Let us review some facts of life …

Coaching college football is not rocket science but it pays more.

Coaching is basically a results-oriented business. Relations with other millionaires, owners of the game, are sometimes relevant. Example: Penn State tired of James Franklin and sent him away after 12 seasons. Unemployment stings for a few minutes but it isn’t all bad if the buyout is beautiful.

There are step by step segments to successful coaching. It starts with evaluation and recruitment of potential players. Physical and mental development are building blocks. Putting square pegs in square holes, detailed instruction, motivation and intensive practice (and more practice) lead to the big payoff – victories, sellouts, championships and pay increases for all concerned.

Almost forgot to mention how important are alternate uniforms, color combinations and getting to the game on time.

Somewhere along the line, Tennessee has dropped off that charted course by just a yard or two. Expert analyst and faithful reader Douglas Jones says it looks like 1966 all over again, close games, no cigars.

Jones invokes another historical tidbit.

“A famous president once said ‘It depends on what your definition of it is.’ Whatever it is, this team just doesn’t have ‘it’ for some reason. No problem with effort. The Vols play hard.”

I think Doug was thinking seriously about losses to Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma and some other close calls.

Where were the missteps? Nico turned into a massive mistake. Serious recruiting effort (and travel costs) has been invested in several athletes who haven’t played a down. Transfers generally provided shortcuts to solve shortages.

Now and then, a Volunteer appears in public without his diploma from comprehensive study.

Worst of all is the rare one who looks like maybe he doesn’t care. I saw three or four suspects in the loss at South Carolina three years ago and one in the Kentucky game nine nights ago.

This Tennessee season has dropped down to make or break. I moved the cart in front of the horse to count New Mexico State as a seventh win. That means the Nov. 22 appearance at Florida is pivotal.

If the Vols somehow prevail in the Swamp (a rare feat, indeed), the finale against Vanderbilt would be double or nothing. Putting the Commodores back in their place would knock them out of the playoffs, preserve the in-state recruiting advantage and lift Tennessee into a better bowl.

Failing to hem up and pin down Diego Pavia would be some kind of disaster – and it may happen. Most of us are not ready to admit that Vandy might have the best team in the state. The University of Tennessee has incomparable advantages.

We already know Josh Heupel’s fifth campaign is not his best. Maybe he can explain. What caused the defensive lapse? Why was the “next man up” not ready? What will Coach do to keep such setbacks from happening again?

Joey Aguilar, a Godsend, has lost some very inconvenient interceptions. Is what happened at Appalachian State, trying to do everything, creeping into his Tennessee play? Heupel should know. He is the ultimate quarterback whisperer.

What I have concluded from seven real games is not definitive. The Vols slammed Syracuse. That shade of orange wasn’t as good as we thought at the time.

The Georgia game was the first turning point. My prose was purposeful.

“Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory” was inspired by Max Gilbert’s missed field goal that allowed the Bulldogs to prevail in overtime. It was so hurtful, almost devastating. What’s more, it was Georgia’s ninth consecutive victory over the Vols.

Mississippi State was too close for comfort, mistakes, mistakes, but 41-35 in overtime. Thankfully, DeSean Bishop made the winning run.

Arkansas thought it should have won. In Tennessee at Alabama, one stray throw was a 14-point swing. Mediocre Kentucky scored 34 and gave the coach another list of misplays and missed tackles to ponder.

The loss to Oklahoma could be blamed on a freshman not blocking a linebacker and a freshman dropping a fourth-down pass. I don’t know why a proven playmaker wasn’t in that position.

From a different perspective, three turnovers made it hard to win.

The harder part is coming soon. Will the Vols continue to give great effort just to stay in the top 25? Will the best they can do be enough?

Marvin West welcomes comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwst75@gmail.com