Debord and the uptempo smashmouth football strategy

#1
Gandalf

Gandalf

The Orange/White Wizard
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#1
Mike DeBord happy with UT Vols football's run-game toughness

I thought this was interesting

So no, DeBord hasn’t changed too much the past seven months.

But the veteran offensive coach wanted a few things — especially the Vols’ attitude about the running game — to be different.

In short, DeBord wanted — demanded, actually — that Tennessee's offense get better at rolling up its sleeves and hitting people in the mouth. In his mind, you can do that with a modern, no-huddle, uptempo spread just as well as you can do it with an old-school Power-I. The formation is just dressing. Commitments to fundamentals and a nasty disposition are the meat and potatoes.

So it’s important to note that DeBord smiled when asked how he rates the physicality in Tennessee’s running game heading into practice week for the Vols’ season-opening game against Bowling Green in Nashville.

"I like it,” DeBord said. “I do.”
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I wonder too if this accounts for some of the "extra" injuries we have been having?
 
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#2
#2
We sure as hell couldn't line up and run up the middle last year. Hope we can this year.
 
#4
#4
I think the hiring of DeBord will pay dividends this year. Some old school toughness was lacking with Bajakian..
 
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#10
#10
Regardless of what Debord says we are getting ready to find out how nasty they are.If Tn can't run on BG then it might be another long year.
 
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#11
#11
I agree with some old school running, just hope our O line has the jimmies and attitude to open some holes. Would love to mow some folks over.
 
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#14
#14
Very excited to see the run game this year... and especially if there's been improvements in the OL. Even if they aren't that much better... pace will help them as games go on. Teams won't be able to play DL's that aren't in shape.
 
#15
#15
This O-Line has been going up against one helluva D-Line in practice so if they are holding their own against the likes of Barnett, Maggit, O'Brian, Tuttle, KMac, etc they won't be intimidated by any D they face this season. They just have to be average for us to have a great season.
 
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#16
#16
dduncan4163 said:
This O-Line has been going up against one helluva D-Line in practice so if they are holding their own against the likes of Barnett, Maggit, O'Brian, Tuttle, KMac, etc they won't be intimidated by any D they face this season. They just have to be average for us to have a great season.
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They have to be average against the best defenses in the SEC, they should be dominate against everyone else.
 
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#17
#17
tnvols72 said:
Regardless of what Debord says we are getting ready to find out how nasty they are.If Tn can't run on BG then it might be another long year.
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I look for Hurd and Kamara both to have 100 + yard rushing against BG.

We will find out next week against Oklahoma how nasty they are.

IMO the OK game will be the biggest game of the Jones era to date. We beat OK we should have a big season, we lose by a couple of TD we wont.
 
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#18
#18
O-line is a concern for the run game. And if DeBord limits Dobbs free wheeling running, meaning that he forces an issue with run-run-run in spite of a less than capable line, then this gets ugly within the SEC.

I hope he does not mess with what Dobbs can do by running the ball.
 
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#19
#19
dduncan4163 said:
This O-Line has been going up against one helluva D-Line in practice so if they are holding their own against the likes of Barnett, Maggit, O'Brian, Tuttle, KMac, etc they won't be intimidated by any D they face this season. They just have to be average for us to have a great season.
Click to expand...

This, and having MD will help.
 
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#23
#23
Also notable ...
"I like where our offensive line is, and I like that every day we’ve gotten better,” DeBord said. “Coach (Don Mahoney) has done a great job working with their footwork, their pad level, their leverage, all that. That group just gets better every day, and that’s all we ask of them. We've said, ‘Hey, just continue to push it,’ and we’ve got guys that are doing that and getting better.
“I like where we’re at." "

I hope hope hope these coaches have been sandbagging about the development of our O-line. If they've had 30-40 practices this year, then according to Butch math, they'll be 30-40% better than last season. If true, then were in for a great season. Barring any major negative suprises that is.
 
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#25
#25
I wish Mosley was ready to step in at LK, Jackson's vacated spot. Guys his size and talent are very rare, and when he held his own against K-Mac, that told me everything I needed to know.

If he's ready, technique and conditioning-wise, I think we could have a good running game, cause he's going to blow some DT's off the ball, and win some LOS battles against the likes of even Bama's DT's.

My biggest worry remains Crowder at C. He just hasn't grown a lick since he got on campus and is still woefully undersized for many teams we will face. That's how he got blown up by Ark St and Utah St last year.
 
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