Hidden Keys to the Game

#26
#26
We have a working man’s d-line. I’ve read we are going to be in a lot of four man fronts AND that Aubrey Solomon is requiring multiple blockers. So My hidden key is we grind that clock down to a nub with the run game if we can control the line of scrimmage on defense.
 
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#27
#27
How well our inexperienced WRs deal with SCAR’s tall, aggressive corners. They will come out covering our WRs in man and crowd the line so we can’t run. WRs will have to win against corners that are more experienced and JG is going to have to make some good passes in tight windows.
 
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#28
#28
sjt18 said:
UT's starting safeties have not started but they're hardly inexperienced. Agree with the poster who spoke about pressure. UT needs to control the LOS and collapse the pocket.

On the other side, it's the run game. Can UT's OL live up to the hype? Maybe even more specifically, can Kennedy and Smith dominate the game?
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Thank you for cleaning this up. I was thinking the same thing, we are only replacing one safety and that was nigel warrior, so everyone else has either started or played heavy minutes. We are just find on the back end, in fact the back end well be our strength on D.
 
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#30
#30
aaronvol said:
So, for the last couple of years I have posted this little thread to get ideas from Volnation about things no one else is talking about. I will try it again this year. It is about HIDDEN KEYS. Something no one is really talking about but you are thinking about. For example: A hidden key to the game would NOT be: Will JG take a step forward? That is beating a dead horse. So, my hidden key to this years game against USC jr. is as follows...

Jaylen McCollough and new safeties will be tested early and often. Last year the gamecocks scored on their first play as Nigel Warrior took a bad angle and gave up a 75 yd TD score. I think Bobo attacks our young safeties to see how they respond in their first starts. If it goes well, Tennessee's D will shut down USC's passing game. If not, Tennessee will be making more adjustments before we want to. Haven't heard this yet...so let's see what happens.
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I have three keys to the season, which starts with Saturday’s game: depth, depth, and more depth. Overall team stamina will produce winners this season. We have to play a lot of guys this season to build depth from game to game. Pruitt stunned me at his PC yesterday when he declared (I paraphrase); “We can travel 70 guys. All 70 will play.” To me, that’s the best news I’ve heard out of this camp. By far. We will build some serious depth and veteran scar tissue with that approach. Watch out for us down the road, early stumbles notwithstanding.
 
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#31
#31
I mean you gotta be concerned about health and conditioning. Whoever holds up longer into the late 4th will be the winner in a close one.
 
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#32
#32
aaronvol said:
So, for the last couple of years I have posted this little thread to get ideas from Volnation about things no one else is talking about. I will try it again this year. It is about HIDDEN KEYS. Something no one is really talking about but you are thinking about. For example: A hidden key to the game would NOT be: Will JG take a step forward? That is beating a dead horse. So, my hidden key to this years game against USC jr. is as follows...

Jaylen McCollough and new safeties will be tested early and often. Last year the gamecocks scored on their first play as Nigel Warrior took a bad angle and gave up a 75 yd TD score. I think Bobo attacks our young safeties to see how they respond in their first starts. If it goes well, Tennessee's D will shut down USC's passing game. If not, Tennessee will be making more adjustments before we want to. Haven't heard this yet...so let's see what happens.
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Their WR core is in shambles, we're going to stack the box and force their young WR core (2 ex QBs in the 2 deep) to beat us 1 on 1. They won't be able to do it, Thompson Taylor and Shamburger are the keys, I think they'll dominate that group of WRs and we'll turn big Henry and the other 8 loose on their QBs and running backs.
 
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#33
#33
sjt18 said:
UT's starting safeties have not started but they're hardly inexperienced. Agree with the poster who spoke about pressure. UT needs to control the LOS and collapse the pocket.

On the other side, it's the run game. Can UT's OL live up to the hype? Maybe even more specifically, can Kennedy and Smith dominate the game?
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I think it's more can Smith, Wanya and Mays dominate and Kennedy just has to be steady. The other key is our RBs, I think they've got all the talent needed to be successful except they both go down too often on arm tackles and at 1st contact. Coach Graham is going to make those guys hard to tackle I predict. I think Chandler has a big year providing he stays healthy and avoids rona.
 
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#34
#34
vol66 said:
We were 2-4 last season when we turn the ball over 2 or more times. I don’t guess that’s a hidden one, everyone knows it. Hope we can improve on that one this year.

6-1 in games we turned the ball over once or less.
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Probably #1 key in a game vs 2 defensive minded coaches with conservative style offenses.
 
#35
#35
Falcons02 said:
The only key to the game is how JG plays. If he plays like a potato, we lose. If he gives us even average QB play, we win by 14.
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Ridiculous, you could say the same exact thing about the running game. If we rush for <100 yards we'll likely lose unless JG carries us in the passing game.
 
#37
#37
IndianaVol said:
One thing I think a lot of people are overlooking is that even though USCe might be having some shuffling / controversy at QB, RB, and WR their O Line has been together as a unit for a couple of years now and if they can keep our D from pressuring whoever is at QB we might be in for a long day.
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Never gonna happen, Alontae and Thompson are going to chew up those young WRs and big Henry is going to dominate their RBs and the middle.
 
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#38
#38
VolBricks said:
To go along with your key OP, I think a not so hidden key to the game is QB pressure. If our D-line can get pressure (even hurries) on the QB then our young DB's will be fine. I do not think this QB will be able to move much out of the pocket with his past injury issues and that will give the D-line more opportunity to make him feel uncomfortable in the pocket.
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Our young DBs are 3rd year starters and both on the fast track to the NFL plus Shamurger who is NFL bound as well are going to dominate the passing game Sat, heck, they are our best overall unit on the whole team I feel.
 
#40
#40
Potatoes aside, Eric Grey is the hidden key to the game. A dominant run game, makes JG's nonsense irrelevant.
 
#41
#41
PulaskiVolFan said:
Ridiculous, you could say the same exact thing about the running game. If we rush for <100 yards we'll likely lose unless JG carries us in the passing game.
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I don't think it is all that far-fetched. If JG was average last year we win 10 games and have a real shot at beating Bama. Out of the 8 wins a number of those were wins OVERCOMING the QB play.

I know this year's team is not last year's team, but offensively I believe an improved OL/running game will allow those young outside playmakers time to find their footing. Defensively, while I am concerned about the DL I think we end up in a spot where those guys are asked to be stout against the run and pressure comes from the OLBs and secondary blitzes.

Basically, whatever shortcomings we have outside of QB there are sufficient solutions. So, how does the QB play? JG, Shrout, BM or HB, they don't have to be perfect.... just don't be a potato.
 
#42
#42
How many mental penalties are made could be big. False starts,offsides,etc. Going from a 3rd and 3 to a 3rd and 8 on offense matters. On defense 3rd and 3 becomes a 1st down.
 
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#43
#43
I always find my keys in the last place I left them.

I think a key will be actually seeing if JG can lead the offense to score more than 24 points in a game. I think that's been his high point during his tenure.
 
#44
#44
I think the hidden key is OL play in that JG can take an extra second to make his throws closer to being on target. JG on target? What the crap was I thinking? Nevermind...

Go VOLS
 
#45
#45
Tnman1 said:
Potatoes aside, Eric Grey is the hidden key to the game. A dominant run game, makes JG's nonsense irrelevant.
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We were 3rd from last in rushing last year, if we become dominant running the football with the same folks a miracle will have occurred.
 
#46
#46
jctenn1 said:
Coach Pruitt is going to bringing blitzs from everywhere..If this QB cannot move well he is going to be in for a long day...Or a very short 1 if he takes too many hits...
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He’s torn his ACL three times. Not very mobile I would think.
 
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