Fixing the Defense for next year

[secking]

What do you think will be the best way to improve the D? I understand the upgrade at secondary coach, do you think Thigpen and Stripling survive? I may be alone in my thinking that it wasn't the pass D that was the problem last year but rather the Run Defense. I do think health will help but the rushing D was bad way before the injury bug. Heck, gave up 100 yd rushers to Appy St and VT. In the SEC, gave up almost 37 ppg, 280+ yds rushing per game.

Fixes? Maybe recruiting might help on the front 7? I do like Ignont at LB, think he will do well, perhaps all-SEC level. I think Tuttle being healthy would be a huge boost, if he is 100%, he didn't look it even before he got hurt again. I expect BIG things from McKenzie and Kongbo, expect them to step up.

Think recruiting fixes it, coaching changes fixes it, or just maturation from younger players can fix it? Either way, it starts next year in the front 7 on D if Tn is to win the East.

 

[Vol_til_I_die]

One thing right off the bat: we need some mean dudes. A lot of them actually.

 

[BigNasty]

Giving up the deep ball was the single biggest problem. This was a problem the entire season. Not to mention several PI calls that hurt us on some critical 3rd downs. The secondary weakness combined with injuries really affected how we played the run as the season progressed. Fix the deep sideline ball and as long as we stay healthy the defense should be much improved.

 

[tcash051]

I do expect the secondary to be improved with the coaching change, but I do believe the most significant problem we had last year was the injury situation. This seems fairly obvious, but even 2nd string defensive tackles would have made a significant difference. I expect with the combination of recruiting and getting healthy that we will see a much improved defense.

 

[secking]

Giving up the deep ball was the single biggest problem. This was a problem the entire season. Not to mention several PI calls that hurt us on some critical 3rd downs. The secondary weakness combined with injuries really affected how we played the run as the season progressed. Fix the deep sideline ball and as long as we stay healthy the defense should be much improved.

So, you are in the camp that rushing defense wasn't the problem? How can any team give up more rushing yards than passing yards? Gave up 4288 total yards last year, in 8 games against the SEC, more yards rushing than passing.

 

[87&91ALUM]

I only got to see the Vandy game in person but, watched the rest. I thought the failures of defensive pass defense and coverage, lack of consistent pass rush, and stopping the run were equally a concern. Too many times our offense failed to pick up the slack when JRM, Kirkland Jr, Tuttle, Obrien, and McKenzie went down. Throw in walking wounded TKJr and others, and I believe we lost USCe and Vandy because we were fielding half a defense and not sustaining long and successful offensive drives. To play in the top of the SEC you gotta have a two-deep mean heavies on the line and at rb/lb. I don't care if they have 0 stars, we need to find real men who can whip the folks Bama and LSU are putting up against them. Maybe high schoolers who spend their summers tossing hay bales, rotating whiskey barrels (full), and their falls gutting deers. We have enough players who quit when it gets tough.

 

[vtvol98]

I think a big improvement in the tackling department can be made if this staff will allow contact in the spring and fall camp. I think the lack of live tackling practice (in addition to the turnovers) probably cost the Vols the A&M game.

 

[CashvilleVols]

Very simple... Coaches coaching to the strength of the team and not their personal philosophy and putting the best 11 on the field.

 

[volmandu]

So, you are in the camp that rushing defense wasn't the problem? How can any team give up more rushing yards than passing yards? Gave up 4288 total yards last year, in 8 games against the SEC, more yards rushing than passing.

I think OP is only listing 'the biggest' problem. I agree that deep ball protection was the biggest of all the problems. Not to say we didnt have issues against run or short passes or QB draw. When you are bottom feeders in conference in defense, you have problem everywhere. Among those glaring issues, the biggest one was against deep ball. We got beat way too often. Run defense was co-biggest problem or close #2.

 

[WiseOlVol]

One thing right off the bat: we need some mean dudes. A lot of them actually.

Nigel Warrior is the beast you're talking about

 

[OldLofter]

Yes, I know Sutton was out most of the year. Do we have anybody with Cameron's skill and speed to lock down the secondary ? Someone needs to step up and last year did not show us that we have anybody in line. With speed, you either have it or not. Last year we didn't have it.

 

[WiseOlVol]

One thing right off the bat: we need some mean dudes. A lot of them actually.

I like this thought so much I have more on it.

When we were running Fulmer's I formation, our guys were used to grinding for every yard and were tough.
Our spread is about finesse and big plays. This doesn't require or result in anyone being in a bad mood.
We're not ready to go back to the I formation -- few programs have the horses for that.
Doesn't mean we can't just be mean.

 

[utvols74]

I only got to see the Vandy game in person but, watched the rest. I thought the failures of defensive pass defense and coverage, lack of consistent pass rush, and stopping the run were equally a concern. Too many times our offense failed to pick up the slack when JRM, Kirkland Jr, Tuttle, Obrien, and McKenzie went down. Throw in walking wounded TKJr and others, and I believe we lost USCe and Vandy because we were fielding half a defense and not sustaining long and successful offensive drives. To play in the top of the SEC you gotta have a two-deep mean heavies on the line and at rb/lb. I don't care if they have 0 stars, we need to find real men who can whip the folks Bama and LSU are putting up against them. Maybe high schoolers who spend their summers tossing hay bales, rotating whiskey barrels (full), and their falls gutting deers. We have enough players who quit when it gets tough.

**deer** - 2 points

 

[81Orange]

I think a big improvement in the tackling department can be made if this staff will allow contact in the spring and fall camp. I think the lack of live tackling practice (in addition to the turnovers) probably cost the Vols the A&M game.

1 Tackling Needs to be improved. Everything from angles leverage breakdown and takedown. Coaches put players in great spots for big plays an whiff
2 Assignments. In both pass D and fits. Know your responsibility and follow through.
3 get the bigs healthy.

 

[sjt18]

Very simple... Coaches coaching to the strength of the team and not their personal philosophy and putting the best 11 on the field.

That's exactly what failed. If the D didn't need to be changed then there's no need to hire Shoop... a guy who didn't run the same kind of D.

 

[AboveAllNations]

One thing right off the bat: we need some mean dudes. A lot of them actually.

"Don't worry about it."

 

[sjt18]

LB. Shoop's success has come running the 4-3. He was successful at Vandy running it with their personnel. As bad as the secondary was at times, the critical factor was the lack of depth and talent at LB.

 

[powerTvol]

Let shoop do what shoop can do
Warren will be a big improvement on DB
IMO

 

[njvols]

Think D will be ok next year, as long as stay reasonably healthy...that, and if the first question Butch asked Coach Warren was "can you coach DB's to turn their heads when defending the pass?"

 

[RollerVol]

**deer** - 2 points

**deer** in headlights...4 points...

GO VOLS!

 

[DwightSchrute1998]

I don't see much improvement until Colton Jumper either gets 3x better or is replaced. He might be able to direct the defense but the guy just can't tackle or stay in coverage.

 

[BigNasty]

So, you are in the camp that rushing defense wasn't the problem? How can any team give up more rushing yards than passing yards? Gave up 4288 total yards last year, in 8 games against the SEC, more yards rushing than passing.

Not saying it wasn't a problem. I'm saying by having to scheme the secondary issues it affected how we schemed the run. The safteys were not a huge factor in the run game as the were much more involved inpass coverage. Combine that with the injuries in the front seven and you have a recipe for disaster?

 

[Vols_74]

Get Tut and Kmac healthy and keep them healthy all year. Heck tut is yet to play vandy and few snaps vs sc. kmac only played vandy once so far. We gotta keep our dudes healthy and mean

 

[BigNasty]

When a defense can go 0 coverage with confidence you can play the run very aggressively. See Florida and Alabama.

 

[Remy]

We were a fast, physical, and tough team in 2015. Took the Tide to 4th quarter and lost to the eventual NCs by 5 late in the game with their 240 lb Heisman winner running the ball. The Tide attested afterwards about 119s speed and physicality. Team 120 from the opener had flashes here and there of speed and toughness, but Barnett and Jennings were the only two I saw all season demonstrating that every play every week. Team 120 was soft and weak all season. I have to think the staff being professionals knows the difference between those two teams having produced one hard and one soft and can get a physically tough team on the field for 2017. If they do that the rest will take care of itself regarding wins and losses, we have talent on The Hill.