Recruiting Forum Football Talk [RIP 9.3.2019]

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#17,728
#17,728
Our run defense is nationally ranked #44 for yards allowed. Our pass defense moved up from #123 to #91 after only allowing 69 passing yards to ETSU. UTEP’s passing offense is ranked #121 after games against Northern Arizona and UNLV. Their rushing offense sits at #62. One thing I think we may already be able to see is our coaches are making a difference from game to game. I’m expecting our defense to improve even more this week which is a must before heading into Florida week. Pruitt has consistently said he believes we have talent and want-to but need know-how both with regards to our scheme and technical details. Aside from the talent advantage I think we improved some on defense this game both from a scheme and technical perspective. We need to improve much more. It’s about us not about our opponent.

I’m looking forward to Chandler being back this next weekend to see how much he helps our #80 ranked rushing offense against UTEP’s #118 ranked run defense. Our passing offense is at #94 in yards amassed but our QB rating is at #24 which I think is a testament to the consistency of our QBs and receivers. If we could get some sustained consistency from our OLine we could have a fairly decent offense. I like the fight we saw from a number of our offensive skill players Saturday. The game against ETSU was a confidence booster for our team and if we see the same or better performance against UTEP I think we’ll be as ready as we can be when Florida arrives. We can’t afford to miss the opportunity we have this week to get better as a football team, on both sides of the ball. In the past there was almost no guarantee that would happen but with our new staff I think the odds for improvement week-to-week are thus far apparently in our favor.

The keys to watch for me are 1) offensive line, 2) defensive pass rush, 3) stopping the run, and 4) the speed of our secondary. We still got beat a couple of times in the back end against ETSU but they couldn’t make the plays. Van Jefferson & Co. will be much more capable of making plays if they can get behind our secondary. If we are limited from a talent perspective we’ll need the coaches to scheme in a way to compensate. We’re making progress on achieving sustained effort and my sense is we’ve now got a staff that knows how to take care of the scheming part.

As it stands today, I think the Florida game could be a dog fight but it’s a dog fight we can win if we continue to improve with regards to effort, scheme, technical details, consistency, and most importantly, confidence. Jmo.

Also worthy of note: Pruitt apparently will be more positive when we lose than when we win. That is so cool.
 
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#17,729
#17,729
Ron Swanson said:
So he’s not fake? That’s a good thing guys. I guess he could dance around like Mullen and be awkward and goofy to make some of you feel better. Personally, I’m loving his no nonsense 100% all about ball attitude.
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I'm with ya Ron, but he has to remember what kind of fanbase this is... Everyone is watching him right now... He got onto the fanbase about the spring game, but then comes back and doesn't even try to embrace the tradition... Even Chizik had good things to say about having the opportunity to run through the T if he could... Pruitt is the F'n man right now with me, but he definitely whiffed on that one... you have to play the game with the fanbase every once in a while.
 
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#17,730
#17,730
volinbama256 said:
I'm with ya Ron, but he has to remember what kind of fanbase this is... Everyone is watching him right now... He got onto the fanbase about the spring game, but then comes back and doesn't even try to embrace the tradition... Even Chizik had good things to say about having the opportunity to run through the T if he could... Pruitt is the F'n man right now with me, but he definitely whiffed on that one... you have to play the game with the fanbase every once in a while.
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...the defense rests.
 
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#17,732
#17,732
Kingston Vol said:
You’d defend it if he took a **** on the desk and used Bob’s tie to wipe. Your allegiance lies with the program, which is great, but your opinion of what you “love” in a football coach is totally fluid depending on who the guy in charge is that day/month/week/year.
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Ron Swanson said:
Did your insider ties tell you that?
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BB98CEED-AFC5-4869-AB60-C800E2725F14.gif
 
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#17,733
#17,733
Over the years I’ve thought a significant part of playing good defense is just knowing where to be on the field and when you are supposed to be there. Big plays seem to happen mostly when players are misaligned. I get a sense Pruitt is dumbing things down so the players know where to be and when to be there, and scrapping all the complex scheming that seemed to consume Shoop. If Pruitt can teach that, we could have a top 25 defense this year, even without elite talent.

Oh and Kongbo reminds me of Jacques Smith. For some reason I continue to expect him to turn a corner and a light to go off, but he never seems to quite do it.

A little part of me wonders if Warrior is that way - I’m no talent evaluator but Warrior doesn’t seem to flash to me. Not sure why. Maybe he’s doing more out there than I realize.
 
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#17,738
#17,738
On the fandom debate, the last 10 years have worn me down, I will confess. Our program has many things going for it, but some negatives too (e.g., instate talent). I can’t tell if we are in the new normal or just an extended down cycle before the good times come back. I find it frustrating because I look at Clemson and think in so many ways they are an identical program to us in both their strengths and the limitations they face. And they are elite right now so it makes me think we can be elite again. I just wonder if the difference is that they are in a weaker conference. Facing Bama every year and having a resurgent Georgia makes it mighty tough for us. Clemson has never faced the regular season gauntlet we face on a year in and year out basis...
 
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#17,743
#17,743
vol2002 said:
Over the years I’ve thought a significant part of playing good defense is just knowing where to be on the field and when you are supposed to be there. Big plays seem to happen mostly when players are misaligned. I get a sense Pruitt is dumbing things down so the players know where to be and when to be there, and scrapping all the complex scheming that seemed to consume Shoop. If Pruitt can teach that, we could have a top 25 defense this year, even without elite talent.

Oh and Kongbo reminds me of Jacques Smith. For some reason I continue to expect him to turn a corner and a light to go off, but he never seems to quite do it.

A little part of me wonders if Warrior is that way - I’m no talent evaluator but Warrior doesn’t seem to flash to me. Not sure why. Maybe he’s doing more out there than I realize.
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I highly, highly doubt our defense will end up top 25 this year. UGA, Bama, and Auburn will probably just be too much for us. Mizzou’s offense could give us trouble too.

If we can end the season somewhere around top 60 on defense, that will be big progress for us IMO.

If we can develop our run game to be more consistent, that could help the defense in a big way too, IMO.
 
#17,744
#17,744
HankHill said:
It’s a work in progress especially going from such a different offense. Our route concepts are totally different. I’m not too worried about it. I was a little disappointed with some of his down field throws. I thought he underthrew most of them. A guy with his arm talent needs to sling that thing.
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Agreed.
 
#17,747
#17,747
Kingston Vol said:
It’s great until it isn’t. We all like it because 1) it’s the complete opposite of the last loser and 2) in the back of our mind we think Pruitt is going to be successful.

If he is successful, his personality doesn’t matter. But if he’s unsuccessful, or borderline successful, or struggles longer than we think he should, this attitude is not going to get him a long leash. I think that’s what we’re talking about.
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I feel the same way about this as I did when it was Butch Jones in the media, and that’s that some people are totally overblowing it. At least Pruitt won’t end up as a viral meme for saying the stuff he says. Whether he’s speaking pterodactyl or shmoozing like a car salesman, if he’s losing badly, it’s not going to make the leash any longer.
 
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#17,748
#17,748
I would like him to love everything about Tn and all our traditions etc. As a fan, and alum, that considers these things important personally. And we've been fortunate with two of our long time coaches being alum that bring that same love for all that to the table.

But all I really need is a coach that can appreciate them and embrace them as part of the reason this is a great place, and reasons he can win here.
 
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#17,749
#17,749
Kingston Vol said:
And that’s fine. But let’s stop acting like your opinions bring any honesty or hold any value. You’ve proven you’ll spin everything to fit a positive narrative. You’re a fan. That’s great! But it just renders any analysis you give as useless.

I come to this site to analyze what we see on Saturdays and to get a feel for how the fanbase is reacting to x, y, and z. Not to be pumped up and be reassured of my fandom.
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Bro, I couldn't care less what you or anyone else thinks about my opinion or why you come to this site. I don't care about likes despite what you think. I was the same poster before likes arrived and I'd be the same if they disappeared today. I come to this site because I'm an alum and FAN of Tennessee and Freak created this wonderful forum.
 
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#17,750
#17,750
It's just a job to Pruitt. He's been tasked with turning a losing program into a winning one and that's what he's focused on doing. He's not interested in fundraising, spending time with donors, entertaining the media or anything, really, other than coaching football. It offends some people, but he's not a UT alum and probably doesn't have much respect for how the program has been mismanaged or for those who mismanaged it. He relates well to players and recruits and that's what matters most.
 
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