Blame coaching all you want but...

[GVF]

I thought the game turned in FLA favor when the ref had his hand on his flag on the delay of game go ahead field goal. We were up at that point, and neither team scored afterwards. All other performance arguments duly noted, acknowledged and agreed, we still did enough to win barring the ref giving Fla that field goal.

 

[Hank Bukowski]

I generally don't watch line play all that much but when I did against Florida, I saw #77 not even get a hand on his man. One play in particular he lunged at the defensive player and planted his own face mask into the turf without touching the defensive guy. Hard to win with that kind of play and hard to call plays with that type of production from your line. The coaches failed to adjust the play calling to help the abysmal performance by the line so I say the fault goes to both the players and the coaches. Worley didn't have a good game but if you were back there getting the snot smacked out of you several times a game, you would probably make mistakes also. There's enough blame to go around for everybody from that game. Better times are coming, it just takes time.

I am with these boys and their coaches all the way. "Better times are coming, it just takes time." Amen to that.

however

 

[Hank Bukowski]

I generally don't watch line play all that much but when I did against Florida, I saw #77 not even get a hand on his man. One play in particular he lunged at the defensive player and planted his own face mask into the turf without touching the defensive guy. Hard to win with that kind of play and hard to call plays with that type of production from your line. The coaches failed to adjust the play calling to help the abysmal performance by the line so I say the fault goes to both the players and the coaches. Worley didn't have a good game but if you were back there getting the snot smacked out of you several times a game, you would probably make mistakes also. There's enough blame to go around for everybody from that game. Better times are coming, it just takes time.

I am with these boys and their coaches all the way. "Better times are coming, it just takes time." Amen to that.

However...

As much as I love and respect Worley, something needs fixin' in his head in the red zone. He has three end-zone interceptions this season. Not sure why but, like many others on here, I am sorely wanting him to tuck it and run for his life at times. I actually predicted that to a friend before the game, that Worley would come out ready to run and pick us up some first downs. Not sure why that didn't happen. But the coaches don't have to explain a darn thing to me about their game strategy or play-calling, no matter how curious I am. Just win, baby.

Coach Jake: ignore the bozos...the vast majority of us out here have max faith in you and what you're doing.

Just win, baby.

 

[90 Vol]

This loss is partially on the coaches. There is nothing wrong with our offensive scheme. IMO, the coaching issue is with situational play calling from the OC. Our oline does not appear to be getting whipped physically, they are just blowing assignments. Opposing DC's are taking full advantage of our lack of experience up front. I think the frustration is that we showed signs of our rebuild being ahead of schedule with the exception of the oline. The oline is the weak link as we knew it would be. Continued patience is required. This offensive staff is not going anywhere.

 

[HardKnoxVol]

So now we're mad that our calls are too aggressive?

You sure as hell can't please everyone.

There's a difference in being aggressive and being smart. You don't throw on 2nd and 3 at midfield after Hurd just ran for 18 yds on the previous 2 plays. When we got to the red zone, we never threw any jump passes to our huge receivers or even down the middle. They played cover 2 the entire game. That's why our biggest pass plays were to Pig in the middle. It was open all day, yet we decide to throw bubble screens behind the LOS on 2 and 3 downs.

 

[Jdh13579]

The most important positions on the football field are the off/def lines... especially in the sec. For all of yall wanting to fire coaches remember thats why were in the situation. Stability builds programs, firing coaches year in and year out are just what moron fans say. UT has the best recruiter in the sec right now, butch brings in top 5 talent year in and year out. WE have good skill players and a sound defence, but until we recruit offensive lineman and give them a few years to develope were going to struggle. When our offensive line is this terrible we cant run the ball and worley cant have time to deleiver the ball. Its going to be a long season.. sorry to say that, but firing coaches ismt the answer. In defense of our oc, what play can he realistically call? we cant run the ball cause of our line, we cant throw the ball because our line, we run so many screens and sideways passes because we dont have time to run pass routes and patterns because of our line. I promise that coaching staff knows more in their pinky then the idiots i see calling for people fired on here and theyre def smarter than me too. Until we get top notch lineman in here and deveelope them we are going to be mediocre at best. It doesnt matter how many 5 star athletes we get until our line is fixed. thats the sad truth. but all of it takes time. Im just as tired of waiting as the next fan but butch is bringing us back and ill ride with him any day of the week. Losing hurts vol fans but dont be ignorant and start calling for coaches heads.. Havent yall learned that lesson by now? smh

 

[photovol]

This is the 1st time in years that UT matched up talent wise against Florida in almost every area except one.....Gators dline a was more athletic than the Vol's oline.....story line

 

[FlyFishnVol]

There were mistakes made in coaching and players executing for UT, I don't particularily like it when CBJ does not take his share of the blame, in my opinion...that is a character flaw and a sign of someone who won't try to change when the time calls for it. UT was out coached by a very desperate FLA team in the 4th Qtr.........period.

 

[Vol_is_Lyfe18]

There's a difference in being aggressive and being smart. You don't throw on 2nd and 3 at midfield after Hurd just ran for 18 yds on the previous 2 plays. When we got to the red zone, we never threw any jump passes to our huge receivers or even down the middle. They played cover 2 the entire game. That's why our biggest pass plays were to Pig in the middle. It was open all day, yet we decide to throw bubble screens behind the LOS on 2 and 3 downs.

Thank you

 

[VFLinbama]

If you look at there players and recruit ranking, Florida has the talent and there D-line was just plain better. Yes we should have won! but again 1 or 2 plays broke us

 

[Volballfan]

I knew they were going to lose in the first half when at FL's 35 TN had it 4th and 2 and punted giving them the ball at the twenty. You are at home with a fired up crowd against a team they never beat and punt in that situation?..... loser.

All of you who say coaching isn't an issue...(need to reread / or have read to you), the above post over and over until you grasp the part in bold.

 

[dbowen]

Phil was fired without a succession plan leading to the Kiffin fiasco. We thereafter were left hiring the least qualified coach based on name recognition. He left us without recruiting an OL. Butch and the staff he is comfortable with were hired to do a five year turnaround job with fans expecting it be done in two years (or based on recent posts less than that). Now posters are second guessing Butch's recruiting ability and wanting him to fire his OC. Come on people. It will be long process. We are much improved with a second consecutive top 5 recruiting class on deck. Give it time.

 

[imbubbaspitcup]

This game didn't fall to bad coaching decisions. I do agree we could have used better play calling but that's not why we lost. They were more athletic in the trenches. Veteran guys against our young rookies. You can't coach experience. That's what hurt us this game on offense. Athleticism and youth; not play calling. Execution isn't on the coach, that's on the players. Penalities, dropped passes, turnovers are execution defaults. Not coaching. Youthism will wade out over time. But executuon will fall on the players every time. The guys had a bad game, and Unfortunately it always comes against the Gators, I'm just as upset as you guys are but I'm still supporting this team and this coaching staff. There won't be any midseason changes made, so I hope you do as well. Bowl game is the goal, even if the path there did get tougher with Saturday's loss.

Go Vols.

We have had three games in a row in which we could not get it done in the RED ZONE! That's Oklahoma,Georgia (we fumbled in the end our zone), & Florida. Our young rookies drove the length of the field to put us in these RED ZONES. Our players have made mistakes but the coaches also have to put these players in better situations. Against the Sooner's we had the ball on the 3 yard line about to score, they had 8 defenders in that end zone guarding ANY pass attempt & we throw a pass it gets intercepted & returned 100 yds for a Td. Imagine Hurd running that wildcat in that situation. Maybe we score maybe we don't, but it probably would not have gotten returned 100 yds for a touchdown. Our Oline is young & haven't got their rhythm together yet, so maybe we could do some rollouts to get Worley(he getting killed) out of the pocket so he could even throw it away if he had to or run. We are VERY PREDICTABLE on offense right now. Lets mix it up a little bit. These SLOW DEVELOPING REVERSES & screens seems to only loose 5 to 10 yds. I love this team, the attitude,talent, & the coaches,but we might need to change our strategy a little bit. Look at Kentucky,Ole Miss, & Miss st those boys turned it around quickly & are getting it done. GO VOLs!!!!