Help me understand something

[cwbytruckers]

I know the Dooley years are behind us. But we still seem to be behind the eight ball. How much longer is it going to take until we get the kind of depth needed to play quality defense in the SEC every game. Yes I understand injuries. But to say losing Mayben and Kirkland and we don't have enough quality linebackers to fill in is pathetic. I also understand Sapp and McDowell are injured. Jumper is doing the best he can. But not one of them could start for our main competition. And our OL. Come on. We're not rebuilding a nation. For the last few years our OL couldnt block a peewee league pass rush. At what point is this not an issue??? Is our recruiting that bad? Or is that on the position coaches?

 

[Falcons02]

I know the Dooley years are behind us. But we still seem to be behind the eight ball. How much longer is it going to take until we get the kind of depth needed to play quality defense in the SEC every game. Yes I understand injuries. But to say losing Mayben and Kirkland and we don't have enough quality linebackers to fill in is pathetic. I also understand Sapp and McDowell are injured. Jumper is doing the best he can. But not one of them could start for our main competition. And our OL. Come on. We're not rebuilding a nation. For the last few years our OL couldnt block a peewee league pass rush. At what point is this not an issue??? Is our recruiting that bad? Or is that on the position coaches?

Ok so... How many scholarship LBs are supposed to be on the team at once? We had 4 guys injured including JRM and DKJr who are among the best in the SEC.

 

[Ultra Plinian]

I know the Dooley years are behind us. But we still seem to be behind the eight ball. How much longer is it going to take until we get the kind of depth needed to play quality defense in the SEC every game. Yes I understand injuries. But to say losing Mayben and Kirkland and we don't have enough quality linebackers to fill in is pathetic. I also understand Sapp and McDowell are injured. Jumper is doing the best he can. But not one of them could start for our main competition. And our OL. Come on. We're not rebuilding a nation. For the last few years our OL couldnt block a peewee league pass rush. At what point is this not an issue??? Is our recruiting that bad? Or is that on the position coaches?

You don't expect to have good results against a number one team when your offense can do NOTHING. Our defense actually played well and kept us in the game until the flood gates opened up late in the third quarter. You do have to sustain an offensive drive every once and awhile, much less score a few points.

Again. Not mad at defense at all. They were delt a piss-poor hand and did well considering the circumstances. Our offensive coordinator is just.. not... good.

 

[cwbytruckers]

Don't misunderstand me. I know the injuries are HUGE. But everyone keeps making references to our OL miscues. And the fact that our backup LBS are not worth the grass under our starters feet. I'm just saying our backup LBS should at least have speed to not get outrun sideline to sideline the way they do.

 

[volatil]

JRM, DKJ, Sapp, McDowell out.

Bates 4* has been a bust

Walk on Jumper and 3* Berry starting against the number one team in the nation.

We were down to these guys and Freshman in this game.

Not sure how you think depth is a problem. How many teams have you ever seen lose 4/7 of their top LBs?

 

[VolGee4]

Don't misunderstand me. I know the injuries are HUGE. But everyone keeps making references to our OL miscues. And the fact that our backup LBS are not worth the grass under our starters feet. I'm just saying our backup LBS should at least have speed to not get outrun sideline to sideline the way they do.

It doesn't matter if they can run a 4.3 if they can't read the play correctly and get caught up inside. Backups need live reps just like every other person needs practice to hone a skill. If you let Jalen Hurts get a 3 step head start because you got caught inside, you would need to be superhuman to catch him. It's not physical skills; it's mental reps.

As far as the OL, we still aren't there quite yet. Butch inherited an all senior OL in year one and is basically in year 3 with his OL. They developed great last year, but when Kendrick, Halk, Weisman, and Robertson are all injured, you are relying on young players. See above again.

 

[tbones0711]

I know the Dooley years are behind us. But we still seem to be behind the eight ball. How much longer is it going to take until we get the kind of depth needed to play quality defense in the SEC every game. Yes I understand injuries. But to say losing Mayben and Kirkland and we don't have enough quality linebackers to fill in is pathetic. I also understand Sapp and McDowell are injured. Jumper is doing the best he can. But not one of them could start for our main competition. And our OL. Come on. We're not rebuilding a nation. For the last few years our OL couldnt block a peewee league pass rush. At what point is this not an issue??? Is our recruiting that bad? Or is that on the position coaches?

We hopefully will get Trey Smith, (5-star OL), out of jackson,tn. to sign this year. If lucky we can can get Wade out of Pa.We need fast safeties and better LB's and a couple of good cover corners. Don't know why Jacob Phillip just committed to Okla. and he plays in Nashville and Jacoby Stevens out of Murfreesboro,(5-star), intends to go to LSU. Our current safeties lack speed,IMO. Our corners, after Sutton, are average but Osbourne hasn't played enough to tell how good he's gonna be. May have something in Taylor if indeed he can play both DE/LB. All in all the entire defensive back 7 needs to improve and add depth,quality depth, if the Vols want to take this team to higher ground along with 2 or more good OL. I feel good about it after seeing some improvement once again this year and i really think us fans are expecting too much,too soon as far as depth goes. A lot of difference in practicing and a live performance in the SEC.

 

[cwbytruckers]

JRM, DKJ, Sapp, McDowell out.

Bates 4* has been a bust

Walk on Jumper and 3* Berry starting against the number one team in the nation.

We were down to these guys and Freshman in this game.

Not sure how you think depth is a problem. How many teams have you ever seen lose 4/7 of their top LBs?

But after our top 2 LBS go down look who is next up. Jumper. If that's the best solution then yes depth is a problem. We don't have one guy that looks like a potential all SEC LB.

 

[Sarms58]

We hopefully will get Trey Smith, (5-star OL), out of jackson,tn. to sign this year. If lucky we can can get Wade out of Pa.We need fast safeties and better LB's and a couple of good cover corners. Don't know why Jacob Phillip just committed to Okla. and he plays in Nashville and Jacoby Stevens out of Murfreesboro,(5-star), intends to go to LSU. Our current safeties lack speed,IMO. Our corners, after Sutton, are average but Osbourne hasn't played enough to tell how good he's gonna be. May have something in Taylor if indeed he can play both DE/LB. All in all the entire defensive back 7 needs to improve and add depth,quality depth, if the Vols want to take this team to higher ground along with 2 or more good OL. I feel good about it after seeing some improvement once again this year and i really think us fans are expecting too much,too soon as far as depth goes. A lot of difference in practicing and a live performance in the SEC.

I think you are spot on...we have to move from being somewhat average (before the injuries) in the secondary to be excellent...and that means getting the talent in...

 

[UneducatedGuess]

But after our top 2 LBS go down look who is next up. Jumper. If that's the best solution then yes depth is a problem. We don't have one guy that looks like a potential all SEC LB.

Jumper is smart and has played pretty well.

Berry is athletic but out of position at times.

Tonight what saw is how to run against a 4-2-5 defense. Plain and simple.

 

[Other_Guy]

Our offensive coordinator is just.. not... good.

The last 3 games disagrees with you.

 

[Sarms58]

But after our top 2 LBS go down look who is next up. Jumper. If that's the best solution then yes depth is a problem. We don't have one guy that looks like a potential all SEC LB.

True, we don't have one guy that looks like an all SEC LB after our 2 all SEC linebackers go down...although I think Quarte Sapp has all SEC potential...of course he is also lost for the season...Daniel Bituli and Ja'Quain Blakelyare true freshman but were both blue chip recruits...maybe not yet ready to step in but hopefully they'll be in the mix next year...as other pointed out, Bates has been a bit underwhelming but he, too was a blue chip recruit...

Jumper is a VFL and could have gone elsewhere on scholarship...if heart counts, he's all SEC but it takes more than heart to play at the elite level..he will be a very solid backup and situational player next year as a senior but I hope we don't have the injuries that firce him into the starter's role..

 

[Other_Guy]

But after our top 2 LBS go down look who is next up. Jumper. If that's the best solution then yes depth is a problem. We don't have one guy that looks like a potential all SEC LB.

Jumper has proven to be a solid LB.

How amazing is he supposed to be? How many 2nd and 3rd (or in Berrys case 4th) string LBs look like All SEC?

I'm jjust wondering how amazing you think a team should be in year 4 top to bottom after being a dumpster fire when they are just NOW at the point they can be in a championship game to prove to recruits it's the place to come?

Yeah recruiting is still not where it needs to be, but at some point success is what sustains amazing recruiting.

Unless you're in the SEC, where because you don't have probably the greatest coach in history, you fire yours and stay mediocre. I think a healthy UT is better than A&M and while Florida looks better with Del Rio, I think UT is right there in the mix of SEC program ready to dethrone Alabama. This one game doesn't change my opinion of that. Bama is head and shoulders above the rest of the SEC, but we need to focus on being good again and just wait on Saban to retire before we throw in the towel about not being as good as the best ccoach in the history of the game. I'm over it. UT is on the upswing and Bama will come down when Saban retires. I'm not saying for certain Burch will be there when it happens but there is a really good chance at a 10 win season. Even without a title game appearance it's continuous improvement that we can enjoy until otherwise.

 

[Bauce]

Well this is Butch's 4 year and are depth and development is lacking...

 

[Other_Guy]

True, we don't have one guy that looks like an all SEC LB after our 2 all SEC linebackers go down...although I think Quarte Sapp has all SEC potential...of course he is also lost for the season...Daniel Bituli and Ja'Quain Blakelyare true freshman but were both blue chip recruits...maybe not yet ready to step in but hopefully they'll be in the mix next year...as other pointed out, Bates has been a bit underwhelming but he, too was a blue chip recruit...

Jumper is a VFL and could have gone elsewhere on scholarship...if heart counts, he's all SEC but it takes more than heart to play at the elite level..he will be a very solid backup and situational player next year as a senior but I hope we don't have the injuries that firce him into the starter's role..

People forget that players at Bama and OSU etc that are freshmen step in and perform well...
Do so because the rest of the team around them is doing well, or great in their cases. The mistakes aren't as big of a deal.
Insert UT where Elliot makes a mistake and it's a TD. TKjr didn't play great today, but he can't cover for Buchanon ever time he messes up, or supposed to come make a tackle because the LBs are not very good. Fitzpatrick is a great player, but put him on a youth filled defense. Or put Hurts in play at UT with zero OL. They aren't amazing simply because of coaching, it's partially because they have a great team around them.

 

[Other_Guy]

Well this is Butch's 4 year and are depth and development is lacking...

Brother if Richmond, Tatum, Bates, Elliot Buchanon were to compete with Alabama then Saban has done a crappy job for 2016.

Let's hold off on how these players have developed until they aren't subbing as 3rd options against #1 team.

 

[UTK]

Well this is Butch's 4 year and are depth and development is lacking...

Our depth isn't lacking. Our depth is also injured. Lol

 

[cd12]

Brother if Richmond, Tatum, Bates, Elliot Buchanon were to compete with Alabama then Saban has done a crappy job for 2016.

Let's hold off on how these players have developed until they aren't subbing as 3rd options against #1 team.

Sad part is the names you mentioned couldn't play on Bama's scout team.

 

[TNnative]

Jumper is smart and has played pretty well.

Berry is athletic but out of position at times.

Tonight what saw is how to run against a 4-2-5 defense. Plain and simple.

Personally, I have never been a fan of the 4-2-5.

If 2 CBs and 2 safeties can't cover their assignments, you put in better ones, not add a nickle. You lose contain on the run, and end up sending a DE to cover short range passes. If you get them in 3rd and long, go 3-3-5.

But Jumper screwed up today calling for Elliott to shift. Allowed Hurts to run untouched. Of course, having that third backer makes that a mute point.

 

[GoVols#18]

The last 3 games disagrees with you.

I have seen 7 games this year that back up ultra's point. As far as the last 3 games, what did you see in the 163 yards of offense that we had this week? How did we let a team like GA, who can't even beat Vandy play better than us and force us to have to use a hail marry to beat them?

 

[cwbytruckers]

The hard truth is after our starters there is a huge drop off in talent. We should have more depth across the board. Our pass rush isn't as good as advertised either or we would have been disrupting this freshman qb today. Major problem is our corners right now are AAC or Conf. USA talent at best. We should be using playing time as a selling point to all recruits at every position. And players like Barnett and Sutton shouldn't be guaranteed a starting job for example. Look at Hurst. Beat out a 5* QB and pretty much chased him out of Tuscaloosa. Playing time gets the stars. Maybe this isn't what everyone wants to hear. But Butch has brought stability to the program. Maybe it's time for a new coach if he doesn't make some staff changes. And I only say that if he doesn't make some staff upgrades. I'm not calling for his head. I just want us to close this gap on Alabama. Ole Miss and Arkansas seem to have done it.