Daniel Bituli identifies turning point for Tennessee's defense

#1
Shades

Shades

30 minutes of ball and we are smokin at the end
Joined
Dec 15, 2014
Messages
849
Likes
3,347
#1
Daniel Bituli identifies turning point for Tennessee's defense
By WES RUCKER

Daniel Bituli identifies turning point for Tennessee's defense

The Vols’ leading tackler from each of the past three seasons said his defense’s performance against Mississippi State was a major tipping point that showed them how good they could be if they simply did exactly what they were coached to do.

Bituli didn’t flinch when asked if there was a single moment that turned Tennessee’s season.

“Yes, sir,” he instantly replied. “We had a lot of little sparks during the season, but after going against a really great running back in the Mississippi State game, we realized that if we communicated as much as possible on the field, if we really knew what we were gonna do, if we read our keys correctly, that the world is ours and we can stop anybody. Definitely that game showed that we could do it for a whole game.”

Mississippi State senior Kylin Hill is the SEC’s leading rusher, and he’s made some SEC defenses look bad this season. Tennessee completely stifled Hill, though, holding him to 13 yards on 11 carries in the Vols’ 20-10 win at Neyland Stadium.
Click to expand...

Bituli said there are still “a lot of things” the Vols need to do better on the defensive side of the ball, but he also said recent improvements have “completely” changed their mindset and level of confidence.
The 6-foot-3, 252-pound native of the Congo also said second-year Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt and his staff have been the primary culprits for the positive changes on that end.

“Since the time they got here, how can you not buy into a coaching staff that’s so established?” Bituli said. “You can just look at Coach Pruitt’s record, the players that he’s coached and the players that are doing so well in The League right now. To bring a coach like that into this facility, to help us out, help us become a better defense, better players as a whole, … I mean, I’m definitely a sponge when it comes to Coach Pruitt. He definitely knows what he’s talking about.”

The returns of Bituli and star sophomore cornerback Bryce Thompson also have played a huge role — both missed the season’s first two games, losses to Georgia State and BYU — but Bituli deflected any credit for that, saying all he and his teammates have done is finally embrace the things Pruitt and his staff have preached from Day One.
Click to expand...

“Just watching film, we’re moving as a unit out there,” Bituli said. “We all understand what we’re gonna do on a given play and just communicating as much as possible, and not wondering what somebody else is gonna do on that play. It’s just communication that we’re doing and the extra film work that we’re doing. … We know the more we put into football, the more we’re gonna get out of it. It’s because of those guys that are working so hard, putting in that extra time to understand the defense or the offense we’re going up against.

“It’s been emphasized by the coaches since the time they got here,” he said of the extra work and extra film study. “It’s just a lot of guys are now finally taking ownership, realizing that by doing this extra work, it’s really gonna help us out in the long run. We now realize that. We all realize that.

“That’s why we’re having the success that we’re having right now.”
Click to expand...
 
  • Like
Reactions: MinisterofDef#92, Old Geezer, 87&91ALUM and 39 others
#3
#3
Great read OP....
I think great things are coming to Rocky Top...
We will be back sooner than later....
We will see a dominate defense that everyone will scared to play against...
Neyland will have it's luster back and no one will want to come to our house and play us....
GBO
 
  • Like
Reactions: 87&91ALUM, spyfish007, ursaminotaur and 6 others
#4
#4
That MS State game was an eye opener. The kind of play I've been waiting to see out of a Tennessee team for many years. They absolutely stuffed one of the SEC leading rushers. It looks like we're trending towards being a defensive team which I really like. Going forward I would love to see a Tennessee team that could stifle and smother some legit high flying offenses.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: ibvolman, BreatheUT, 87&91ALUM and 12 others
#7
#7
CR-vol said:
That MS State game was an eye opener. The kind of play I've been waiting to see out of a Tennessee team for mamy years. They absolutely stuffed one of the SEC leading rushers. It looks like we're trending towards being a defensive team which I really like. Going forward I would love to see a Tennessee team that could stifle and smother some legit high flying offenses.
Click to expand...
Random thought.

We saw hints of the defensive improvements last year at times. We were just super short handed and didn't fully grasp the theory. This year has been better and still improving. Hopefully the last two games continue our trends.

What if the offense is one year delayed in the same mindset? This is Chaney's first go with them. They're better than what they had been, still short handed often, and by no means average yet. Yet I get the feeling if Chaney can take a second year step with the offense similar to what Pruitt did this year with the defense, then next year could be fun. Maybe not top 10 fun yet, but fun.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gandalf, spyfish007, VolinDalton and 8 others
#8
#8
Knox-a-rue said:
I thought Bituli was the turning point. Who thinks we'd have lost the first two games if we had Bituli?

Great ball player. Seems like a great guy.
Click to expand...

But Bituli played against Florida and that team looked flat against Florida. That game, along with Georgia State, was the worst Tennessee played all year. It was really the bye week after that when the team regrouped and cut some dead weight. Then they competed with Georgia...then they were finally rewarded against Mississippi State.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FïreBall and RollerVol
#11
#11
The article says he’s 6’3” and 252. Is that correct? If so what is all of this talk about Bituli being an undersized NFL prospect? I don’t get it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: feathersax
#13
#13
I think this helps keeps things in perspective for all of us. Some of us lean towards blaming the coaches, some towards the players. Now I know it all falls back on coaching, but we had been more quick to blaming the coaches earlier this year. I started feeling like Pruitt maybe wasn't any good, but I couldn't shake the truth that this staff is pretty top notch - at least collectively. Blaming players not executing seems like an excuse for defending the coaching staff, but we can see that they both go hand in hand. Like how no one could foresee JG regressing the way he did. Or the defense not lining up. It's not like the coaches finally got smart come the Miss St game. The coaches can only take them so far. Really glad to see how the team had improved. Yeah, they're literally in the same spot as last year, but this feels like a different team. I can see Mizzou winning, but not because UT packed it in like last year. I went from no longer caring after BYU to happy to watch ball again and getting very encouraged about next year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: marcusluvsvols and FïreBall
#14
#14
"Film study" is two words. I think the coaches have taught the team how to do the study part. Great opportunity for those folks.
 
#15
#15
Other_Guy said:
I think this helps keeps things in perspective for all of us. Some of us lean towards blaming the coaches, some towards the players. Now I know it all falls back on coaching, but we had been more quick to blaming the coaches earlier this year. I started feeling like Pruitt maybe wasn't any good, but I couldn't shake the truth that this staff is pretty top notch - at least collectively. Blaming players not executing seems like an excuse for defending the coaching staff, but we can see that they both go hand in hand. Like how no one could foresee JG regressing the way he did. Or the defense not lining up. It's not like the coaches finally got smart come the Miss St game. The coaches can only take them so far. Really glad to see how the team had improved. Yeah, they're literally in the same spot as last year, but this feels like a different team. I can see Mizzou winning, but not because UT packed it in like last year. I went from no longer caring after BYU to happy to watch ball again and getting very encouraged about next year.
Click to expand...

If nothing else you have Smith, Morris, Kennedy, and Wright on the OL not there last season. On defense you have Too'too and Crouch not there last season. 6 out of 22 not playing against Mizzou last year and us playing better makes me like our odds a lot this year.
 
#16
#16
Remy said:
If nothing else you have Smith, Morris, Kennedy, and Wright on the OL not there last season. On defense you have Too'too and Crouch not there last season. 6 out of 22 not playing against Mizzou last year and us playing better makes me like our odds a lot this year.
Click to expand...
Some have criticized the OL as far as expecting better coaching, but while they've been inconsistent, I don't think we can underestimate the difficulty of 2 freshmen tackles, a center that didn't play and Smith who only practice mere weeks prior to the season starting. Then there was plenty of injuries.
 
  • Like
Reactions: marcusluvsvols and FïreBall
#18
#18
Let's not forget coach Fitzgerald has been a key part the past couple of years getting these guys to where they're not out of gas in the second half. I hope we can hang onto Fitzgerald for many more years. S&C always seemed to be a weakness for us in the past maybe because of the revolving door of different coaches managing it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: marcusluvsvols
#19
#19
6-3 and 252. He’s already the size of Ray Lewis. Goodness, I knew he was big, but not that big.
 
#21
#21
I commented about this after attending the UAB game live, but the defense was communicating like I have never seen before. Almost to the point where they are still talking as the ball is being snapped. It was driving me crazy, but they didn’t miss any assignments at all. I’m all for the communication all the way until they snap the ball bc they are adjusting to the offensive checks.
The only trouble I see with this is when we face an up tempo no huddle offense, which is becoming more rare these days in college.
 
#22
#22
GregAmsler said:
But Bituli played against Florida and that team looked flat against Florida. That game, along with Georgia State, was the worst Tennessee played all year. It was really the bye week after that when the team regrouped and cut some dead weight. Then they competed with Georgia...then they were finally rewarded against Mississippi State.
Click to expand...
Weeks removed from knee surgery, his First game snaps since last season. It took Thompson a minute to get back to normal after missing time suspended. Plus Trey was getting his first live action and full speed contact in a very long time. You act like these young men are robots. We would have two more Ws if BT and DB had never missed time.
 
#25
#25
MSME Vol said:
Random thought.

We saw hints of the defensive improvements last year at times. We were just super short handed and didn't fully grasp the theory. This year has been better and still improving. Hopefully the last two games continue our trends.

What if the offense is one year delayed in the same mindset? This is Chaney's first go with them. They're better than what they had been, still short handed often, and by no means average yet. Yet I get the feeling if Chaney can take a second year step with the offense similar to what Pruitt did this year with the defense, then next year could be fun. Maybe not top 10 fun yet, but fun.
Click to expand...
I agree wholeheartedly... I'll take top 25 fun right about now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TennesseeTarheel
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.
Advertisement



Back
Top