Strengths and weaknesses

[MemphisVol77]

What is one name I should get to know on the UT roster

TREY SMITH - Actually that's "Mr. Smith" or "Sir" to your DL. Just kidding........, well sort of.

He's our most NFL capable player but has severe health uncertainties regarding his pro chances. He's just a great person and a feel good story all around after missing significant time last season.
He can be a single handed, pancake blocking, highlight reel with a tendency to take LB's off their feet when he pulls outside. God help the DB who meets him at the 2nd level.

also will commit soo many penalties on defense. I’m talking 10-15 yarders that will turn your 3rd and longs into first downs.

We occasionally come out sloppy in the 1st QT. Get a few false stats putting us behind the chains on O, march to the 20 and penalize ourselves out of scoring position, or defensive offsides turning opponents 3rd & longs into manageable short yardage downs.

We're not above a boneheaded unsportsmanlike penalty playing from behind without any positive momentum.

Not every game and we usually shake it off and play a disciplined 2nd half.

I know Indiana is a downer in Tennessee eyes. But we are very much up and coming in the grand scheme of thing

Not at all. I would say it's the opposite. You're an upper for us! A few reasons.

Most fans are simply happy to make a bowl game after how our season started.

We almost got shafted into playing Louisville in the Music City Bowl. We think Indiana is a better matchup, and playing a bowl game in our little brother's yard(Vandy) is a serious downer for most of our fan base.

Finally Kentucky got butthurt that we flexed our prestige and pulled a coup to get the Gator Bowl at the 12th hour. Which of course we revel in.

We're extremely confident, but not cocky. We have a recent history of pummeling Big10 teams in bowl games.
We know if we don't sustain the continuity we finished out the season with, particularly on defense, that we're very vulnerable.

We are attempting to build a program similar to what Louisville had with all of their Florida athletes. Minus the shadiness.

A healthy disdain for Florida!!!!

Our fan base seems to generally dispise Ohio St, Penn St, & Michigan. After that, many of us have begrudging respect for your conference.

I almost regret we shall be on opposite sides of the battle field.

Welcome to Volnation and Merry Christmas. Looking forward to our game.

 

[RollerVol]

I ain't talkin' to the enemy.
Loose Lips Sink Ships.

won't matter...BUT GOOD LUCK TO BOTH TEAMS AND I JUST HOPE THEY'RE NO BIG INJURIES ON EITHER TEAM...

GO BIG ORANGE...BEAT THE HOOSIERS!

 

[BruisedOrange]

I ain't talkin' to the enemy.
Loose Lips Sink Ships.

Glad someone stepped in to plug this pipeline, directly from the Big Orange Gridiron Braintrust straight to Indiana's coaching staff.

"We're cuttin' ya off, Hoosiers! Now you're gonna hafta go back to breaking down game video!"

Nice spy try, Hendej007... but we're too smart for ya.

 

[BruisedOrange]

My people came down here after the Civil War, from a place called Headlee, Indiana. Brought his yankee dollars and yankee bride, and bought some Tennessee mountain land (that I'm fixin' to sell next year).

Thank you for visiting with us, Hendej! God bless you and your family in 2020.

 

[KBVol]

Hoosier fan here. What are the biggest strengths and weaknesses of your team. I’ve watched some highlights on your team to get acquainted. However, not enough game action to get a feel for UT.
What are your teams biggest strengths on offense and defense. Likewise for weaknesses on both sides. What is one name I should get to know on the UT roster?

Just wanna talk some football.

Strengths: WRs, DL (remarkable improvement thru the season), LBs and DBs. Place kicker is one of the best in the country, should’ve been 1st team all-SEC and all-American.

Weaknesses: QB, OL (inconsistent, better in pass pro, spotty opening holes for running game) and pass rush. Punter is also a weakness.

 

[KBVol]

I ain't talkin' to the enemy.
Loose Lips Sink Ships.

 

[KBVol]

Hoosier fan here. What are the biggest strengths and weaknesses of your team. I’ve watched some highlights on your team to get acquainted. However, not enough game action to get a feel for UT.
What are your teams biggest strengths on offense and defense. Likewise for weaknesses on both sides. What is one name I should get to know on the UT roster?

Just wanna talk some football.

Name(s) you should know- Trey Smith, Jauan Jennings, Daniel Bituli, Henry To’o to’o

 

[Lane Train 4]

There will be at least two plays where Trey Smith will flat out embarrass a few defenders. If Jennings gets the chance he will embarrass your entire defense by breaking multiple tackles on his way to the endzone.

 

[Hendej07]

Is Jennings a break away speed type receiver or more of a crisp route running WR? Or Does he high point 50/50 balls? I haven’t seen him. So curious the type of receiver he is. You all are very high on him. Also why is he suspended for one half?

In regards to trey smith. He will have no trouble with our ends. Our interior d-line is serviceable.

 

[Lane Train 4]

Is Jennings a break away speed type receiver or more of a crisp route running WR? Or Does he high point 50/50 balls? I haven’t seen him. So curious the type of receiver he is. You all are very high on him. Also why is he suspended for one half?

In regards to trey smith. He will have no trouble with our ends. Our interior d-line is serviceable.

Jennings is just a dawg! Not fast at all but plants his foot in the ground as good as anybody in the country. His strength is being extremly difficult to tackle anf great at high pointing the football. He is suspended for a half after he stepped on a rivals head after almost taking his life on one of the hardest hits of the college football season. Just your old school smash mouth football player!

 

[1972 Grad]

Hoosier fan here. What are the biggest strengths and weaknesses of your team. I’ve watched some highlights on your team to get acquainted. However, not enough game action to get a feel for UT.
What are your teams biggest strengths on offense and defense. Likewise for weaknesses on both sides. What is one name I should get to know on the UT roster?

Just wanna talk some football.

We are a really good quarterback away from being a pretty good team. Not great, but we could easily be 10-2 or possibly even 11-1, with a really good qb like Joe Burrow, Justin Fields, Trevor Lawrence, or Tua. Probably should be 9-3 with the ones we have.

 

[Lane Train 4]

Is Jennings a break away speed type receiver or more of a crisp route running WR? Or Does he high point 50/50 balls? I haven’t seen him. So curious the type of receiver he is. You all are very high on him. Also why is he suspended for one half?

In regards to trey smith. He will have no trouble with our ends. Our interior d-line is serviceable.

 

[Hendej07]

We are a really good quarterback away from being a pretty good team. Not great, but we could easily be 10-2 or possibly even 11-1, with a really good qb like Joe Burrow, Justin Fields, Trevor Lawrence, or Tua. Probably should be 9-3 with the ones we have.

You had Penix. When healthy he has shown unbelievable flashes. He came in as a true freshman and had penn state back pedaling, he tore his acl that day. This season again he was making all the throws. 70% completion percentage decent running ability and messed up his non throwing shoulder. Overall I’m excited he will be back next year and only be a sophomore. 10 pounds and he should be more durable. I have zero doubt he’s a top 10-15 qb in college football.

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

I know Indiana is a downer in Tennessee eyes. But we are very much up and coming in the grand scheme of things. coach allen has Florida ties and has recruited the state well.

Our team is about 70% freshman and sophomore. We are attempting to build a program similar to what Louisville had with all of their Florida athletes. Minus the shadiness. We always play the top teams tough. Over the years we have taken Ohio state, Michigan, penn state to the wire but always seem to lose in fourth quarters. Hopefully these underclassman are the ones who get us over the hump with development and experience.

I'm impressed with the gradual improvements that Indiana has made over the past 5 years. They still have a long way to go but they are a well coached team. Kentucky use to be the SEC doormat for football but they have made those slow gradual steps and are now much more competitive. Indiana reminds me of where Kentucky was a few years ago.

 

[vegasvolfan]

Hoosier fan here. What are the biggest strengths and weaknesses of your team. I’ve watched some highlights on your team to get acquainted. However, not enough game action to get a feel for UT.
What are your teams biggest strengths on offense and defense. Likewise for weaknesses on both sides. What is one name I should get to know on the UT roster?

Just wanna talk some football.

Depends on which version you get. What do I mean? Inconsistency is our weakness as well as our mental game. We make so many mental mistakes. Several of the games we won, we should have beaten the team by much more. Several games that were lost could have been won if not for mental errors. However, we are loaded with talent at this juncture with JG and Mauer at QB, Gray, Chandler and Jordan at RB, Smith, Morris, Wright and others on OL with DE at TE, we have DT, Bituli and and Tootoo at LB with Williams and company at DL, Thompson and Taylor CB with Warrior at Safety... then Cimagula at FGK...

If we lose it will not be for any weakness other than a mental one.

 

[Illinoisvolfan2]

Hoosier fan here. What are the biggest strengths and weaknesses of your team. I’ve watched some highlights on your team to get acquainted. However, not enough game action to get a feel for UT.
What are your teams biggest strengths on offense and defense. Likewise for weaknesses on both sides. What is one name I should get to know on the UT roster?

Just wanna talk some football.

Welcome. I live in Hoosier territory (west suburbs of Chicago).
IMO strengths are overall defense now. Especially line and LBs.
Weakness- inconsistency.

Offense - WRs. Weakness- inconsistency again.

We’ll see what happens

 

[TN_Transplant]

Is Jennings a break away speed type receiver or more of a crisp route running WR? Or Does he high point 50/50 balls? I haven’t seen him. So curious the type of receiver he is. You all are very high on him. Also why is he suspended for one half?

In regards to trey smith. He will have no trouble with our ends. Our interior d-line is serviceable.

The best way to picture Jennings is to think of a cross between the Panthers Steve Smith and the Steelers Hines Ward. He just wants it more. And he plays real physical. He wants to win more than anyone else on the field, and whomever you are, you are trying to take food off his plate.

As for the suspension, the play after a Vanderbilt player ripped the helmet off one of our players, he tackled one of theirs, wrestled his helmet off in the scrum out of bounds, then after trash talking a bit, stepped on his face while walking away. There is some questions as to if the face step was intentional, hence the half game suspension.

 

[TNnative]

I know Indiana is a downer in Tennessee eyes. But we are very much up and coming in the grand scheme of things. coach allen has Florida ties and has recruited the state well.

Our team is about 70% freshman and sophomore. We are attempting to build a program similar to what Louisville had with all of their Florida athletes. Minus the shadiness. We always play the top teams tough. Over the years we have taken Ohio state, Michigan, penn state to the wire but always seem to lose in fourth quarters. Hopefully these underclassman are the ones who get us over the hump with development and experience.

Some might see Indiana as a downer. I don't. Would have preferred we got someone with more of a history with us, but after blowing it in the opener? Against Georgia State? I am just glad they recovered from that, and are getting a warmer weather bowl. Another excuse to cook gator tail.

To be honest, I hope you are right and the Hoosiers are up and coming. I feel your administration has been riding the basketball accolades hard over the years, and were neglecting football somewhat. Would love nothing more for you guys to start whipping the dog crap out of State Penn, and those arrogant jerks from Michigan and Ohio State. Just keep pushing for the administration to keep investing in football. To misquote "Field of Dreams": If you come, they will build it.

 

[TNnative]

Is Jennings a break away speed type receiver or more of a crisp route running WR? Or Does he high point 50/50 balls? I haven’t seen him. So curious the type of receiver he is. You all are very high on him. Also why is he suspended for one half?

In regards to trey smith. He will have no trouble with our ends. Our interior d-line is serviceable.

As to Jennings?

 

[Illinoisvolfan2]

Is Jennings a break away speed type receiver or more of a crisp route running WR? Or Does he high point 50/50 balls? I haven’t seen him. So curious the type of receiver he is. You all are very high on him. Also why is he suspended for one half?

In regards to trey smith. He will have no trouble with our ends. Our interior d-line is serviceable.

No Vol fan is overconfident about anything. We missed a bowl in 17 and 18 and think this is a blessing.
Our guys will be ready to play. But so will the IU boys.
I’m hoping for a good game and wish I could be there in person. My second Vol game was the 66 Gator Bowl against Syracuse in 1966. I was 10 years old.

 

[Billy Ratliff]

Is Jennings a break away speed type receiver or more of a crisp route running WR? Or Does he high point 50/50 balls? I haven’t seen him. So curious the type of receiver he is. You all are very high on him. Also why is he suspended for one half?

In regards to trey smith. He will have no trouble with our ends. Our interior d-line is serviceable.

Jennings is a straight dawg who broke more tackles than any other SEC WR this year. HS QB who can still throw and has run some wildcat this year. It’s definitely fun to read some of our fans descriptions of our team...

Best on D: S Warrior, ILB Bituli & Tootoo, OLB Taylor
On O: WRs Jennings, Callaway, Palmer
OG Smith

Team strength is def WRs. DL has no standouts but has really improved as a group throughout the season. Overall we have some talent, but lack depth and tend to play inconsistently on both sides of the ball. QB play perhaps the most inconsistent position - we’ve played 4 this year. Guarantano has played great and turrible. Who knows what we’ll see from him but he has the ability.

Good luck to you Hoosiers. Would love to see y’all steal some thunder from the big boys of the Big10 in the next few years.

 

[sjt18]

Hoosier fan here. What are the biggest strengths and weaknesses of your team. I’ve watched some highlights on your team to get acquainted. However, not enough game action to get a feel for UT.
What are your teams biggest strengths on offense and defense. Likewise for weaknesses on both sides. What is one name I should get to know on the UT roster?

Just wanna talk some football.

Kind of relevant to the opponent. Assuming IU is closer to UK, MSU, or Mizzou than Bama, UGA, or UF....

Offensive strengths: OL, WR's
Offensive weaknesses: RB's, QB inconsistency... if the Guarantano who played against UK, USCe, and Mizzou shows up... your D is in for a really long day.

Defensive strengths: LB, DB, DL
Defensive weaknesses: quality depth

UT has a good FG kicker. Long kicker has been good. Punter has been a disappointment. Kick return teams are good.

On offense, get to know J Jennings. He's a mad man. If you clamp down on him UT has a couple of guys who can take the top off your D.

On defense, Bituli and Warrior.

 

[Hendej07]

Some might see Indiana as a downer. I don't. Would have preferred we got someone with more of a history with us, but after blowing it in the opener? Against Georgia State? I am just glad they recovered from that, and are getting a warmer weather bowl. Another excuse to cook gator tail.

To be honest, I hope you are right and the Hoosiers are up and coming. I feel your administration has been riding the basketball accolades hard over the years, and were neglecting football somewhat. Would love nothing more for you guys to start whipping the dog crap out of State Penn, and those arrogant jerks from Michigan and Ohio State. Just keep pushing for the administration to keep investing in football. To misquote "Field of Dreams": If you come, they will build it.

Wow, you sure you aren’t an IU fan? This is our annual complaint,, the administration. Previous coaches were always given the worst facilities in the big 10 and the lowest coaching salaries. The administration always wanted basketball to be our flagship sport. It’s become clear that to run a profitable athletic department, football has to be the main focus. So investments have been made in the program. Still with our enclosure to the football stadium and the millions being put in we have barely began to catch up. Negative recruiting is used by coaches against us. Saying look no further than our attendance. Our athletic director announced his retirement at the end of the school year. So perhaps with a new regime we can catch our peers.

 

[Hendej07]

Having Bob Knight didn’t help either. The school never wants a sport or coach to be considered larger than the university again.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Strengths (Offense): We have a very good Group of receivers in Jennings, Palmer, Calloway, and TE Anderson. OL is good in PASS PRO. Pass PRO is night and day from start of season to now. Emergence of Freshman RB Eric Gray was also nice to see.

Weaknesses (offense): run blocking is too inconsistent but has improved some. QB play has been our biggest problem. JG has major issues especially when things go south. He is typically the reason things go south too. There are moments when JG hits a wideout and you can see why he was so highly thought of coming out of HS & then moments when you cannot believe a scholarship was offered to him by UT. He did however finish strong down the stretch helping this team win 5 in a row to close out the season & also winning 6 out of last 7. Lone loss during that time was to BAMA. However, VOL fans need to see better QB play period.



Strengths (defense): UT’S defense was abysmal for the first 5 games. Something did click after the MISS State game and VOL fans saw a much-needed turn around. Defense only surrendered 10 points to the Bulldogs. LB play & Secondary appear to be the strengths. DL played solid as a unit in the latter part of the year which has been encouraging.



Weaknesses (defense): Lack of pass rush. Outside of Darrell Taylor, there has not really been another player who has provided a consistent rush off of the edge. Taylor’s numbers are good but deceiving. He typically gets his sacks in bunches. DT tends to disappear in some games as well. Without him though, we would be in even more trouble in that department. If you guys throw more than you run, then play of our pass rushers VS. your OTs could be the deciding factor of the game.

Hope the game is injury free for both teams, Go VOLS!