Give the players slack....

#1
rjd970

rjd970

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#1
....especially Crompton.

I may be off-base here, but sometimes I think we forget that we are talking about 18-22 yo kids. The simple fact of the matter is I refuse to believe that Foster would make it to this level if he didn't know how to take a hand-off. I refuse to believe Crompton would make it to this level if he didn't know how to run an offense. If Crompton were good, and he had a bad game, there is noting wrong IMO of ragging him a little. But the fact that this charade is systemic, happening every single week, it tells me we should focus all our anger on the coaches and the University administration.

If Crompton can't get a handle on the offense, it is the coaches responsibility to teach him. If he still can't, it is the coaches responsibility not to play him. Foster Crompton and company are not to blame here. The coaches and admins are the ones getting paid the big bucks to put a quality product together, and any blame should fall squarely on them. These kids are doing the best they can in the situation they have been put in. Everytime Crompton threw the ball 20 yards out of bounds, I yelled "Damn it Clawson/Fulmer, how long does it take to get this guy ready or bench him"?

I understand we are all upset, but let's direct the anger at CPF and company. I just don't think it is constructive or right to direct frustration at a bunch of students doing the best they can.

Agree or disagree, this is just my perspective. I think Crompton's alright, he just maybe shouldn't be our starting QB.

My two cents....
 
#3
#3
I can assure you, that outside of a couple of older players, most of the vitriol on this forum and in Knoxville is clearly directed at the UT coaching staff.
 
#4
#4
rjd970 said:
....especially Crompton.

I may be off-base here, but sometimes I think we forget that we are talking about 18-22 yo kids. The simple fact of the matter is I refuse to believe that Foster would make it to this level if he didn't know how to take a hand-off. I refuse to believe Crompton would make it to this level if he didn't know how to run an offense. If Crompton were good, and he had a bad game, there is noting wrong IMO of ragging him a little. But the fact that this charade is systemic, happening every single week, it tells me we should focus all our anger on the coaches and the University administration.

If Crompton can't get a handle on the offense, it is the coaches responsibility to teach him. If he still can't, it is the coaches responsibility not to play him. Foster Crompton and company are not to blame here. The coaches and admins are the ones getting paid the big bucks to put a quality product together, and any blame should fall squarely on them. These kids are doing the best they can in the situation they have been put in. Everytime Crompton threw the ball 20 yards out of bounds, I yelled "Damn it Clawson/Fulmer, how long does it take to get this guy ready or bench him"?

I understand we are all upset, but let's direct the anger at CPF and company. I just don't think it is constructive or right to direct frustration at a bunch of students doing the best they can.

Agree or disagree, this is just my perspective. I think Crompton's alright, he just maybe shouldn't be our starting QB.

My two cents....
Click to expand...

I can agree with this for the most part. If crompton cant do it then its the coaches responsibility to correct the problem one way or another. The either have to coach the kids to do better or find someone else who can. The only thing I can think of is that maybe in the coaches mind the backups arent any better.
 
#6
#6
VolsZealot said:
I can agree with this for the most part. If crompton cant do it then its the coaches responsibility to correct the problem one way or another. The either have to coach the kids to do better or find someone else who can. The only thing I can think of is that maybe in the coaches mind the backups arent any better.
Click to expand...

That's fair enough, but it is hard for me to believe that they believe the backups would have done worse to the point where they didn't even deserve a chance.
 
#7
#7
Guys we were down by 2 in the 4th quarter. Regardless of how badly the QB was playing today, the coaches made the right decision to let the more experienced guy HOPEFULLY get into FG range and let us kick the game winner.

Trust me, I hate Crompton as our QB, but only being down by 2 points in the 4th quarter I totally understand the rationale of the coaches. They just underestimated how BAD he is.
 
#9
#9
Mullet said:
Guys we were down by 2 in the 4th quarter. Regardless of how badly the QB was playing today, the coaches made the right decision to let the more experienced guy HOPEFULLY get into FG range and let us kick the game winner.

Trust me, I hate Crompton as our QB, but only being down by 2 points in the 4th quarter I totally understand the rationale of the coaches. They just underestimated how BAD he is.
Click to expand...

well put.
 
#10
#10
Mullet said:
Guys we were down by 2 in the 4th quarter. Regardless of how badly the QB was playing today, the coaches made the right decision to let the more experienced guy HOPEFULLY get into FG range and let us kick the game winner.

Trust me, I hate Crompton as our QB, but only being down by 2 points in the 4th quarter I totally understand the rationale of the coaches. They just underestimated how BAD he is.
Click to expand...


They should have benched him at half-time. Did they think the magic dust was going to make him better in the third and fourth quarter? Try something, don't just watch the ship sink.
 
#11
#11
That would require adjustments. This staff is incapable of such. No way, no how.
Fulmer is killing us. There is no way that we should allow a man to rebuild a program that he himself run into the ground. To kill the snake you cut off the head.
 
#12
#12
DEFENDTHISHOUSE said:
That would require adjustments. This staff is incapable of such. No way, no how.
Fulmer is killing us. There is no way that we should allow a man to rebuild a program that he himself run into the ground. To kill the snake you cut off the head.
Click to expand...

I agree with this 100%. In fact I made mention of this on another thread. GA went into half time down 31-0 . Their coach made adjustments and they game out and played much better. Imagine that adjustments at half time. sometimes I wonder what phil does during half time. Does he just run out to get some burgers and let the players figure it out on their own? Maybe he just says we are not doing to bad. Lets work like heck and get better.
 
#13
#13
Crompton doesn't look like a redshirt junior more like a true freshmen. Some of that is going to fall on the coaching staff, deserved or not.
 
#15
#15
It seems to me that this entire team has been given TOO MUCH slack. Missed tackles, stupid penalties, personal fouls, mismanaged clocks...the list goes on and on. I have watched several videos of football "practice" where the players entertained a reporter by trying to rap, or dance or show off other "special talents"
WHY weren't they PRACTICING????
 
#19
#19
Kids right out of HS going PRO in basketball and baseball, being drafted in their college junior year of football, and making more money than most of us could ever imagine in a life time. We are the University of Tennessee. The starting QB position, is just that. Live up to our standards, or deal with the boos. I say it is time to sit and listen for Crompton. He is a man, by any standards. He can drink, vote and fight for our country. In that aspect, why should he not be held accountable?:dunno:
 
#20
#20
YES-CPF, as head coach, has the ultimate responsibility in all of this. He needs to change his plays up a bit and find a better system for running this program because its not running efficiently at the moment.

HOWEVER,
Crompton is intelligent and old enough to know he's not being a strong member of his team. He's supposed to be a leader-someone who can unify his offensive line instead of someone who is playing a major role in breaking them down. He doesn't seem to be taking in any of the criticism (the REAL criticism by people who know what they're talking about). "I'll have to watch the tapes" just isn't cutting it. So, even though CPF has a responsibility to play or cut Crompton, Crompton also has a responsibility to do what's best for his team....even if that means voluntarily sitting out a game.
 
#21
#21
vixenvol said:
Kids right out of HS going PRO in basketball and baseball, being drafted in their college junior year of football, and making more money than most of us could ever imagine in a life time. We are the University of Tennessee. The starting QB position, is just that. Live up to our standards, or deal with the boos. I say it is time to sit and listen for Crompton. He is a man, by any standards. He can drink, vote and fight for our country. In that aspect, why should he not be held accountable?:dunno:
Click to expand...

I dont think anyone is saying he shouldnt be held accountable at all. But it starts at the top. The coaches have not done him any favors.
 
#22
#22
I'd hate to say it, but Crompton is the worst quaterback Fulmer has ever had....I put a lot of the blame on the coaches, but honestly I think Crompton is to blame for 2 of the three loses...
 
#23
#23
rjd970 said:
....especially Crompton.

I may be off-base here, but sometimes I think we forget that we are talking about 18-22 yo kids. The simple fact of the matter is I refuse to believe that Foster would make it to this level if he didn't know how to take a hand-off. I refuse to believe Crompton would make it to this level if he didn't know how to run an offense. If Crompton were good, and he had a bad game, there is noting wrong IMO of ragging him a little. But the fact that this charade is systemic, happening every single week, it tells me we should focus all our anger on the coaches and the University administration.

If Crompton can't get a handle on the offense, it is the coaches responsibility to teach him. If he still can't, it is the coaches responsibility not to play him. Foster Crompton and company are not to blame here. The coaches and admins are the ones getting paid the big bucks to put a quality product together, and any blame should fall squarely on them. These kids are doing the best they can in the situation they have been put in. Everytime Crompton threw the ball 20 yards out of bounds, I yelled "Damn it Clawson/Fulmer, how long does it take to get this guy ready or bench him"?

I understand we are all upset, but let's direct the anger at CPF and company. I just don't think it is constructive or right to direct frustration at a bunch of students doing the best they can.

Agree or disagree, this is just my perspective. I think Crompton's alright, he just maybe shouldn't be our starting QB.

My two cents....
Click to expand...

Not kids. Young men, that are no younger than the U.S. soldiers in Iraq. The players are certianly willing to take the potential fame if they play well. Then they should be able to handle the criticism when they don't. Anybody in the public eye should understand that. That being said. I have limited by criticism to the coaches, so far....
 
#24
#24
overseasorange2 said:
Not kids. Young men, that are no younger than the U.S. soldiers in Iraq. The players are certianly willing to take the potential fame if they play well. Then they should be able to handle the criticism when they don't. Anybody in the public eye should understand that. That being said. I have limited by criticism to the coaches, so far....
Click to expand...

I co-sign this bill
 
#25
#25
Yeah, I am getting tired of seeing the 18-22 yr old kid argument. Nobody took it easy on me 2 years ago just because I was 22.
 
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