Starting Defense

#26
#26
jakez4ut said:
at this point, you could put the DT's in a hat, shake 'em up and pull out any # of names. no way to know who's going to be available game one at this point. but you figure at some point, ST, KM and KV will all see significant time thru out the season.

at DE, Phillips and Kongbo make sense.

at LB, DKjr, Sapp and Mcdowel. Shoop really wants to get back to a 4-3. i'd expect Jumper, Bituli and elliot Berry all to get looks, and the two former seen regular action.

the secondary...that's where it still gets interesting....i think TKjr and Warrior probably wind up starting at Safety. at DB, you have a log jam of guys.

Gaulden, Abernathy, Martin, Mosely, Osborne, Griffin, Buchannan, all saw action last year, all with varying degrees of success/struggle. in the end, competition here should be tough, and my gut says they'll go with experience, assuming somone doens't just stand out, so i wouldn't be surprised if it's Abernathy and Mosely? not a lot of confidence in Mosley though. very inconsistent.

but there's really no telling. they have choices, and competion should be pretty stiff, begging a couple of these guys to really step up. and we don't know if they're going to move Byrd yet, so that's another ?.
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At DB... there is no starting lineup without Rashaan Gaulden.

He can play nickel and safety.

Look for Terrell Bailey to make a push... strong push at CB.
 
#27
#27
LittleVol said:
At DB... there is no starting lineup without Rashaan Gaulden.

He can play nickel and safety.

Look for Terrell Bailey to make a push... strong push at CB.
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i tend to agree, but he's gotta be a lock as a nickel, at worst, right?

long story short, DT and DB are going to be interesting to watch. too interesting for my taste...:eek:lol:

hell, as i keep thinking about it, LB is sitll way too interesing as well. defensive coaches have their work cut out, that's for sure....just on deciding a depth chart.

off season should be interesting for those guys.
 
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#28
#28
LittleVol said:
He was not the best DB...
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no, he wasn't, but early on last season, he made some pretty big plays and proved he was a solid tackler.

he, like several others, as the season went on, got a little bit exposed for what they were...young guys that didn't always know what the heck they were doing.

i saw enough from him to know that he has an opportunity to be really good. but no, not there yet.
 
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#29
#29
jakez4ut said:
i tend to agree, but he's gotta be a lock as a nickel, at worst, right?

long story short, DT and DB are going to be interesting to watch. too interesting for my taste...:eek:lol:

hell, as i keep thinking about it, LB is sitll way too interesing as well. defensive coaches have their work cut out, that's for sure....just on deciding a depth chart.

off season should be interesting for those guys.
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Agree. People who are just penciling in our defense being much improved without actually taking a look at who returns at each position and who's healthy and who's proven are making a big mistake imho. We got holes and question marks everywhere on that side of the ball. And Shoop certainly didn't inspire confidence last year to say the very least.
 
#30
#30
KBVol said:
Agree. People who are just penciling in our defense being much improved without actually taking a look at who returns at each position and who's healthy and who's proven are making a big mistake imho. We got holes and question marks everywhere on that side of the ball. And Shoop certainly didn't inspire confidence last year to say the very least.
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well you know how i feel about that, and i think getting 3 LB's on the field will go a long way in helping that.

i think that we may have 3 pretty good starters in there with Sapp, McDowel and DKjr. and having Jumper and Bituli should provide quality depth. after that, it gets sketchy.

so while i think LB is probably the most important position for Shoop's defense to get back on track (and get away from the 4-2-5 we had to run last year), there's still a lot of questions at DT and the secondary, so it may not matter what happens at LB.

which sucks. shematically, i think it will look better. but they have to get off blocks and tackle. last year it seemed that once we were blocked, more times than not, we stayed blocked.

it's really hard to imagine that we still have this many questions personnel wise, given how we've recruited supposedly on that side of the ball.

they can't all be busts can they?
 
#31
#31
white65 said:
GO!

D-Line

DE-Kongbo
DT-Vickers
DT-Shy (Kmac if Shy isn't healthy)
DE-Taylor (My pick for breakout player of the year)

LB core

LB1-Kirkland
LB2-Mcdowell

Secondary (kinda worried about the corners)

CB1-Martin (he may gone though )
CB2-Moseley
Nickel-Osborn

One safety will be Kelly Jr. and the other will be Warrior.
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What's this scuttlebutt about Martin?

I don't think there will be much drop off in performance from Phillips to Taylor to Austin Smith. I have heard lots of praise for Taylor and Smith. My only worry about Phillips is keeping him healthy.
 
#32
#32
white65 said:
GO!

D-Line

DE-Kongbo
DT-Vickers
DT-Shy (Kmac if Shy isn't healthy)
DE-Taylor (My pick for breakout player of the year)

LB core

LB1-Kirkland
LB2-Mcdowell

Secondary (kinda worried about the corners)

CB1-Martin (he may gone though )
CB2-Moseley
Nickel-Osborn

One safety will be Kelly Jr. and the other will be Warrior.
Click to expand...


I, personally, don't think that Tuttle or McK will ever be on the field for very long. They are injury prone and may have a limited impact in a few games but they can't stay healthy for a full season.
This situation reminds me of Kevin Burnett. He was injured during college a lot, along with Rico McCoy, but not injured in the NFL.
 
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#33
#33
McKenzie bears watching this season. There was discussion among pro scouts that he may be better suited to the OL. Even his father was involved in that discussion. The talent is there, but his personality may be better suited to OL. If he makes the move, this summer would be the most opportune time.
 
#34
#34
So no Jumper this year? I thought the guy played well for the most part in the 2nd half of the season.
 
#35
#35
VolnJC said:
So no Jumper this year? I thought the guy played well for the most part in the 2nd half of the season.
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yes, he's on the roster. don't know that he'll start if more athletic options are readily available. he will see significant playing time though, for sure. he adds good depth definitley.
 
#36
#36
Rudy123 said:
I, personally, don't think that Tuttle or McK will ever be on the field for very long. They are injury prone and may have a limited impact in a few games but they can't stay healthy for a full season.
This situation reminds me of Kevin Burnett. He was injured during college a lot, along with Rico McCoy, but not injured in the NFL.
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i just don't buy that. it's not like either of them have nagging injuries that htey can't shake like high ankles that never go away, hamstrings, shoulders, elbows etc....indicating they're not taking care of their bodies or using bad techniques etc...

tuttle gets blind sided two years ago, and gets a broken leg as a result, and this year blows his knee out.

Kmac didn't play much at all as a rotational player as a freshman and tore a pectoral muscle.

i get it, i wish they were both healthy too, but i just don't think injury prone is an accurate description given the types of injuries both suffered.

it's not like they're missing every other game because of nagging things that won't go away, or that they're not rehabbing etc...no, they get injured once, and it's catastrophic season enders. not exactly indicative of a guy or guys that "can't say healthy".

you account for the fact that they both played a lot of snaps last year as DT's kept going by the way side, and that probalby is a bigger reason they got hurt than anything else.
 
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#37
#37
livefaith said:
My highly unqualified prediction of starting defenders for the 1st defensive snap of GT ...

DE - Kongbo
DT - Vickers
DT - Tuttle
DE - Phillips

OLB - Bituli*
MLB - Kirkland
OLB - Sapp**

CB - Moseley
Nickel - Gaulden*
SS - Kelly
FS - Warrior**
CB - Martin

* GT probably gets more nickel coverage than 4-3.
** I think Sapp takes that spot, but coaches might go McDowell/Abernathy, game 1, for the experience and gap discipline vs this unique running attack.
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Why would you play a 5 db's against a running triple option attack that rarely throws the football?

A 4-3 seems to be better suited against that attack.
 
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#38
#38
gunner said:
Why would you play a 5 db's against a running triple option attack that rarely throws the football?

A 4-3 seems be suited against that attack.
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agreed. that game will be about penetration, setting the edge and assignments. and be ready for the cut blocks.
 
#42
#42
white65 said:
GO!

D-Line

DE-Kongbo
DT-Vickers
DT-Shy (Kmac if Shy isn't healthy)
DE-Taylor (My pick for breakout player of the year)

LB core

LB1-Kirkland
LB2-Mcdowell

Secondary (kinda worried about the corners)

CB1-Martin (he may gone though )
CB2-Moseley
Nickel-Osborn

One safety will be Kelly Jr. and the other will be Warrior.
Click to expand...
Where's Warrior at? MUST be a starter this year IMO.
 
#43
#43
jakez4ut said:
i just don't buy that. it's not like either of them have nagging injuries that htey can't shake like high ankles that never go away, hamstrings, shoulders, elbows etc....indicating they're not taking care of their bodies or using bad techniques etc...

tuttle gets blind sided two years ago, and gets a broken leg as a result, and this year blows his knee out.

Kmac didn't play much at all as a rotational player as a freshman and tore a pectoral muscle.

i get it, i wish they were both healthy too, but i just don't think injury prone is an accurate description given the types of injuries both suffered.

it's not like they're missing every other game because of nagging things that won't go away, or that they're not rehabbing etc...no, they get injured once, and it's catastrophic season enders. not exactly indicative of a guy or guys that "can't say healthy".

you account for the fact that they both played a lot of snaps last year as DT's kept going by the way side, and that probalby is a bigger reason they got hurt than anything else.
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Both have played since they arrived on campus with Shy being an EE. It's not like either was red shirted, they both were in the mix early.
 
#44
#44
brentwoodvol23 said:
So what is our plan to stop this wishbone offense and Calvin Johnson. Our corners are going to get burned
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Stop the run and make them throw. Play assignment disciplined football on defense, and hope no one on the line gets injured from their lineman cut blocking. On offense be aggressive, score early and often to make them play from behind so they abandon the run.
 
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#45
#45
Remy said:
Both have played since they arrived on campus with Shy being an EE. It's not like either was red shirted, they both were in the mix early.
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yep, out of necessity, not necessarily b/c they were "great".

and KM didn't play football his sr. of high school.

it usually takes more than one spring/summer to get to a really competitive place, developmentally, on the LOS in the SEC. i think that says a lot about the overall talent ST has, cause he showed very early how good he can be.

that early playing time is a great selling factor, but it's not always a good thing.

the good news is they both have 2 full years left. not being active this off season hurts though.
 
#46
#46
Nocleats said:
The scary part is that Tuttle, Vickers, and Mckenzie are all hurt, with serious questions about 2 of them being ready by Aug 1. and all three of them NOT BEING in the weight room since last fall.. And Yes they are A level players but their backups are not... Zero depth and it could go from bad to awful in a hurry..
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With all due respect, I'm pretty sure that each of them having an injured limb does not mean "NOT BEING in the weight room since last fall."
 
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#48
#48
Remy said:
Where's Warrior at? MUST be a starter this year IMO.
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Nothing against TKJr -- I think he's been our best ball-hawk back there -- but, I am musing about what it could be like to have two snot-knockin safeties out there at the same time, with Gaulden and Warrior at safety, and especially running a 4-3-4 against a running team (GT) with our fastest LBs on the outside (Bituli and Sapp?). :question:
 
#50
#50
KBVol said:
Agree. People who are just penciling in our defense being much improved without actually taking a look at who returns at each position and who's healthy and who's proven are making a big mistake imho. We got holes and question marks everywhere on that side of the ball. And Shoop certainly didn't inspire confidence last year to say the very least.
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this all day...on the DL Hoke certainly will earn his money...hope he's up to it...look at the roster breakdown of the DL:
2 seniors, one of which has practically zero experience at UTK(Johnson)
7 juniors - the best 2 trying to recover from major injuries, one transplanted from LB (Smith), the remainder, except for Kongbo, have done very little
2 soph - Taylor & McDaniel
4 Frosh
 
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