Just watched the game again. This loss is on the offensive coaching staff.

[JAllen18]

A few things stick out to me.

Very conservative play calling at the start of 4th quarter . O-line did not play well at all. Read option worked for the 1st half, 2nd half OU stopped it. We did not adjust. OU went on a 15 play drive to bring it to 17-10. Get the ball on the 20 yard line. We go very conservative with 2 runs up the middle for no gain. 3rd down catch well before the first down. OU gets the ball back again with 6 mins. Defense obviously very tired at this point and OU drives the length of the field and wastes 5 mins of the clock to tie the game with a min left.

Offense has some major issues. The Offensive line pass blocking did not do well at all and looked as bad as last year. Where was Kamara, Pig, Pearson, North? The best play-makers on the team and they had 1 or 0 touches the whole game. Unacceptable. Great field position for 3 quarters and could only generate 17 points. Unacceptable.

This is a good football team with tons of weapons on offense, but Butch and company tried to play it safe, just as Florida last year instead of giving it to our play-makers.

 

[led0321]

RTI


*Coaching

Where do we start? This staff deserves credit for having this team ready to come out and strike fast. The first few drives – for both sides of the ball – were executed to perfection and the Vols were able to jump out to a 17-point lead against a quality opponent that had stomped them a year ago.

That said, there were plenty of questions and concerns. The decision to run Alvin Kamara on the goal line instead of Jalen Hurd and then electing to kick the field goal on 4th and 6 inches on the next play were real head-scratchers at the time, and proved to be decisions*played a factor in the final score being what it was. The lack of adjustments to Oklahoma’s defensive scheme were unacceptable, as was the decision to play safe and conserve the lead while running a hurry up offense and not milking the clock as much as possible. The lack of imagination and creativity on offense when you HAD to have yards was truly disappointing. The team is improved and clearly better than they were a year ago, but this coaching staff has yet to prove that they know how to play with an early lead in a big game. Conservative play-calling and a “just don’t blow it” mentality after Tennessee went up three scores were on full display, and allowed Oklahoma time to adjust and figure out what they needed to do to move the ball, score points and ultimately win the game.

 

[DooleyOrangePants]

I watched it again earlier today and you can see the shift in momentum about midway through the 2nd Quarter. The playbook went out the window and they settled into a conservative playbook. Thought that would change after the half, but they didn't even adjust to the OU attack - they just stuck with it until the wheels came off completely in the late 4th and into OT. Completely took the game out of Dobbs/Hurd/Kamara/WR's hands and handed the plays on a silver platter to the OU defense. I've not seen anything like it in quite a long time. It was purely infuriating to watch a second time.

The only thing that would make me feel better going forward is for Butch to either send Debord packing or take the play calling duties out of his hands entirely. There's a reason why Debord was picked up out of the coaching scrap heap and it isn't because he's a good offensive mind.

 

[Sudden Impact]

If you are going to go conservative at least get out of the hurry up offense. Chew and eat as much time off the clock as possible. A 17 point lead what was the use in running plays under 20 seconds. I would have rather staying with the game plan but slow it down especially the 3 and outs. No slants Power sweeps, just nothing used earlier. Look like they were drawing up plays in the dirt.

 

[Eastknox865]

I keep hearing wide receiver U but I would like to know why we never threw a deep ball. They brought pressure and instead of a challenge or two vertically to back them up the coaches did nothing. Coaching is real suspect to me at the moment.

 

[imbubbaspitcup]

If you are going to go conservative at least get out of the hurry up offense. Chew and eat as much time off the clock as possible. A 17 point lead what was the use in running plays under 20 seconds. I would have rather staying with the game plan but slow it down especially the 3 and outs. No slants Power sweeps, just nothing used earlier. Look like they were drawing up plays in the dirt.

Great point on the hurry up.

 

[SobeVol]

Debord just patented the " prevent offense"

 

[a vol n tears]

Everyone has an opinion. I think the decision to lessen the number of runs and hits for Dobbs is actually taking away the biggest upside he has. Passing from the pocket has never been his best skill. Take away most of his runs and you turn him and the offense basically into what we started with last year. No offense to Worley.

 

[JohnWardForever]

Debord just patented the " prevent offense"

There was a Reason for all the shaking heads and rolling eyes when Butch Hired Debord. And having Tom Brady toot his horn? Debord is either gone; or Butch will be. And THAT is the truth. Hope Butch can see it.

 

[chuck0303]

Why oh why would you adopt the Fulmer strategy of trying to run the clock out at mid-point in the game????? Like others said, even if you did why wouldn't you try to take as much time off the clock as you could. It could have been much worse with the 2 turnovers that we could have had. I don't get it--at all. Pig on the sweep with Kamara & Hurd blocking; you mean we couldn't get any decent yards with that? No mis-direction plays.

 

[reverseosmosis]

A few things stick out to me.

Very conservative play calling at the start of 4th quarter . O-line did not play well at all. Read option worked for the 1st half, 2nd half OU stopped it. We did not adjust. OU went on a 15 play drive to bring it to 17-10. Get the ball on the 20 yard line. We go very conservative with 2 runs up the middle for no gain. 3rd down catch well before the first down. OU gets the ball back again with 6 mins. Defense obviously very tired at this point and OU drives the length of the field and wastes 5 mins of the clock to tie the game with a min left.

Offense has some major issues. The Offensive line pass blocking did not do well at all and looked as bad as last year. Where was Kamara, Pig, Pearson, North? The best play-makers on the team and they had 1 or 0 touches the whole game. Unacceptable. Great field position for 3 quarters and could only generate 17 points. Unacceptable.

This is a good football team with tons of weapons on offense, but Butch and company tried to play it safe, just as Florida last year instead of giving it to our play-makers.

Offensive line is not great, but playcalling could have helped them. There were adjustments that could have compensated.

 

[Bigorangejumpsuit]

3rd and Debord. Looked like the return of Johnny Ball. 2nd half play calling was atrocious. No Killer instinct.

 

[Zoepfore]

Agree. This loss is 100% on the offensive play-calling. Beginning about halfway through the 2nd quarter, we basically shut down offensively. That is way too much pressure on a defense that is inexperienced and thin, plus the ultra conservative play calling affects the attitude of the offensive players. It let them know you don't have confidence in them. Playing not to lose usually results in a loss. Just like Florida last year. You would think Butch would have learned after the FL game but obviously not.

 

[triad280]

The awful play calling started half way thru the 2nd qtr and it seemed to get the offense out of rhythm and they never got it back.

Having Kamara in on 3rd and goal at the 1 and running it up the middle,instead of having Hurd in, is inexcusable... If you have Kamara in, get wide or atleast off tackle.

 

[KBVol]

A few things stick out to me.

Very conservative play calling at the start of 4th quarter . O-line did not play well at all. Read option worked for the 1st half, 2nd half OU stopped it. We did not adjust. OU went on a 15 play drive to bring it to 17-10. Get the ball on the 20 yard line. We go very conservative with 2 runs up the middle for no gain. 3rd down catch well before the first down. OU gets the ball back again with 6 mins. Defense obviously very tired at this point and OU drives the length of the field and wastes 5 mins of the clock to tie the game with a min left.

Offense has some major issues. The Offensive line pass blocking did not do well at all and looked as bad as last year. Where was Kamara, Pig, Pearson, North? The best play-makers on the team and they had 1 or 0 touches the whole game. Unacceptable. Great field position for 3 quarters and could only generate 17 points. Unacceptable.

This is a good football team with tons of weapons on offense, but Butch and company tried to play it safe, just as Florida last year instead of giving it to our play-makers.

You watched that again??? God bless you. I flipped over to the SEC Network and saw that it had just started and I changed the channel as quickly as is literally humanly possible....never want to see a single split second of that game again....any of it, ever.

 

[FLVOL69]

You watched that again??? Jeez, I flipped over to the SEC Network and saw that it had just started and I changed the channel as quickly as is literally humanly possible....never want to see a single split second of that game again....any of it, ever.

Lol, same here. 😜

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Why oh why would you adopt the Fulmer strategy of trying to run the clock out at mid-point in the game????? Like others said, even if you did why wouldn't you try to take as much time off the clock as you could. It could have been much worse with the 2 turnovers that we could have had. I don't get it--at all. Pig on the sweep with Kamara & Hurd blocking; you mean we couldn't get any decent yards with that? No mis-direction plays.

Stop with the Fulmer hate. Fulmer won big time games at UT. No coach has since. I would cut off my left arm to have Fulmer in his prime coaching us right now.

 

[volberry]

Everyone has an opinion. I think the decision to lessen the number of runs and hits for Dobbs is actually taking away the biggest upside he has. Passing from the pocket has never been his best skill. Take away most of his runs and you turn him and the offense basically into what we started with last year. No offense to Worley.

You nailed it!! I thought the same thing. They were obviously worried about the rest of the season instead of just winning. The dept issue is in their minds. So obviously until we lose a few games and HAVE to win they won't turn him (Dobbs) loose. And the play call for the last int was insane. You have two plays i thought at least a qb draw , option, or run option pass on 3rd down and get a guaranteed 6 yard then set up 4th down. And you could tell OU was ready for a traditional pass play because he jumped the route.

 

[SobeVol]

Stop with the Fulmer hate. Fulmer won big time games at UT. No coach has since. I would cut off my left arm to have Fulmer in his prime coaching us right now.

I agree with fulmer in his prime.
Toward the end he got complacent and coached not to lose.
Looked remarkably similar to what we saw last night.
I'm not ready to ditch Butch but we need an OC that will " unleash hell". Instead when the opponent was wobbling we decided not to throw any more punches and wait out the bell.

 

[volberry]

Stop with the Fulmer hate. Fulmer won big time games at UT. No coach has since. I would cut off my left arm to have Fulmer in his prime coaching us right now.

In his prime Fulmer had that Big Orange luck where he pulled games out of his a@# and you'd be like what? ROCKY TOP!!! It's just the last 3 out of 4 years that drove everyone nuts. And Fulmer was a big game coach. Butch cannot coach.

 

[Vols Bish!!]

Just wait. Against WCU, we'll look like the 99-01 Rams. Then back to reality in Gainesville.

 

[volberry]

I agree with fulmer in his prime.
Toward the end he got complacent and coached not to lose.
Looked remarkably similar to what we saw last night.
I'm not ready to ditch Butch but we need an OC that will " unleash hell". Instead when the opponent was wobbling we decided not to throw any more punches and wait out the bell.

Yeah give me an aggressive play caller with the same playbook and we have 31 points easy. But that is on Butch because obviously he is conservative too. He wants a safe play caller.

 

[JohnMcA60]

Good news is it looks like Arkansas is struggling some as well. Butch needs to get 9 wins to really win back the fan base as a whole. 8 would win back some but 9 would get everyone back on his side.

 

[randagulp]

After re-watching the game, from a scheme perspective, he had a huge issue with our blocking assignments. On basically all of our inside run plays, the guard would stay and help double team the nose guard with the center, and would never come off on the linebacker. It was obviously designed that way bc it happened every time...and that linebacker was free to make the play every single time. Not sure if they thought they needed the guards to stay and help Thomas with the head up technique the whole game or what, but really terrible game plan no matter the reason, and it blew up in our face multiple times

 

[Evet Vols]

I don't know how you can submit yourselves to that flagellation? Once is more than enough for me.