Coach Knowles

[McDad]

Other posters are probably fantasy football nerds who base every argument off of a stat sheet

 

[Volador]

I was wondering the same. We have about 8 months before the fall season begins. I am confident our guys can learn the system and improve upon their fundamentals in that length of time.

If not, well, we've got a problem Lucy!!

 

[SamRebel35]

Here's what people are missing with this conversation. Our defense may not need to be elite next year. Heck, we would be in the playoff this year if our defense had just been in the range of 10th to 12th best in the league. It won't take drastic improvement for us to get the defense to a spot where the potential of the whole team is greatly increased.

 

[butchna]

We don't run the same scheme. We run a Nickel defense. This is a 3 deep 4-2-5. There will be a learning curve.

What do you think is significant about the 5 in that 4-2-5?

 

[Coachmike17]

Worked out for Ohio State

No 3 stars starting there, just 4's and 5's.

 

[Caspian]

Don't forget about high altitude Easter egg dying.

As a mathematics major, all I needed was elective hours my last quarter. So, I took track & field, tennis (from 23 year old Pat Head), volleyball, and badminton. I was in tip top shape when I received my diploma.

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

Don't forget about high altitude Easter egg dying.

As a mathematics major, all I needed was elective hours my last quarter. So, I took track & field, tennis (from 23 year old Pat Head), volleyball, and badminton. I was in tip top shape when I received my diploma.

Now that is unironically a very cool story. Wow.

Edit: Did she make you run laps for bad serves?

 

[rbjnet]

Well, I had to throw in Ballroom Dancing because that class really helped up my GPA to a solid 2.37 when at UT.

I took a bowling class as an elective sure that it would improve my GPA. Little did I know that I was terrible at bowling and damned near failed the class.

 

[Caspian]

Now that is unironically a very cool story. Wow.

Edit: Did she make you run laps for bad serves?

Actually, she seemed pretty mellow and good natured. Maybe she hadn't gotten her mojo going yet. It was her first year of coaching the Lady Vols. I even got a "good shot" from her after a volley at the net. I met her years ago after the Lady Vols played Stanford in Palo Alto. She was talking with anyone who wanted to come to her table after the game. I told her I took tennis from her in 1975. She looked up at me and said, "Oh, my goodness." I said, "You've been busy, haven't you?" She said, "Yes, I have."

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

Actually, she seemed pretty mellow and good natured. Maybe she hadn't gotten her mojo going yet. It was her first year of coaching the Lady Vols. I even got a "good shot" from her after a volley at the net. I met her years ago after the Lady Vols played Stanford in Palo Alto. She was talking with anyone who wanted to come to her table after the game. I told her I took tennis from her in 1975. She looked up at me and said, "Oh, my goodness." I said, "You've been busy, haven't you?" She said, "Yes, I have."

Thank you for sharing!

 

[Daddy pants]

Here's what people are missing with this conversation. Our defense may not need to be elite next year. Heck, we would be in the playoff this year if our defense had just been in the range of 10th to 12th best in the league. It won't take drastic improvement for us to get the defense to a spot where the potential of the whole team is greatly increased.

You make a good point. I suspect Knowles watched Vols film prior to accepting. Our defensive fundamentals this year were really bad. That’s low-hanging fruit. Improve those and he looks like a genius immediately.
Plus…you know he didn’t agree to come without some safeties lined up in the portal. I don’t think he takes a flyer on a massive rebuild and risks damaging his brand.

 

[greenbacknative]

Saw the 2026 schedule release today... gonna be a murderers row next year. We end with 9 straight SEC games.we got big boys all over the map.

 

[VolForLife83]

Yes, college football defensive coordinator Jim Knowles uses a "game show method" with buzzers to teach his defense and ensure players understand the complex playbook. This unconventional teaching tactic has been widely reported in various sports media articles.

Details of the Method

• Game Formats: Knowles stages competitions among defensive position groups using formats inspired by popular game shows such as Jeopardy!, Cash Cab, and Pyramid. He also uses Pictionary and a version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.
• The Buzzers: Players use actual buzzers (or sometimes metal bells after the plastic ones broke from enthusiasm) to answer questions about the defensive scheme, alignments, and specific responsibilities.
• Incentives: The coaching staff keeps track of points, and the winning position group is often rewarded with dinner paid for by Knowles.
• Goal: This method turns learning the complex system into an engaging competition, helping players stay "locked in the whole time" and learn the defense quickly.

 

[DirtyDawg]

Jim Knowles is aware his defense can be complicated to learn​

Sorry, but this topic is really ridiculous. Our players are in COLLEGE. This is where you take subjects like Algebra, Calculus, Organic Chemistry, Ballroom Dancing, Quantum Physics, Statistics, VLSI Design, Human Anatomy & Physiology, Thermodynamics and more. To suggest that a defense, which is a board made with X's & O's moving around, is possibly too complex to learn in a few weeks let alone a month or more, is an insult to every player on the team. If Knowles's defensive schemes are really that complicated, perhaps he should have been hired by Duke, Harvard of Vandy.

I certainly agree with the premise of your argument, of coarse they can learn Knowles defense, but if you are under the assumption that every TN football player on scholarship can pass some of the harder college level courses that you named……well, I’m not sure what to tell you. They will be fine though. They are elite athletes, some are highly intelligent, some are average, some are likely below average. Yet, I would bet that they all have a decent football IQ, they will be fine.

 

[Volador]

I took a bowling class as an elective sure that it would improve my GPA. Little did I know that I was terrible at bowling and damned near failed the class.

Remedial bowling is now available on campus

 

[Volador]

I certainly agree with the premise of your argument, of coarse they can learn Knowles defense, but if you are under the assumption that every TN football player on scholarship can pass some of the harder college level courses that you named……well, I’m not sure what to tell you. They will be fine though. They are elite athletes, some are highly intelligent, some are average, some are likely below average. Yet, I would bet that they all have a decent football IQ, they will be fine.

You are being generous my friend