Missing In Action: Big Plays

#1
armchair

armchair

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#1
Vols had TWO plays for more the 15 yards last night, I believe--the big pass to Malone, which was our only real big play of the game--and a 16-yard pass to Williams. Did I miss any others? That's TERRIBLE. We aren't going to win anything until we open up the offense, scheme things up a bit more and make more big plays. We need more creativity and a better passing game. The offense remains the problem.
 
#2
#2
Without improved offensive line play and decisiveness at the quarterback position, we can't have big plays. Our line getting blown up on the inside and Dobbs taking too much time to decide what to do with the ball means any big play we have is an accident.

Of course it doesn't seem that Debord likes to call fast developing plays anyway.
 
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#3
#3
OL, OL, OL, OL, OL....how can any big play develop if there are no running lanes and the QB is running for his life?
 
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#6
#6
You get forced to play in a phone booth when 1) your OL plays like **** and 2) when you decide not to test App St deep. The reason for 2 is because of 1 but still. Lots to learn from, that's for sure
 
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#7
#7
I know the o line played poor but Jones and Debord doesnt help them when they tell Dobbs to never keep it on the zone read, this coaching staff on offense make no sense.
 
#9
#9
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Let's run left, run right, then... well ****, let's go up the middle then punt.
 
#10
#10
walkenvol said:
OL, OL, OL, OL, OL....how can any big play develop if there are no running lanes and the QB is running for his life?
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If I could hit the like button 100 times, the "OL" count in you comment would be at least 500. Which is what it deserves.
 
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#13
#13
We don't even attempt to create a big play. It's give it to our big bruiser RB who averages 4 yards per carry, throw screens and horizontally to our WRs and that's it. We don't even play our RB who gives us the best chance to make our running game dynamic. We're not remotely interested in having a big play and the results bear that out.
 
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#15
#15
savannahfan said:
Coaching. If they are coaching the o line, i.e. teaching, then they are not very good coaches or they aren't as good at recruiting as we think.
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I think the recruiting is ok, thats Jones' best quality. Debord is terrible, Jones annoys the hell out of me when he tells Dobbs to not run in certain games
 
#16
#16
KBVol said:
We don't even attempt to create a big play. It's give it to our big bruiser RB who averages 4 yards per carry, throw screens and horizontally to our WRs and that's it. We don't even play our RB who gives us the best chance to make our running game dynamic. We're not remotely interested in having a big play and the results bear that out.
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Tried one got one.
 
#17
#17
I would say we gave all of our opponents some looks at our weaknesses but we didn't really try to do anything offensively. We just lined up and thought sheer talent would win. Not even the same offense that took the field last uear. Way too vanilla
 
#18
#18
Mick said:
Tried one got one.
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Which furthers the point. 72 plays, exactly one throw down the field. This staff, beginning with Butch, has zero interest in creating, he'll, barely even attempting to create a big play. I wonder if that play came about only because Dobbs saw man coverage and checked to it.
 
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#19
#19
I found this interesting...

2. Tennessee could have some of the same problems.

Tennessee was bad in close games last year, and losing close games isn't necessarily predictive of how future close games will play out. If Tennessee can win more of them, this could work out. But there's an endemic factor that will likely cause Tennessee to continue to struggle in close games: offensive coordinator Mike DeBord.

Michigan fans were mostly perplexed when Butch Jones hired the former Wolverines coordinator before last season. For one thing, DeBord had no experience deploying the run-based spread scheme that would be ideal with Dobbs. For another, DeBord had spent his time after his second stint as Michigan's offensive coordinator as a position coach in the NFL and then an administrator for Michigan's Olympic sports.

In other words, based on the jobs he was forced to accept after 2007, the market reflected a lack of confidence in DeBord's skills as an offensive coordinator, until Jones plucked him out of middle management.

One look at DeBord's tenure as an offensive coordinator explains his descent into oblivion. When Michigan had great defenses (1997 and 2006), DeBord was passable. When Michigan needed anything substantial out of its offense, DeBord struggled. Some notable highlights:

With a starting lineup including three future NFL starters on the offensive line, an NFL starter at wide receiver, a future top-10 pick at another receiver spot, an NFL offensive rookie of the year at running back and Tom Brady at quarterback, DeBord coached an entire month in which the offense produced 12, 12, 15 and 21 points against teams that combined to go 15-30.
In 1999, Michigan missed a shot at the national title when DeBord wouldn't trust the aforementioned Brady to throw the ball, and thus Michigan blew a 20-point lead at home to Illinois. (Sound familiar, Vol fans?)
In 2006, Michigan had uncomfortably close calls against Penn State and Ball State, when the Wolverine offense couldn't be relied upon to put opponents out of sight.
DeBord was reputedly Lloyd Carr's preferred replacement and took a greater role in August preparations for the 2007 season. That season started with Michigan losing to Appalachian State.
In other words, DeBord came to Tennessee with a track record of being a conservative, not especially effective offensive coordinator. So when the Vols blew leads on a repeated basis in 2015, they were losing games in exactly the fashion that DeBord's track record would have suggested. If DeBord would not trust Tom Brady to throw the ball with a lead (except in obvious passing situations), then what makes us think that he'll be bolder with Dobbs? (Here's a case for DeBord to put more trust in his current quarterback.)

Why I think Georgia's the SEC East favorite in 2016 - SBNation.com
 
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#21
#21
armchair said:
Vols had TWO plays for more the 15 yards last night, I believe--the big pass to Malone, which was our only real big play of the game--and a 16-yard pass to Williams. Did I miss any others? That's TERRIBLE. We aren't going to win anything until we open up the offense, scheme things up a bit more and make more big plays. We need more creativity and a better passing game. The offense remains the problem.
Click to expand...

The definition of a "big play" may need to be reconciled as to a common definition. Medley hitting both field goals were big plays. Wolf catching all 3 passes tossed in his direction, 1 in each half and one in the OT were big plays. Cam's interception was a "big play." Like people who ask when I wear my BIG WAVE SURFER tshirt, "Are you REALLY a big wave surfer?" My response is always the same, "Once over the age of 60 ANY wave is a big wave." Big plays?? "Watchall know about big plays?" to paraphrase Sgt. Barnes from the film, Platoon.
 
#22
#22
KBVol said:
Which furthers the point. 72 plays, exactly one throw down the field. This staff, beginning with Butch, has zero interest in creating, he'll, barely even attempting to create a big play. I wonder if that play came about only because Dobbs saw man coverage and checked to it.
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With you 100%.
 
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#23
#23
volfanjustin said:
I think the recruiting is ok, thats Jones' best quality. Debord is terrible, Jones annoys the hell out of me when he tells Dobbs to not run in certain games
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He saves himself all game and all it did was get him hit in the ribcage while he was in full extention just to try and win in OT
 
#24
#24
walkenvol said:
OL, OL, OL, OL, OL....how can any big play develop if there are no running lanes and the QB is running for his life?
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Our offensive line whiffed on so many plays last night. In our first drive that yielded a field goal, our offense had rhythm and moved the ball around well. After that, App. State increased its pressure on Coleman Thomas and the inside of our offensive line. After Dobbs no longer had time, UT went to a very stale run look to try and re-establish itself at the line of scrimmage. If we are going to have any kind of season, Debord cannot simply retreat to the running game when the o-line falters. We have to be willing to mix in Jack Jones and consider pushing Wiesman to center. Debord has to do this to make sure we are able to continue mixing it up between our receivers which will obviously open up running lanes. I sure hope we get this fixed going forward because this team has too much talent to simply squander.
 
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