OL

[CroKev]

I remember reading last year that several guys on Bama's defense were asked which OL they faced was the toughest and they said UT's, because of all the misdirection and the speed with which they played. At the time, we thought DeBord was a genius and that Mahoney was gone. With almost everybody back, what happened!?!

Man, I'm hoping that we return the OL to last year's schemes this weekend.

If CBJ has a tough year, he'll definitely be back for at least another year, but the new AD will definitely insist that DeBord has to go.

Here's to hoping that I don't have a clue as to what I'm talking about.

 

[WhatInVolnation]

I remember reading last year that several guys on Bama's defense were asked which OL they faced was the toughest and they said UT's, because of all the misdirection and the speed with which they played. At the time, we thought DeBord was a genius and that Mahoney was gone. With almost everybody back, what happened!?!

Man, I'm hoping that we return the OL to last year's schemes this weekend.

If CBJ has a tough year, he'll definitely be back for at least another year, but the new AD will definitely insist that DeBord has to go.

Here's to hoping that I don't have a clue as to what I'm talking about.

I'm with you. This year has been so perplexing so far. UT is 3-0 and there should be some good vibes about the record but the way we have gotten there has been ugly to say the least. At the forefront of this, while I am not an expert, I think our offense looks a lot different this season than in Butch's previous seasons. Just as one example, UT previously used a lot of jet sweep action to create the threat of going wide and did so even when Hurd ran through the tackles, which spread out the defense and made the OL's individual jobs easier. I think our offense has looked fundamentally different because there has not been as much misdirection, shifts, etc. I am wondering if the misdirection was abandoned because the staff thought the OL was better this year and they were wrong or if they've been sitting on it for three games to prevent UF, UGA, A&M, and Bama to have more film of the actual offense. Also, we have seen Hurd and Kamara in the backfield together on a few occasions this year but I think that will be incorporated more as the season wears on. And, the I-formation was installed and well executed against Northwestern but we have not seen that so far this year. I just cannot imagine the coaching staff would implement that for a bowl game and have it work well only to jettison it for this season, which is the critical one.

All in all, I'm just as puzzled as you how the OL, which was average last year, has regressed so far. While I think the staff has kept some stuff back, it remains to be seen how much they've kept back and how well it will be executed on game days from here on out since there has not been a dry run against weaker teams. I'm hoping that we have a lot of razzle-dazzle in the bag because otherwise this season is not going to end up as we all had hoped and envisioned.

 

[Mick]

Sorry you thought Debord was a genius.

 

[Darth_Shiveman]

Debord did a good job scheming our run game to mask some deficiencies in our OL last year. I'll give him that.


But aHurd, Dobbs, and Kamara also did a great job of manufacturing yards for themselves and moving the chains in a lot of situations where the OL didn't help them out so much, too.

Still, our OL has been a great disappointment this year. I expected to see modest improvement. So far they look, at best, no better and, at worst, as bad as 2014.

It's really incomprehensible why an OL with this much experience and so many highly recruited players miss so many assignments or lose their balance lunging after defenders and end up looking like fools. If our OL doesn't get their s*** together quickly, somebody on this offensive staff needs to be held accountable.

 

[KBVol]

Debord did a good job scheming our run game to mask some deficiencies in our OL last year. I'll give him that.


But aHurd, Dobbs, and Kamara also did a great job of manufacturing yards for themselves and moving the chains in a lot of situations where the OL didn't help them out so much, too.

Still, our OL has been a great disappointment this year. I expected to see modest improvement. So far they look, at best, no better and, at worst, as bad as 2014.

It's really incomprehensible why an OL with this much experience and so many highly recruited players miss so many assignments or lose their balance lunging after defenders and end up looking like fools. If our OL doesn't get their s*** together quickly, somebody on this offensive staff needs to be held accountable.

Well said Darth. The performance of the OL thus far is maddening, inexplicable and just unacceptable. It does look like 2014 all over again and if it doesn't do a 180 starting here in about 72 hours, the season will be lost, a change should be coming on Jones' staff in January and Jones himself will find his job in jeopardy going into 2017.

 

[photovol]

Debord did a good job scheming our run game to mask some deficiencies in our OL last year. I'll give him that.


But aHurd, Dobbs, and Kamara also did a great job of manufacturing yards for themselves and moving the chains in a lot of situations where the OL didn't help them out so much, too.

Still, our OL has been a great disappointment this year. I expected to see modest improvement. So far they look, at best, no better and, at worst, as bad as 2014.

It's really incomprehensible why an OL with this much experience and so many highly recruited players miss so many assignments or lose their balance lunging after defenders and end up looking like fools. If our OL doesn't get their s*** together quickly, somebody on this offensive staff needs to be held accountable.

But the Vols Oline wants to remain in the shadows:yes:

 

[salutethehill]

Hold up....did someone here really think DeBord was a genius?

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Apparently Chance Hall was a bigger loss than any of us could have imagined this offseason.

We will find out Saturday if he truly is a difference maker for this OL. I'm hoping the answer is yes.

 

[Vols_14]

Jim Bob Cooter for OC and Debord for OLine coach

 

[JohnD13]

Jim Bob Cooter for OC and Debord for OLine coach

Because Detroit is so good...lol

 

[volroadwarrior]

I'm with you. This year has been so perplexing so far. UT is 3-0 and there should be some good vibes about the record but the way we have gotten there has been ugly to say the least. At the forefront of this, while I am not an expert, I think our offense looks a lot different this season than in Butch's previous seasons. Just as one example, UT previously used a lot of jet sweep action to create the threat of going wide and did so even when Hurd ran through the tackles, which spread out the defense and made the OL's individual jobs easier. I think our offense has looked fundamentally different because there has not been as much misdirection, shifts, etc. I am wondering if the misdirection was abandoned because the staff thought the OL was better this year and they were wrong or if they've been sitting on it for three games to prevent UF, UGA, A&M, and Bama to have more film of the actual offense. Also, we have seen Hurd and Kamara in the backfield together on a few occasions this year but I think that will be incorporated more as the season wears on. And, the I-formation was installed and well executed against Northwestern but we have not seen that so far this year. I just cannot imagine the coaching staff would implement that for a bowl game and have it work well only to jettison it for this season, which is the critical one.

All in all, I'm just as puzzled as you how the OL, which was average last year, has regressed so far. While I think the staff has kept some stuff back, it remains to be seen how much they've kept back and how well it will be executed on game days from here on out since there has not been a dry run against weaker teams. I'm hoping that we have a lot of razzle-dazzle in the bag because otherwise this season is not going to end up as we all had hoped and envisioned.

All of you nattering nannies never liked DeBord and are clamoring for more turn over in the staff. Last year vs Bama we had Kerbyson who adequately held his own. This year, we gave a flyer to Richmond, a freshman, who obviously is not ready. Coleman Thomas is playing out of position with 2 ankles heavily taped which limits his movement. I suppose some have to ***** and moan about something so have at it. Butch is here for awhile and he is going to have who he wants to work with whether the ankle biters on VN like it or not.

 

[Seattle Hillbilly]

I really disliked how often the Vols went to the Jet Sweep last year, but agree that a dose of it this week might be very helpful, if not over done. Who would best carry the ball? Byrd?

 

[WhatInVolnation]

All of you nattering nannies never liked DeBord and are clamoring for more turn over in the staff. Last year vs Bama we had Kerbyson who adequately held his own. This year, we gave a flyer to Richmond, a freshman, who obviously is not ready. Coleman Thomas is playing out of position with 2 ankles heavily taped which limits his movement. I suppose some have to ***** and moan about something so have at it. Butch is here for awhile and he is going to have who he wants to work with whether the ankle biters on VN like it or not.

What about my post is overly negative? The OL doesn't look good so far this year. This is true. Sure, we have injuries but so does every other team. The offense hasn't looked too good either yet. This is also true. I also mentioned that our offense has looked better under Butch and Debord previously, which is also true. The style of the offense is also different so far, which is also true. And, we have not incorporated elements of the offense that we have used before that were successful before, which is also true, and I wonder if that's about to change. The news that Hall is back is great news. That probably permits Coleman Thomas to get healthy by starting Hall and moving Thomas to the bench until he heals up. Maybe Hall is that big of a difference maker but we shall see. UT's season starts in truth on Saturday and whether the bellyaching was based on a conservative approach to obscure the full scale offense and the OL was hindered by the absence of Hall or if it just what it is this year remains to be seen.

 

[WilliamDuVOL]

I'd assume the toughest they will face this year will be us, because their D linemen will be so tired from all the running they do straight through our line.

I'll see myself out.

 

[WilliamDuVOL]

Well said Darth. The performance of the OL thus far is maddening, inexplicable and just unacceptable. It does look like 2014 all over again and if it doesn't do a 180 starting here in about 72 hours, the season will be lost, a change should be coming on Jones' staff in January and Jones himself will find his job in jeopardy going into 2017.

The performance of our O line becomes even more frustrating when watching other teams play, seeing O lines make big open holes in the D line and watching a RB get through untouched for 3 to 5 yards.

I can barely recall any running plays this year where Hurd or Kamara got through the line into the secondary. I mostly recall plays where the are stuck behind the line when the line gets what little push they do, or where the opposing defense is already wrapping them up at or behind the line of scrimmage.