Pruitt addresses slow starts

[Titans Fan]

UT has been outscored 69-3 in the first quarter this year against P5 teams.

Jeremy Pruitt addresses first quarter slow starts

 

[VOL 4 Life 83]

I’m glad he and staff have noticed and are trying to fix it

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Not counting the two cupcakes, we've been outscored 207 to 98 through the entirety of the five P5 games.

Even taking away the 69-3 first quarters, we're still down 138 to 95 in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.

We are starting slow, absolutely. But a lot of it is that we are just not very good yet, in general.

Steady improvement, just keep looking for steady improvement.

Go Vols!

 

[VetVol]

 

[vavolfan6]

Not counting the two cupcakes, we've been outscored 207 to 98 through the entirety of the five P5 games.

Even taking away the 69-3 first quarters, we're still down 138 to 95 in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.

We are starting slow, absolutely. But a lot of it is that we are just not very good yet, in general.

Steady improvement, just keep looking for steady improvement.

Go Vols!

All of our p5 games have been played against, at one time or another, nationally ranked teams. Coming from an 0-8 year in the SEC last season, it was too much to expect this team, with the same players to magically turn into superstars. Yet, there is no doubt vast improvement and even if we are being outscored it is nothing like the swiss cheese defense we've had the last year or so..

 

[VFL-82-JP]

All of our p5 games have been played against, at one time or another, nationally ranked teams. Coming from an 0-8 year in the SEC last season, it was too much to expect this team, with the same players to magically turn into superstars. Yet, there is no doubt vast improvement and even if we are being outscored it is nothing like the swiss cheese defense we've had the last year or so..

We're in transition. Not as bad as last year, but far from as good as we must be to compete for the East (much less the SEC).

The teams we desire to be peer competitors with (FL, UGa, Auburn, Bama, and OOC teams like WVU) are averaging 41 points against us. That's a lot. I would not yet credit us with "vast improvement," on offense or defense.*

Steady progress. That's the path to our return. Steady progress.




* The 5 equivalent games from last season (FL, UGa, Bama, LSU and Ga Tech) only averaged 37 points on our 2017 defense. Now, 2017 Ga Tech is no 2018 WVU, and they did get the boost of an OT, but that's still a pretty clear indicator that, objectively, our defense isn't holding opponents down much better in 2018. Yet. Give it time. Steady improvement.

 

[Jack Burton]

IIRC during Saban’s first season at Alabama his teams had an issue with conditioning in the 4th quarter. They were getting tired and finishing poorly. I’m not happy with the slow starts but I’m glad we get better as the game progresses.

 

[UTK]

Helton needs to do a better job of scripting the first couple series. It’s something must great offensive minds can do. Defense also needs to just get after it early and often. We wont be able to overcome a slow start this weekend. We gotta put it on SC right away.

 

[BeecherVol]

Helton needs to do a better job of scripting the first couple series. It’s something must great offensive minds can do. Defense also needs to just get after it early and often. We wont be able to overcome a slow start this weekend. We gotta put it on SC right away.

Stealing some points early in some of these final games would be a bonus. The in game adjustments on both sides seem to be good.

 

[EZE]

Helton needs to do a better job of scripting the first couple series. It’s something must great offensive minds can do. Defense also needs to just get after it early and often. We wont be able to overcome a slow start this weekend. We gotta put it on SC right away.

When you are getting beat like a Lars Ulrich drum kit, you need to look at all phases of the game. The offense might not be scoring, but the defense is like a sieve.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Helton needs to do a better job of scripting the first couple series. It’s something must great offensive minds can do. Defense also needs to just get after it early and often. We wont be able to overcome a slow start this weekend. We gotta put it on SC right away.

The problem is, we just can't tell from our fan chairs what the problems are. Maybe Helton is excellently scripting the first couple of series, and the execution is just making it look like camel vomit.

Fact is, we fans can't differentiate between planning/play calling, and execution. We don't know what they were MEANT to do, so we don't know if what they DID do was the play or not.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Helton needs to do a better job of scripting the first couple series. It’s something must great offensive minds can do. Defense also needs to just get after it early and often. We wont be able to overcome a slow start this weekend. We gotta put it on SC right away.

The guy is in his very first season as an OC. You cannot expect him to be on the level of elite playcallers right now. He is trying to make chicken salad with chicken ****.

 

[UTK]

The problem is, we just can't tell from our fan chairs what the problems are. Maybe Helton is excellently scripting the first couple of series, and the execution is just making it look like camel vomit.

Fact is, we fans can't differentiate between planning/play calling, and execution. We don't know what they were MEANT to do, so we don't know if what they DID do was the play or not.

True that. But to me it just seems like play calling isn’t opened up until after the first QT

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

The problem is, we just can't tell from our fan chairs what the problems are. Maybe Helton is excellently scripting the first couple of series, and the execution is just making it look like camel vomit.

Fact is, we fans can't differentiate between planning/play calling, and execution. We don't know what they were MEANT to do, so we don't know if what they DID do was the play or not.

Exactly. It humors me when fans try to think they know whats wrong with the team and how to fix it.

 

[k-town_king]

I would like to see a breakdown of run/pass playcalling by down and quarter. I think a lot of it is coming out uber conservative.

 

[maotai]

Slow starts are a Tennessee tradition, goes back to at least Johnny Majors.

 

[FïreBall]

I would like to see a breakdown of run/pass playcalling by down and quarter. I think a lot of it is coming out uber conservative.

And to go with that.. A breakdown of if the plays that were or was not executed correctly or if the opposing defense made a good stop on the plays that didn't go as planned.. Lots of dynamics to look at..

 

[gog1]

If you have not done so, watch Coach Pruitt's presser today. Pretty good stuff I thought.

 

[LordBolton]

So what I am seeing is that if we score in the first quarter, we will win!

 

[xtremevolfan]

One way to help with the slow starts is to take the ball when we win the coin toss and stop deferring till the second half. When our offense takes the field seems like they're already playing catch up.

 

[Titan&Volfan4life]

Coaches can only teach and coach as best they can.

The players have to focus and execute correctly.

When your linemen are too small and too weak then trying to overcome those issues is almost impossible.


We still have 5 games to get 3 WINS and make a bowl game, I still have faith and believe that we can accomplish that!

VFL...GBO!!!

 

[Duckyvol59]

I know most will not agree but I say change QB's. KC showed he can run the offense. JQ had 1 good game nothing else he has done has stood out.

 

[tbh]

Fact is, we fans can't differentiate between planning/play calling, and execution. We don't know what they were MEANT to do, so we don't know if what they DID do was the play or not.

C'mon, anybody with any football chops can tell the ice water in the coolers is too cold, and they're getting brain freezes early on.

In all seriousness though, you hit the nail on the head. It's a little easier to tell when there's a conditioning deficiency, but even that can be clouded somewhat by the factors you mentioned.

 

[Behr]

Exactly. It humors me when fans try to think they know whats wrong with the team and how to fix it.

To be fair, that's kinda the purpose of a message board. I'm sure if we looked a little, we could find an example of you doing a little of it too.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

One way to help with the slow starts is to take the ball when we win the coin toss and stop deferring till the second half. When our offense takes the field seems like they're already playing catch up.

f we had a really good offense,Oline< taking the ball would be OK. However, when we take the ball, as we did against WVa, we fail to move the ball or we have a TO, and we dig a hole from which we can/do not escape. The offense seems to do better after a few punts-fumbles and we begin to put a few points on the board. I have no problem deferring when we win the coin toss.