Bipolar Defense

#1
T

tabrams

Supportin' the Cause
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#1
I have read a bunch of happy threads about how our defense is #1 in the nation in tackles for loss, which is truly incredible no doubt. But also amazing is that our third down defense is one of the worst in the nation too. Also I noticed our red zone defense and defense inside the 10 yard line is nearly invisible as well.

I’m wondering what we are doing to get so many great stops, then totally fall apart on 3rd downs and in the red zone?

Obviously we aren’t consistently getting pressure on the Quarterbacks, and when we do get pressure, we cannot get a hold of them.

I think we might be running the Tampa 2 (2 safeties back) to prevent long passes, but we just seem not to hv any LBs in the middle of the field, or DBs there either….

Does anyone know why we appear to be so great for 2-3 plays, and then so awful the next?
 
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#2
#2
On 3rd downs we have often forced them to pass. QB sends everyone into their patterns. We rush 3 or 4 and get no pressure. Meanwhile the DBs cover pretty good. After a few seconds the field is spread out. Quarterback scrambles and has room to run and by the time anybody leaves their coverage to stop him, he has passed the LTG.
 
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#3
#3
So, who is still banged-up on this team, and are they in play for Kentucky?
 
#5
#5
tabrams said:
I have read a bunch of happy threads about how our defense is #1 in the nation in tackles for loss, which is truly incredible no doubt. But also amazing is that our third down defense is one of the worst in the nation too. Also I noticed our red zone defense and defense inside the 10 yard line is nearly invisible as well.

I’m wondering what we are doing to get so many great stops, then totally fall apart on 3rd downs and in the red zone?

Obviously we aren’t consistently getting pressure on the Quarterbacks, and when we do get pressure, we cannot get a hold of them.

I think we might be running the Tampa 2 (2 safeties back) to prevent long passes, but we just seem not to hv any LBs in the middle of the field, or DBs there either….

Does anyone know why we appear to be so great for 2-3 plays, and then so awful the next?
Click to expand...
We don't hold rush lanes on the DL and coaches are afraid to play man coverage and blitz (cover 0 or 1)
 
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#6
#6
Vol865 said:
We don't hold rush lanes on the DL and coaches are afraid to play man coverage and blitz (cover 0 or 1)
Click to expand...

I've noticed that! Why? Under the old regime we actually used to blitz quite a lot. It often seemed to work. Are our cover guys not as good this year?
 
#7
#7
tabrams said:
I have read a bunch of happy threads about how our defense is #1 in the nation in tackles for loss, which is truly incredible no doubt. But also amazing is that our third down defense is one of the worst in the nation too. Also I noticed our red zone defense and defense inside the 10 yard line is nearly invisible as well.

I’m wondering what we are doing to get so many great stops, then totally fall apart on 3rd downs and in the red zone?

Obviously we aren’t consistently getting pressure on the Quarterbacks, and when we do get pressure, we cannot get a hold of them.

I think we might be running the Tampa 2 (2 safeties back) to prevent long passes, but we just seem not to hv any LBs in the middle of the field, or DBs there either….

Does anyone know why we appear to be so great for 2-3 plays, and then so awful the next?
Click to expand...
Case in point: Matt Corral converting most of the 3rd downs on his own! We need 5 yards for a first down? I'll just run it for 8 yards. That was so maddening, yet it illustrated what a Heisman contender looks like! And we should know, having played against the 3 frontrunners in Corral, Kenny Pickett AND Bryce Young! How did we get so lucky?
 
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#8
#8
There were several 3rd down plays where UT's LBs just seemed to stand there, as if waiting for the play to come their way. And Bama simply dropped a receiver in between the LBs and the safeties. Whatever their assignments are supposed to be, they're not getting it.
 
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#9
#9
Objectively, our defense as a whole is not real good, 75th in scoring defense, 80th in total defense. Considering how hard that side of the ball was hit by Beldar defections though, it could reasonably be worse. That's what folks are kinda stoked about, and not without merit. One reason we lead in tackles for loss though is that our defense is on the field alot. To lead in that statistic they have to have alot of opportunities to make tackles for a loss. Really good defenses aren't on the field enough to have the opportunity.
 
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#11
#11
You also need to factor in the reality of officiating bias.

In boxing, it was a known phenomenon that the champion got favorable scoring. SEC officials tend to favor ranked teams. They get away with more and more is called against their opponents unless they're also ranked.

If you think I'm wrong then re-watch and specifically look for holding... look for the officials looking the other way on a clear targeting foul... watch a fumble occur and then the next guy in clear possession of the ball to be a Vol only to have it called a TD. Watch for touch fouls going one way and pretty flagrant stuff being allowed the other. You might even claim that it isn't intentional but rather the expectations of the officials that one team will be better than the other.
 
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#12
#12
Talent and depth certainly has a lot to do with it. However Tennessee has played teams with some really good offenses……..a few with some really good QB’s………that has a lot to do with it as well.

Tennessee does pretty good with pressure……37th in sacks (just a bit behind Bama) and 3rd in tackles for loss.

Just my opinion but I think they get really out of sorts when they get all spread out and have to make “individual” plays at times………like when QB’s take off on them………again just my opinion but that goes back to talent again (individual talent).
 
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#14
#14
Our LB’s were beat at birth against most of the teams we play. They play hard but can’t play in space against SEC talent. If Henry T had been in the middle against Ole Miss then corrals production would have been a lot less. Until we talent up it will continue.
 
#15
#15
volinthenorth said:
On 3rd downs we have often forced them to pass. QB sends everyone into their patterns. We rush 3 or 4 and get no pressure. Meanwhile the DBs cover pretty good. After a few seconds the field is spread out. Quarterback scrambles and has room to run and by the time anybody leaves their coverage to stop him, he has passed the LTG.
Click to expand...

I think this is pretty accurate
 
#16
#16
I’d rather give up the yards after sending pressure than to lay back and give up the yards.

Our guys usually are coming up to make the play, I’ve seen them miss the tackle because of that either due to a cut by the QB or by a juke step. Either way I like seeing them step up to make a play rather than to lay back and reaching and grabbing.
 
#17
#17
I hope we get it figured out during this bye week. KY has a QB that can take off running too, and you know he's giggling at what he's seen from us so far.
 
#18
#18
tabrams said:
I have read a bunch of happy threads about how our defense is #1 in the nation in tackles for loss, which is truly incredible no doubt. But also amazing is that our third down defense is one of the worst in the nation too. Also I noticed our red zone defense and defense inside the 10 yard line is nearly invisible as well.

I’m wondering what we are doing to get so many great stops, then totally fall apart on 3rd downs and in the red zone?

Obviously we aren’t consistently getting pressure on the Quarterbacks, and when we do get pressure, we cannot get a hold of them.

I think we might be running the Tampa 2 (2 safeties back) to prevent long passes, but we just seem not to hv any LBs in the middle of the field, or DBs there either….

Does anyone know why we appear to be so great for 2-3 plays, and then so awful the next?
Click to expand...

food for thought
Tennessee defense is listed at 80th in the nation for out of 128 teams BUT... Tennessee has played against number 3 offense in the nation ... ol miss - 5th in the nation pitt - 9th in the nation florida - 10 th in the nation alabama pretty good with 71 players

also of note is Tennessee is currently 23rd in the nation on total offense compared to what - about 100th last year?? does anyone question Tennessee is much better?
 
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#19
#19
Has a lot to do with the skill of the QB combined with the refs blind eye to holding,I remember one such run by Jones and Butler was spun completely around in front of the ref and no flag.
 
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#22
#22
docterjaws said:
food for thought
Tennessee defense is listed at 80th in the nation for out of 128 teams BUT... Tennessee has played against number 3 offense in the nation ... ol miss - 5th in the nation pitt - 9th in the nation florida - 10 th in the nation alabama pretty good with 71 players

also of note is Tennessee is currently 23rd in the nation on total offense compared to what - about 100th last year?? does anyone question Tennessee is much better?
Click to expand...
No one I know questions that we are a better team than last year. The eyeball test tells you that.
 
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#23
#23
bamawriter said:
There were several 3rd down plays where UT's LBs just seemed to stand there,m as if waiting for the play to come their way. And Bama simply dropped a receiver in between the LBs and the safeties. Whatever their assignments are supposed to be, they're not getting it.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what Bammer was doing. We made it much easier by faking about 50 blitzes making it harder for the LB's to get depth when they inevitably backed out of the blitz. That, combined with the Tampa 2 left a big area for Bammer to operate.
 
#24
#24
chad4930 said:
Our LB’s were beat at birth against most of the teams we play. They play hard but can’t play in space against SEC talent. If Henry T had been in the middle against Ole Miss then corrals production would have been a lot less. Until we talent up it will continue.
Click to expand...
Wrong
 
#25
#25
I felt like I read somewhere the the defense philosophy was that we were going to play aggressive. The thought is that we're either going to give up big yards to pursue turnovers. The goal being to get the offense back on the field as much as possible whether it be from a turnover or them scoring on us.
 
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