All for Tennessee
Fansided

Tennessee football’s five previous bowls with first-year coaches

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee sophomore quarterback Heath Shuler (21) pick up some of his 31 yards rushing on 6 carries against Boston College Jan. 1, 1993. Shuler was 18 of 23 passing for 245 yards and two touchdowns to win the MVP honors as the Vols won 38-23 in the Hall of Fame Bowl game in Tampa, Fla.Ut Bowl History
Tennessee sophomore quarterback Heath Shuler (21) pick up some of his 31 yards rushing on 6 carries against Boston College Jan. 1, 1993. Shuler was 18 of 23 passing for 245 yards and two touchdowns to win the MVP honors as the Vols won 38-23 in the Hall of Fame Bowl game in Tampa, Fla.Ut Bowl History /
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Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin reacts on the sidelines as the Volunteers play Virginia Tech during the Chick-Fil-A Bowl Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009 in Atlanta. UT lost the game 37-14.1231utfootball26 Asb
Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin reacts on the sidelines as the Volunteers play Virginia Tech during the Chick-Fil-A Bowl Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009 in Atlanta. UT lost the game 37-14.1231utfootball26 Asb /

Atlanta, Ga.. Georgia Dome. Chick-fil-A Bowl. 14. 839. 37. 847. Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009

Lane Kiffin – 2009: 7-6 (4-4)

A decade that ushered in a period of drama and failure for Tennessee football came to an end in the most fitting way. In the 2000s, UT cost itself three SEC Championships, a shot at the national championship and at least one top five finish because of the Georgia Dome curse. UT could not win in that building.

As a result, after firing Phillip Fulmer in 2008, it was fitting that they would end the decade there with the Peach Bowl. Lane Kiffin took UT on a wild ride in 2009 with Jonathan Crompton having a turnaround at quarterback, Eric Berry winning the Jim Thorpe Award and the Vols getting into verbal spats with other SEC programs.

In his first year at UT, Kiffin got the Vols to 7-5 and an appearance in Atlanta. On the final night of the decade, they would face Frank Beamer’s Virginia Tech Hokies, and the curse of this dome delivered another blow, as VT dominated the Vols.

At the time, nobody was worried, as everybody was certain Kiffin had the program on the right track. However, less than two weeks later, Kiffin left to take over as head coach of the USC Trojans, which began a series of missteps by UT athletics that they are still paying for to this day.

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