Becoming Physical & Tough

[Remy]

I think we have experience and I think we have toughness. Why have we yet to see it? I am not close enough to the team to know for certain. I do KNOW however the kids that were tough enough to take Bama, OU, UF to the edge last year has largely returned intact and with improvements. To my head it's not a talent or toughness issue, it's more of a head and team leadership issue. These kids play like they are cruise control until they need to turn it on, we'll see on 9/24 if they turn it on and I'm laying money here in Vegas they will.

 

[newyorkvol]

Here's my hope...

I hope that they are still not fully rested. I hope they are still training hard in weight room and practice. I hope that now as we approach the big four game gauntlet (and essentially a four game SEC season) conditioning will be more focused on "in season" training and the result will be more rested, lively players.

I would suspect that in the grand scheme of this, all of the conditioning and practice programming was focused more on a season that starts on 9/24 than on 9/1.

 

[VolinMC]

Like some have said,I also think it's more mental than physical. Oline is the only unit that definitely have to work as one. Knowing and trusting the guy next to you is huge. A different mindset is needed in zone blocking than man blocking. Zone seems to be more passive than man. Right or wrong,that's my 2 cents worth anyway.

 

[Nashvol2]

Inexperience??? Thomas, junior and 3 year starter. Wiesman, senior and 2 year starter. Robertson, junior and 3 year starter. Kendrick, RSJr with a lot of starts/experience. Jack Jones, sophomore who played a lot of football last year as a freshman and is, quite honestly, one of our 1-2 best OLs IMO despite being the least experienced. Only Richmond comes into this year as truly inexperienced and we saw what happened last Saturday when he wasn't playing well, he had a seat.

I've heard Doug Mathews say a million times in his shows, that some of Phil Fulmer's best offensive lines when he was at Tennessee were comprised of 5 guys, and only 5 guys, playing every snap of every game. We don't need 8 or 9 guys, we need 5-6 very good ones, and we just don't have that right now. Playing 8 or 9 guys is a luxury we don't have since our first 5 have been putrid the first 2 games. And for reason, perhaps our best one, Jack Jones, is struggling to see the field despite clearly outplaying others who are playing ahead of him.

We had five guys because we had 15-18 that were competing for those 5 spots. I think it has more to do with the number of quality lineman that your bringing in. Bring the right amount in, let them redshirt, then let them compete, and play the best five.

 

[ptclaus98]

Can the Vols become physical and tough enough for Florida, Georgia, Alabama & Texas A&M?

I have my opinion, but want to hear from others

If we're four years in and we aren't physical and tough, then that stems from the how the program is run. We haven't been much of either since 2009.

 

[ptclaus98]

Like some have said,I also think it's more mental than physical. Oline is the only unit that definitely have to work as one. Knowing and trusting the guy next to you is huge. A different mindset is needed in zone blocking than man blocking. Zone seems to be more passive than man. Right or wrong,that's my 2 cents worth anyway.

Zone blocking is only passive if it's taught to be that way. App St ran some zone blocking and they were sure as hell physical and nasty about it.

 

[ptclaus98]

Jalen Hurd is almost physical and tough enough for the whole offense. Oline needs to follow his lead. Defenders know they played against Hurd the next day. Now it's time for the linemen to put that same kind of hurt onto others.

Hurd is a better blocker than a few of our lineman.

 

[IluvdoubleD's]

why you ask a question if you were gonna answer it?:crazy:

Because if your answer is yes it means we have kids that can do the job but they are not there yet. Follow it through to its conclusion and it becomes obvious. Yes I get lazy typing on a phone.

 

[TN Outlaw]

If we're four years in and we aren't physical and tough, then that stems from the how the program is run. We haven't been much of either since 2009.

I agree with you up until last season. This team was very physical last season. THE MOST PHYSICAL TEAM that Bama played ALL SEASON according to a few of their players and as bad as I hate to admit it, they are the team to gauge physical play by. The team known for beating you 2 weeks in a row from being so physical.

The Florida game was a tough physical game by both teams too last season. Reminded me of the UT/UF games of the 90's and more recent Bama/LSU games.

Playing it safe in camp has softened this team up a bit but they have 3 games to get it back and I for one am hoping they do.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

I got two questions for you guys.

1: do you thing this team will get better as the season goes on?

2: we should get most or all our preseason starters back by Alabama. Do you think will look better then?

My answer to both questions is yes.

Yes but so will our competition. It's all relative.

 

[VolinMC]

Zone blocking is only passive if it's taught to be that way. App St ran some zone blocking and they were sure as hell physical and nasty about it.

I agree with the coaching part. What I mean is compared to man blocking its passive. In man blocking,you fire off the ball and go get your man you are blocking. In zone blocking,you don't fire off as aggresively.

 

[ptclaus98]

I agree with the coaching part. What I mean is compared to man blocking its passive. In man blocking,you fire off the ball and go get your man you are blocking. In zone blocking,you don't fire off as aggresively.

Yes you do. In zone blocking the first step is the difference between getting beat and making the block. Have you ever played in an offense that used zone blocking?

 

[VolinMC]

Yes you do. In zone blocking the first step is the difference between getting beat and making the block. Have you ever played in an offense that used zone blocking?

No I havent, I played in the 80's in wishbone,veer and wing-t offenses. I guess I am just partial to man blocking. All linemen take a first step to fire off in any scheme. I was just saying it's not as aggressive as man is. No biggie either way. We all have opinions and want the best for UT.