Taylor, Kirkland, Bituli, Ignoit

#31
#31
wmcovol said:
I still think Tennessee is a couple years away from really getting 3-4 personnel right. Johnson and Taylor are more 4-3 DEs.

Tennessee desperately needs speed and tackling skill at all LB positions. LBers were some of the worst tacklers on the team last season.
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Tackling skill? This still baffles me.
 
#32
#32
marcusluvsvols said:
IMO defensive line will be our achilles heel next season like Oline was this year. Pruitt put together a nearly amazing class coming off of a 5 and 7 season...but despite being in the running for several good "big eaters" on the Dline, we signed very little, and are losing a bunch. Shy tuttle, despite not showing up much on the stat sheets, will be sorely, sorely missed. Watch game tape, him and our walkon hero turned scholly man, The Paul Bain, were about all we had that could get any push at tackle this season. They are both gone now...we are gonna really struggle at tackle unless we get a Juco or some more committments from very highly rated, 300 plus pounders that can play well from day 1.

I am a sunshine pumper by trade, but to anyone who focuses on line play, as I do, this looks very, very shaky for next year. Our LB amd safeties will get beat to death if every tackle is made 5 to 7 yards downfield BC our Dline is getting beaten badly at the point of attack. We will be unable to stop the run...just like many times last season, and every single snap of Botchs last season.
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Alexis Johnson had 51 tackles and 4 sacks! From the 3-4 DE/T spot.....
That is some pretty decent production. Yeah he will be missed.

Gooden, Butler, Harris, Emerson...Middleton?? Yikes!
Eh....
Man were going to need the LBs to really improve for sure.
 
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#33
#33
JJ Peterson can play either inside or outside and that helps. He just needs to bulk up about 30 pounds of lean muscle while maintaining his speed and agility.
 
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#34
#34
PulaskiVolFan said:
Johnson and JJ returning at LB. Add Harrison and Crouch to this group and things are starting to look up at the LB position I feel. I know we are still in on a couple of more LBs and hope we get em as this is our biggest need on defense I feel. You can't be a physical dominant defense without a bunch of big and fast grown men at the LB position.

Classy announcement by Taylor I thought.
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I was never sold on the fact that Kirkland regained his old form. Dude doesn’t have the extra step anymore. We NEED crouch more than any other recruit besides Wright.
 
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#36
#36
orangebloodgmc said:
Plus, Pruitt has shown he will not hesitate to give linemen a look on both sides of the ball. If a kid like Akpor... comes in as a big strong hoss, he may well get a look at DT.
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This ⬆, until next season, we don't know who will actually be on any line, they'll get it figured out. Just glad they got some more players to do that with.
 
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#37
#37
LittleVol said:
Alexis Johnson had 51 tackles and 4 sacks! From the 3-4 DE/T spot.....
That is some pretty decent production. Yeah he will be missed.

Gooden, Butler, Harris, Emerson...Middleton?? Yikes!
Eh....
Man were going to need the LBs to really improve for sure.
Click to expand...

I dont understand the whoa is me attitude regarding the dline. Tuttle and Johnson were good. Gooden has a chance to be a first round draft pick. He can be DOMINANT if he keeps his focus. Dude is cat quick for a guy his size. He has the most potential at DT that we've had in a LONG time. No disrespect to Shy or Alexis, but Emmitt can get to another level.
 
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#38
#38
What about E. Crosby? He was supposedly a good recruit and definitely has the size. I'm just hoping Pruitt can develop these kids. The depth should be better all around on the defense and I'm actually bullish on the D for year 2.
 
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#40
#40
Devo182 said:
Have a hard time seeing this with the amount of turnover on the DL. Everything is predicated on the line of scrimmage.
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Other than Tuttle, we really didn't get much production on the DL except from Johnson, who showed up in some games, but got mauled in many others. The bar is just not very high to get improved play on the DL----imo.

We'll have Gooden, Harris, Middleton, Williams, Butler, and Emerson to fill DT and DE positions--JUCOs Middleton and Williams just lack SEC experience.

I know that everyone was singing Phillips' praises at the end of the game, but I expect Butler and Emerson to play better than he did.

We ought to be better at LB, and much improved in the secondary.

It's just an opinion at this point from anyone.

I'm banking heavily that CJP and crew know a whole heck of a lot more about evaluating talent than the previous idiots did.

GO VOLS!
 
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#41
#41
Orange_Vol1321 said:
I think we improve. The biggest thing helping us is Pruitt's system and it starting to click in year 2.
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I’m gonna go out on a limb and say our d-line will be better next year. With gooden and Taylor coming back, Emerson coming off of a redshirt year getting stronger, and savion Williams coming from juco I think we will see improvements
 
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#42
#42
marcusluvsvols said:
IMO defensive line will be our achilles heel next season like Oline was this year. Pruitt put together a nearly amazing class coming off of a 5 and 7 season...but despite being in the running for several good "big eaters" on the Dline, we signed very little, and are losing a bunch. Shy tuttle, despite not showing up much on the stat sheets, will be sorely, sorely missed. Watch game tape, him and our walkon hero turned scholly man, The Paul Bain, were about all we had that could get any push at tackle this season. They are both gone now...we are gonna really struggle at tackle unless we get a Juco or some more committments from very highly rated, 300 plus pounders that can play well from day 1.

I am a sunshine pumper by trade, but to anyone who focuses on line play, as I do, this looks very, very shaky for next year. Our LB amd safeties will get beat to death if every tackle is made 5 to 7 yards downfield BC our Dline is getting beaten badly at the point of attack. We will be unable to stop the run...just like many times last season, and every single snap of Botchs last season.
Click to expand...

Agreed here. DL is a huge concern for 2019 and beyond. Where does the help come from? Teams will be able to run all over us.
 
#44
#44
KeyVol14 said:
I was never sold on the fact that Kirkland regained his old form. Dude doesn’t have the extra step anymore. We NEED crouch more than any other recruit besides Wright.
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I'm not gonna count out Kirkland just yet. Injuries have definitely slowed him down and I thought he played tentative at times. If he's completely healthy I think he can be really good just not sure there is anything left in those legs. He's a good team leader and he chose to work and stick it out so I'm pulling for him!!
 
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#46
#46
Jack Burton said:
Agreed here. DL is a huge concern for 2019 and beyond. Where does the help come from? Teams will be able to run all over us.
Click to expand...
That's why we have Fitz, right? I felt the same about the D line. But then I looked at the roster and the bodies are there--it's year two and we need to just improve on the scheme and the players. I think we'll land some good DLinemen in the 20' class too.
 
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