Pruitt addresses slow starts

[VFL-82-JP]

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.

It really is. We're here to talk Tennessee football. So we are definitely going to veer into areas we can't really know. Like whether it was Player A, Player B, Coach C, or Coordinator D who caused us to fail on any particular play or drive.

Best we can do, while enjoying the conversations, is acknowledge there are things we don't know, can't know, and so be cautious apportioning blame.

Bottom line is, it's a team game. The entire team--coaches, players, fans--win or lose together. Sometimes we just gotta know how to commiserate without throwing each other or our lads/coaches under the bus.

 

[1974Vol]

Not having the time or inclination to breakdown every first offensive series I can say what killed the first of the year and the Bama start. Against UWV on the first snap the right guard and center were not on the same page because you NEVER give up the A gap. UWV nose tackle just came through unblocked and hit JG as he's trying to throw the WR screen. The 3rd down in the first series against Bama where JG took the blind side hit and fumbled was basically on the QB read. I'm screaming at the TV that Bama has a DB blitz coming off the backside and JG is just oblivious. Tennessee has two receivers to the left and Bama has them apparently matched up in Man in bump and run but they also have safety help over the top. So one of the DB's at the LOS can come and the inside guy's sure looking like he is. All JG has to do is move the RB over there to pick him up. Even if it’s a fake and the Bama DB backs out in coverage no harm no foul because the RB can still run his route as the check down. I am an admitted football novice when it comes to understanding the intricacies of our offense but I did play way back in the last century enough to know you just can’t give up the A gap as an OL and you can’t just ignore an obvious DB blitzer to you blind side if you are the QB. Those are the kinds of things you learn in HS ball so I know our guys know what to do. It has to be just not having poise in the moment…kind of like me over a 5 foot birdie putt

 

[savannahfan]

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

Jeremy Pruitt addresses first quarter slow starts

Seems to be a whole lot of figurin.. Must not be to good a arithmetic, haven't come up with the right answer yet.

 

[savannahfan]

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 ****.

Don't you mean "make chicken salad with HAM??
Sorry!! just saw ****. (and just figured out how to use "bold")

 

[tbones0711]

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.

I always liked that strategy. Barring any turnovers we could get an extra possession in 1st half.

 

[tbones0711]

DC's in the SEC know how to scheme around our OLine to confuse them and cause missed assignments. Muschump used to be one,(DC), so you'll see it early this Sat. Need to run end around with JJ and give him pass option to Chandler or just get the ball out fast early in games until OLine can settle in.

 

[vol-un-tear]

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

Jeremy Pruitt addresses first quarter slow starts

Counting Bubbas 28?

 

[Volfan2012]

We had Bama in 3rd and 10 on their first drive and let them get a huge play. If we stop them there they don't get 28 in the first quarter. They may have got them later in the game but not getting that stop really hurt us to begin the game.

 

[Gandalf]

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

I blind monkey would have noticed our slow starts - fixing it is another challenge entirely. So far I have pretty good confidence that Pruitt and the staff will be able to get it fixed, given time - unfortunately that time probably is 2 years from now.

 

[Pride85]

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.

I am for whomever gives us the best chance to win. I am curious though as to how you have made you decision. You say JG had one good game, so has KC. See the stats I have attached which are from the sports-reference site:

These are Jarrett Guarantano's stats. 63% completion rate stands out.

These are Keller Chryst's stats. Higher ratingdue to fewer attempts, but only 57.1 completion percentage. Don't see the JG has done nothing and KC is a sure fire winning QB here.

 

[Russdaddy2027]

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.

Yes maybe air it out a little, that run up the gut into our offensive lines backside is not cutting the mustard on 1st & 2nd down every series

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

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.

Execution ir the lack thereof is the result of how practice was planned and operated. If Helton has great scripts to start the game then he needs to tighten his s$#t up at practice.


Just my opinion.

 

[Remy]

Not having the time or inclination to breakdown every first offensive series I can say what killed the first of the year and the Bama start. Against UWV on the first snap the right guard and center were not on the same page because you NEVER give up the A gap. UWV nose tackle just came through unblocked and hit JG as he's trying to throw the WR screen. The 3rd down in the first series against Bama where JG took the blind side hit and fumbled was basically on the QB read. I'm screaming at the TV that Bama has a DB blitz coming off the backside and JG is just oblivious. Tennessee has two receivers to the left and Bama has them apparently matched up in Man in bump and run but they also have safety help over the top. So one of the DB's at the LOS can come and the inside guy's sure looking like he is. All JG has to do is move the RB over there to pick him up. Even if it’s a fake and the Bama DB backs out in coverage no harm no foul because the RB can still run his route as the check down. I am an admitted football novice when it comes to understanding the intricacies of our offense but I did play way back in the last century enough to know you just can’t give up the A gap as an OL and you can’t just ignore an obvious DB blitzer to you blind side if you are the QB. Those are the kinds of things you learn in HS ball so I know our guys know what to do. It has to be just not having poise in the moment…kind of like me over a 5 foot birdie putt

I don't care what sport it is, baseball, football, soccer, hockey, basketball, rugby, cricket, chess, what the %$#@ ever it is the number one thing you have to be is strong up the middle. In football, correct it's the A gap. We have yet to see that at the UT LOS in years. The most pitiful display of being puny in the middle is go back and look at our performance against VT at Bristol. The entire night in that game was play after play of the first play against WVU this season. You are correct there are things a staff can do to mitigate it, but until we have players who can compete at the SEC level on offense in the A gap, our QBs and entire ofense has to keep their heads on the swivel.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Execution ir the lack thereof is the result of how practice was planned and operated. If Helton has great scripts to start the game then he needs to tighten his s$#t up at practice.


Just my opinion.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.

A 19-year old lad is gonna do weird things sometimes, and his head is going to end up in weird places. Even on Saturday afternoons. A coach can only get the lad to the water. Lad's gotta drink...or not.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Execution ir the lack thereof is the result of how practice was planned and operated. If Helton has great scripts to start the game then he needs to tighten his s$#t up at practice.


Just my opinion.

So when the head coach says that they are going over the basics of the game over and over in practice but guys still aren't doing it right, who is too blame?

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.

A 19-year old lad is gonna do weird things sometimes, and his head is going to end up in weird places. Even on Saturday afternoons. A coach can only get the lad to the water. Lad's gotta drink...or not.

I couldn't disagree more.

Well coached teams full of 19 year olds don't make some of the mistakes we've seen. Well coached teams come out ready to play and finish strong. This applies to all teams not just football and not just college.

Not saying this staff can't get there but right now they are dealing with their own learning curve and the fan base will just have to hope they get it figured out sooner rather than later.

 

[Woke]

I am for whomever gives us the best chance to win. I am curious though as to how you have made you decision. You say JG had one good game, so has KC. See the stats I have attached which are from the sports-reference site:
View attachment 173326
These are Jarrett Guarantano's stats. 63% completion rate stands out.
View attachment 173327
These are Keller Chryst's stats. Higher ratingdue to fewer attempts, but only 57.1 completion percentage. Don't see the JG has done nothing and KC is a sure fire winning QB here.

Ugh more meaningless QB comparison stats. A 63% completion rate vs 57%? Really? According to EXPERTS the difference between JG and KC is in the INTANGIBLES which by definition can be OBSERVED but not measured.

But as far as our coaching staff is concerned the biggest difference seems to be in ELIGIBILITY not present game management skills per se. They’re building for the future at the expense of the present if need be.

First year coaches always get a pass. Fans just have to grin and bear it.

Yes I’m saying I believe KC gives us the better chance to win now vs JG. You can count me firmly in that camp. But KC’s an outsider who won’t be here next year so even if he started every game and we won them all that gives our coaching staff nothing to build on next season. That’s why KC is NEVER gonna start a game for the Vols unless JG is too banged up to go. Don’t hold your breath. They’ll send JG out in a wheelchair if they have to.

I’m NOT saying our staff has written off this season but I do think they’ve discounted it ie all the current info on JG is widely known and they’re willing to accept lower probabilities of success for the remainder of our season in hopes he’ll develop for the future. Not what any frustrated Volfan wants to hear re this season I know.

Will the light ever fully come on for JG? Hopefully but personally I’m not sold. I’d recruit over JG in this class; Shrout is just a project. Just my .02

 

[revjayp]

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.

And it sounds like JG has an issue reading defenses and calling out the correct adjustment for the Oline. That’s why he’s getting destroyed. I like JG but I’m afraid he may not have a high QB IQ.

 

[MyBloodRunnethOrange]

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.

I disagree with this. I would much rather get the ball to start the second half. Most close games have many momentum swings throughout. However, you can set the tone for the remainder of the game by taking the first possession and scoring with it.

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

So when the head coach says that they are going over the basics of the game over and over in practice but guys still aren't doing it right, who is too blame?

The coach. Why is that difficult to understand?

If you're teaching anyone something and they aren't "getting it", simply move to a different method/manner of teaching. Not everyone learns the same way. I will guarantee you the greatest coaches teach their system to each player in a manner that player can understand. Maybe CJP needs someone to send him Pat's books Reach for the Summit and Sum It Up.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

I couldn't disagree more.

Well coached teams full of 19 year olds don't make some of the mistakes we've seen. Well coached teams come out ready to play and finish strong. This applies to all teams not just football and not just college.

Not saying this staff can't get there but right now they are dealing with their own learning curve and the fan base will just have to hope they get it figured out sooner rather than later.

Oh, a superbly disciplined program of lads can reduce the amount of 19-year-old distraction (no coach can eliminate it entirely). But that takes years to establish a culture within the program, one that everyone buys into, and the new guys coming in are too small a minority to affect, so they get indocctrinated, too.

A first-year coach isn't ever going to have that degree of control. Ever.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

And it sounds like JG has an issue reading defenses and calling out the correct adjustment for the Oline. That’s why he’s getting destroyed. I like JG but I’m afraid he may not have a high QB IQ.

Yeah, I don't know enough yet to reach any conclusion on that front.

For instance: is the QB calling the read for blocking and protection? Or is the center doing it? On some teams, the center calls blocking scheme, while the QB focuses on RPO type reads. In other programs, no player does it, it's called in from the sideline. IDK which way we do it.

So that may or may not be a problem JG exhibits.

Someone brought up a specific play from the Bama game, broke it down very nicely. It's one of the ones where JG was sacked. But he shouldn't have been, because it was (iirc) 7 blocking 5, and someone (the analyst said the center) called the evident blitz, which in fact did come. So JG had every reason to believe the line would protect his back side. They didn't, he got blasted. Not his fault at all, if that analyst was correct. His only mistake was to assume his teammates weere going to do their parts.

So yeah, I simply don't know enough about how the reads are done, and what plays are being called, and what audibles (if any) are built in and allowed, to conclude that this is JG's fault or someone else's, or a combination of errors, or sheer bad luck.

 

[Volhoops]

It's makes no sense to keep deferring the ball when winning the toss. Our defense has given up a TD I think to every team we played this year on their first offensive series. So why defer and keep starting from behind before the offense walks onto the field. If you are going to defer than on side kick it the first kick. If the recover so what, they are already just about guaranteed a score based upon the games so far. Basically I'm saying quit doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

It's makes no sense to keep deferring the ball when winning the toss. Our defense has given up a TD I think to every team we played this year on their first offensive series. So why defer and keep starting from behind before the offense walks onto the field. If you are going to defer than on side kick it the first kick. If the recover so what, they are already just about guaranteed a score based upon the games so far. Basically I'm saying quit doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

For many, many years it has been considered the smart play to defer to the 2nd half. In much the same way as you defer to 2nd possession in overtime.

The advantage is more pronounced in overtime, but it's the same idea: you get to see where the bar is set before your turn. Each side get the advantage of going first in one of the halves. To save your advantage to the second half, when you know more about how the other side is calling the game, can at times be very beneficial.

I'm not saying you always gotta follow the conventional wisdom. Just acknowledging that it exists, and our coaches aren't making this stuff up from a blank slate.

 

[Remy]

Yes maybe air it out a little, that run up the gut into our offensive lines backside is not cutting the mustard on 1st & 2nd down every series

IMO you are correct. We have to use the pass to set up the run. It would bother me not if we threw the ball exclusively on our first possession unless we're 3rd & short or a yard away from the goal line.