KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - Tennessee wide receiver Gerald Jones points a finger at himself when asked if there's anyone to blame for the Volunteers' first loss of the season.
``As far as I'm concerned, I put the game on my shoulders. I feel like it was my fault. I never told anybody that. I kept it to myself,'' the junior said.
Jones was the intended receiver on one of Jonathan Crompton's three interceptions in a 19-15 loss to UCLA on Saturday. He said he and Crompton were struggling with their timing with one another after Jones hadn't practiced for a few weeks because of injuries.
The biggest thing, Jones said, is that Crompton is having to shoulder too much of the blame.
``It's different when you're on the outside looking in,'' Jones said. ``You're not in the film room. You don't know the play. You don't know the route. It's my fault. I made a mistake. He made some mistakes. The linemen made some mistakes. Everybody made mistakes. As a team, we lost.''
Coach Lane Kiffin said no one is working harder than Crompton to prepare each week. Kiffin made Crompton off-limits to the media as the Vols (1-1) prepare to travel to top-ranked Florida (2-0) on Saturday.
The coach said he's having to protect Crompton more than any other quarterback he's worked with largely because of the level of attention on the Tennessee program.
``It blows me away sometimes how much hatred there is toward him,'' Kiffin said. ``He's a college kid. He's going to school, he's a great student, and I feel bad for him.''
Wednesday
November 27th, 2024
7:26PM
