Fixing the Defense for next year

#27
#27
vtvol98 said:
I think a big improvement in the tackling department can be made if this staff will allow contact in the spring and fall camp. I think the lack of live tackling practice (in addition to the turnovers) probably cost the Vols the A&M game.
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ThEn everyone will complain we are the most beat up team. That nobody has as many injuries in the off season as we do.

We need a mix of both. We need to pop and thud more for sure. We also need to stay healthy for the season too. We should have a good bit of contact in spring and early on in the fall.

IMO, the turnovers need to get corrected. It's never bothered CBJ team before. Hopefully that is not an issue this year.
 
#28
#28
secking said:
What do you think will be the best way to improve the D? I understand the upgrade at secondary coach, do you think Thigpen and Stripling survive? I may be alone in my thinking that it wasn't the pass D that was the problem last year but rather the Run Defense. I do think health will help but the rushing D was bad way before the injury bug. Heck, gave up 100 yd rushers to Appy St and VT. In the SEC, gave up almost 37 ppg, 280+ yds rushing per game.

Fixes? Maybe recruiting might help on the front 7? I do like Ignont at LB, think he will do well, perhaps all-SEC level. I think Tuttle being healthy would be a huge boost, if he is 100%, he didn't look it even before he got hurt again. I expect BIG things from McKenzie and Kongbo, expect them to step up.

Think recruiting fixes it, coaching changes fixes it, or just maturation from younger players can fix it? Either way, it starts next year in the front 7 on D if Tn is to win the East.
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I'll give it a try...
1a. Upgrade S&C.
1b. Upgrade DB coaching
2. Completely turn the D over to Shoop. No trying to mesh old and new, just turn it over to Shoop and let him do his thing.
3. Find some combination of corners that can cover a fade route up the sidelines.
4. Move Byrd to DB.
5. Have the Rock put 15 lbs or so on TKjr. and move him to Star.

I think the D will be a lot better next year. Mainly because the first two have already been addressed, and I'd say at least one of the other things happens as well.
 
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#29
#29
1. Health.
2. LB play. It was flat out terrible at times and I dont think this was just a talent issue. The backers played close the line limiting pursuit and were often sucked into the LOS leaving horrible pursuit angles, plus they did a horrible job of shedding blockers. Add in misalignment.
3. CB play. A mystery considering UT had a formidable pass rush, which usually translates into shorter exposure times for CBs.
4. Safety play was soft and slow. Kelly was a major dissapointnent.
5. Now add in the fact that you are losing 3 of your top ends.
 
#30
#30
MrVolton said:
I'll give it a try...
1a. Upgrade S&C.
1b. Upgrade DB coaching
2. Completely turn the D over to Shoop. No trying to mesh old and new, just turn it over to Shoop and let him do his thing.
3. Find some combination of corners that can cover a fade route up the sidelines.
4. Move Byrd to DB.
5. Have the Rock put 15 lbs or so on TKjr. and move him to Star.

I think the D will be a lot better next year. Mainly because the first two have already been addressed, and I'd say at least one of the other things happens as well.
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DE Kongbo 6'6 280
DT Vickets 6'3 300
DT Kmac 6'3 320
DE Phillips 6'4 265

OLB McDowell 6'1 225
MLB Kirkland 6'1 230
Star Kelly 6'0 215

CB Bailey 5'11 180
CB Osbourne 5'10 190
FS Byrd 6'0 200
SS Gaulden 6'0 185

That's what needs to roll out there.

Martin
Moseley
Buchanan
Abernathy are all guys that can compete.
 
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#31
#31
Vandy threw on us and A&M ran on us. It was both. With a defense in the top half only this year we probably go 11-1. I think the D will step up and improve to top half. Hopefully our new QB will help keep O in top half also. Gonna miss Dobbs more than Barnett IMO. Looking forward to it already! Great topic for discussion.
 
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#36
#36
I want a D that does what Shoop said they were going to do this year...shut down the run...I don't like seeing teams run for 5 or 6 yards on first down....needs to be no gain or tackled for a loss...I want a D that makes the other team one dimensional...works well for Bama...
 
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#37
#37
LittleVol said:
DE Kongbo 6'6 280
DT Vickets 6'3 300
DT Kmac 6'3 320
DE Phillips 6'4 265

OLB McDowell 6'1 225
MLB Kirkland 6'1 230
Star Kelly 6'0 215

CB Bailey 5'11 180
CB Osbourne 5'10 190
FS Byrd 6'0 200
SS Gaulden 6'0 185

That's what needs to roll out there.

Martin
Moseley
Buchanan
Abernathy are all guys that can compete.
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warrior?
 
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#38
#38
BigNasty said:
Giving up the deep ball was the single biggest problem. This was a problem the entire season. Not to mention several PI calls that hurt us on some critical 3rd downs. The secondary weakness combined with injuries really affected how we played the run as the season progressed. Fix the deep sideline ball and as long as we stay healthy the defense should be much improved.
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I have little faith in tkj. Need a speed steroid. I hope they move jajuan to safety.
 
#39
#39
Defense set records at bad. It's safe to say our defense will be better.

Offense set records at good. It's safe to say our Offense will be better.

Release the Beast!
 
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#40
#40
I think we need to move to the 3-4 defence. The majority of teams in the NFL have switched to it.

Kongbo/A . Johnson/Crosby
Kmac/Mosley
Tuttle/Vickers/Picou

D Taylor/Berry
Dkjr./Bituli
McDowell/Jumper
Kyle Phillips

Gaulden/Martin/Buccannon
Abernathy/Berry
Tkjr/Warrior
Mosley/Osborne
 
#43
#43
Biopsyman said:
A dominate front 4 foxes a lot of problems
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I agree. It shifts pressure from the secondary to the opposing QB. IMO, even when UT's DL was healthy, they struggled many times because of the lack of depth and talent at LB... and the roster deficiencies that prevented Shoop from running his preferred 4-3.

CB play has to be better but IMO their ceiling is limited until LB gets fixed. DKjr is excellent and personally I like McDowell a lot. After that, I haven't seen anyone play like they belonged in the SEC.
 
#45
#45
BigNasty said:
Giving up the deep ball was the single biggest problem. This was a problem the entire season. Not to mention several PI calls that hurt us on some critical 3rd downs. The secondary weakness combined with injuries really affected how we played the run as the season progressed. Fix the deep sideline ball and as long as we stay healthy the defense should be much improved.
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Overall pass defense has to improve greatly. To help this, line play must improve greatly. He--!, all defense play must improve and stay more healthy. Real simple, right? Same thing we have all been saying most of the year, as have the players, coaches, everybody!
 
#46
#46
amillz said:
I think we need to move to the 3-4 defence. The majority of teams in the NFL have switched to it.

Kongbo/A . Johnson/Crosby
Kmac/Mosley
Tuttle/Vickers/Picou

D Taylor/Berry
Dkjr./Bituli
McDowell/Jumper
Kyle Phillips

Gaulden/Martin/Buccannon
Abernathy/Berry
Tkjr/Warrior
Mosley/Osborne
Click to expand...

I don’t.
 
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#47
#47
amillz said:
I think we need to move to the 3-4 defence. The majority of teams in the NFL have switched to it.

Kongbo/A . Johnson/Crosby
Kmac/Mosley
Tuttle/Vickers/Picou

D Taylor/Berry
Dkjr./Bituli
McDowell/Jumper
Kyle Phillips

Gaulden/Martin/Buccannon
Abernathy/Berry
Tkjr/Warrior
Mosley/Osborne
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That was tried when Dooley hired a long time Saban disciple with experience running the 3-4 in the NFL. It was a disaster.

The 3-4 requires a certain kind of personnel. In particular, it requires a deep group of specialized and talented LB's. UT couldn't make an effective switch from the 4-2-5 to the 4-3 last fall under one of the best DC's in CFB. And you want to make a much more radical switch to the 3-4?
 
#49
#49
amillz said:
Kongbo/Kmac/Tuttle on the DL

With Bituli/Dkjr holding the middle.

It would be hard to run on that front.
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You need 3 LB's that caliber plus a Jack.... and you need to go at least 3 deep at every LB position.

You also need to go 3 deep at each of those DL positions. UT doesn't have those bodies.

It would likely take 2 at the minimum and as many as 4 recruiting cycles to convert. In the meantime... you have a D that gets abused.
 
#50
#50
sjt18 said:
You need 3 LB's that caliber plus a Jack.... and you need to go at least 3 deep at every LB position.

You also need to go 3 deep at each of those DL positions. UT doesn't have those bodies.

It would likely take 2 at the minimum and as many as 4 recruiting cycles to convert. In the meantime... you have a D that gets abused.
Click to expand...

DE Kongbo
NT Kmac
DT Tuttle

OLB Smith
ILB Kirkland
MLB Jumper
Jack Bituli

Star Gaulden
SS Kelly
CB Byrd
CB Osbourne
 
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