My thoughts after our bowl win

[cwbytruckers]

Red zone woes also come around from 1st and goal and 4 straight passes. We have a big Oline and we didnt try to run the ball once on that first trip into the red zone after we got inside the 5 yard line.

 

[BACKDOC]

I don't typically post on here, but am a Vol by heart and an alumni. While the comeback was wonderful, I have certain reservations and areas for optimism about our staff (I will not pick on the players since they are just kids).

1. Having one of the worst red zone efficiency rates in the country and 4th down conversation rates in the country is extremely alarming. While the stats don't always tell the whole story, to me, these two stats show that the staff needs to develop decision-making skills. The two stats fall entirely on the staff to identify what play to call. Moreover, to "go for it" on 4th downs despite lack of success, signals the positive trait of aggressiveness and the negative trait of being dumb. For reference, the Baltimore Ravens hired a 25-year-old, Yale graduate to make all of the decisions on fourth downs.

2. Benching JG may appear as a bad tactic, but it works. Despite the traditional wisdom of sticking with only one quarterback, our staff decided to switch quarterbacks based on performance. For whatever reason, it works, and, I love it. I like that staff is willing to break from the mold.

3. I can actually see player development. Back when Butch was around, I always took hit for saying that Butch was a bad coach- rather than progress we saw our players regress. For whatever reasons, our players seemed to have their best season their freshman year and slow regress from future stars to undraftable. This staff is really developing our players, and I think that's a sign of good coaching.

In sum, I think our coaches are really good at player development yet lack the intellectual faculty to choose the right plays. Between the two competing factors, I hope the former rather than the latter outweigh the other. Go Vols!

Like I have mentioned before, going for it on 4th down cost us the BYU game; 9 points is more than 7. On the other hand you can't always turn a sow's ear into a silk purse; hopefully HB can be that silk purse. It wasn't all Butch's fault; injuries and a poor kicker really hurt him. Coaches can only do so much with the talent they have; a good example, is our receivers lack elite speed, but that will be here next season. I can't believe you didn't mention penalties; we are not disciplined enough in that dept.

 

[Rickyvol77]

I'm more encouraged with the fact that we beat a deeply traditional powerhouse in football, Indiana, who was one player (kicker) from putting us back in a coaching search.

I thought since you were a Tigger High fan you were encouraged that Memphis in their "biggest game in history" had the lowest attended Cotton Bowl since World War II and got slaughtered. No wonder real conferences don't want them...the Cotton Bowl is so mad that they were forced to take a midmajor

 

[tbones0711]

Thanks. Post more.

#1 That low rate simple goes with the fact that we don't run it well. Last night, I think most would says we got too pass happy. But from a season %, it's just the fact we can't run down hill on most teams.

#2 This is a Lock! I believe our coaches LEARNED that this year. They didn't realize it during GSU / BYU but learned on the job. It's impossible to know what happens to any player when the lights come on. JG is a head case that needs to stare at a worse QB take the field for a series or 2. It clears the cobwebs. Pruitt and company got out in front of it early and it gave enough time to get him back in and play to his real potential and win it for us!

JG is by far the best we have right now. But, when the cobbwebs take over, he's the worst. That "time out" has helped him all season. And coach played it perfectly last night to save the game.

As for your #1 It's simple. Pass sets up the run and vice-versa. Defenses copy each other when something works and defenses load the box to stop UT's running. They do his because our QB play is inconsistent and it's a gamble on their part because they feel JG can't consistently complete passes over 10 yds.

 

[LAVol1]

I agree that JG needs improvements for sure, but I also think the play calling could account for JG's unreliability. Nevertheless, we'll see when JG leaves. I really hope you are right!

If I had JG's arm, I think I would have had us up 21-0 in the 1st quarter. JG's problem is between his ears. He does not anticipate the break his receivers make. You have to throw the ball as they make the move, not after they have made it. By the time he sees the receiver open, the DB has recovered or another DB has reacted and it's too late. Couldn't have been more disappointed in JG's performance last night. The kid is really tough. He has good leadership skills. He is just too hesitant to throw the ball. He's been given all the chances anyone could expect to improve but he has digressed. Time to move on.

 

[djohnnyg]

I will disagree that the players are beyond criticism cuz "they are just kids". Some of these "kids" are 22-23 years old....and some are a few months away from being given millions of dollars in the pros. 18 year olds are fighting in conflicts overseas. At the minimum these "kids" are at least 18-19 years old. When is a "kid" not a "kid" anymore? 25? 26? In their 30's? What about the "kids" who killed that NYC student in the park? 14 year old's who just don't know any better? Should we just call their parents and let 'em go cuz they're just "kids"? Not to make a big deal out of this...I just have issue with calling 22 year old's just "kids".

 

[savannahfan]

Here’s what really encouraging. Even with all mistakes, deficiencies, inexperience, and adversity this team never gives up and THEY ARE WINNING. Just wait till that stuff gets fixed. Good teams with good coaching win even when they shouldn’t.

You should have added "and lose even when they shouldn't."

 

[rikberry31]

You should have added "and lose even when they shouldn't."

Yep, sometimes.

 

[savannahfan]

Honestly, the coaches have been impressing me with the following in progression throughout the year:

- RB play has gotten better
- LB play has gotten better (needs some more depth and experience)
- DB play has gotten a lot better
- OL play has gotten better (needs depth/consistency)
- DL play and blitzing style overall has been much improved

Honestly QB play and red zone play calling is the only thing i would say needs marked improvement in the off-season.
Specials Teams was up and down (not FG kicking but elsewhere) and could use some tidying up for next season.

Coach Pruitt is still learning to be a HC, but i am loving a lot of things he is instilling in the program. He is the guy? We shall see, however we are making progress from 2017-2018 and now from 2018-2019.

The red zone..

Relying on JG to pass in this situation is iffy at best. O-line is just now getting to the point they can "push" into the end zone, so running it in has been iffy. Now on the TD where we sent in a 250 lb guy (LB I think) it was a good call. With a better o-line push and a big guy a running back, things went as they should. Our team AND staff are getting there.

 

[savannahfan]

My biggest thought during and after this game:

For IU to start their last drive with a long pass BEHIND our d-back I thought,,,here we go again just like BYU,, AGAIN!!

 

[KBVol]

I don't typically post on here, but am a Vol by heart and an alumni. While the comeback was wonderful, I have certain reservations and areas for optimism about our staff (I will not pick on the players since they are just kids).

1. Having one of the worst red zone efficiency rates in the country and 4th down conversation rates in the country is extremely alarming. While the stats don't always tell the whole story, to me, these two stats show that the staff needs to develop decision-making skills. The two stats fall entirely on the staff to identify what play to call. Moreover, to "go for it" on 4th downs despite lack of success, signals the positive trait of aggressiveness and the negative trait of being dumb. For reference, the Baltimore Ravens hired a 25-year-old, Yale graduate to make all of the decisions on fourth downs.

2. Benching JG may appear as a bad tactic, but it works. Despite the traditional wisdom of sticking with only one quarterback, our staff decided to switch quarterbacks based on performance. For whatever reason, it works, and, I love it. I like that staff is willing to break from the mold.

3. I can actually see player development. Back when Butch was around, I always took hit for saying that Butch was a bad coach- rather than progress we saw our players regress. For whatever reasons, our players seemed to have their best season their freshman year and slow regress from future stars to undraftable. This staff is really developing our players, and I think that's a sign of good coaching.

In sum, I think our coaches are really good at player development yet lack the intellectual faculty to choose the right plays. Between the two competing factors, I hope the former rather than the latter outweigh the other. Go Vols!

Wait a minute....you love seeing our starting QB play like such crap that it negates the good, strong efforts the other players are contributing, to the point that it makes it severely difficult for our team to win games? Makes no sense to me.

Yeah, count me out here. I’d much prefer a good, consistent quarterback that puts the team in the best possible situations to win games. I don’t ever want to see a quarterback running out there that consistently leaves plays and points on the field like Guarantano does, and can only play at a decent level if he first plays so poorly that it leads to his benching every game.

 

[KBVol]

The red zone..

Relying on JG to pass in this situation is iffy at best. O-line is just now getting to the point they can "push" into the end zone, so running it in has been iffy. Now on the TD where we sent in a 250 lb guy (LB I think) it was a good call. With a better o-line push and a big guy a running back, things went as they should. Our team AND staff are getting there.

The linebacker who scored the late touchdown was freshman Quavaris Crouch.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Here’s what really encouraging. Even with all mistakes, deficiencies, inexperience, and adversity this team never gives up and THEY ARE WINNING. Just wait till that stuff gets fixed. Good teams with good coaching win even when they shouldn’t.

There is a mental toughness and fortitude that has been instilled in this program and it was lacking for years. That is a direct reflection of the man who leads it now versus the men who led it before.

 

[Alto1]

Wait a minute....you love seeing our starting QB play like such crap that it negates the good, strong efforts the other players are contributing, to the point that it makes it severely difficult for our team to win games? Makes no sense to me.

Yeah, count me out here. I’d much prefer a good, consistent quarterback that puts the team in the best possible situations to win games. I don’t ever want to see a quarterback running out there that consistently leaves plays and points on the field like Guarantano does, and can only play at a decent level if he first plays so poorly that it leads to his
benching every game.

I agree.

Difference in 8-5 or 10-3 imo.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Like I have mentioned before, going for it on 4th down cost us the BYU game; 9 points is more than 7. On the other hand you can't always turn a sow's ear into a silk purse; hopefully HB can be that silk purse. It wasn't all Butch's fault; injuries and a poor kicker really hurt him. Coaches can only do so much with the talent they have; a good example, is our receivers lack elite speed, but that will be here next season. I can't believe you didn't mention penalties; we are not disciplined enough in that dept.

It worked when we put our 250lb LB at running back.

 

[TheManFromTenn]

If I had JG's arm, I think I would have had us up 21-0 in the 1st quarter. JG's problem is between his ears. He does not anticipate the break his receivers make. You have to throw the ball as they make the move, not after they have made it. By the time he sees the receiver open, the DB has recovered or another DB has reacted and it's too late. Couldn't have been more disappointed in JG's performance last night. The kid is really tough. He has good leadership skills. He is just too hesitant to throw the ball. He's been given all the chances anyone could expect to improve but he has digressed. Time to move on.

Well, in this game he could not throw the fade. He darted it too high for the receiver to catch it. He needs to be able to arch it over defenders better...

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I wish Indiana had worn their crimson jerseys for a color vs. color matchup. It would have looked nice.

 

[cgrish]

As for your #1 It's simple. Pass sets up the run and vice-versa. Defenses copy each other when something works and defenses load the box to stop UT's running. They do his because our QB play is inconsistent and it's a gamble on their part because they feel JG can't consistently complete passes over 10 yds.

You are exactly right. We have some good rb, but hard to run against a stacked box. That is why if you will look when maurer came into the game, the running game improved, they knew he could pass downfield. And we got a fg on his only series of downs.

 

[TJSVOLS]

I'm more encouraged with the fact that we beat a deeply traditional powerhouse in football, Indiana, who was one player (kicker) from putting us back in a coaching search.

Over React much? wow...

 

[UTNoFear]

I don't typically post on here, but am a Vol by heart and an alumni. While the comeback was wonderful, I have certain reservations and areas for optimism about our staff (I will not pick on the players since they are just kids).

1. Having one of the worst red zone efficiency rates in the country and 4th down conversation rates in the country is extremely alarming. While the stats don't always tell the whole story, to me, these two stats show that the staff needs to develop decision-making skills. The two stats fall entirely on the staff to identify what play to call. Moreover, to "go for it" on 4th downs despite lack of success, signals the positive trait of aggressiveness and the negative trait of being dumb. For reference, the Baltimore Ravens hired a 25-year-old, Yale graduate to make all of the decisions on fourth downs.

2. Benching JG may appear as a bad tactic, but it works. Despite the traditional wisdom of sticking with only one quarterback, our staff decided to switch quarterbacks based on performance. For whatever reason, it works, and, I love it. I like that staff is willing to break from the mold.

3. I can actually see player development. Back when Butch was around, I always took hit for saying that Butch was a bad coach- rather than progress we saw our players regress. For whatever reasons, our players seemed to have their best season their freshman year and slow regress from future stars to undraftable. This staff is really developing our players, and I think that's a sign of good coaching.

In sum, I think our coaches are really good at player development yet lack the intellectual faculty to choose the right plays. Between the two competing factors, I hope the former rather than the latter outweigh the other. Go Vols!

Intellectual faculty? Yeah, CJC and CJP have forgotten more about football than you seem to know and your lack of knowledge screams in your post. While I did agree with very little of your post, I think your summation was dead off center. Play calling kept us in the game the 4th quarter. I really think you should rewatch the game hoss and go from there and see if you learned anything. Jeez you cant please these dime store armchairs.

 

[lynnh]

Tenn unable to score TDs is 95% on the QB, not picking on anyone and he's not a kid 22 yrs old, Chaney calls plays to put Vols in a good situation to score
JG is not SEC level QB not optimistic it will ever happen......…CJC has toughest job on staff to scheme around JG's lack of talent and decisions on field

 

[OrangeSoddyDaisy]

I thought since you were a Tigger High fan you were encouraged that Memphis in their "biggest game in history" had the lowest attended Cotton Bowl since World War II and got slaughtered. No wonder real conferences don't want them...the Cotton Bowl is so mad that they were forced to take a midmajor

Attendance was a disappointment. Penn State didn't travel well for sure.

 

[37L1]

Our OL has been a work in progress. We do not yet have the depth and experience to push people around on the goal line or inside the 5. Our running backs, generally speaking, are not FBs, heavy weight, beast mode, running backs that can punch it in, outside of Crouch, who is a converted RB to LB.

Our receivers, on the other hand, are a strength for this team and should win most one on one fade routes in the end zone, if the QB delievers. We all know what the problem is in that regard. JG sometimes delivers but is too inconsistent to be relied upon as much as we have been doing this year.

 

[Titan&Volfan4life]

I'm sure happy that Crouch is still keeping his RB skills sharp while he's learning his LB position.

I'm a bit surprised that Pruitt didn't use Crouch as a RB in the 1st quarter.

I'm still happy at our great finish to get the WIN.

VFL...GBO!!!

 

[Orange_Crush]

I don't typically post on here, but am a Vol by heart and an alumni. While the comeback was wonderful, I have certain reservations and areas for optimism about our staff (I will not pick on the players since they are just kids).

1. Having one of the worst red zone efficiency rates in the country and 4th down conversation rates in the country is extremely alarming. While the stats don't always tell the whole story, to me, these two stats show that the staff needs to develop decision-making skills. The two stats fall entirely on the staff to identify what play to call. Moreover, to "go for it" on 4th downs despite lack of success, signals the positive trait of aggressiveness and the negative trait of being dumb. For reference, the Baltimore Ravens hired a 25-year-old, Yale graduate to make all of the decisions on fourth downs.

2. Benching JG may appear as a bad tactic, but it works. Despite the traditional wisdom of sticking with only one quarterback, our staff decided to switch quarterbacks based on performance. For whatever reason, it works, and, I love it. I like that staff is willing to break from the mold.

3. I can actually see player development. Back when Butch was around, I always took hit for saying that Butch was a bad coach- rather than progress we saw our players regress. For whatever reasons, our players seemed to have their best season their freshman year and slow regress from future stars to undraftable. This staff is really developing our players, and I think that's a sign of good coaching.

In sum, I think our coaches are really good at player development yet lack the intellectual faculty to choose the right plays. Between the two competing factors, I hope the former rather than the latter outweigh the other. Go Vols!

Red zone efficiency... Offensive. Playcalling.

I'm not sure I can agree with your premise that CJC doesn't know how to call plays.