Some good articles post Bama

[DD4ME]

Saw a couple of excerpts posted here but thought there were larger portions worth sharing.

On our protection woes against Bama

Why it happened: Strong blitz scheme + Tennessee miscommunication

The Vols already trailed by seven and faced a third-and-long on their third offensive snap of the game. ’Bama uses a stellar blitz scheme from the top of the screen to get a blitzer through relatively unblocked.

The Crimson Tide use the Vols’ stacked receiver formation against them. If you look at how the defense lines up before the snap, it looks like simple man coverage with a safety over the top. It’s not. ’Bama presses the lead receiver, but the second defender blitzes without tipping his hand to Guarantano. The safety over the top is actually in man coverage on the receiver lined up behind the line of scrimmage. Because the formation is stacked on the hashmark on the short side of the field, ’Bama’s blitzer has a much shorter path to the quarterback. This blitz would make no sense and do very little if the Vols had receivers stacked outside the far hash.

Tennessee obviously doesn’t see it coming. The Crimson Tide show blitz with a linebacker in the middle of the defense, but he drops into coverage. Vols right guard Jerome Carvin slides over to double team the defensive tackle, but that leaves a giant hole for the blitzer lined up at corner. Carvin sees it late and tries to make a block, but the Vols have already been outschemed. Guarantano never sees it coming, gets obliterated and Alabama takes over a few yards away from a 14-0 lead that assures this game will never be competitive.

Tennessee has the numbers to block this blitz. It’s five rushers for six blockers, but look at the bottom of the play. It’s not much better. The Vols’ right guard looks like he’s accounting for the linebacker that never blitzes, but he has nothing to do as the play begins and double teams the tackle, giving center Ryan Johnson help he doesn’t really need. That leaves poor Ty Chandler to account for 295-pound ’Bama defensive lineman Quinnen Williams (No. 92). Chandler tries to cut him and misses badly, sending a second rusher into the pocket and upping Alabama’s odds of recovering the fumble.

Guarantano recognizing this blitz probably goes back to film study. I don’t know how often Alabama has shown this particular package, but there’s nothing presnap that tips off that it’s coming. That’s not to say Guarantano missed it, but the only way he could have ever known it was coming is if the Tide have done this before to teams that stack receivers. It’s a really smart, deceptive scheme that would work even with players who weren’t as good as what Alabama trots out every Saturday.


Why it happened: Excellent blitz scheme

This play is actually good news for Tennessee. One, even though this is the hit that ended Guarantano’s day, he should be back next week. Two, Tennessee only has to play a defense with Nick Saban’s expertise and Alabama’s talent once a year. This is a combination of both. It’s a play that illustrates why Saban is great.

Watch the pass rush: The whole line rushes right to move the offensive line. The two down linemen move right. A third down lineman twists to further bunch the Vols’ line. Linebacker Dylan Moses (No. 32) fakes a blitz and fades out, drawing Tennessee right tackle Drew Richmond basically into the flats, eliminating Ty Chandler from the play. Moses is actually in man coverage against Chandler.

What’s left? A gigantic hole. Alabama linebacker Mack Wilson (No. 30) waits a beat for the stunt to develop, trusts his scheme and comes screaming through a perfectly created hole. Richmond looks back and knows he’s been fooled. Guarantano recognizes the ball has to come out and puts a good throw downfield to Jauan Jennings, but Guarantano is exposed to a full-speed blitzer.

Wilson is one of the nation’s best linebackers, but this is a perfect example of ’Bama living off a lot more than talent alone. This is a perfectly executed scheme that put Guarantano in real danger.


Why it happened: Poor communication from Tennessee OL

Sometimes, Saban’s defenses showcase their talent, coordination and scheme. Sometimes, they just let teams beat themselves. This hit on Keller Chryst qualifies as the latter.

Tennessee has five offensive linemen. Alabama has four rushers on the line of scrimmage, with three in a three-point stance. This should be a relatively simple scheme to cover, but Tennessee’s offensive line gets its responsibilities confused. The right tackle offers the right guard help he doesn’t really need.

As a result, Alabama is given the unthinkable: a rusher who begins a snap in a three-point stance and faces zero opposition on his way to the quarterback. Even when Chryst gets hit, the right tackle has no idea what’s happened.

These are the type of communication and mental errors you can’t have. They’re the kinds of plays that result in huge losses or turnovers. Plays like these are how you beat yourself, and Tennessee does exactly that here.

 

[DD4ME]

More from Randolph interview

VFL Corner
This week’s guest in the VFL corner is Brian Randolph, who committed to Derek Dooley and Tennessee in 2011 and started 49 games at cornerback over his five-year career, including three seasons with former Vols coach Butch Jones.

What stood out to you about what we saw on the field Saturday?

Yeah, them boys weren’t ready to play. I think the moment was way too big for ’em. When you play a team like Alabama and you let them get out to 28-0 in the first quarter, it’s over. It wasn’t much of a game because they didn’t come to play.

Did you see Pruitt’s comments during and after the game about needing to recruit better players? What did you think about that?

Oh yeah. I saw when he said the thing about Tennessee corners not making it on blitzes and if we had some different guys here, I bet they’re making it on their blitzes. That just shows he’s not used to not having Alabama-type players. It’s going to be something to get used to. And we have to be trying to get those kind of players in here. He does have a point.

If you’re a player on this roster, how do repeated comments like that sound?

It sounds awful. You’re out there giving all you got and your coach is saying, “Well, we probably need new blood in here, new people.” It’s going to get under your skin. But as a player, you also have to be realistic and know he’s not lying. They’re not getting the job done. If I was in that situation and I was giving up 60 points in a game, I couldn’t be mad about what he said.

 

[DD4ME]

On Pruitt's reactions

This is all new for Jeremy Pruitt.

Not just being a head coach, but trying to coach a team stocked with anything but top-shelf talent.

“If you look at their sideline and look at our sideline,” Pruitt said, “it don’t hardly look the same.”

Maybe one day Tennessee will be back there. They’re closer today than they were this time last year, but Alabama rudely illustrated the reality of the Vols program. They’re a long way from the top.

Thirty-seven points, to be precise.

No. 1 Alabama 58, Tennessee 21.

When the game’s final seconds ticked off the clock, there wasn’t much fanfare, beyond the cigar smoke wafting from the stands, courtesy of the Alabama fans who made the trip and celebrated a 12th consecutive win on the Third Saturday in October.

But something did happen. Pruitt suffered his fourth loss. He’s never done that as an on-field coach and only experienced it once in his career, all the way back in 2007 when he was the director of player personnel for Alabama in Nick Saban’s first year in Tuscaloosa.

When he earned his first job as a coordinator, he won a national title in his first season, helping coach Florida State to a 14-0 season. The next year, he inherited a defense that won 20 games in two years at Georgia. He helped them win 20 more games the next two seasons.

When he returned to Alabama the next season, he stepped right in as a perfectly fitting cog in the Crimson Tide’s trophy-collecting machine, fueled by eight consecutive No. 1 recruiting classes.

Pruitt has been very aware of the realities of his roster, but he’s never been a part of a college staff that lost a game as badly as Tennessee did Saturday. When it was over, he didn’t sound angry or frustrated, though cornerback Baylen Buchanan referenced a message to the team in the postgame locker room that would earn a few FCC fines if it had been broadcast live over the airwaves.

Pruitt just sounded tired. Tennessee might be improved from a year ago, but the mistakes Pruitt sees on Saturdays are mistakes he’s never endured as a coach.
...
I’ve talked to a lot of people about Pruitt, and you hear the same thing come up over and over again. He tells it like it is. Pruitt is being honest when he says stuff like that. Some players will like it, and plenty know he’s right. Some won’t like it.

Pruitt, it’s safe to say, isn’t very concerned about the opinions of the latter group. But he might need a few in that group to contribute in the weeks to come as he plays the games that will decide the Vols’ postseason fate.

Pruitt has known this was the case for a long time, but we haven’t heard him be that harsh publicly since he took the job. Plenty of coaches have wanted to say similar things and haven’t. Pruitt’s going to say those things. He’s not wrong. Saturday, he saw his program laid bare, and he was done filtering his thoughts on the roster he inherited.

He’s tired of losing, but it’s going to take a few more of those before he turns the program into what he believes it can be.

“I think our guys have turned the corner on how they practice and how they compete,” Pruitt said. “But it takes more than seven on defense and five on offense.”

Defensive end Kyle Phillips, for one, has thoughts on how he expects the team to respond: “I think we can win out,” he said. “And that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

 

[NCVOL327]

I was very fortunate to meet Randolph's parents when he was playing for us. They are very special and he is very lucky to have them supporting him. I asked his mom why he chose Tennessee when Dooley recruited him. She replied the she told him that you will not win many games. He replied that what he wanted was to be on the field playing. He is truly a VFL and gave us is ALL. Thank you Brian!

 

[JCP201]

On Pruitt's reactions

Pruitt also said yesterday that it was easy to coach at a top school-- just make sure the player continues to play at a high level. A challenge like this is going to show what kind of coach he is. He knows he needs to get good players and coach them up. Nothing he says is untrue.

 

[Special Ed]

What's good about that?

 

[illinoisvolfan1]

https://squiretothegiants.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/turd-polish.jpg?w=270&h=270

 

[tbones0711]

I actually saw DKjr and Ignont standing flat-footed as Bama's runner came barrelling up the middle for their 2nd touchdown. Bama's OLine was getting a huge push no doubt but these LB's are suppose to converge on that hole and you can't tell me they can't spot the ball, (play-action fake). A decent LBer would fill that gap quick out of instinct. I agree with coach 100%. This isn't UT football.

 

[Vol Main]

I was very fortunate to meet Randolph's parents when he was playing for us. They are very special and he is very lucky to have them supporting him. I asked his mom why he chose Tennessee when Dooley recruited him. She replied the she told him that you will not win many games. He replied that what he wanted was to be on the field playing. He is truly a VFL and gave us is ALL. Thank you Brian!

I was a Brian Randolph fan during his four years at Tennessee. He was a consistently reliable Free Safety, sorely missed when not on the field, and some of the plays he made seemed super human. The guy will always be a Tennessee Torchbearer in my mind.

 

[livefaith]

BR made a lot of plays for us on some questionable defensive teams. Sealing the win over UGA, his bowling style, and this crush on Pharoh Cooper are the ones I remember most. Had he came along 5 years earlier, this would have been a great defensive play. Oooh.
[VIDEO=]

 

[scottchatt]

BR made a lot of plays for us on some questionable defensive teams. Sealing the win over UGA, his bowling style, and this crush on Pharoh Cooper are the ones I remember most. Had he came along 5 years earlier, this would have been a great defensive play. Oooh.
[VIDEO=]

What a hit. I was in the stands that day, I sit in Z12, the Vol fans loved it, the Carolina fans just to my left weren't such big fans. Too bad we don't get to play big boy football anymore.