London Vol
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They say the night is darkest just before dawn.
Its time to re-assess how the Vols can return to significance after missing out on Ty Simpson and Sam Horn. It is clear that despite Josh Heupel`s offensive friendly scheme, the impending sanctions and the fact we no longer offer extra curricular goodies to attract elite players, the only way out of this mess is results results results.
So lets look in more detail what we DO have on the roster.
JOSH HEUPELS SCHEME
Watching a Heupel team on tape four things are clear:
1) Fast paced offense – Getting off the snap within 10 seconds. This means the quarterback not only needs to know the play but must be able to read the defense quickly (see no 2) How many times under Pruitt did I see our offense and defense look to the side-lines waiting for the “call” to come in.
2) Robotic Quarterback – in simple terms the quarterback reads the safeties. If there is one deep safety then the quarterback has a one on one on the other side of the field from the safety and the quarterback will take this match up and let it fly. If there are two deep safeties then the quarterback will look to throw underneath/a slant/a screen. It’s a matter of matchups. Its very simple but can be very successful.
3) Running Backs- Heupel uses running backs more than you would think but nearly always its a RPO, but with three or four receivers out wide suddenly the box is not stacked anymore and the running yards can be large.
4) Offensive Line -because of the RPOs the O Line must be mobile (280-300lbs rather than 310-340lbs) and also fit because they may have around 80 snaps.
QUARTERBACKS
Bailey – I know he looked so young last season (we all did a long time ago) but I thought he was very accurate (70% completions). He also “checked down” sometimes going to his third or fourth option, something we simply did not see for years. We never had a chance to see his deep ball threat due to the play calling. I think he ticks a lot of boxes but the big question is can he analyze the safeties quickly enough?
Hooker – Sorry I don’t know much more than he a dual threat quarterback but that’s what Spring and Fall training is for, to find out.
Salter – Another dual threat quarterback, however he seems to have some “moxy” about him and has already been likened to DeShaun Watson. I guess he will redshirt, but if he doesn’t then that’s maybe really good news. Anyway, that’s what Spring and Fall training is for, to find out.
Maurer – Another one with a bit of “moxy” but is also unreliable, hopefully he will mature and we will see more of the good side and less of the bad.
Heupel has inherited possibly our strongest quarterback room for a decade and by all accounts the starting quarterback against Bowling Green will be the one that earned it not who was anointed in March.
WIDE RECIEVERS.
Hyatt and Jones – will be the main guys on the outside to take advantage of the Safety situation (see above). The good news is both these guys have pace to burn and one (of many) odd decisions by Pruitt was, after Hyatt burnt the Alabama corners twice they never few deep to him against Bama or in fact all season.
Wideman and Calloway – Wideman showed he has leaping ability and Calloway can be used in “the slot”
Keyton and Tillman – both have underachieved but was it them or the system? we are about to find out.
Holiday, Beckwith and Merrill – are longshots but could easily breakout.
Fant and Warren – interestingly how the Tight Ends suddenly were getting 5-6 catches per match when Bailey had the ability to “check down”, expect more from this department.
The good news here is that I believe we have plenty of pieces that will suit the system.
RUNNING BACKS
Small and Wright – Small was a revelation last year with his elusiveness (a Gray and Chandler clone) and Wright has world class speed.
Beckwith and Whitehead – has pace and power.
Hodge and Evans – are wrecking balls
I know there is very little experience in the backfield (but everybody is in-experienced until they get experience). As you can see Heupel can choose which ever style running back he wishes.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Mays cade, Carvin, Mays cooper, Wright, Calbert – I hope that Cade rises to be a leader this year and cementing his rehabilitation with the Vols fans. Wright is more of a mauler than a mobile tackle (thank you for not deserting us young man) so bring him inside. Carvin and Calbert were quite unfairly side-lined last year, probably because they were not elite recruits. And Cooper will be just fine.
Yet again this area of the team has a lot of potential and that’s before I list the backups.
THE SCHEDULE
Bowling Green, Tennessee Tech, South Alabama are cupcake games
Pitt, Vanderbilt and South Carolina are weak
Kentucky, Ole Miss and Missouri are winnable
Florida is in rebuild without Trask, Pitts & Toney
Alabama and Georgia aim for respectability this year.
As you can see if Heupel can get the system running even quite well, in year one 6-6 is almost the lowest bar and after all that has happened recently it would be a platform to start to convince the likes of Simpson and Horn Tennessee REALLY CAN be the place to be.
Please feel free to discuss the above, or If you wish, you can contact me direct, I am on londonvol55@gmail.com
Go Vols
Its time to re-assess how the Vols can return to significance after missing out on Ty Simpson and Sam Horn. It is clear that despite Josh Heupel`s offensive friendly scheme, the impending sanctions and the fact we no longer offer extra curricular goodies to attract elite players, the only way out of this mess is results results results.
So lets look in more detail what we DO have on the roster.
JOSH HEUPELS SCHEME
Watching a Heupel team on tape four things are clear:
1) Fast paced offense – Getting off the snap within 10 seconds. This means the quarterback not only needs to know the play but must be able to read the defense quickly (see no 2) How many times under Pruitt did I see our offense and defense look to the side-lines waiting for the “call” to come in.
2) Robotic Quarterback – in simple terms the quarterback reads the safeties. If there is one deep safety then the quarterback has a one on one on the other side of the field from the safety and the quarterback will take this match up and let it fly. If there are two deep safeties then the quarterback will look to throw underneath/a slant/a screen. It’s a matter of matchups. Its very simple but can be very successful.
3) Running Backs- Heupel uses running backs more than you would think but nearly always its a RPO, but with three or four receivers out wide suddenly the box is not stacked anymore and the running yards can be large.
4) Offensive Line -because of the RPOs the O Line must be mobile (280-300lbs rather than 310-340lbs) and also fit because they may have around 80 snaps.
QUARTERBACKS
Bailey – I know he looked so young last season (we all did a long time ago) but I thought he was very accurate (70% completions). He also “checked down” sometimes going to his third or fourth option, something we simply did not see for years. We never had a chance to see his deep ball threat due to the play calling. I think he ticks a lot of boxes but the big question is can he analyze the safeties quickly enough?
Hooker – Sorry I don’t know much more than he a dual threat quarterback but that’s what Spring and Fall training is for, to find out.
Salter – Another dual threat quarterback, however he seems to have some “moxy” about him and has already been likened to DeShaun Watson. I guess he will redshirt, but if he doesn’t then that’s maybe really good news. Anyway, that’s what Spring and Fall training is for, to find out.
Maurer – Another one with a bit of “moxy” but is also unreliable, hopefully he will mature and we will see more of the good side and less of the bad.
Heupel has inherited possibly our strongest quarterback room for a decade and by all accounts the starting quarterback against Bowling Green will be the one that earned it not who was anointed in March.
WIDE RECIEVERS.
Hyatt and Jones – will be the main guys on the outside to take advantage of the Safety situation (see above). The good news is both these guys have pace to burn and one (of many) odd decisions by Pruitt was, after Hyatt burnt the Alabama corners twice they never few deep to him against Bama or in fact all season.
Wideman and Calloway – Wideman showed he has leaping ability and Calloway can be used in “the slot”
Keyton and Tillman – both have underachieved but was it them or the system? we are about to find out.
Holiday, Beckwith and Merrill – are longshots but could easily breakout.
Fant and Warren – interestingly how the Tight Ends suddenly were getting 5-6 catches per match when Bailey had the ability to “check down”, expect more from this department.
The good news here is that I believe we have plenty of pieces that will suit the system.
RUNNING BACKS
Small and Wright – Small was a revelation last year with his elusiveness (a Gray and Chandler clone) and Wright has world class speed.
Beckwith and Whitehead – has pace and power.
Hodge and Evans – are wrecking balls
I know there is very little experience in the backfield (but everybody is in-experienced until they get experience). As you can see Heupel can choose which ever style running back he wishes.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Mays cade, Carvin, Mays cooper, Wright, Calbert – I hope that Cade rises to be a leader this year and cementing his rehabilitation with the Vols fans. Wright is more of a mauler than a mobile tackle (thank you for not deserting us young man) so bring him inside. Carvin and Calbert were quite unfairly side-lined last year, probably because they were not elite recruits. And Cooper will be just fine.
Yet again this area of the team has a lot of potential and that’s before I list the backups.
THE SCHEDULE
Bowling Green, Tennessee Tech, South Alabama are cupcake games
Pitt, Vanderbilt and South Carolina are weak
Kentucky, Ole Miss and Missouri are winnable
Florida is in rebuild without Trask, Pitts & Toney
Alabama and Georgia aim for respectability this year.
As you can see if Heupel can get the system running even quite well, in year one 6-6 is almost the lowest bar and after all that has happened recently it would be a platform to start to convince the likes of Simpson and Horn Tennessee REALLY CAN be the place to be.
Please feel free to discuss the above, or If you wish, you can contact me direct, I am on londonvol55@gmail.com
Go Vols
