nicksjuzunk
Coming home soon.
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Date: Saturday, September 8
Game Time: 4:00 pm ET
Venue: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville TN
Network: SEC Network
Tennessee opens home play against ETSU this week after receiving a cold splash of water to the face from West Virginia. To cut right to the chase, there is not really a possibility under the sun that involves Tennessee having at least 9 players on the field at all times, and not winning this game. It's an uncontested dunk with daddy lifting you up over that big thick Playskool basketball rim that is about 3 1/2 feet off of the ground.
ETSU is 100 miles up the road in Johnson City and is beginning it's 4th year of football after giving up the game in 2003 and beginning again 2015. The roster is filled with players from East Tennessee, many of whom dreamed of playing in Neyland Stadium one day... albeit in probably a different colored uniform than they will be wearing on Saturday. One person on that sideline has played in Neyland Stadium before... coached... and even has a National Championship Ring with the Power T on it, head coach Randy Sanders. Coach Sanders has threatened to take the goal posts back up to Johnson City, naked as a jaybird, if ETSU pulls off the upset. Needless to say... there is a lot riding on this game... for all of us.
I'm not going to pretend to know a lot about ETSU's roster, but here's some words for your eyes that I was able to copy and paste, giving the illusion that I'm informed.
TOP RETURNEE: DL Nasir Player (1st team All SoCon - 7 sacks, 13 TFLs)
THE NEXT BEST: OL Alex Rios (2nd team All SoCon); RS Quan Harrison (2nd team All SoCon); PK J.J. Jerman (2nd team AllSoCon - 14 of 18 on FGs); QB Austin Herink (2,213 yards passing, 14 TDs); LB Dylan Weigel (4-year starter and leading tackler); DL Blake Bockrath (SoCon Freshman team - 57 tackles, 9 TFLs)
Keys to Victory: This is not so much of what needs to be done to win, but just what I would like to see accomplished in this game to prepare for more challenging games ahead.
1. Solidify the Offensive Line: The OL greatly lacked chemistry against West Virginia. The coaches need to put their best 5 out there and see what the best combination is on a Saturday setting. Let them get some reps together, and begin to gel. Key Point: Develop OL chemistry.
2. Transfer Technique: Coach Pruitt has commented that he saw the team regress in their technique as the game went on. Practice is a different animal, with a coach watching every single rep and giving immediate feedback. However, until this becomes second nature to the players, they will continue to regress to how they've always done it. Doing it correctly hundreds of times, and doing it in an actual game is going to help them continue to grow. Key Point: Play like you practice.
3. Feed the Children: One of the most disappointing things about the West Virginia game was how much many of our older players continued to play like they did last season. There was great hope that "the lights would come on" or that they would be "coached up". Maybe the strength and conditioning program could finally tap that 4 and 5 star rating and we would see these guys rise up. Well... not so much. It was a sobering realization that a lot of what we had is pretty much what we've got. Now sure, first time coach, new scheme, first game, etc... it all applies, and some players may still improve, but if you think that our DL and LB's are suddenly going to be lights out, you're probably in for a disappointment. And if you think the guys behind them for two years who can't get on the field are going to do better, it's not going to happen. The same DB's who have been getting torched for 2-3 years are continuing to do so, and if the coaches see ANY upside to the young guys, the time is now. They will make mistakes. It is too early for them, but the game experience will pay off eventually. This is a game where those mistakes will come at virtually no cost. With the new redshirt rule, players can play in 4 games and keep a redshirt. Therefore, it's a great time to empty the bench to see what you've got. Key Point: Let the freshmen and sophomores play... a LOT.
4. Give em' Helton: Offensive Coordinator Tyson Helton had a fair opening game. Inconsistent, and I think he was limited in what he could call with limited time for JG, and 2/3 running backs going out of the game. Helton has to do better on first down calls, as Tennessee found itself in 2nd and 3rd and long situations far too often. JG did not get a lot of deep ball attempts because of the lack of time. We incorporated a lot of quick, 3 step drops, and were effective there. I would like to see JG's completion % actually DROP this week, as he attempts more difficult passes. Against WV, he did exactly what was needed. Now, he needs to learn to take some risks, and then how to manage the risk vs. rewards. Keller Chryst will get some playing time, and don't be surprised if JT Shrout gets a series or two. Key Point: Open the offense a bit more. Improve on 1st downs.
Prediction: Fundamental football. Nothing fancy... maybe not even a blitz. Pruitt will treat this as a glorified scrimmage working on fundamentals and testing different players to see how they respond in a game atmosphere. The numbers Tennessee puts up in any category are completely irrelevant to how this is used to prepare this team for future games. They lack confidence, and the next two weeks are going to help build that, while ironing out some of the wrinkles in our developing schemes. How aggressive will Tennessee be in scoring/mercy? No clue.
TN 49
ETSU 10
Game Time: 4:00 pm ET
Venue: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville TN
Network: SEC Network
Tennessee opens home play against ETSU this week after receiving a cold splash of water to the face from West Virginia. To cut right to the chase, there is not really a possibility under the sun that involves Tennessee having at least 9 players on the field at all times, and not winning this game. It's an uncontested dunk with daddy lifting you up over that big thick Playskool basketball rim that is about 3 1/2 feet off of the ground.
ETSU is 100 miles up the road in Johnson City and is beginning it's 4th year of football after giving up the game in 2003 and beginning again 2015. The roster is filled with players from East Tennessee, many of whom dreamed of playing in Neyland Stadium one day... albeit in probably a different colored uniform than they will be wearing on Saturday. One person on that sideline has played in Neyland Stadium before... coached... and even has a National Championship Ring with the Power T on it, head coach Randy Sanders. Coach Sanders has threatened to take the goal posts back up to Johnson City, naked as a jaybird, if ETSU pulls off the upset. Needless to say... there is a lot riding on this game... for all of us.
I'm not going to pretend to know a lot about ETSU's roster, but here's some words for your eyes that I was able to copy and paste, giving the illusion that I'm informed.
TOP RETURNEE: DL Nasir Player (1st team All SoCon - 7 sacks, 13 TFLs)
THE NEXT BEST: OL Alex Rios (2nd team All SoCon); RS Quan Harrison (2nd team All SoCon); PK J.J. Jerman (2nd team AllSoCon - 14 of 18 on FGs); QB Austin Herink (2,213 yards passing, 14 TDs); LB Dylan Weigel (4-year starter and leading tackler); DL Blake Bockrath (SoCon Freshman team - 57 tackles, 9 TFLs)
Keys to Victory: This is not so much of what needs to be done to win, but just what I would like to see accomplished in this game to prepare for more challenging games ahead.
1. Solidify the Offensive Line: The OL greatly lacked chemistry against West Virginia. The coaches need to put their best 5 out there and see what the best combination is on a Saturday setting. Let them get some reps together, and begin to gel. Key Point: Develop OL chemistry.
2. Transfer Technique: Coach Pruitt has commented that he saw the team regress in their technique as the game went on. Practice is a different animal, with a coach watching every single rep and giving immediate feedback. However, until this becomes second nature to the players, they will continue to regress to how they've always done it. Doing it correctly hundreds of times, and doing it in an actual game is going to help them continue to grow. Key Point: Play like you practice.
3. Feed the Children: One of the most disappointing things about the West Virginia game was how much many of our older players continued to play like they did last season. There was great hope that "the lights would come on" or that they would be "coached up". Maybe the strength and conditioning program could finally tap that 4 and 5 star rating and we would see these guys rise up. Well... not so much. It was a sobering realization that a lot of what we had is pretty much what we've got. Now sure, first time coach, new scheme, first game, etc... it all applies, and some players may still improve, but if you think that our DL and LB's are suddenly going to be lights out, you're probably in for a disappointment. And if you think the guys behind them for two years who can't get on the field are going to do better, it's not going to happen. The same DB's who have been getting torched for 2-3 years are continuing to do so, and if the coaches see ANY upside to the young guys, the time is now. They will make mistakes. It is too early for them, but the game experience will pay off eventually. This is a game where those mistakes will come at virtually no cost. With the new redshirt rule, players can play in 4 games and keep a redshirt. Therefore, it's a great time to empty the bench to see what you've got. Key Point: Let the freshmen and sophomores play... a LOT.
4. Give em' Helton: Offensive Coordinator Tyson Helton had a fair opening game. Inconsistent, and I think he was limited in what he could call with limited time for JG, and 2/3 running backs going out of the game. Helton has to do better on first down calls, as Tennessee found itself in 2nd and 3rd and long situations far too often. JG did not get a lot of deep ball attempts because of the lack of time. We incorporated a lot of quick, 3 step drops, and were effective there. I would like to see JG's completion % actually DROP this week, as he attempts more difficult passes. Against WV, he did exactly what was needed. Now, he needs to learn to take some risks, and then how to manage the risk vs. rewards. Keller Chryst will get some playing time, and don't be surprised if JT Shrout gets a series or two. Key Point: Open the offense a bit more. Improve on 1st downs.
Prediction: Fundamental football. Nothing fancy... maybe not even a blitz. Pruitt will treat this as a glorified scrimmage working on fundamentals and testing different players to see how they respond in a game atmosphere. The numbers Tennessee puts up in any category are completely irrelevant to how this is used to prepare this team for future games. They lack confidence, and the next two weeks are going to help build that, while ironing out some of the wrinkles in our developing schemes. How aggressive will Tennessee be in scoring/mercy? No clue.
TN 49
ETSU 10
