IYO, What Are Your 5 Keys To Winning 8 Games?

#1
rexvol

rexvol

The Minister of Defense
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Apr 29, 2006
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#1
For me:

1) Maurice Couch is good enough to start from day one. I just do not have the faith that Hughes will produce in the manner that his talent should. I do expect Walls to be a player and I think Ayres will surprise us all.

2) A consistent running game. This will occur as a direct result of vastly improved run blocking by the O-Line and the emergence of a dynamic running back. IMO, Lane, Smith, or Neal will have to step in because I do not believe that Poole has the ability. I think that TP is a very average SEC back, but his ability to hold on to the ball shouldnt be discounted. I think that I read where he has never fumbled. I honestly value TP as a steady, dependable player, but I do not think he is the dynamic answer a pro style offense needs in the SEC. He left a lot of yards on the field last year.

3) One of the young WRs becomes the go-to guy when we have to have the yards, be it 3rd or 4th down. I actually think DR will be that guy, but I dont discount ZR filling that role. As much as I am loath to mention him, GJ did this for the Vols quite a bit when he wasnt injured. I believe that Stocker will be greatly missed in this area, but Im not sold on MR as a clutch receiver. I think MR has good hands, but can he block well enough to be on the field in those situations?

4) Better decision making by Bray. He cannot force the ball in to coverage as he often did last year. Nor can he simply throw it up there as much. He needs to improve in managing the game and must cut down his interceptions. The kid is a player, but I believe he muct grow dramatically as a field general for the Vols to reach 8 games this year.

5) I think some LBs must emerge. Possibly the weakest position on our defense. I do believe that we have some unproven ability there outside of Lathers and I think Johnson can contribute from day one. I also look for Probst to grow into an All SEC LB by the time is eligibility is finished.

What say you?
 
#2
#2
Per TOS

1. Bray needs his tattoo removed
2. Poole needs to rush for more yards in the next practice scrimmage.
3. All of Janzen Jackson's personal info needs to be leaked
4. Start Justin Worley if 1. is not completed.
5. Start Neal if 2. is not completed.
 
#4
#4
-beat Bama.
-beat UF.
-beat LSU
-beat UGA
-beat USC(E)


The rest will work itself out.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#7
#7
1) Stronger OL push.
2) Short yardage 3rd downs.
3) Positive turnover margin.
4) Play football for 4 quarters (more depth).
5) Smart coaching in crutch time situations.
 
#8
#8
These are my keys some of which are intangible and all of which I am serious about despite their appearance.

1. No mental collapses or mental quitting: this is a young team and we will be down and or make mistakes in several big games so if we quit mentally like I've seen us quit we have 0 chance at 8 wins.

2. Men on the field: if we cannot get the correct men and the right number of men on the field this year the entire staff should be fired regardless of wins

3. DB?: we need a starting line up that includes either Brewer, JJ, or both. Brewer is practicing so I assume he's a yes but if both are out for multiple games I do not see us winning 8.

4. Run/3rd down: if our needed 3 down yardage is averaging 6 yards or more we won't win 8 and most likely our running game is busted. To win 8 we need balance and balance should equate to more short yardage situations

5. Have fun: these guys are young so confidence is huge but they will make mistakes. I hope we keep trying for big plays even in a loss because it only takes one momentum swing to go from 7 wins to 8. As example even though they were losses we played with tons of energy late in the game against UNC and LSU, mix in step 2 and you have 8 wins.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
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#9
#9
1. Offense and Defense need to establish a leader on both sides of the ball
2. Bray needs to become smarter in his throws
3. Team needs to become a team
4. Mike Hamilton needs to be fired
 
#10
#10
Bray will need to truly learn the system and be able to control the game as a leader. Can not simply just throw the ball up and expect recievers to continue to make the plays.

Stability in the secondary.

More pressure on opposing quarterback.

Effective ground game to control the clock at times.

Always have 11 men on the field.
 
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#11
#11
1) Bray's continued development - As the QB goes so does the team.
2) DL stability - Couch, Jackson, Walls, and Hughes make up a potentially solid rotation in the middle, but Smith, Miller, and Co. must prove they can provide more consistent pressure on the QB w/o needing to bring extra defenders.
3) Go to WR - agree w/ the Op here. We lost some proven guys. Someone must step up and be willing to get those clutch yards over the middle and on 3rd and/or 4th downs.
4) Michael Palardy - A reliable kicker is needed to win in the SEC. Palardy must live up to prep billing and not have a repeat of the injury plagued, inconsistent freshman campaign.
5) LB play - Seems like we have a couple of guys (Lathers, King, etc.) who have the potential to be All SEC caliber LBs but haven't played that way for one reason or another and others w/o as much talent who are max effort guys. We just need to find the right mix.
 
#12
#12
Here are mine, I came up with them all by myself :whistling:

1. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
2. Play for and make the breaks and when one comes your way - SCORE.
3. If at first the game - or the breaks - go against you, don't let up... put on more steam.
4. Protect our kickers, our QB, our lead and our ball game.
5. Ball, oskie, cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle... for this is the WINNING EDGE.
6. Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
7. Carry the fight to our opponent and keep it there for 60 minutes.
 
#13
#13
Volgrad98 said:
Here are mine, I came up with them all by myself :whistling:

1. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
2. Play for and make the breaks and when one comes your way - SCORE.
3. If at first the game - or the breaks - go against you, don't let up... put on more steam.
4. Protect our kickers, our QB, our lead and our ball game.
5. Ball, oskie, cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle... for this is the WINNING EDGE.
6. Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
7. Carry the fight to our opponent and keep it there for 60 minutes.
Click to expand...

The General is in the house!
 
#14
#14
Poole fumbled last year. I know he fumbled at the end of the Florida game and I'm pretty sure he fumbled at least one other time.

Montario Hardesty is the player you're thinking of that never fumbled.
 
#15
#15
1.) Couch and Moore have to be as good as advertised
2.) Janzen has to be back
3a.) Rajion Neal has to step up
3b.) The O'line has to take a major stride from last season.
4.) Freshman have to step up (ie, Clear, Lane, Johnson, Arnett, etc...)
5.) We have to have a productive special teams. Devrin has tons of pressure on him.
 
#16
#16
1. Don't cuss
2. Switch from Adidas to Nike
3. Hire Phil Fulmer as AD
4. Score 227 points in the O&W game
5. Play "Enter Sandman" during pregame
 
#17
#17
1. DT's have to step it up.
2. LB's have to step it up.
3. Special Teams has to step it up.
4. Clear has to come in and learn fast.
5. Ball security
 
#18
#18
1. defense
2. defense
3. defense
4. defense
5. defense
 
#19
#19
1. Serious improvement in the secondary (should happen)
2. New starters on the D-line (Smith, Miller, Couch) are as advertised.
3. Serious improvement on the O-line (should happen)
4. Emergence of a third-down receiver (no clue whether it will happen).
5. Tyler Bray keeps moving forward.

I know a lot of people are saying linebackers, and they might be our weak point on defense. But they were our weak point last year, and we still could've had eight wins with improved play in the secondary and lines. The talent level at LB hasn't dropped, although there's a big leadership void.
 
#20
#20
1.Defense has got to learn coach Wilcox's scheme.I dont want to see lb's covering wr's and we cant have de's covering rb's...talking about the OR game.

2.Offensive balance.

3.See maxims...or volgrad.
 
#21
#21
1. Bray has to stay healthy and start every game.

2. Neal has to play like he did in the first scrimmage, all year.

3. DT's and LB's have to stay healthy and play very very well.

4. Whoever wins the job at PR/KR needs to not fumble and hopefully return a couple for TD's.

5. OL and WR's have to play up to their potential.

I think all of these are very possible and if so 8-9+ wins should be the result IMO
 
#22
#22
rexvol said:
For me:

1) Maurice Couch is good enough to start from day one. I just do not have the faith that Hughes will produce in the manner that his talent should. I do expect Walls to be a player and I think Ayres will surprise us all.

2) A consistent running game. This will occur as a direct result of vastly improved run blocking by the O-Line and the emergence of a dynamic running back. IMO, Lane, Smith, or Neal will have to step in because I do not believe that Poole has the ability. I think that TP is a very average SEC back, but his ability to hold on to the ball shouldnt be discounted. I think that I read where he has never fumbled. I honestly value TP as a steady, dependable player, but I do not think he is the dynamic answer a pro style offense needs in the SEC. He left a lot of yards on the field last year.

3) One of the young WRs becomes the go-to guy when we have to have the yards, be it 3rd or 4th down. I actually think DR will be that guy, but I dont discount ZR filling that role. As much as I am loath to mention him, GJ did this for the Vols quite a bit when he wasnt injured. I believe that Stocker will be greatly missed in this area, but Im not sold on MR as a clutch receiver. I think MR has good hands, but can he block well enough to be on the field in those situations?

4) Better decision making by Bray. He cannot force the ball in to coverage as he often did last year. Nor can he simply throw it up there as much. He needs to improve in managing the game and must cut down his interceptions. The kid is a player, but I believe he muct grow dramatically as a field general for the Vols to reach 8 games this year.

5) I think some LBs must emerge. Possibly the weakest position on our defense. I do believe that we have some unproven ability there outside of Lathers and I think Johnson can contribute from day one. I also look for Probst to grow into an All SEC LB by the time is eligibility is finished.

What say you?
Click to expand...

Great post RV, best one I have seen from you in a while.

I agree with most of your points, especially #2.

Here are some others.

-The secondary needs to get ironed out and we need to to have a very solid back end unit.

We will still have depth issues on the front line so they will have to be able to cover as we still probably won't be able to pressure the QB consistenly.

Janzen needs to return, Brewer needs to continue to develop and we need 2 lockdown corners...who they end up being I don't care (Teague, Moore, Gordon, Waggner, Coleman, ect)

-SPECIAL TEAMS - We have to have a better KO distance, and punt return game. If we can win the games in the ST it will help neutralize our other issues.

-Learn to finish games...this young team will have some tight games, will they be level headed enough to close games out on the right side of things?
 
#23
#23
OL needs to run block better on run downs
OL needs to pass block better w/QB under center and without P/A
OL needs to prove it has more depth
Someone has to show up at TE
DL needs to have 8 guys prove they are SEC worthy

There are others but the success of this team starts and ends with the OL.
 
#24
#24
1. Win the ones we are supposed to -- montana, cinci, buffalo, middle tn, vandy, kentucky. That's 6 wins and bowl eligible just for winning patsy games. We lose one of these games and there's no way we make it to 8 wins.

2. Beat Arkansas on the road.

3. Beat georgia at home.

4. 3rd down conversions.

5. Prayer.
 
#25
#25
Voodoomonkey said:
Poole fumbled last year. I know he fumbled at the end of the Florida game and I'm pretty sure he fumbled at least one other time.

Montario Hardesty is the player you're thinking of that never fumbled.
Click to expand...

Poole had one fumble and it was on a pass play.So did Hardesty in the opener and it was on a pass play also.

Neither fumbled on a running play.
 
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