I don't get it.

[MeanOrange]

First quarter was horrible. We were lucky not to be behind two more TDs. We could not pass block or run the ball. Then came the second quarter. G looked pretty good all day. We started passing the ball against the WV secondary which was just as bad as ours. That opened up the running game. We looked like a Vol team. Everyone was pumped. First and goal and we do not try one QB sneak. JP makes a very ballsy call and we score. Team is still pumped. We get the ball back and we call three running plays right before the half. WTF? We hold WV to 3 which they should have never gotten. Non-called crackback block on WV. Long delay. Corrections are coming. Right? NO. Very obvious that we cannot stop them so what is the counter attack? We need to throw the ball which opens up the running (remember 2nd qtr.) and keep them off the field. On the 2nd qtr. drive we held the ball for like 10 minutes! WV cannot score if they do not have the ball! What do we do? We play the 2nd half like we did the 1st qtr. WV had no answer for the trips. formation. G was throwing lasers. Our WRs are good. Alas, like last year, staff goes brain dead and we get the s.o.s. JP, Helton, etc. are not rookies to the game. Why do we always walk away from what worked and go back to what did not?

 

[Ten_Titans]

Yeah, we were there...

 

[IPleadInsanity]

First quarter was horrible. We were lucky not to be behind two more TDs. We could not pass block or run the ball. Then came the second quarter. G looked pretty good all day. We started passing the ball against the WV secondary which was just as bad as ours. That opened up the running game. We looked like a Vol team. Everyone was pumped. First and goal and we do not try one QB sneak. JP makes a very ballsy call and we score. Team is still pumped. We get the ball back and we call three running plays right before the half. WTF? We hold WV to 3 which they should have never gotten. Non-called crackback block on WV. Long delay. Corrections are coming. Right? NO. Very obvious that we cannot stop them so what is the counter attack? We need to throw the ball which opens up the running (remember 2nd qtr.) and keep them off the field. On the 2nd qtr. drive we held the ball for like 10 minutes! WV cannot score if they do not have the ball! What do we do? We play the 2nd half like we did the 1st qtr. WV had no answer for the trips. formation. G was throwing lasers. Our WRs are good. Alas, like last year, staff goes brain dead and we get the s.o.s. JP, Helton, etc. are not rookies to the game. Why do we always walk away from what worked and go back to what did not?

It looked like WV stacked the center of the field and took that away on both the run and the pass leaving left and right wide open all night. We should have kept attacked the edges until they adjusted. Instead we ran it up the middle for 10 yards losses on a key drive. Took the QB and receiver out of the game. Good strategy by WV.

 

[General_Neyland]

Our roster is just what some thought it might be....soft, underdeveloped with ZERO leaders. I have to wonder if there are still bad apples in the locker room.

 

[OrangeByBirth]

I submit the reason is because Botch (the great recruiter) left the cabinet empty. The talent is not there … YET! Clearly, Pruitt and his staff are trying to fill the needs although there are many. Time will show if they can coach what talent is on board to the SEC level of competition.

 

[Skizer41]

We were severely overmatched. That's the truth. In college football there are two things that matter. Execution of the game plan and out come. We couldn't impose our will anywhere on the field.

Some people choose to listen to a few members of the Knoxville media that insisted we looked good on paper. Unfortunately the games are played on grass.

Am I mad. Yeah. I hate losing. As does every player and coach on our team. Am I going to burn my season tickets and gear. Hell no. But I knew going into this that it's a process. Not a quick fix.

 

[reederw]

What I saw was this...

1. Jitters in the beginning and then we settled down.
2. West Virginia was just better. It was like trying to ride in the Kentucky Derby with a Shetland Pony
3. We hit Wood-Anderson with a score, but where was he the rest of the game..I did not see them throw his way.
4. Gurantano and receivers did some good things.
5. No push up front.
6. I am upset we lost but throwing to the end zone with under 2 minutes to go up by 19 was a little classless in my book.

All in all I think they learn from this and get better.

 

[08Vol]

What I saw was this...

1. Jitters in the beginning and then we settled down.
2. West Virginia was just better. It was like trying to ride in the Kentucky Derby with a Shetland Pony
3. We hit Wood-Anderson with a score, but where was he the rest of the game..I did not see them throw his way.
4. Gurantano and receivers did some good things.
5. No push up front.
6. I am upset we lost but throwing to the end zone with under 2 minutes to go up by 19 was a little classless in my book.

All in all I think they learn from this and get better.

I agree with all your points except for #6. The game was over by WV’s final drive, both teams seemed to understand that, then UT decided to try and block a field goal. WV took that as we were still trying to win so they put the final nail in the coffin.

 

[Jackcrevol]

First quarter was horrible. We were lucky not to be behind two more TDs. We could not pass block or run the ball. Then came the second quarter. G looked pretty good all day. We started passing the ball against the WV secondary which was just as bad as ours. That opened up the running game. We looked like a Vol team. Everyone was pumped. First and goal and we do not try one QB sneak. JP makes a very ballsy call and we score. Team is still pumped. We get the ball back and we call three running plays right before the half. WTF? We hold WV to 3 which they should have never gotten. Non-called crackback block on WV. Long delay. Corrections are coming. Right? NO. Very obvious that we cannot stop them so what is the counter attack? We need to throw the ball which opens up the running (remember 2nd qtr.) and keep them off the field. On the 2nd qtr. drive we held the ball for like 10 minutes! WV cannot score if they do not have the ball! What do we do? We play the 2nd half like we did the 1st qtr. WV had no answer for the trips. formation. G was throwing lasers. Our WRs are good. Alas, like last year, staff goes brain dead and we get the s.o.s. JP, Helton, etc. are not rookies to the game. Why do we always walk away from what worked and go back to what did not?

'Yea, you told us'.

 

[cali_vfl]

If something worked, it doesn't mean it will work all the time. The other team will adjust to it. Their DL was in our backfield on almost every play. The play calling was actually very good. There were elements of surprises there, not all the predictable crap from offensive genius Butch. While watching the game, I felt like the coach was coaching to win. Last year, I always felt Butch was scared. He was coaching to not lose by a lot. Pruitt was coaching to win. Just those plays didn't work out.

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

I know they didn't, but sometimes they played like they had fourteen men on the field and we had eight. Some of the tackles - even the successful ones- looked like kids trying to take down daddy in the front yard. And how do you defend against a deep pass without turning to look at the ball? Give it to WV. They played like grown-up men out there.

 

[Backwards K]

Once Chandler went out, the Vols didn't have a RB fast enough to get to the outside consistently. Once WV took away inside runs, Vols were hamstrung. Guarantano did a good job and receivers caught the ball but a mixture of OL struggling to hold blocks and WR inability to get off the line and/or run a deeper pattern, Vols weren't able to get past intermediate passing plays.

 

[Vol4Life2289]

There were several times during the early part of the game where JG should have kept the ball on a read option. I don’t know whether the coaches don’t want him running or he just can’t react fast enough. If he would have kept it just one time, I think it would have opened up another dimension for us. He’s going to have to make some plays with his feet for the team to really improve.