tennessee at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021.Kns Tennessee Ole Miss Football Bp /

Nobody is defending what a small portion of Tennessee football fans did late in the game against the Ole Miss Rebels. Vol fans threw debris onto the field after the officials upheld a spot that left them one yard short of a first down on a 4th and 24 23-yard completion from Hendon Hooker to Jacob Warren late in the fourth with UT trailing 31-26.

That spot wasn’t clear, and it wasn’t the worst call. It’s why Vol fans never should have responded by throwing debris on the field, delaying the game for more than 15 minutes and risking a forfeit despite their team still having a chance to win since they had three timeouts left.

However, the anger wasn’t just based on that call. It was the culmination of lots of events, some that generated justifiable anger among UT fans and some that didn’t, that led to them being upset over how it ended. Let’s take a look at those here. These five events led up to Tennessee football fans being so angry on that final call.

5. Lane Kiffin returns

Hostility was already brewing because of Lane Kiffin returning to Knoxville. If you thought any bad blood had subsided, you were sorely mistaken. When Kiffin first walked onto the field, he was hit with a round of boos, and Neyland Stadium hadn’t even filled up yet. Vol fans made clear they weren’t over what happened over a decade ago.

Honestly, why should they be? Kiffin gutted their roster to make room for his first two recruiting classes, but one of his classes turned out to be a bust, and he sabotaged the other class when he went to the USC Trojans. Then he sabotaged future classes by leaving UT under investigation by the NCAA, and he pushed away future star quarterbacks Tajh Boyd, Bryce Petty and Cam Newton.

Simply put, Kiffin did a ton of damage to Tennessee football. His return as head coach of another program that is currently having more success will obviously be the starting point of hostility, and it only got worse from there.

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