This isn’t on Heupel

[BigOrangeTrain]

This game is most certainly on Heupel. I don’t know why some fans cannot place the blame where it belongs.

 

[I4Vols]

Only an idiot would go for it on 4th down on your side of the field while the other team has all the momentum. Heupel has done good things but he has to know that was a bonehead decision. The play calling the second half is baffling.

And he did it vs bama... time to take a history class on this rivalry. Hey, you're talking about an opponent who won a game against us by letting a football hit them in the butt

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Those 4th down calls were terrible. Run a 245lb guy outside and run 185lb guy up the middle. That's just stupid

Also Beupel should have punted on that 1 4th down.

 

[Boston Vol]

The team seemed to have zero intensity in the second half, even early when they were still ahead. That’s a pretty big indictment on the head coach and his staff.

 

[Gannon Goodson]

Let me preface this by saying he didn’t call a perfect game by any stretch, but the nonstop snowball of flags or lack thereof are impossible to gameplan against.

We ran well, threw well, hell we even defended well. Nothing you can do to beat the stripes on top of it all. Some calls could’ve been different, but hindsight is 20/20 when in a fair game this is completely different.

We were screwed the second we laced them up. Team did enough to win, Bama just could play beyond the rules and refs created new rules on the fly to screw us.

Actually, this game is 100% on the staff. I'm convinced Milton is not the problem. Coaches did a terrible job, especially in the second half, of putting us in a position to win the game. We came out with a good game plan initially, but never made adjustments. Alabama did and that's why they won. Simply got outcoached, not outclassed. The bad angles, missed tackles, 4th and 1 calls, etc. are all on the coaching staff. If you can't get under center on 4th and 1 or 4th and less than 1, kick the damn ball away.

 

[EZE]

I'm ready to turn the page on the Milton era. He's just never going to be consistent.

I’d really like to know how Nico looks in practice.

 

[Gannon Goodson]

The team seemed to have zero intensity in the second half, even early when they were still ahead. That’s a pretty big indictment on the head coach and his staff.

This!

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

And he did it vs bama... time to take a history class on this rivalry. Hey, you're talking about an opponent who won a game against us by letting a football hit them in the butt

Let’s be real. It’s not been a rivalry game since Saban has been there.

 

[DonDiego]

Going for it on that second half 4th down was one of the stupidest calls I've seen in awhile. Bama was up by 7 and had momentum, we had the chance with plenty of time left to flip the field and back them up, but instead we give them the ball at midfield.

Also, I'm not saying the refs completely threw the game, but their DBs were pushing, holding, and tugging all game, and zero calls? How did their O-linemen all of a sudden just turn it around in the second half and keep a very clean pocket when we were all over Milroe in the first half--and no holding calls?

Bama's games need to all have Pac 10 refs.

 

[tbh]

The second half playcalling was as though Heupel and staff were channeling the worst of Jones (bonehead 4th down calls) and Fulmer (coaching scared...i.e. not to win, but to 'not lose').

 

[Dadof2Vols]

Refs almost always influence the game. They hardly ever ref perfect game.

For me the issues in this game were 25% uneven calls. 30% bad player execution and 45% coaching deficiency.

It was not all refs but anyone that says they had no effect on game are just being sanctimonious…

 

[dalton_vol]

The refs didn’t help, but neither did going for it on fourth and short twice with obvious plays. He’s lucky only one of those dumb calls cost him points. McCullough bailed him out on the first one. I still think he’s a good coach but hopefully he takes this as a learning experience. If we get up a few scores on another opponent, don’t play to sit on the lead. Dumbest strategy ever.

josh did not do well in short yardage, red zone killed us.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

I’d really like to know how Nico looks in practice.

I have heard Dave Hooker say Nico practices with the ones and looks good. He also said Heupel and the players love Milton and Nico isn’t gonna play unless he gets injured. TIFWIW.

 

[EZE]

Actually, this game is 100% on the staff. I'm convinced Milton is not the problem. Coaches did a terrible job, especially in the second half, of putting us in a position to win the game. We came out with a good game plan initially, but never made adjustments. Alabama did and that's why they won. Simply got outcoached, not outclassed. The bad angles, missed tackles, 4th and 1 calls, etc. are all on the coaching staff. If you can't get under center on 4th and 1 or 4th and less than 1, kick the damn ball away.

Milton is 100% the problem. He cannot see receivers open fast enough. That is why he holds the ball way too long.

The most important thing our coaches can do is to continue recruiting to close the talent gap.

 

[37027]

Anyone that doesn’t think the officials influenced the outcome of this game is either blind, stupid, or both.

Or ignorant?

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Refs almost always influence the game. They hardly ever ref perfect game.

For me the issues in this game were 25% uneven calls. 30% bad player execution and 45% coaching deficiency.

It was not all refs but anyone that says they had no effect on game are just being sanctimonious…

Agreed

 

[kptvol1]

He didn’t call a perfect game is an understatement. Let’s blame refs like we do every year though.

You have to admit that it was pretty bad officiating. The PI against our opponent is hard to come by. aTm and Alabama knew it and exploited it. The holds? Forget about it

 

[EZE]

I have heard Dave Hooker say Nico practices with the ones and looks good. He also said Heupel and the players love Milton and Nico isn’t gonna play unless he gets injured. TIFWIW.

Another loss or two could change that IMO.

 

[Deebowbear]

100 percent on Heupel. Second half play calling was horrible

I’m drunk and can see that

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

Heupel conceded this game in the 3rd

 

[Checker_the_Shire]

I’m a CJH guy through and through, in fact you’ll be hard pressed to find a bigger fan. What he’s done at TN has been, for lack of a better noun, a miracle. The fact we’re looking at best 9-3 after what he walked into is just incredible. But all that to say, sorry OP, I blame a huge part of this on Heupel and staff. This was by far his worst coached game since he’s been here. Bad play calling, questionable conservative approach, lack of adjustments, and a complete change in tempo for the second half all add up to the L we just took.

 

[HalfullVol]

Snatched defeat from the jaws of victory

That 2nd half was a collapse on both sides of the ball.

Vols weren’t prepared to play in the 2nd half.

A tale of two halves. Sad

 

[Buddr]

I call Bull Sh at on that statement

 

[Chitlin&theDude]

Yup. Should be Nico time now.

I'm not sure Nico is ready... yet. It's Joes team this year. It is what it is

 

[7maxims]

Seriously? It’s 110% on him