Can Someone Remind Me Why We Are So Worried About WVU Again?!?

[Pacer92]

If we can create a few turnovers and the kicking game is solid...I think we win this game...

 

[MyBloodRunnethOrange]

We were terrible last year. It was the culmination of bad decisions, coaching, and strength and conditioning.

Pruitt would have to be a miracle worker to overcome all of that in one offseason. ETSU, UTEP, Charlotte. Those are the only games where I don't think we should be too worried as of now.

That and the players flat out quit on the coaching staff. That's the part I think most people are overlooking. From the UMass game on those guys played like they didn't want to be there. We didn't go from a team that was one win away from winning the East to the worst team in the SEC because of a few players moving on, bad decisions, and injuries alone. Those players lost confidence in Butch Jones and it showed on Saturdays.

If these guys buy in to CJP I think we'll see marked improvement right away. How significant that improvement is remains to be seen. But I do think we'll see a completely different team than the one we saw last year.

 

[jakez4ut]

Tennessee has a virtually winless record against the Big 10/12 over the last twenty years. teams such as Kansas State, Oklahoma, and former members Missouri and Nebraska virtually swept TN when they were part of that conference and afterwards in the case of the Tigers. Grier is a pre-season Heisman frontrunner, and as usual the TN fanbase has been writing checks and expecting the players to cash them with their on-field results. If you think positive remarks reach players and recruits, you better believe all the low-brow ad hominem attacks against the state and its fanbase have reached the attention of the West Virginia contingent. But by all means keep that up.

if you skeered, say you skeered.

 

[SalVolinus]

I think we win, and I think WVU is very overrated and will end up being mediocre at best. I think Vegas has set their win total at 7, and that's pretty terrible when you factor in they play Kansas, Baylor, Iowa State, and an FCS team.

The problem is we were really bad last year, and public perception is that we haven't done anything to address that.

I think how a Vol fan feels about this game is a direct reflection of how dysfunctional they think our program was under Butch Jones last year. I personally think a new staff, combined with not being completely obliterated by injuries (yet) has put this game in the comfortable win column for me personally. Our players across the board are heads and shoulders above theirs, and I think any hype and accolades WVU receives is due to their schedule. If I had to pick a win of theirs last year that was most impressive, I guess I would go with Iowa State - and we likely have a more impressive win than that in Georgia Tech to open the season. They've been pretty terrible since joining the Power 5, despite what their fans may act like. As bad as we've been the last 5 years, we've still had the better teams and program in that span.

 

[jakez4ut]

there's a couple things in play here for me about this game.

1. no one really knows what we're bringing to the table. it's easy to see a 4-8 team coming back with a lot of the same players and a completely new staff and see that team struggle the next year. so i get that, and in some way agree with it. even if we're better than we think, it's still a lot to ask to have all the things that need to come together, to actually come together in year 1. but...who knows.
2. i don't trust WVU to live up to or surpass the hype. Heisman trophy QB. some peoples pre season pick to win the Big 12 and make the play off. how does that program handle being put on a pedestal? they're going to be expected to beat us, handily. wonder how the pucker factor affects them if things are close in that game....???
3. on paper, this is a bad match up for us, defensively. they should be good on offense. they have skill players, and experience.
4. WVU is going to have to, at some point, actually show they have a championship caliber defense. i think there's still some opportunities for us to match up against them on that side of the ball.
5. it's game 1. crazy ish happens. and where is it written that we can't win a game or two we're not supposed to?

 

[MadWorld]

Smart went 7-5.

Thanks to THIS....

 

[sjt18]

Like many others here, I'm more worried about UT than WVU. That said....

WVU and UT both ranked low against the run. One difference though is that the best rushing O WVU faced was OU who ranked 27th running the ball nationally. K-State was their next strongest rushing opponent at 32nd. Kansas who ranked 125th in rushing O at 102 ypg… lit WVU up for 367 yards. One of the reasons they're so bad is that they choose to play very, very small on D. Probably in response to their conference style. I watched parts of a couple of games and wanted to find a good comparison... but the closest thing to a power rushing formation they saw last year was OU. Everyone they played was spread.

If Pruitt is as committed to being big and playing a power run game as it seems... UT should have success running right at WVU. Just count hats and put a hat on hat.

WVU's O put up 459 ypg. That sounds impressive but was only good enough for 4th in the B12. OU and OkSt both produced more than 100 yds more per game than WVU. They play up tempo and throw a lot of simple hitches to WR's in space.



In my honest opinion, this game is ripe for the picking. UT has more talent at every position except possibly QB. If Pruitt is doing what we all hope he's doing.... then UT should beat this team.

 

[rockytopdevil]

I'm older and getting more cranky each day. I want them calling their parents at halftime asking if they can come back home. I want us to stomp their guts out and beat their eyeballs shut.

 

[jakez4ut]

stj, agree about the defensive line. i think that's a match up that might be a good one for us if our O line pans out like we think it could. and if we tackle in space and reduce the yac, who knows....either way, make them earn a score. can't give up a bunch of big plays. i'm interested to see how we rotate on defense in this game.

 

[bigorangecrush89]

I'm trying to be optimistic about this one, but I cant do it. Maybe last year scarred me, really the last ten. I think it gets ugly for UT.

 

[volroadwarrior]

We will be better than most think. All the negative hype should provide good bulletin board material. Stay healthy and we have a decent season.

 

[MWAVolfan]

1. Our defense was hellishly aweful last year
2. Many of the same defensive starters returning minus some really good ones who went to the draft
3. We have a new coach and defensive system to install
4. People were NOT impressed with UTs readiness in spring practice
5. WV can blow the barn doors off a bad defense in a real hurry
6. UT hasnt blown the barn doors off of anyone in a very long time

 

[sjt18]

there's a couple things in play here for me about this game.

1. no one really knows what we're bringing to the table. it's easy to see a 4-8 team coming back with a lot of the same players and a completely new staff and see that team struggle the next year. so i get that, and in some way agree with it. even if we're better than we think, it's still a lot to ask to have all the things that need to come together, to actually come together in year 1. but...who knows.
2. i don't trust WVU to live up to or surpass the hype. Heisman trophy QB. some peoples pre season pick to win the Big 12 and make the play off. how does that program handle being put on a pedestal? they're going to be expected to beat us, handily. wonder how the pucker factor affects them if things are close in that game....???
3. on paper, this is a bad match up for us, defensively. they should be good on offense. they have skill players, and experience.
4. WVU is going to have to, at some point, actually show they have a championship caliber defense. i think there's still some opportunities for us to match up against them on that side of the ball.
5. it's game 1. crazy ish happens. and where is it written that we can't win a game or two we're not supposed to?

Jake once again a voice of reason on VN... kudos.

Agree with all of this and believe this is a "game management" challenge for Pruitt. If UT can run the ball as effectively as they should be able to then they can play some "keep away" and frustrate WVU.

Two things I see UT needs to accomplish on D.

Dominate the middle. Grier and their passing game breaks down if you pressure up the middle. Grier is mobile and can still make plays but they seemed to be at their best with him in the pocket throwing crossing routes. They weren't very productive on the outside with mid or long passes. Their best plays came on short passes and runs to the outside. I don't think I saw a single productive run play for them in watching parts of a few games when there was pressure up the middle.

Muscle their WR's. This seems to be Pruitt's calling card. His CB's play physical press man. They seldom give free releases. That will be important in this game because WVU seems to rely so heavily on slants and timed hooks when they need a play. If UT can mess up their timing and deny them that part of their O then that will be a big step.

 

[PowerT83]

Will Grier and a explosive offense vs a team transitioning into a juggernaut hopefully

 

[jakez4ut]

Jake once again a voice of reason on VN... kudos.

Agree with all of this and believe this is a "game management" challenge for Pruitt. If UT can run the ball as effectively as they should be able to then they can play some "keep away" and frustrate WVU.

Two things I see UT needs to accomplish on D.

Dominate the middle. Grier and their passing game breaks down if you pressure up the middle. Grier is mobile and can still make plays but they seemed to be at their best with him in the pocket throwing crossing routes. They weren't very productive on the outside with mid or long passes. Their best plays came on short passes and runs to the outside. I don't think I saw a single productive run play for them in watching parts of a few games when there was pressure up the middle.

Muscle their WR's. This seems to be Pruitt's calling card. His CB's play physical press man. They seldom give free releases. That will be important in this game because WVU seems to rely so heavily on slants and timed hooks when they need a play. If UT can mess up their timing and deny them that part of their O then that will be a big step.

agreed, and we have no better evidence of that than our game against him in 2015. you can certainly disrupt him and make him miss and take sacks or throw it away. just can't make it easy on him in the pocket.

also agree on the CB play. i think this is the type of game where you go in to it thinking one thing (how do you stop/contain this offense?) but the reality is, you have an opportunity to dictate to them defensively. and if nothing else, i'm sure pruitt and company will pick a thing or two to just take away from them. and plan around that.

now, will be able to execute that to the point it translates to a W? dunno. but i'm not as scared of this game as some. i won't be surprised either way in this game honestly. the only thing that will surprise me is if we get blown out of the water. i just don't see that happening.

i do also agree, we will be a run heavy offense. the O line along with DWA, maybe a full back....i could see us just trying to out man WVU's defensive front, rotate backs all day...and just pound them in to submission 4 yards at a time. death by 1000 cuts.

 

[EZE]

Grier was a true freshman in ‘15 playing in his second or so game.

 

[Catbone]

Because we potentially will be starting two true freshmen at corner and they have one of the best QB/WR tandems we'll face all season.

/end thread

 

[VolsnRavens]

Tennessee has a virtually winless record against the Big 10/12 over the last twenty years. teams such as Kansas State, Oklahoma, and former members Missouri and Nebraska virtually swept TN when they were part of that conference and afterwards in the case of the Tigers. Grier is a pre-season Heisman frontrunner, and as usual the TN fanbase has been writing checks and expecting the players to cash them with their on-field results. If you think positive remarks reach players and recruits, you better believe all the low-brow ad hominem attacks against the state and its fanbase have reached the attention of the West Virginia contingent. But by all means keep that up.

Maybe I'm wrong, but didn't we beat the crap out of Nebraska, Iowa, and North Western in our previous bowls when they were all supposed to beat us????

 

[lonelawyer]

From this thread it sounds like Coach Pruitt should simply forfeit the game and get ready for the next week. No need to go to Charlotte.

College football is the most unpredictable sport out there. WVU is not Alabama. Will Grier ain't Baker Mayfield and we had more talent than 4-8.

They might win, but I don't expect the mudhole stompin that I keep hearing on sports radio and seeing in this thread.

 

[livefaith]

Maybe something here will jog your memory OP. ...

The good news is that we return a lot of players. The bad news is, well, the same ... hope that helps.

 

[sjt18]

agreed, and we have no better evidence of that than our game against him in 2015. you can certainly disrupt him and make him miss and take sacks or throw it away. just can't make it easy on him in the pocket.

True. I assume he's developed but in just the little I watched from last year those tendencies were still there.

i do also agree, we will be a run heavy offense. the O line along with DWA, maybe a full back....i could see us just trying to out man WVU's defensive front, rotate backs all day...and just pound them in to submission 4 yards at a time. death by 1000 cuts.

I think I would make the announcers sick of saying "UT off tackle for 4 yards." Their 3 DL's play small. Their DE's I think are in the 270 range. They use smallish LB's and often have them cover a OT. I swear I don't understand why teams don't just run right at the outside shoulders of their two DE's every play.

 

[sjt18]

Maybe something here will jog your memory OP. …

The good news is that we return a lot of players. The bad news is, well, the same ... hope that helps.

Nah. The good news is that it wasn't the players or a lack of talent. The "bad" news is that we don't know yet if Pruitt can do any more with it than Jones did.


However... I for one am glad to A) have a football coach again and B) not have to watch Jones' ridiculous, sissified spread O any more.

 

[VolRedBeard]

WGWTFA!!!!

 

[zeppelin128]

Maybe something here will jog your memory OP. ...

The good news is that we return a lot of players. The bad news is, well, the same ... hope that helps.

 

[MDVols]

I think we are undefeated going into the Georgia game, after that who knows.