“We get so caught up in being behind, we start thinking about losing the game,” Dooley said on the call. “And we don’t compete.”

Dooley directed his most pointed comments at the offense. Despite only scoring two field goals and a touchdown, the Vols had thrived into the third quarter, Dooley said. UT had not taken a sack or committed a turnover until Matt Simms’ interception with 6:27 left in the third quarter. Oregon took a 27-13 lead with the score, and Dooley noticed a change in his team.

“We absolutely shut it down after the pick-six on offense,” he said.

Dooley, whose Vols face No. 10 Florida on Saturday, explained his team’s problems with a short lecture on today’s college player. Citing sociologists, he deemed his players part of the “Entitlement Generation” and criticized their work ethic when circumstances grow negative.

“Children are groomed from the beginning about winning and losing, not competing,” he said. “It’s something that, they all want success, and they all want personal gratification, and they lose sight of what it takes to get that.”

On one level, it's good to hear Dooley not making excuses for his team. Watching the game Saturday, I felt like we ran out of gas with about two minutes to play in the game. Also, having the weather delay allowed Oregon to regroup a bit. I'm not saying we would have won if there were no delay, but it doesn't give them 70 minutes to counterpunch and maybe, just maybe, Dooley and the team come up with a few more touchdowns and then hang on for a win.

However, I still like hearing Dooley say this and not pull his punches.

But on another level, I think that the kind of culture change he wants starts with he and his coaching staff. He needs to instill the work ethic we wants onto these players and this team.

I loved what I saw in the first half with a team that was fired up, competitive and was doing a lot of things well.

That, coupled with these comments, continue to assure me that the Vols made the right choice at the head coaching position and that while we may have some growing pains this year and next, that the future for the Vols is bright.

It's certainly head and shoulders above where it was under the Jackass....