Recruiting Forum Football Talk II

[JacketVol]

And yet Pruitt has gone out of his way this year to publicly pump up JG and stand up for him, despite JG doing nothing to earn it.

So what. He loves JJ too. But he knows most aren’t JJ and he had no other QB to hang a hat on. Holdovers are not JG fans either.

 

[Kingston Vol]

Haven’t read the article yet, it Coach Fulmer is the guy who hired Pruitt, so if this keeps going south, he kinda has to own any criticism.
I will read the article in a few

He’s going to wear it for sure, but that article is over the top.

Fundamentally people don’t like Fulmer because of the way he got the HC job and the AD job. What outsiders don’t understand is that Tennessee fans on the whole are much happier with him in that position than his predecessors.

If he wants to replace Pruitt i believe he’ll have the leeway to do it. He can sell that hire as the best he could do at the time given what all transpired before he took over.

Basketball, softball and baseball are all in good shape. Lady Vols are transitioning to something new. He’ll get a chance to make another HC hire.

 

[eVOLve]

I'm asking to be put somewhere.

 

[Smokeytom]

Surprised this article hasn’t made it in here.

That douche Pete Thamel absolutely eviscerates Fulmer. (Posting because he seems to have sources inside the program and around the SEC - the latter of which he says expects Fulmer to name himself HC after the meat of the schedule is done.)

10 takeaways: How bad can it get at Tennessee?

Pete is that you?

 

[JohnnyD1024]

So has anyone else gone back and forth between firing Pruitt and being patient and giving him more time to build the program?

 

[ChattaTNVol]

I listened to Coach Doug Matthew’s Big Orange Sunday show yesterday and one of the things he talked about was from his time as defensive coordinator here. Doug said whether when he was a player or a coach he has never seen a good base man coverage team do well in zone coverage or a base zone coverage team do well in man coverage. He said he also hasn’t seen that at the NFL level. In college, he said, if your base coverage schemes are man and you recruit to that and you practice man coverage in camps and the practice weeks, your guys are probably not going to do well in zone coverage or vice versa. He said when he was coaching defense they were a zone defense about 90% of the time. They had a lot of different looks in their zones but it was zone nonetheless. He said they would sometimes play a sort of man out of the zone but they weren’t a man defense.

He talked about when they hired a young Johnny Chavis onto the defensive staff during his time as the coordinator. He talked about how Chavis went on to become a highly regarded defensive coordinator in his own right but there was something else people would talk about when they talked about John, 3rd and Chavis. Doug said when Chavis became a defensive coordinator he went to a base man coverage defense but when he would get teams in long yardage situations he’d oftentimes go to zone coverage and of course the opposing offense would often times pick up the needed yardage to get the first down.

He said when push comes to shove you always go back to what you work on all the time and he said for our team right now that is man coverage. He said when you have to make a stop you have to go with what you hang your hat on. He said we’re not a very good zone team. He said HT was getting lost out there Saturday and went on to point out he’s a freshman and has the potential to be one of the best we’ve had in a long long time but he works a lot on man and doesn’t seem to always know where to go in zone.

He said we did a pretty good job stopping the run with our down linemen and linebackers. Florida averaged 3.5 yards per rushing attempt, only had 2 runs over 10 yards, and the longest run was 13 yards. He pointed out that not only is our run defense improving but we’re doing a better job of stopping the other side when we make a turnover. We had 4 turnovers and gave up 1 TD and 1 FG. Against the run he said our linemen were beginning to play with better leverage, something he as a former coach looks for.

He was very complimentary of our defensive linemen in their performance against the run but he said we’re not going to be a good pass rushing team unless we blitz. We had 2 sacks against Florida and both were made by Bituli. He said what we were trying to do is rush 4 and have 7 guys back in zone coverage and we aren’t very good at that. When we bring a blitz we switch to man coverage.

On offense he said there was zero misdirection in the run game and he still doesn’t understand that. He said he had been led to believe we would run some misdirection last week but he didn’t see a single instance. He said the jet sweep is not misdirection. Misdirection, he said, is when you get the defense moving one way and you end up with the run going the other way.

He said the staff is going to have to make a lot of decisions at the start of the bye week. He said we’re going to have to simplify and do what we do best, on both sides of the ball. He said the biggest decision is we need a playmaker at QB and we’re either going to stick with the status quo or we’re going to make a change. He doesn’t see how Maurer is not the starter coming out of the bye week. He doesn’t know what they will do but that’s his opinion on the situation. #2, he said, is not a very good playmaker and it’s hard to believe that his teammates have any confidence in him at all to be able to make plays. He said as far as he knows no one expects #2 to be the QB next year so since we’re not going to compete for a championship this year the situation suggests that you build for the future. He said there are a number of winnable games on our schedule, mostly after we get past Alabama, so that is what we should be working toward.

He reiterated that in his opinion the Georgia State game was all on the coaches. He said as long as we’re playing young guys or any guys, but especially young guys, they’re going to make mistakes. If you don’t want to have any mistakes at all you won’t be able to play the game of football. Younger guys tend to make more mistakes but in our case some of our best playmakers are younger guys. You play the game of football with playmakers and if you don’t have any then you don’t have a very good team. Play the ones you’ve got.

 

[rekinhavoc]

I listened to Coach Doug Matthew’s Big Orange Sunday show yesterday and one of the things he talked about was from his time as defensive coordinator here. Doug said whether when he was a player or a coach he has never seen a good base man coverage team do well in zone coverage or a base zone coverage team do well in man coverage. He said he also hasn’t seen that at the NFL level. In college, he said, if your base coverage schemes are man and you recruit to that and you practice man coverage in camps and the practice weeks, your guys are probably not going to do well in zone coverage or vice versa. He said when he was coaching defense they were a zone defense about 90% of the time. They had a lot of different looks in their zones but it was zone nonetheless. He said they would sometimes play a sort of man out of the zone but they weren’t a man defense.

He talked about when they hired a young Johnny Chavis onto the defensive staff during his time as the coordinator. He talked about how Chavis went on to become a highly regarded defensive coordinator in his own right but there was something else people would talk about when they talked about John, 3rd and Chavis. Doug said when Chavis became a defensive coordinator he went to a base man coverage defense but when he would get teams in long yardage situations he’d oftentimes go to zone coverage and of course the opposing offense would often times pick up the needed yardage to get the first down.

He said when push comes to shove you always go back to what you work on all the time and he said for our team right now that is man coverage. He said when you have to make a stop you have to go with what you hang your hat on. He said we’re not a very good zone team. He said HT was getting lost out there Saturday and went on to point out he’s a freshman and has the potential to be one of the best we’ve had in a long long time but he works a lot on man and doesn’t seem to always know where to go in zone.

He said we did a pretty good job stopping the run with our down linemen and linebackers. Florida averaged 3.5 yards per rushing attempt, only had 2 runs over 10 yards, and the longest run was 13 yards. He pointed out that not only is our run defense improving but we’re doing a better job of stopping the other side when we make a turnover. We had 4 turnovers and gave up 1 TD and 1 FG. Against the run he said our linemen were beginning to play with better leverage, something he as a former coach looks for.

He was very complimentary of our defensive linemen in their performance against the run but he said we’re not going to be a good pass rushing team unless we blitz. We had 2 sacks against Florida and both were made by Bituli. He said what we were trying to do is rush 4 and have 7 guys back in zone coverage and we aren’t very good at that. When we bring a blitz we switch to man coverage.

On offense he said there was zero misdirection in the run game and he still doesn’t understand that. He said he had been led to believe we would run some misdirection last week but he didn’t see a single instance. He said the jet sweep is not misdirection. Misdirection, he said, is when you get the defense moving one way and you end up with the run going the other way.

He said the staff is going to have to make a lot of decisions at the start of the bye week. He said we’re going to have to simplify and do what we do best, on both sides of the ball. He said the biggest decision is we need a playmaker at QB and we’re either going to stick with the status quo or we’re going to make a change. He doesn’t see how Maurer is not the starter coming out of the bye week. He doesn’t know what they will do but that’s his opinion on the situation. #2, he said, is not a very good playmaker and it’s hard to believe that his teammates have any confidence in him at all to be able to make plays. He said as far as he knows no one expects #2 to be the QB next year so since we’re not going to compete for a championship this year the situation suggests that you build for the future. He said there are a number of winnable games on our schedule, mostly after we get past Alabama, so that is what we should be working toward.

He reiterated that in his opinion the Georgia State game was all on the coaches. He said as long as we’re playing young guys or any guys, but especially young guys, they’re going to make mistakes. If you don’t want to have any mistakes at all you won’t be able to play the game of football. Younger guys tend to make more mistakes but in our case some of our best playmakers are younger guys. You play the game of football with playmakers and if you don’t have any then you don’t have a very good team. Play the ones you’ve got.

Playing for the future is the way to go. Rip the bandaid off CJP. If you got hurt feelings you probably aren't getting the job done. The recruiting forum may be regulars on the grad transfer website in the off season but I would rather have some one and dones that still want to play football than some players who are not on board.

 

[Vfl2407]

I'm asking to be put somewhere.

What is a Residential Care Home?

 

[Rishvol]

So has anyone else gone back and forth between firing Pruitt and being patient and giving him more time to build the program?

Nope. Just been patient for the rebuild. If we get rid of Pruitt it will be more of the same for multiple years

 

[titansvolsfaninga]

yeah they're are asking him to make plays (plenty of which are very simple) and he can't do it. Next man up.

It's obvious that JG can't read a defense. There's no other explanation. He may be one of the upperclassmen that won't buy in to what CJP is trying to do.

 

[rekinhavoc]

It's obvious that JG can't read a defense. There's no other explanation. He may be one of the upperclassmen that won't buy in to what CJP is trying to do.

He can't throw a pass behind the los to save his life. We could be getting some big chunks if we could execute a few of those .

 

[OGbabyaviVol]

Just wow. Must be one of Haslams butt boys.

The Haslam/Fulmer Feud is going to interesting I bet

@ChattaTNVol talked about that possiblity earlier and related the Staples article as probably being sourced from the Fulmer/Anderson camp...

Factions behind the scenes jockeying for narrative control type deal...

Only at TN do you see this level of jockeying behind the scenes between heavyweight boosters to get power to make decisions. It’s unbelievable to me. I wish the Haslams would just go away and take all of their money with them. If that means to final nail to the coffin of our football program, then so be it.

With these thoughts in mind, I have a conspiracy theory...has anyone thought some of these upperclassmen are being paid heavy money by the Haslams to tank it in each game, especially JG, so that Pruitt/Fulmer will fall flat on their face, and thus, Haslams get control back? It’s wild, but honestly, I don’t put anything past the Haslams nor the idea of some crazy stuff that would happen only at TN.

 

[VolInDayton]

Playing for the future is the way to go. Rip the bandaid off CJP. If you got hurt feelings you probably aren't getting the job done. The recruiting forum may be regulars on the grad transfer website in the off season but I would rather have some one and dones that still want to play football than some players who are not on board.

Keep playing the upper classman through Bama and then the back half the schedule just work on building for the future. We need all the bodies we got over the next 3 games.

 

[rekinhavoc]

Keep playing the upper classman through Bama and then the back half the schedule just work on building for the future. We need all the bodies we got over the next 3 games.

Not a bad plan at all.

 

[eVOLve]

What is a Residential Care Home?

For $500, Alex.

 

[nicksjuzunk]

When I’m coming up with solutions that will work for Tennessee football

 

[VolInDayton]

Outside of pathetic pass attempt to DWA I am the most concerned and upset with how we had a delay of game the first play or the second quarter. We let about 10 seconds run off to end the first quarter and we couldn't even get a play in and get a snap off to start the second quarter. Was it a lack of awarness by JG or our offensive coaches having no plan?

 

[nicksjuzunk]

From the Tim Jordan thread. Interesting info

I like Tim Jordan. Not a game breaker but he is effective and runs hard.

 

[Weezer]

I asked this similar question shortly after the game. Where was Banks all game? Didn’t even come on to give a guy a breather.

Could it have been punishment for the arrest?

 

[nicksjuzunk]

For sure. If they don’t want to be here then you let them go. Don’t hold on to guys who aren’t committed.

However, I don’t think people realize what will happen if the guys rumored to leave really follow through with it. A ton of depth is lost - some for beyond this season.

MSU, USC, UK and Vandy all of sudden go from possibilities to near certain losses. If you want Pruitt to survive this, you want these guys to hang around until the end of the season.

Total non win scenario.

Keep disgruntled players who provide seniority and depth but cost culture development

Drive away disgruntled players and risk losing talent while every loss is heat on your seat and generates apathy and lack of faith from the fanbase.

What a disaster

 

[titansvolsfaninga]

Outside of pathetic pass attempt to DWA I am the most concerned and upset with how we had a delay of game the first play or the second quarter. We let about 10 seconds run off to end the first quarter and we couldn't even get a play in and get a snap off to start the second quarter. Was it a lack of awarness by JG or our offensive coaches having no plan?

That was on JG. The play was called, you can't put that on the coaches.

 

[eVOLve]

When I’m coming up with solutions that will work for Tennessee football

View attachment 226914

Start by benching JG.

 

[SLICKYINC]

Swain gets it.

 

[VolInDayton]

That was on JG. The play was called, you can't put that on the coaches.

I just realized that was the play before he missed DWA. JG was done as soon as the interception happened in the endzone. Hindsight is 20/20 but wasnt it the perfect time to run Crouch was when we had it on the goal line?

 

[jakez4ut]

Only at TN do you see this level of jockeying behind the scenes between heavyweight boosters to get power to make decisions. It’s unbelievable to me. I wish the Haslams would just go away and take all of their money with them. If that means to final nail to the coffin of our football program, then so be it.

With these thoughts in mind, I have a conspiracy theory...has anyone thought some of these upperclassmen are being paid heavy money by the Haslams to tank it in each game, especially JG, so that Pruitt/Fulmer will fall flat on their face, and thus, Haslams get control back? It’s wild, but honestly, I don’t put anything past the Haslams nor the idea of some crazy stuff that would happen only at TN.

No