The defense is not to blame for this loss

[Thunndarr]

Agreed. We are no better now than under Jancek.

4th and 14? I'd say we're better.

 

[nash101]

Many UT fans put an extreme amount of expectations on Shoop when he was hired. Almost unreal ones. Then Shoop comes out and says nobody is going to run on this defense. So using those things as criteria, Shoop would be considered a bust to those people.

We will never know if he was right or not since we haven't seen "this defense" all year. From targeting penalty ejections in the first game to crippling injuries to both star Linebackers and possible All-American CB, the defense he envisioned hasn't played a full game yet. Despite that, it's been some of his wizardry making in game adjustments that have sparked some great comebacks. I hope he sticks around and helps recruit some 4 and 5 star studs to build a defense that would make The General proud.

 

[Mo_TownVol]

The defense and the offense are equally to blame today. I know we have had a lot of injuries but to me if you are a "mastermind" defensive coordinator you don't give up 800 yards rushing in two weeks. Most of Jalen Hurts run plays today he wasn't even touched until he got 20,30,40 yards. We look like we have never seen a zone read before. To me great defensive coaches don't need all-Americans everywhere to play good defense. Look at Wisconsin, I think it's fair to say we have out recruited them every year for 4 years but with their 3*s they have a top 5 defense. To me that's great defensive coaching and Shoop is not one of those guys. I really want him to be as advertised but so far looks like Butch made a mistake this past offseason.

 

[CincinnatiVols]

The defense and the offense are equally to blame today. I know we have had a lot of injuries but to me if you are a "mastermind" defensive coordinator you don't give up 800 yards rushing in two weeks. Most of Jalen Hurts run plays today he wasn't even touched until he got 20,30,40 yards. We look like we have never seen a zone read before. To me great defensive coaches don't need all-Americans everywhere to play good defense. Look at Wisconsin, I think it's fair to say we have out recruited them every year for 4 years but with their 3*s they have a top 5 defense. To me that's great defensive coaching and Shoop is not one of those guys. I really want him to be as advertised but so far looks like Butch made a mistake this past offseason.

Alright lets take out 3 of Wisconsin's best four linebackers, their best corner, and one of their starting DT's and see how they hold up then.

 

[KnoxRealtorVOL]

I can't even fathom blaming the defense for this game.

Debord coached every drive like he was trying to hurry and get to punt formation as quick as possible.

The defense was gassed early. And it's a thin, injured defense at that.

Shoop is the last person this loss is on.

 

[ConantheVolbarian]

So we had every one of our starters on the OL completey healthy? I must have missed that.

Nobody said they were completely healthy, but they are nowhere near as banged up as the defense. The defense is missing some of their best players in all three phases. It would be like if our O was missing Dobbs, Kamara, Jennings, and one of our best O-linemen. That is the magnitude of our losses on the defensive side of the ball.

 

[ConantheVolbarian]

Many UT fans put an extreme amount of expectations on Shoop when he was hired. Almost unreal ones. Then Shoop comes out and says nobody is going to run on this defense. So using those things as criteria, Shoop would be considered a bust to those people.

I can understand people having high expectations, but nobody could have envisioned all these injuries. We also couldn't have imagined that a veteran and talented offense could be this sloppy and inefficient. I played defense in high school and we were pretty solid and would only give up 14 or less points in the first half, but by the end of games we would give up 40 or 50 because we got zero help from our O. I know this firsthand. It takes both sides of the football to win games. As cliche as it is, Butch is spot on when he talks about complimentary football. The offense did not compliment the defense yesterday. The D only gave up 14 points in the first half and the O never picked up the slack. The defense did the best they could for awhile and finally got exhausted, it's as simple as that. In today's offense heavy game, you arent going to shut rinky dink teams out even at full strength, much less the #1 team in the country. The offense has got to move the ball and score points if you want to win.

 

[Fijivol72]

480 yards rushing has no semblance to a good or adequate defense. Shoop has so far proved to be a bust. Let's just call it like it is.

 

[nomads-11]

I've heard a lot of bickering about the defense and rumblings that Shoop is a bust, but lets come back to reality. This defense has been decimated by injuries, fact. They have had to keep the team in games while the offense sleep walks through the first half of games, fact.Today, the defense put up a good fight in the first half while the offense repeatedly went 3 and out. They also forced turnovers, forced Alabama to punt a number of times, set up our only TD, and only gave up 14 points to the #1 team in the country in the first half. Yes, they got gassed in the second half of the game and got blown off the field, but that is on the O. They never picked up the slack and the defense finally got exhausted. This loss is not on the Defense. The Offense is to blame for today's blowout.

I agree for the majority....others are probably not going to though. I have enjoyed watching the the D this year despite their injuries. A lot of players have gotten a chance to play but they got a bit out classed today.

 

[ConantheVolbarian]

480 yards rushing has no semblance to a good or adequate defense. Shoop has so far proved to be a bust. Let's just call it like it is.

Context man, context. That defense is missing some of its best players in all three phases and it kept us in the game until the second half against the #1 team in the nation. They only gave up 14 points in the first half, generated turnovers, and set up our only touchdown. That is a dam accomplishment considering how banged up we are on that side of the ball. What is so hard to understand here?

 

[gray0306]

I think jones needs to replace Debord, enough is enough....everyone around me was saying once they saw Hurd in...."up the middle" what is it with that? Let's get creative! Need a younger and more creative offensive leader

 

[VolsRule]

who should I blame most?

 

[GoBigOrangeVols]

Defense was terrible. So were the offense and special teams.

Shoop has been less than was advertised.

Lots of other factors too, mainly injuries. But I'm not giving the defense a pass on yesterday's performance when all Bama was doing were simple sweeps and we had nobody home.