KNOXVILLE – The black clouds exploding overhead, the rain coming down in sheets, his team leading highly ranked Oregon 6-0, Tennessee coach Derek Dooley did what most coaches would do during last year’s lengthy rain delay in Neyland Stadium.
He treated it as if he had more time to prepare.
Coaches talked. Players listened. And listened. And listened. For close to 70 minutes, it turned out.
And when the delay ended and play resumed?
“We couldn’t flip the switch back on,” Volunteers senior linebacker Austin Johnson said Monday. “We were flat.”