By Jimmy Hyams
Last year, the disdain among Tennessee and Florida players surfaced on
twitter.
Florida cornerback Jalen Tabor basically said the only Jalen that matters in
the game is him.
Tennessee running back Jalen Hurd and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin took
offense.
There hasn’t been much taunting prior to this season’s game. Much of the
focus has been on Hurricane Irma, the victims in Florida and where the game
will be played.
Tennessee redshirt sophomore defensive end Kyle Phillips said he didn’t pay
attention to the twitter war between the Jalens a year ago.
“No, I’m never one to talk,’’ Phillips said. “I just play.’’
But when Phillips was asked what he thinks of Florida, he was candid.
“I hate Florida,’’ he said with a smile.
When did that feeling set in?
“Growing up,’’ said the Nashville native, “I really didn’t pay any
attention to Florida that much. When I got here, I just knew how sharp of a
rivalry it is and how much they hate us. So I hate them, too.’’
Tennessee senior defensive tackle Kendal Vickers was asked if the Vols are
ready for Florida.
“Oh yeah, we’ll be ready,’’ Vickers said. “The season is really just
starting now. We know the rivalry between Florida and us. We don’t like them.
They don’t like us.
“They’re going to give us their best shot. We’re going to give them our
best shot. We’ll be ready for it.’’
Last year, Tennessee finally stopped Florida’s 11-game losing streak – it
seemed like 111 to some Tennessee fans – as the Vols rallied from a 21-point
deficit to win 38-28. It set off a wild celebration in Neyland Stadium.
But the year before, the Vols blew a 13-point fourth quarter led and lost to
Florida on a 63-yard fourth down pass, 28-27. That set off a wild celebration
for the Gators.
Blowing that game still sticks in the craw of many a Vol player.
“As a competitor,’’ said linebacker Cortez McDowell, “you never forget
that — the awful feeling that you had with a game like that. For myself and a
lot of older guys that took that trip down to Gainesville, you remember … the
emotion we felt after that game.
“It will help us bring that extra drive, extra fire to practice this
week.’’
Phillips shook his head when asked about that defeat to Florida in 2015.
“It was rough,’’ he said. “It was rough.’’
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