If you've ever actually coached, come in here

[Ohio Vol]

Sorry, I got tired of reading all the same tired crap from a few who have obviously never flipped through a playbook that wasn't devised on Tecmo Bowl, NES Play Action Football, Madden, or NCAA 'this year.

Here are my thoughts

OFFENSE
Good playcalling. Passing game sputtered when the offensive line started breaking down in the last 20 minutes. Without enough time to pass, short passes to the TEs and RBs was pretty much inevitable.

31 offensive points isn't bad at all.

DEFENSE
As is par for the course with a Chavis defense, defenders were bonking into each other every time Forsett made a cutback. Getting guys to the ball wasn't a problem early on, but a slight stutter step or counter step and it was trouble.

SPECIAL TEAMS
I have nothing nice to say.

OVERALL
As long as opposing offenses run in straight lines, going unbeaten the rest of the way isn't outside the realm of possiiblity. But if Arkansas State puts a counter or draw in....

 

[Lexvol]

I am of the opinion that anytime UT puts 31 points on the board they should win the ball game.

Our Dline is non existent, and our linebackers are not as fast as I had hoped they would be.

Your complaints about misdirection, and what it does to a Chavis coached defense are noted. I agree that it has been and achilles heal. However, if the tackles are disruptive enough, and the ends are disciplined enough to get off their blocks/or block down correctly, misdirection is much less of a problem.

 

[ledhed43]

I have never coached, but I don't think play calling cost us the game. Simply put you have to tackle. You will never beat a decent team tackling like that. Tackling is one of those fundamentals you have to beat in through training camp, which clearly they did not. This game was lost long before it was played.

 

[OWB]

Cal's starting field position didn't help either. I'd say they averaged starting on the 40. That new kickoff rule will obviously help some teams more than others.

 

[mtt2d]

Chavis was one quarter too late on every adjustment he made. If I coached I would study Cal's game film and never mention ours again to anyone.

 

[Alchovol]

You CANNOT get manhandled at the line of scrimmage and we were tonight. A running back running down hill is going to have the advantage on LBs if he is untouched until he is 4 yards downfield.

 

[Reverend Bubba Flavel]

coached what?
BCS conference football?
mid major?
division i-aa
division ii or iii
high school
pee-wee
?

what the hell does it really matter?

 

[T_man_J]

Offense:
Good game plan in the first half, but in the 4th, we got away from the run too early.

Defense:
Interier Line: Horrible. No push. No getting off of blocks (but I did see Cal get away with a bunch of uncalled holding)

Ends: Horrible. No pressure.

Linebackers and backfield:
Horrible. We should have been bringing some type of a blitz in the 1st quarter. We let Longshore get comfortable early in the game; we payed for that. It was obvious that Longshore could not complete passes when he was forced out the the pocket.

Overall: Offense good, but the defense just folded.

 

[Ohio Vol]

coached what?
BCS conference football?
mid major?
division i-aa
division ii or iii
high school
pee-wee
?

what the hell does it really matter?

Let me share a story with you. It comes from the recent past.

I was coaching on a team that wasn't terribly successful and had particular problems with a couple of parents. One had been canned to make way for me, and the other had never coached but figured he knew better. We lost a real close game once, and both of them decide to accost me on the field after the game. I'm actually a pretty mellow guy, but this was a mistake.

Guy who had coached previously starts yelling at me because his kid looked like crap. It was the kid's fault; I spent a bunch of extra time working with him so he knew his assignments (read: going playside and going backside, and nothing else). He looked like crap because frankly, his kid was the dumbest player I've ever coached and if he didn't know what was going on (every play), he'd kind of stand up and hold his arms out while a defensive tackle went whizzing past into our backfield. I swear, this DT couldn't have run faster than a 6.5 40 and he looked like an All-American out there.

Guy who hadn't coached said I was the worst coach he'd ever seen and that I cost our team the game. I looked at him and said "Your kid tried to field a punt over his shoulder inside the 10-yard-line, fumbled it, and it was recovered for a touchdown. On the ensuing kickoff, he jogged off the field because he didn't think he would be able to get a return, the ball died at the 2-yard-line, and (opponent) recovers and scores in one play. Get the (zesty swear word) away from me."

If you've actually picked up a whistle, sat in on coaches meetings, and developed game plans, there's a certain appreciation that carries over into casually watching a game. And frankly, having to leaf through threads full of "The offense should have been run like this" without taking into account any of the following:
1) Game situation
2) Defensive adjustments
3) (The big one) Offensive line play
4) Personnel situations
gets REALLY old. To suggest bagging Cutcliffe after a 31-point game is absurd. Hammering Chavis is justified only if there's an actual demonstration of knowledge as to what the issues were in tonight's game and previously.

 

[WA_Vol]

Sorry, I got tired of reading all the same tired crap from a few who have obviously never flipped through a playbook that wasn't devised on Tecmo Bowl, NES Play Action Football, Madden, or NCAA 'this year.

Here are my thoughts

OFFENSE
Good playcalling. Passing game sputtered when the offensive line started breaking down in the last 20 minutes. Without enough time to pass, short passes to the TEs and RBs was pretty much inevitable.

31 offensive points isn't bad at all.

DEFENSE
As is par for the course with a Chavis defense, defenders were bonking into each other every time Forsett made a cutback. Getting guys to the ball wasn't a problem early on, but a slight stutter step or counter step and it was trouble.

SPECIAL TEAMS
I have nothing nice to say.

OVERALL
As long as opposing offenses run in straight lines, going unbeaten the rest of the way isn't outside the realm of possiiblity. But if Arkansas State puts a counter or draw in....

What happened to defenders getting their shoulders square with the sidelines before they try to close to tackle someone?

 

[Jmxvol]

TN has had a "gang tackling" approach for years.
The philosophy at TN is, if you miss the guy...no sweat, with our speed, 3 or 4 more guys will be right in there behind you to help out.
Tonight Cal spread us out and we couldn't even get a hand on them.
I think we need to teach how to solo tackle, instead of this fly in there approach and hope to get help from your teammates.

 

[Reverend Bubba Flavel]

Let me share a story with you. It comes from the recent past.

I was coaching on a team that wasn't terribly successful and had particular problems with a couple of parents. One had been canned to make way for me, and the other had never coached but figured he knew better. We lost a real close game once, and both of them decide to accost me on the field after the game. I'm actually a pretty mellow guy, but this was a mistake.

Guy who had coached previously starts yelling at me because his kid looked like crap. It was the kid's fault; I spent a bunch of extra time working with him so he knew his assignments (read: going playside and going backside, and nothing else). He looked like crap because frankly, his kid was the dumbest player I've ever coached and if he didn't know what was going on (every play), he'd kind of stand up and hold his arms out while a defensive tackle went whizzing past into our backfield. I swear, this DT couldn't have run faster than a 6.5 40 and he looked like an All-American out there.

Guy who hadn't coached said I was the worst coach he'd ever seen and that I cost our team the game. I looked at him and said "Your kid tried to field a punt over his shoulder inside the 10-yard-line, fumbled it, and it was recovered for a touchdown. On the ensuing kickoff, he jogged off the field because he didn't think he would be able to get a return, the ball died at the 2-yard-line, and (opponent) recovers and scores in one play. Get the (zesty swear word) away from me."

If you've actually picked up a whistle, sat in on coaches meetings, and developed game plans, there's a certain appreciation that carries over into casually watching a game. And frankly, having to leaf through threads full of "The offense should have been run like this" without taking into account any of the following:
1) Game situation
2) Defensive adjustments
3) (The big one) Offensive line play
4) Personnel situations
gets REALLY old. To suggest bagging Cutcliffe after a 31-point game is absurd. Hammering Chavis is justified only if there's an actual demonstration of knowledge as to what the issues were in tonight's game and previously.

if that is a one time occurrence i hear what you are saying.

however - in defense of the people jumping all over the coaching staff (and I am not sure I am in that camp . . . yet) there is at least some sort of pattern. so i would agree with the parent if this had occurred several times previously - wouldn't you?

 

[All-Vol]

This isn't rocket science. When your team scores 31 points and the opposing team scores 45 points....that means that there is an apparent problem with your defense.

Coach or no coach.

 

[Ohio Vol]

What happened to defenders getting their shoulders square with the sidelines before they try to close to tackle someone?

That's only applicable if defenders are in position. In Ohio State's defense, which is unbelievably simple if you analyze it, a great deal of attention is paid to technique because there's only so much knowledge to impart and a lot more time to use.

What you've seen there is that the linebackers don't cross their feet....ever. They'll side-shuffle 10 yards from the backside to be in position if the play bounces back. I hate Ohio State so it irritates me that they have to play "good fundamental defnese", but I figured it's worth mentioning.

When schemes and plans get more and more complex, it cuts into the amount of time that can be spent working on practical application like coaching techniques.

 

[Lexvol]

That's only applicable if defenders are in position. In Ohio State's defense, which is unbelievably simple if you analyze it, a great deal of attention is paid to technique because there's only so much knowledge to impart and a lot more time to use.

What you've seen there is that the linebackers don't cross their feet....ever. They'll side-shuffle 10 yards from the backside to be in position if the play bounces back. I hate Ohio State so it irritates me that they have to play "good fundamental defnese", but I figured it's worth mentioning.

When schemes and plans get more and more complex, it cuts into the amount of time that can be spent working on practical application like coaching techniques.

UT skipped a couple of lessons about keeping offensive linemen off the linebackers.

 

[Ohio Vol]

UT skipped a couple of lessons about keeping offensive linemen off the linebackers.

Agreed; block shedding was horrendous all night.

 

[rockydoc]

Sorry, I got tired of reading all the same tired crap from a few who have obviously never flipped through a playbook that wasn't devised on Tecmo Bowl, NES Play Action Football, Madden, or NCAA 'this year.

Here are my thoughts

OFFENSE
Good playcalling. Passing game sputtered when the offensive line started breaking down in the last 20 minutes. Without enough time to pass, short passes to the TEs and RBs was pretty much inevitable.

31 offensive points isn't bad at all.

DEFENSE
As is par for the course with a Chavis defense, defenders were bonking into each other every time Forsett made a cutback. Getting guys to the ball wasn't a problem early on, but a slight stutter step or counter step and it was trouble.

SPECIAL TEAMS
I have nothing nice to say.

OVERALL
As long as opposing offenses run in straight lines, going unbeaten the rest of the way isn't outside the realm of possiiblity. But if Arkansas State puts a counter or draw in....

Calm down grandpa. I may be a physician, but I don't tell lay people not observe symptoms that suggeat that the patient(our defense in this case) might be sick. It's hard to defend a 45-21 loss to a respectable but not a great Cal team that likely will wind up in the Holiday Bowl.:salute:

 

[TennTradition]

Calm down grandpa. I may be a physician, but I don't tell lay people not observe symptoms that suggeat that the patient(our defense in this case) might be sick. It's hard to defend a 45-21 loss to a respectable but not a great Cal team that likely will wind up in the Holiday Bowl.:salute:

I must have been watching a different game.

 

[Vol1312]

I wont be hard on the Offense because as stated earlier they put up 31 and should have had at least 14 more but some questionable calls were made and i will allow a few forehead smacking calls.

The Defense was waaaaaay to conservative. Obviously the D coaches didn't remotely trust the secondary to play. They gave them a 10 yard cushion even when it was a short yardage situation. When you give a large cushion that allows great WR's garunteed positive yardage, and room to make the first move to break tackles.

There was no pressure put on Longshore either by the D-line or LB corps. A few blitz calls will not kill anyone. We could not stop them as is so why not take a few chances. The D-line was not getting off blocks nor clogged the middle.

The LB's didn't fill any open holes and tackled like little girls. The best hits of the night were by the secondary. Grow some balls fellas and hit somebody.

Overall i give the D a big F- for a grade. True Chavis called a horrible game but with all of the supposed talent we have we should have been able to line up in a vanilla 4-3 and held them to under 28 points.

Jesus i dont want to talk about the special teams. Are we the only team in D1A that dont have a dedicated special teams coach or are we just special?

 

[Volholic]

TN has had a "gang tackling" approach for years.
The philosophy at TN is, if you miss the guy...no sweat, with our speed, 3 or 4 more guys will be right in there behind you to help out.
Tonight Cal spread us out and we couldn't even get a hand on them.
I think we need to teach how to solo tackle, instead of this fly in there approach and hope to get help from your teammates.

Thats so embarrasing that it makes me sick.

 

[All-Vol]

Calm down grandpa. I may be a physician, but I don't tell lay people not observe symptoms that suggeat that the patient(our defense in this case) might be sick.

Well said.

It's hard to defend a 45-21 loss to a respectable but not a great Cal team that likely will wind up in the Holiday Bowl.

I disagree. I think Cal could seriously challenge for a national title after watching them tonight. Not because I think Tennessee is so great and they thumped us but because their speed is through the roof and they don't have it with just one. They have lots of talent and if their defense can continually improve and keep teams from posting 31 on 'em then they have a real shot in my mind. Remember, they don't have to play an SEC schedule.

I think I saw that the hardest games on their schedule will be USC, Oregon, and maybe UCLA. If they get rolling and stay healthy they could be hard to stop from what I saw.

 

[givem6]

well we must not have the talent that everyone says we have year after year. It is all hype.