Any updates on Tillman?

[Backwards K]

Tillman is the guy Hooker goes to on 3rd down, when a play is needed, when he is pressured, etc. It's a big loss. The young guys have not seen press coverage like they will see in this game and they will have to be physical enough to beat it. Another concern is why is McCoy not getting more targets? Also, while Hyatt is getting catches, he hasn't been as physical after the catch as Velus Jones was.

The Vols have to produce more in the running game than they did against Pitt in order to win this game. Wright has shown a lot more ability than Smalls but he also has shown a propensity to fumble. Sampson has not played in a game like this. It would be difficult to depend on him to carry the bulk of the load on Saturday. The RB will need to be able to break a tackle or make someone miss and they haven't shown a great ability to do this so far.

Gators' offense has sputtered some but also made plays when needed. With the schedule the Vols have played, it's hard to know what this defense is really capable of. However, it appears as if the Gators' strengths kinda play into the Vols weaknesses. Banks normally has a good scheme to disguise some things, so this should be a wash.

Special teams may make the difference and that's not a comfort. Ekkler better have his chili hot this weekend and avoid turnovers, blocked kicks and other mental breakdowns.

Vols should win because it's at Neyland but it will be a fight to the finish.

 

[BigOrangePaddy]

The topic was Florida’s front seven against the run.

What evidence have you seen to make you 100 percent confident that we will dominate their front seven enough to open up consistently good holes our backs? We looked very weak in that department against Pitt.

 

[Volador]

I have 100% confidence in our passing game. Hooker/Milton will find our receivers, and they will excel. Guessing that we as a team pass for 350 yards

 

[TNbuc2]

My fear is this : they have a better OL than we do, this may allow them to run the ball effectively and slow the game down.
If their rushing attack is effective, we have to convert a higher % of our drives to maintain a lead. Every series is important.

We will miss Tillman more than people expect, but I think he should sit this out.

I think Hooker will find whatever he needs to keep it rolling. His back up seems to make any receiver look good, I bet Hendon can too.

 

[BigOrangePaddy]

All Gators have to do on offense now to score with us is rely on their running game and dink and dunk with AR and run tonnes of bubble screens which we have shown to be very weak against. Just don't throw the ball down the field with AR...
they don't even have to now that our go to guy is out. Huge loss.

 

[BigOrangePaddy]

I think Hooker will find whatever he needs to keep it rolling. His back up seems to make any receiver look good, I bet Hendon can too.

All i know is that without Tilman, Pitt would have effectively shut Hooker down completely pretty much. You can bet Florida's coaches are seeing the same thing and celebrating right now.

 

[Jaws]

Why do Tennessee fans continue to underestimate Florida every year? You think they don't have enough talent to beat us??? Gtfo lol. They aren't and never will be Vanderbilt.

I won't believe we can dominate their dline until i see it with my own eyes.

It's only week 4 and they have a first year head coach who we have no idea yet if is a decent football coach or not.

Anything can happen with a team in Florida's current situation. I would not judge them based on what we have seen so far. And remember, they still beat Utah.

Agree with this for the most part. The problem with Florida this year is they’ve been so inconsistent. Great overall game vs Utah, great defensive game vs KY but bad offense. Overall horrific game vs USF. Great AR vs Utah, all-world, NFL scouts drooling, media drooling, then absolutely the worst QB in the country vs KY and second half vs USF.

If the Florida that played against Utah and in big stretches vs KY show up, this will be a very close game. If the Florida team that escaped a bad USF team shows up, it’ll be over by halftime.

I have no idea which we’ll see, I just know I do not have faith in what I’ve seen from Florida so far. The terrible stretches carry more weight than the good stretches. I do think Florida will be the best team TN has played, yes, better than Pitt.

 

[GregAmsler]

Tillman is the guy Hooker goes to on 3rd down, when a play is needed, when he is pressured, etc. It's a big loss. The young guys have not seen press coverage like they will see in this game and they will have to be physical enough to beat it. Another concern is why is McCoy not getting more targets? Also, while Hyatt is getting catches, he hasn't been as physical after the catch as Velus Jones was.

The Vols have to produce more in the running game than they did against Pitt in order to win this game. Wright has shown a lot more ability than Smalls but he also has shown a propensity to fumble. Sampson has not played in a game like this. It would be difficult to depend on him to carry the bulk of the load on Saturday. The RB will need to be able to break a tackle or make someone miss and they haven't shown a great ability to do this so far.

Gators' offense has sputtered some but also made plays when needed. With the schedule the Vols have played, it's hard to know what this defense is really capable of. However, it appears as if the Gators' strengths kinda play into the Vols weaknesses. Banks normally has a good scheme to disguise some things, so this should be a wash.

Special teams may make the difference and that's not a comfort. Ekkler better have his chili hot this weekend and avoid turnovers, blocked kicks and other mental breakdowns.

Vols should win because it's at Neyland but it will be a fight to the finish.

I wonder if we’ll utilize Joshua Josephs more on defense. That kid is oozing with potential. He needs to put on weight to be an every down Edge, but in a game like this with a mobile QB, I wonder if you might put him in there more often to track down AR.

 

[FBtime]

All Gators have to do on offense now to score with us is rely on their running game and dink and dunk with AR and run tonnes of bubble screens which we have shown to be very weak against. Just don't throw the ball down the field with AR...
they don't even have to now that our go to guy is out. Huge loss.

Good grief dude stop being so dramatic. We will stack the box against the run and force AR to have to pass which as proven he sucks at. As for Tillman it is a loss but in no way changes our approach. He is not even our leading WR in catches, yards or TDs so stop acting like we can't win without him. Florida is missing their best best defensive player and struggles to stop the run so we will have our chances.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

What evidence have you seen to make you 100 percent confident that we will dominate their front seven enough to open up consistently good holes our backs? We looked very weak in that department against Pitt.

You keep gaming the point. The guy made a factually based observation about Florida’s run defense and you had an emotional seizure, and started ranting about overconfidence and Vanderbilt. He just stated a fact. Either lower your caffeine dosage, or turn off the computer until you’re calm again.

 

[A.J.]

If he’s out, I hope he heals up soon, and can return for LSU. It always hurts to lose a stud receiver like Tillman, but until he was given a real opportunity in his breakout season last year, he was an unknown. I feel like we have multiple guys behind him that have been waiting for their chance, and could step up and seize the opportunity and have some big moments Saturday.

 

[franklinboy]

Tillman is a great player but just because if he can't go that doesn't mean that the "next man up" rotation won't work. Which ever team runs the ball with better than the other will win the game anyways.Tennessee better come prepared to run the ball with some true toughness behind those lineman. backs, and receivers

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

One potential positive if Tillman is out. Hooker has relied/focused on Tillman as his primary on every play. If he's out, it kind of forces Hooker to find the open receiver and spread the ball around to multiple guys. Maybe a reach, but sometimes a key player being out forces everyone else to step up their play.

 

[BigOrangePaddy]

You keep gaming the point. The guy made a factually based observation about Florida’s run defense and you had an emotional seizure, and started ranting about overconfidence and Vanderbilt. He just stated a fact. Either lower your caffeine dosage, or turn off the computer until you’re calm again.

Florida's run defense isn't a product of lack of talent. It's missing gap assignments and taking bad / incorrect angles on the edge. It's bad fundamentals in three games under a new head coach. I'm simply saying we can not judge them thus far. They do in fact have the talent required to get it together and play the game of their lives like they have tended to do for 16 of the last17 years against us.

I'm not being emotional at all. I'm speaking completely objectively. We have no idea who Florida is yet and are now missing our most clutch player on offense.

 

[BigOrangePaddy]

One potential positive if Tillman is out. Hooker has relied/focused on Tillman as his primary on every play. If he's out, it kind of forces Hooker to find the open receiver and spread the ball around to multiple guys. Maybe a reach, but sometimes a key player being out forces everyone else to step up their play.

I agree as long as we get past this game with a W, it will benefit us moving on. We definitely need him back for LSU though.

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

Okay. I have probably watched more Tennessee football than you ever have.

I was also flamed on this board for telling everyone early on how terrible of a P5 QB JG was and i was literally banned over that **** lol. We Vol fans don't like to hear the truth it seems.

We can not lose this game period and I'm not convinced Florida's dline is as bad as they have looked so far.

Considering how one dimensionsal we looked against Pitt, there is PLENTY reason to be concerned when our best wideout is injured/not playing.

So if reports are correct and he doesnt play, youre guaranteeing a loss to Florida?

PS
Why would you make the claim about watching more football than some anonymous poster? Because you could easily be wrong and by reading this board we all know that expertise is not gained by watching UT football, regardless of how much youve consumed.

 

[37620VOL]

Maybe Bru can have a Kelly Washington coming-out party kind of game.

 

[BigOrangePaddy]

So if reports are correct and he doesnt play, youre guaranteeing a loss to Florida?

PS
Why would you make the claim about watching more football than some anonymous poster? Because you could easily be wrong and by reading this board we all know that expertise is not gained by watching UT football, regardless of how much youve consumed.

Because you are acting like there is no reason to be concerned which indicates you must not have watched the dynamics of this rivraly play out since Spurrier first got there.

And no, i think we win by two plus scores still, but this is Florida week and anything can happen.

In fact it kind of already has if you think about it....Tilman getting injured against freakin Akron with our best looking team arguably in the last two decades or so right before the UF game, is the most Florida week thing i can think of to already happen to us in this newest edition of the matchup. **** Florida.

Am starting to think they got some real swamp witch voodoo spell on us or something..This **** is almost supernatural/paranormal feeling at times every freakin year against them.

 

[Manchester Vol]

What evidence have you seen to make you 100 percent confident that we will dominate their front seven enough to open up consistently good holes our backs? We looked very weak in that department against Pitt.

Cause. We. Bad. Jo.

 

[volfan_28]

What evidence have you seen to make you 100 percent confident that we will dominate their front seven enough to open up consistently good holes our backs? We looked very weak in that department against Pitt.

I don’t think we’ll run well at all but that’s just me. Think USF has a better OL. Still think we can win but our defense better come ready. Expecting a low scoring game compared to what we typically witness. 34-31, 33-28 something like that

 

[Berry4Heisman14]

Really don’t think we win this one without Tillman. Tennessee is cursed, always losing our best players

 

[troopervol]

If you look it up UF has something like 10 four/five star DB's on their roster!

 

[BigOrangePaddy]

Good grief dude stop being so dramatic. We will stack the box against the run and force AR to have to pass which as proven he sucks at. As for Tillman it is a loss but in no way changes our approach. He is not even our leading WR in catches, yards or TDs so stop acting like we can't win without him. Florida is missing their best best defensive player and struggles to stop the run so we will have our chances.

Tilman is literally Hooker's go to guy in EVERY clutch moment or third and long or 4th down attempt. How am i being dramatic. You are bringing up useless total stats when two of our three opponents were total cupcakes.

If you want to see how important Tilman really is, go back and rewatch the Pitt game. The other two games were freakin scrimmages ffs.

 

[OLEVOLFAN]

I don't care what anyone says, we NEED him for this game.

Watch UF 's dline magically get their **** together this game and force us beat them throwing the ball.

The only game changing RB we have is Sampson who hasn't gotten near enough touches this year yet. Wright is a good dependable workhorse type back but nothing the game breaker that Sampson is.

If Tilman is out, why don't we make this Sampson's coming out party and design special sweep plays, screens and QB option pitches to him. You can bet Hyatt and Bru at wideout would both be double covered the entire game with no Tilman forcing another WR to step up.

Sampson is a TD waiting to happen everytime he touches it.

I don't care what you say NO WE DON'T NEED HIM! We have several WRs that are More than Capable!

 

[BigOrangePaddy]

If you look it up UF has something like 10 four/five star DB's on their roster!

UF's secondary is loaded with talent. Tennessee going to need to run a lot better than we did against Pitt if we want an easy victory.