What We Saw on Saturday

[tinman23]

I think we finally saw Pruitt let Helton off the leash on Saturday. Pruitt has been holding Helton back all year with this "ground pound" run-style. Unfortunately, we do not have the personnel to be a run-heavy offense. Pruitt seemed to finally let Helton run his West Coast style offense (mostly) on Saturday and it paid dividends. If Pruitt lets Helton run the offense, while Pruitt focuses on the D, I think we will see a lot more scoring and maybe even a 7-5 record at the end of the season.

(Note: I believe we beat Scar, UNCC, Mizz, Vandy to get there)

 

[Jack Burton]

I’m not saying you’re wrong but rumor is Pruitt spent the last two weeks with the offense. That was floating around before kickoff.

 

[DocVOLiday]

can we stop running up the middle on first down for negative yardage half the time? that was my big issue with the offense on Saturday. put ourselves behind the chains with (normally) predictable play calling on first down. we did do well to overcome the lack of success on first down quite often, however


and like I and others have been saying all year, we need to utilize the downfield passing game more. I know JG doesnt always have much time, but if he plays the ball in a good spot, i have a decent amount of faith that our WRs can/will make a good play on the ball

 

[Gandalf]

I am not sure about any of these theories really. The most likely is that it has taken this long for the players that we have to begin to gel with the general scheme of what Pruitt and company have been teaching all along. And if that is the case, that really is the best scenario because it is most likely to go up from here. Until people can execute basics, you can't throw in wrinkles. Gotta say some of it was due to new confidence. Some of the catches were just insane and JG seems to have found a rope. Game strategy was solid, pound the middle to keep them there and then throw over the top to get us down field. Pretty simple really.

I am no expert coach but from everything the expert coaches say - success in football is NOT about having some super secret playbook that givers you some "unstoppable" play. Its about 1. getting great players in the first place and 2. getting them to do the basics (catching, blocking, running, tackling) really really well, almost without thinking - so that they can then be free to "play" and take advantage of opportunities that come.

 

[Behr]

I’m not saying you’re wrong but rumor is Pruitt spent the last two weeks with the offense. That was floating around before kickoff.

That's what I remember reading. And I don't know if or how much it had to do with anything, but someone pointed out Helton being on the sideline instead of the booth. Tifwiw.

 

[peddi631]

I think you've thinking too much.

 

[87&91ALUM]

Probably a combination of all these theories or observations. Team finally getting in sync with new coaching, new coaches figuring out what players are capable of, players getting more disciplined regards penalties, changing up the playbook, Auburn offense struggling, finding someone we match up well against. Go Vols. Hope we match up well with most remaining opponents. I’d love to see us run the table after Bama.

 

[Titan&Volfan4life]

Gandalf is correct.

The kids are finally starting to learn what Pruitt, Helton and staff have been teaching.

The O line got a tad better, JG and our WR's got a tad more time to execute and the WR's attacked the ball in the air and then fought to take the ball away from defenders.

Our D finally got some pressure on their QB and it paid off and our overall D got a tad better and played a tad faster.

All of this was because they're finally putting the parts together and learning the systems better.

Time and more reps makes everyone better.

Our future is bright.

VFL...GBO!!!

 

[tbones0711]

I’m not saying you’re wrong but rumor is Pruitt spent the last two weeks with the offense. That was floating around before kickoff.

Notice the ball placement on several of UT's sideline routes. Drew Brees mastered the back-shoulder pass which is toughest to defend when DB's don't locate the ball. I don't think UT just started practicing this 2 weeks ago. It's probably something they have been wanting to do but have shied away from due to timing and lack of blocking up front. Maybe Chance Hall beefed up the line enough to give UT an extra second. Good passing plan regardless.
I noticed Tyson on the sideline. Just wandering if that had any impact on the passing game. It was JG's best effort so far in his young career.

 

[ProudVOLfan]

Dat back shoulder pass they worked on last week paid off..

 

[eVOLve]

Notice the ball placement on several of UT's sideline routes. Drew Brees mastered the back-shoulder pass which is toughest to defend when DB's don't locate the ball. I don't think UT just started practicing this 2 weeks ago. It's probably something they have been wanting to do but have shied away from due to timing and lack of blocking up front. Maybe Chance Hall beefed up the line enough to give UT an extra second. Good passing plan regardless.

I'm interested to see how well they do against Bama with the back-shoulder pass. The few teams who have beaten Bama over the years have used it. Cant wait for this weekend even though a loss is likely. I've just been enjoying watching the team improve.

 

[njvols]

Probably a combination of all these theories or observations. Team finally getting in sync with new coaching, new coaches figuring out what players are capable of, players getting more disciplined regards penalties, changing up the playbook, Auburn offense struggling, finding someone we match up well against. Go Vols. Hope we match up well with most remaining opponents. I’d love to see us run the table after Bama.

Confidence is a beautiful thing. Think it will lead to more positive results as the season rolls along. Pruitt said he didn't prefer being on the sidelines as a coordinator, but let Helton do it, so he can get better game vibe from JG...I think it worked!

 

[Bumpndnite]

I think what you saw on Saturday was a good coaching staff. UT knew that they had a size advantage at WR, over the smaller AU DBs. Several key plays in that game involved a jump ball, and the UT WRs won almost all of them. Anyway.....congrats on a big win.

 

[walkenvol]

I think we finally saw Pruitt let Helton off the leash on Saturday. Pruitt has been holding Helton back all year with this "ground pound" run-style. Unfortunately, we do not have the personnel to be a run-heavy offense. Pruitt seemed to finally let Helton run his West Coast style offense (mostly) on Saturday and it paid dividends. If Pruitt lets Helton run the offense, while Pruitt focuses on the D, I think we will see a lot more scoring and maybe even a 7-5 record at the end of the season.

(Note: I believe we beat Scar, UNCC, Mizz, Vandy to get there)

Maybe I missed something but I saw the same play calling - only difference was we completed big passes on 3rd and long. Were able to do that because the OL gave JG a bit more time and the WR's outplayed the Auburn DB's. The excessive runs up the middle on 1st down have been discussed already. Without the D pressuring the Auburn QB and causing the 3 TO's we still probably lose that game in spite of the improved O performance. Just goes to show the team that makes the fewest mistakes typically wins.

Unless Alabubba self destructs, we won't win that one. The rest of the games we have a fighting chance if we play close to our best and don't give the games away.

 

[bpalmer28]

can we stop running up the middle on first down for negative yardage half the time? that was my big issue with the offense on Saturday. put ourselves behind the chains with (normally) predictable play calling on first down. we did do well to overcome the lack of success on first down quite often, however


and like I and others have been saying all year, we need to utilize the downfield passing game more. I know JG doesnt always have much time, but if he plays the ball in a good spot, i have a decent amount of faith that our WRs can/will make a good play on the ball

How can you define success if you don't know the game plan?

We could have been running to keep the clock moving and limit Auburn's offensive opportunities or we could have been running to set up one of the downfield strikes.

 

[RollerVol]

think Coach Pruitt actually "made" him, not "let" him...

GO VOLS!

 

[savannahfan]

I think we finally saw Pruitt let Helton off the leash on Saturday. Pruitt has been holding Helton back all year with this "ground pound" run-style. Unfortunately, we do not have the personnel to be a run-heavy offense. Pruitt seemed to finally let Helton run his West Coast style offense (mostly) on Saturday and it paid dividends. If Pruitt lets Helton run the offense, while Pruitt focuses on the D, I think we will see a lot more scoring and maybe even a 7-5 record at the end of the season.

(Note: I believe we beat Scar, UNCC, Mizz, Vandy to get there)

Hey!!! Have you overlook how many times we "ran inside tackle" on first down??? I think most (don't keep numbers like a lot of guys on here, wish someone would tell use the number). Where the change came was the ability of our O-line (YES O-line) to give QB time to throw. The throw-catch ability has evidently been there all the time. As I and most all others have complained the O-line has been awful. Well maybe that is changing ever so little all the time.