Silver Lining?

[tinman23]

Was talking to some guys after the game... Anyone else think this game could be what the players needed to light a fire under their ass? Pruitt is undoubtedly going to give these boys hell all week in practice. As bad as we looked tonight (mostly defensive backfield), there were a few good things that I saw.

1. JG looked like a different QB than what I saw last year. Made a couple dumb choices, but did not turn the ball over one time (no TOs for UT all game)
2. Our running game looked very promising. The 3-headed monster of Chandler (if healthy), Jordan, and London looks very dangerous. Maybe even throw Banks in this crowd more with time.
3. Our run defense, while not great, was a complete turnaround from last season. Yeah, this was more of a passing team, but last year we couldn't stop the run to save our lives.
4. Our WRs looked very good (mostly Marquez and Johnson) and I think once JG gets more comfortable with his vision/awareness, we are going to be deadly with he WRs we have.

We have to buffer games coming up guys. We all knew that opening up against WVU was a ****** hand that Pruitt was dealt, but now we have a few weeks to tweak everything out. Let's let this team work things out against ETSU/UTEP, then give it to Florida on Sep 22.

 

[rgx]

 

[TuVol4u]

I think one thing that sticks out on defense is lack of leadership. Especially on the DL where veteran presence is. Those guys are going to be the difference in close games this year because the secondary is going to be bad for a while. If there's at least no pass rush, career days for Fromm, Tagovailoa, and Stidham.

Also, its safe to say, and very clear, that Butches kids were never properly developed. Its sickening actually. I didn't see one difference maker out there tonight and we need that. I was hoping to see more out of Kongbo, but his progression may have hit a ceiling.

I'm looking forward to Pruitts recruits and hope he can win some of those blue chip battles against the Bamas Floridas and Georgias over the next few cycles. It's going to take some high caliber boys to get us back up to the top.

 

[IPleadInsanity]

Kicking game was great. They did not score on the 3rd team defense.

 

[norriscraftbasser]

Was talking to some guys after the game... Anyone else think this game could be what the players needed to light a fire under their ass? Pruitt is undoubtedly going to give these boys hell all week in practice. As bad as we looked tonight (mostly defensive backfield), there were a few good things that I saw.

1. JG looked like a different QB than what I saw last year. Made a couple dumb choices, but did not turn the ball over one time (no TOs for UT all game)
2. Our running game looked very promising. The 3-headed monster of Chandler (if healthy), Jordan, and London looks very dangerous. Maybe even throw Banks in this crowd more with time.
3. Our run defense, while not great, was a complete turnaround from last season. Yeah, this was more of a passing team, but last year we couldn't stop the run to save our lives.
4. Our WRs looked very good (mostly Marquez and Johnson) and I think once JG gets more comfortable with his vision/awareness, we are going to be deadly with he WRs we have.

We have to buffer games coming up guys. We all knew that opening up against WVU was a ****** hand that Pruitt was dealt, but now we have a few weeks to tweak everything out. Let's let this team work things out against ETSU/UTEP, then give it to Florida on Sep 22.

Not sure we are good enough to give IT to anyone. We will improve but we just are not very good. If we win six JP is one hell of a coach.

 

[keckjm]

Helton called a good game as well. We left at least 10 points on the field when JG missed both the screen pass and the roll out in the back of the end zone. Is what it is.

The real concern is the defensive scheming. I don't know what Pruitt thought he was going to accomplish against WV with our current roster, but we aren't Bama or UGA. The minute Pruitt lines us up in formations where Warrior or Abernathy have to play 1 on 1 we are doomed. Our CBs are all young and inexperienced. We can't leave those guys on an island. If we aren't in a zone or a cover one 90% of the time on passing downs, then we are creating major opportunities for self-inflicting wounds. Pruitt has his work cut out for him. He doesn't have the luxury of playing 7-8 dudes in coverage on 3 and 4. Pruitt is used to getting a push by rushing 3-4 dudes at time. We don't have the players to do that. Pruitt has to bring 5 guys or more if we want a consistent pass rush. Moreover, I also thought our dime packages killed us this game. Dime packages are great when you have 4 CBs that are able to play at a high level. I'm not sure we currently have a single SEC ready DB. Pruitt and company have 2 weeks to figure it out. My suggestion is to play every possibly player who can generate a pass rush the next two weeks. I'm talking Jordan Allen, Austin Smith, Deandre Johnson, Greg Emerson, Matthew Butler, etc. If they are healthy, they should get a chance.

 

[BeecherVol]

4-8 is plenty of motivation.

What was left was terribly coached for several years. If (it's not in stone) Pruitt is capable of fixing it it's not gonna happen in one off season.

If they remain the same or go backwards from this point through the rest of the season that will go a long way in proving hes not. If the opposite happens he builds equity til hes had time to fill in the roster and develop better players.

 

[IPleadInsanity]

So we play 3 automatic win games plus Vandy and Kentucky and if this staff wins 1 additional game they are worth the 7 million in salaries they receive, not to mention the overall budget of this program? I wish my job was that easy.

 

[ABINGDON VOL FAN]

Helton called a good game as well. We left at least 10 points on the field when JG missed both the screen pass and the roll out in the back of the end zone. Is what it is.

The real concern is the defensive scheming. I don't know what Pruitt thought he was going to accomplish against WV with our current roster, but we aren't Bama or UGA. The minute Pruitt lines us up in formations where Warrior or Abernathy have to play 1 on 1 we are doomed. Our CBs are all young and inexperienced. We can't leave those guys on an island. If we aren't in a zone or a cover one 90% of the time on passing downs, then we are creating major opportunities for self-inflicting wounds. Pruitt has his work cut out for him. He doesn't have the luxury of playing 7-8 dudes in coverage on 3 and 4. Pruitt is used to getting a push by rushing 3-4 dudes at time. We don't have the players to do that. Pruitt has to bring 5 guys or more if we want a consistent pass rush. Moreover, I also thought our dime packages killed us this game. Dime packages are great when you have 4 CBs that are able to play at a high level. I'm not sure we currently have a single SEC ready DB. Pruitt and company have 2 weeks to figure it out. My suggestion is to play every possibly player who can generate a pass rush the next two weeks. I'm talking Jordan Allen, Austin Smith, Deandre Johnson, Greg Emerson, Matthew Butler, etc. If they are healthy, they should get a chance.

Helton's playing calling was terrible and we should have scored at least 28 points on their defense. As I stated in another thread, you do not call running plays when you are 3 scores behind if you are trying to win. Jordan had a career day but if we were trying to catch up to WVU in the second half and be competitive than we should have ran the two minute offense through the last 1 1/2 quarters.

 

[keckjm]

Helton's playing calling was terrible and we should have scored at least 28 points on their defense. As I stated in another thread, you do not call running plays when you are 3 scores behind if you are trying to win. Jordan had a career day but if we were trying to catch up to WVU in the second half and be competitive than we should have ran the two minute offense through the last 1 1/2 quarters.

The times we scored TDs were when we ran a balanced offense. You don’t go no huddle in the third quarter so you can go three and out and put your defense right back on the field. We had a great game plan going in the first half. We controlled the clock, even when our OL was getting demolished at times. There was no reason to panic in the third quarter offensively.

Plus, we would have had 28 points if JG didn’t miss two wide open throws that were TDs. We don’t have an O-line to go to a 3 or 4 wideout no huddle. The only times in the game where it was warranted for us to throw it every play was in the first quarter when WV put 7 dudes in the box every play and at the very end of the game. With 7 mins to go, we had a perfect chance to score a TD and JG overthrew the WR on a roll out that was open. You score that, get a two point conversion, and then get a stop and you have a chance to be right back in the game with probably 4-5 mins left. At that point you can go no huddle, spread offense.

 

[Squints]

Helton called a good game as well. We left at least 10 points on the field when JG missed both the screen pass and the roll out in the back of the end zone. Is what it is.

The real concern is the defensive scheming. I don't know what Pruitt thought he was going to accomplish against WV with our current roster, but we aren't Bama or UGA. The minute Pruitt lines us up in formations where Warrior or Abernathy have to play 1 on 1 we are doomed. Our CBs are all young and inexperienced. We can't leave those guys on an island. If we aren't in a zone or a cover one 90% of the time on passing downs, then we are creating major opportunities for self-inflicting wounds. Pruitt has his work cut out for him. He doesn't have the luxury of playing 7-8 dudes in coverage on 3 and 4. Pruitt is used to getting a push by rushing 3-4 dudes at time. We don't have the players to do that. Pruitt has to bring 5 guys or more if we want a consistent pass rush. Moreover, I also thought our dime packages killed us this game. Dime packages are great when you have 4 CBs that are able to play at a high level. I'm not sure we currently have a single SEC ready DB. Pruitt and company have 2 weeks to figure it out. My suggestion is to play every possibly player who can generate a pass rush the next two weeks. I'm talking Jordan Allen, Austin Smith, Deandre Johnson, Greg Emerson, Matthew Butler, etc. If they are healthy, they should get a chance.

Cover 1 is practically man coverage, with a floating safety over the top (usually). Two inexperienced corners (or nickel) need more than cover one (i.e. cover 2 or other hybrid packages), at least to fit your narrative. To be honest with you, zone kicked our ass today. I actually believe more man coverage would have kept them from killing us over the middle, and more pressure on Grier couldn’t have hurt, either. Playing 10-12 yards off the ball and putting limited pressure on Grier allowed them to do what they did. Their offense is predicated off timing, space, and quick releases, so don’t play a mile off the ball and give him two of those. Jam the receivers and make them work for their spot. This isn’t complicated.

I honestly don’t think you know what you’re trying to say. So, playing zone and man killed us? What were we supposed to play? At certain times, yes, we can argue that man/zone would’ve been more advantageous to that specific instance, but that’s moot. Holistically, I’d say we played too much zone, but you’re arguing a floating safety (he has to pick a side or stay in center field) would’ve helped? The middle of the field was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back, because we didn’t trail receiver’s enough. Sills killed us on slants, drags, and ins, and so did the wheel routes.

 

[GVol1966]

Helton called a good game as well. We left at least 10 points on the field when JG missed both the screen pass and the roll out in the back of the end zone. Is what it is.

The real concern is the defensive scheming. I don't know what Pruitt thought he was going to accomplish against WV with our current roster, but we aren't Bama or UGA. The minute Pruitt lines us up in formations where Warrior or Abernathy have to play 1 on 1 we are doomed. Our CBs are all young and inexperienced. We can't leave those guys on an island. If we aren't in a zone or a cover one 90% of the time on passing downs, then we are creating major opportunities for self-inflicting wounds. Pruitt has his work cut out for him. He doesn't have the luxury of playing 7-8 dudes in coverage on 3 and 4. Pruitt is used to getting a push by rushing 3-4 dudes at time. We don't have the players to do that. Pruitt has to bring 5 guys or more if we want a consistent pass rush. Moreover, I also thought our dime packages killed us this game. Dime packages are great when you have 4 CBs that are able to play at a high level. I'm not sure we currently have a single SEC ready DB. Pruitt and company have 2 weeks to figure it out. My suggestion is to play every possibly player who can generate a pass rush the next two weeks. I'm talking Jordan Allen, Austin Smith, Deandre Johnson, Greg Emerson, Matthew Butler, etc. If they are healthy, they should get a chance.

I am glad you are here to help the NC winning DC out with the D! . It didn’t matter what he called on D we were gonna get burnt!
Zone it rush 4? Grier waits for 10 seconds and hits a receiver. Blitz, he picks out a 1 on 1 and throws a TD, anything in between, someone is catching a ball.
No one that can put pressure on the QB, inexperienced DBACKS that can’t cover!!
Come on man really! You think Pruitt may be problem

 

[keckjm]

Cover 1 is practically man coverage, with a floating safety over the top (usually). Two inexperienced corners (or nickel) need more than cover one (i.e. cover 2 or other hybrid packages), at least to fit your narrative. To be honest with you, zone kicked our ass today. I actually believe more man coverage would have kept them from killing us over the middle, and more pressure on Grier couldn’t have hurt, either. Playing 10-12 yards off the ball and putting limited pressure on Grier allowed them to do what they did. Their offense is predicated off timing, space, and quick releases, so don’t play a mile off the ball and give him two of those. Jam the receivers and make them work for their spot. This isn’t complicated.

I honestly don’t think you know what you’re trying to say. So, playing zone and man killed us? What were we supposed to play? At certain times, yes, we can argue that man/zone would’ve been more advantageous to that specific instance, but that’s moot. Holistically, I’d say we played too much zone, but you’re arguing a floating safety (he has to pick a side or stay in center field) would’ve helped? The middle of the field was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back, because we didn’t trail receiver’s enough. Sills killed us on slants, drags, and ins, and so did the wheel routes.

Where did I say playing zone killed us when I said we should play more zone. Two, I I know what cover one is. What we were playing is straight up man to man with zero S help. If you wanna play more man to man with this team, you better find a way to not have any of our S covering one and one. I don’t know how that’s even possible. This team has zero S that can play the way Pruitt wants to play. Pruitt’s scheme is based on the idea that you play S/CB hybrids. We don’t have anyone that is capable of that. Don’t believe me, go back and watch Abernathy and Warrior.

And yea, Sills killed us, which is the entire reason you use a cover one scheme to shadow him. You want to bump WRs with CBs that cant man up? There’s a reason they are 7 yards off the line. Flowers, Abernathy, etc we’re getting burnt off the line. You’d rather give up 5 yards than 15. If you want to stop the 5 yard slants play some LBs in coverage or find some CBs who can bump coverage. We simply don’t have anyone that can do that. Any other time I’d 100% agree with you and say you have to run man, and like you said, that 100% the way you stop what VW was doing to us. However, we simply can’t do that. We have no pass rush and our guys were having to cover for way to long. Pruitt also uses his S as CBs. That’s his scheme. He’s done it everywhere he’s gone, but he’s also had the likes of Joyner at FSU, Ramsey at FSU, Eddie Jackson at Bama, and Fitzpatrick at Bama who could all play S/CB. Abernathy and Warrior can’t do that for us. He tired Flowers too, but that didn’t work very well either.

 

[keckjm]

I am glad you are here to help the NC winning DC out with the D! . It didn’t matter what he called on D we were gonna get burnt!
Zone it rush 4? Grier waits for 10 seconds and hits a receiver. Blitz, he picks out a 1 on 1 and throws a TD, anything in between, someone is catching a ball.
No one that can put pressure on the QB, inexperienced DBACKS that can’t cover!!
Come on man really! You think Pruitt may be problem

Dude I love Pruitt. I never meant this as Pruitt is a problem. However, this guy has a huge hill to climb. The way he calls games isn’t going to work with the talent we have. I love Pruitt, but this is a huge challenge for him. He does not have the talent to run the defense he’s ran at Bama, etc. We may get killed, but at least do it without putting guys like Abernathy in one on one coverage. That is a recipe for disaster for us. You don’t have to believe. Go watch the game. We have to do something more than man up S that can’t cover. I expect Fr to struggle, but when you Sr S is giving up 4-5 15-20 yard plays in a game it’s time to do something else.

 

[GVol1966]

Dude I love Pruitt. I never meant this as Pruitt is a problem. However, this guy has a huge hill to climb. The way he calls games isn’t going to work with the talent we have. I love Pruitt, but this is a huge challenge for him. He does not have the talent to run the defense he’s ran at Bama, etc. We may get killed, but at least do it without putting guys like Abernathy in one on one coverage. That is a recipe for disaster for us. You don’t have to believe. Go watch the game. We have to do something more than man up S that can’t cover. I expect Fr to struggle, but when you Sr S is giving up 4-5 15-20 yard plays in a game it’s time to do something else.

Then we agree. He doesn’t have the talent to run a successful D against any average or better Offense. You can “do something else “ but you’re still gonna get burned, so it’s a no win situation. Just keep teaching the young guys and bring in more talent next year

 

[Cartervol]

Defensive front 7 is going to keep Pruitt up at night.. Mostly thinking who he'll recruit to replace it..

 

[BJSforVols]

So we play 3 automatic win games plus Vandy and Kentucky and if this staff wins 1 additional game they are worth the 7 million in salaries they receive, not to mention the overall budget of this program? I wish my job was that easy.

Vandy and KY are no longer givens for UT. That's not saying Vandy and KY are better, but UT is not down on their level. Getting a win against Vandy or KY is similar to what getting a win against FL was in the 90s. It could go either way.

 

[IPleadInsanity]

Vandy and KY are no longer givens for UT. That's not saying Vandy and KY are better, but UT is not down on their level. Getting a win against Vandy or KY is similar to what getting a win against FL was in the 90s. It could go either way.

I see your point and agree, but a good coach with 100 million budget should laugh at Vandy and UK plus 1, not look at it as a mountain to climb.

 

[VolAllen]

Silver lining: I picked WVU on this weeks Pick Em contest

Sad.