I honestly don't know...

[jakez4ut]

I think you'll enjoy watching the MSU game tonight.

I caught a glimmer of something I really liked in the D-Line in that game. Bolden, Williams, Ayers, Mitchell and company started to show me a little meanness. If they can build on that flash of really physical play, if that glimmer is not a mirage, then something resembling a consistently tough defense might yet be possible.

Problem is, as I said, I remain unconvinced.

Bama is a really good test that comes at a really good time I think...

thanks.....i'm looking forward to it and i hope you're right.

and i agree on those last two lines as well......fingers still crossed, and will likely stay that way the rest of the season, or until we lose.:crossfingers:

 

[Cartervol]

I think you'll enjoy watching the MSU game tonight.

I caught a glimmer of something I really liked in the D-Line in that game. Bolden, Williams, Ayers, Mitchell and company started to show me a little meanness. If they can build on that flash of really physical play, if that glimmer is not a mirage, then something resembling a consistently tough defense might yet be possible.

Problem is, as I said, I remain unconvinced.

Bama is a really good test that comes at a really good time I think...

Is it on comcast sports south?

 

[orange+white=heaven]

Is it on comcast sports south?

Jakez was saying that he had it in his DVR and was going to check it out tonight. He was out of pocket Saturday, and hasn't seen it yet...

 

[jakez4ut]

correct......on direct tv, channel 631, not sure if that's CSS or just SS, they show the TN game replay at 11.30 pm every Sunday night, so i DVR'd it so i could see it.

the CPF show is also on that channel at noon and 6.30 pm on Sundays.

 

[kcvols1]

It's also OnDemand for anyone with a Comcast DVR. I just may have to put it on while I am reviewing documents tonight...

 

[vestvol98]

We have trouble developing young players early in the season and that causes us to have lesser athletes on the field than what we might have. I think that is partially due to our scheduling.

Fla. opens up with w. kenlucky and troy we open with cal. and southern miss. The effect this has does not just effect those weeks but also the pre-season. Fla. can prepare their freshman and sophs during the entire month of august. even if their kids make mistakes in those first couple they still win easy. By the time they get to the third week in sept. for the Tenn game they have been in their role for eight weeks of practice.

Tenn on the other hand has to prepare for a greater opponent therefore can not take the risk with our younger players. therefore we use our preseason to prepare Austin Rogers to play because he gives us the best chance to beat cal and ahmad paige a better athlete sits because we can't risk his mistakes.

I think as our young talent developes in their role our team will only get better. Its too bad that unlike USC, FLA, Tosu, we scedule our tough nonconfs. early rather than late.

 

[Cartervol]

We have trouble developing young players early in the season and that causes us to have lesser athletes on the field than what we might have. I think that is partially due to our scheduling.

Fla. opens up with w. kenlucky and troy we open with cal. and southern miss. The effect this has does not just effect those weeks but also the pre-season. Fla. can prepare their freshman and sophs during the entire month of august. even if their kids make mistakes in those first couple they still win easy. By the time they get to the third week in sept. for the Tenn game they have been in their role for eight weeks of practice.

Tenn on the other hand has to prepare for a greater opponent therefore can not take the risk with our younger players. therefore we use our preseason to prepare Austin Rogers to play because he gives us the best chance to beat cal and ahmad paige a better athlete sits because we can't risk his mistakes.

I think as our young talent developes in their role our team will only get better. Its too bad that unlike USC, FLA, Tosu, we scedule our tough nonconfs. early rather than late.

I believe its something they should look at. I think it affected us badly this year. To many new faces in new places and on the road just compounded the problem. I like scheduling tough out of conference play. I'am just not a big fan of doing it early in a season when we had so many questions.

 

[jakez4ut]

I think you'll enjoy watching the MSU game tonight.

I caught a glimmer of something I really liked in the D-Line in that game. Bolden, Williams, Ayers, Mitchell and company started to show me a little meanness. If they can build on that flash of really physical play, if that glimmer is not a mirage, then something resembling a consistently tough defense might yet be possible.

Problem is, as I said, I remain unconvinced.

Bama is a really good test that comes at a really good time I think...

ok, well i watched it last night, and i think knowing the outcome prior to seeing it has probably affected my opininon somewhat seeing as how i wasn't stressed out watching the 1st half and half the 3rd quarter...watching it live i would have been pulling my hair out.

i think they started off great...that first offensive series was a thing of beauty.

defensively, i didn't see the swarming to the ball we saw against GA, early on. there was 4-5 minute stretch in the 1st qtr where MSU looked like anything but MSU. i think they have a pretty good qb in that freshman. and they have a good wide out, #4 and a decent tight end. #24 runs hard and is load to bring down. and their O line was very good for 2 1/2 quarters.

but here's what got me as i take the game as a whole, the defense played relatively well save for 3 drives, and those three drives MSU scored TD's. there was no pressure on the qb until the 4th qtr. the swarming to the ball didn't happen like it did the week before and there were still some pretty severly missed tackles.

i also saw more mistakes than i'd care to...the muffed punt, dropped TD pass, missed fg from chip shot range, and more penalties than i'm used to seeing from this TN team. I think the defense still has some growing up to do, but they did play much better in the 2nd half. Dan Williams and Bolden got better as the game went along. i'm not sure it'd make a difference if Mapu were in the game or not. i guess the one play that stood out to me on our defense ineptitude was the reverse. was that not the slowest developing reverse you've ever seen? and they still got a 1st down out of it.....RECOGNITION!!! and they tested the middle of our defense early on and got passing grades for a while.

offensively, the play calling the 1st qtr was really good and the execution for the most part was there. there were a few missed blocks on the O line on some running plays and there were 3-4 balls that EA threw that seemed hurried, for no reason? the play action was on, and the direct snap to AF was interesting.

for the positives, how can you not be impressed with Lucas Taylor? he was outstanding. Austin Rodgers was serviceable, but the drop in the end zone really stings. Chris Brown keeps showing tons of heart and had some big grabs. Eric Ainge, despite the couple of errant throws, had a really good day as well. the INT he threw late, on 3rd and 10, felt more like a short punt than a dagger to a drive, and he continued to not make the "big" mistake, so all in all, EA did just fine.

now, on to the stars of the game......the offensive line was pretty much outstanding. the pass protection was very good and the run blocking got better and better as they pushed around a rather thin MSU defensive front in the 2nd half. it was nice to see us "out physical" someone. it really showed up in the 4th quarter, and as lex said, that's right in CPF's wheelhouse on football philosophy. i don't think CPF could have pictured it any better, we were more physical then they were down the stretch and that was the difference. and that's fine for the kinds of teams we're going to face down the stretch of the schedule, though all of htem will be more talented than MSU, and it doesn't solve our problem against teams like FL in the future.

running backs......AF started a little slow, but really picked up some steam as the game wore on. his vision has gotten better and the ability to cut back has enhanced his game. MH was also a bright spot, and they way they used both AF and MH was a thing of beauty late in the game. AF gets tired and boom, here comes MH ave. 5 ypc.....

i think in the end, i pretty much agree with everything i read, it wasn't perfect, but it was a glimpse of what TN football was/is all about. physical O line, good defense and run the ball, play action pass.

the problem, we don't play MSU every week, and the defense wasn't as good as you'd like it to be against what most would consider a rather pedestrian MSU offense.

so i'll take the SEC road W and hope for another one Saturday morning.

 

[orange+white=heaven]

Our defensive series to start the fourth quarter turned the outcome.

And despite what Tim Priest says, that was not our base defense. That was as pretty a hybrid 3-4 as I've seen. Four down linemen yes, but the tackle was over the top, and one end dropped into coverage. And it absolutely baffled MSU. Look for more of that set against a similar Alabama offense.

 

[jakez4ut]

Our defensive series to start the fourth quarter turned the outcome.

And despite what Tim Priest says, that was not our base defense. That was as pretty a hybrid 3-4 as I've seen. Four down linemen yes, but the tackle was over the top, and one end dropped into coverage. And it absolutely baffled MSU. Look for more of that set against a similar Alabama offense.

excellent point...i saw at leat 4 different defenisve schemes in the 2nd half......4 down, 3 down, 2 down.....safeties playing LB, 6 DB's etc, etc, etc....Chavis and co. did make some nice adjustments in the 2nd half, and it did confuse MSU at times.....

saw some pretty different offensive schemes too....bunch formations, double wing, off set I, I, shot gun, spread.....

it would appear to me that those that think the play book is sitting on a coffee table locked shut gathering dust need to take another look. they threw a lot at MSU Saturday.....on both sides of the ball.

 

[Cartervol]

I think you'll enjoy watching the MSU game tonight.

I caught a glimmer of something I really liked in the D-Line in that game. Bolden, Williams, Ayers, Mitchell and company started to show me a little meanness. If they can build on that flash of really physical play, if that glimmer is not a mirage, then something resembling a consistently tough defense might yet be possible.

Problem is, as I said, I remain unconvinced.

Bama is a really good test that comes at a really good time I think...

Your right i watched and the d-line play was pretty good. That QB they have did a good job of getting away from our pressure. We pushed their o-line backwards all game. JPW isn't as mobile as this kid was.