Thoughts from the other side...

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AFL2008

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#1
I just wanted to share my thoughts about Tennessee:

1. This is the best UT team since 2007. Easily. They have some size on the DL and the LB's were disruptive and athletic. The defense really dominated Florida on 3rd down most of the game. Florida was only 3-13 on third down. On offense, the offensive line really controlled things pretty well against a good UF front in the first half, and they were able to actually run the ball somewhat.

2. UT has a good 1st team, maybe equal to Florida, but the 2nd team isn't SEC quality. UF played their 2nd string DL for the majority of the 2nd quarter, and while UT was able to make some big conversions on 3rd and 4th down in that quarter, the UF back ups were able to play well enough to keep it within one score at half. That allowed UF's 1st team D to play with a lot of energy in the 2nd half, and it showed, because even as UT ran 72 plays, the UF D was still full of energy in the 2nd half. Great coaching by Muschamp to make that decision to rest the D, but honestly, Tennessee just didn't have that luxury. That's why UF was able to start gashing UT in the 2nd half as well, UT was gassed up front, and UF's physical offensive line started opening up some huge holes.

3. Tyler Bray is one of the most physically gifted QB's I've seen in the SEC. Where UF had an advantage though is having a mobile QB that isn't afraid to take a hit. Both Driskel TD passes were made while he was getting murdered. Bray on the other hand throws the ball eratically at the first sign of pressure. Even with those good WR's, and both are like men among boys, UT won't win against good defenses unless they can commit more to the run. Which I think they will do with some success in SEC play if they give it a chance. Also I've seen people complain about it, but UT gave up the run in the 2nd half because they never got a chance to establish the run after the first drive. UF moved them off the field too fast.

Drive after fake punt = intentional grounding prevented future runs
Drive after 20-20 = After one first down on 16 yard pass play to Hunter - Neal rushed for 3 yards but on 2nd and 7 UF defense hits Bray to cause INT - it was a PA pass play but there was no back so UF defense didn't buy it, think this must have been a busted play
Drive after 27-20 = One rush for 8 yards by Neal, followed by 8 yard catch by Patterson, dropped first down by Patterson put UT in a hole, and then Floyd rushed Bray and forced an errant throw - ended up 4th and 2 after completion to Rivera - UT punted
Drive after 34-20 = swing pass well defended + Hunter dropped first down

So my point is that it's not that UT gave up on the run, it's just that Florida kept getting them off the field. UT kept finding themselves in 2nd and long and the run wasn't going to get them out of it and most of that was due to good defense by Florida and a couple key drops.

4. Tennessee is not as bad as people on this site think they are. They just ran into a physical buzz saw from a Florida team playing at a very high level right now (only 1 TO in 3 games) and outscoring opponents 50-13 in the 2nd half of games with superior depth and conditioning. UT's OL is one of the better units in the SEC, and that defensive front is going to give people problems. Not every team will have an athletic monster at QB like Driskel. I would not be surprised if UT won 5 SEC games this year. As long as the team doesn't fall apart, the whole program (fanbase and players) put a lot of energy into that game and it was readily evident. Coaches will have to earn their pay to keep the team together.

Have a nice season.
 
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#2
#2
This is a good post and I agree. Our first team clearly is as good as almost anyone's in the SEC. It's our depth that remains an issue. But I think we match up better with other SEC teams on our schedule and I think 8 wins is very attainable. That was all I hoped for coming into this year. Well, not all. I wanted to beat Florida.
 
#3
#3
AFL2008 said:
I just wanted to share my thoughts about Tennessee:

1. This is the best UT team since 2007. Easily. They have some size on the DL and the LB's were disruptive and athletic. The defense really dominated Florida on 3rd down most of the game. Florida was only 3-13 on third down. On offense, the offensive line really controlled things pretty well against a good UF front in the first half, and they were able to actually run the ball somewhat.

2. UT has a good 1st team, maybe equal to Florida, but the 2nd team isn't SEC quality. UF played their 2nd string DL for the majority of the 2nd quarter, and while UT was able to make some big conversions on 3rd and 4th down in that quarter, the UF back ups were able to play well enough to keep it within one score at half. That allowed UF's 1st team D to play with a lot of energy in the 2nd half, and it showed, because even as UT ran 72 plays, the UF D was still full of energy in the 2nd half. Great coaching by Muschamp to make that decision to rest the D, but honestly, Tennessee just didn't have that luxury. That's why UF was able to start gashing UT in the 2nd half as well, UT was gassed up front, and UF's physical offensive line started opening up some huge holes.

3. Tyler Bray is one of the most physically gifted QB's I've seen in the SEC. Where UF had an advantage though is having a mobile QB that isn't afraid to take a hit. Both Driskel TD passes were made while he was getting murdered. Bray on the other hand throws the ball eratically at the first sign of pressure. Even with those good WR's, and both are like men among boys, UT won't win against good defenses unless they can commit more to the run. Which I think they will do with some success in SEC play if they give it a chance. Also I've seen people complain about it, but UT gave up the run in the 2nd half because they never got a chance to establish the run after the first drive. UF moved them off the field too fast.

Drive after fake punt = intentional grounding prevented future runs
Drive after 20-20 = After one first down on 16 yard pass play to Hunter - Neal rushed for 3 yards but on 2nd and 7 UF defense hits Bray to cause INT - it was a PA pass play but there was no back so UF defense didn't buy it, think this must have been a busted play
Drive after 27-20 = One rush for 8 yards by Neal, followed by 8 yard catch by Patterson, dropped first down by Patterson put UT in a hole, and then Floyd rushed Bray and forced an errant throw - ended up 4th and 2 after completion to Rivera - UT punted
Drive after 34-20 = swing pass well defended + Hunter dropped first down

So my point is that it's not that UT gave up on the run, it's just that Florida kept getting them off the field. UT kept finding themselves in 2nd and long and the run wasn't going to get them out of it and most of that was due to good defense by Florida and a couple key drops.

4. Tennessee is not as bad as people on this site think they are. They just ran into a physical buzz saw from a Florida team playing at a very high level right now (only 1 TO in 3 games) and outscoring opponents 50-13 in the 2nd half of games with superior depth and conditioning. UT's OL is one of the better units in the SEC, and that defensive front is going to give people problems. Not every team will have an athletic monster at QB like Driskel. I would not be surprised if UT won 5 SEC games this year. As long as the team doesn't fall apart, the whole program (fanbase and players) put a lot of energy into that game and it was readily evident. Coaches will have to earn their pay to keep the team together.

Have a nice season.
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Good points, Tyler Bray has the happiest feet in football the thought of him being a first round pick is laughable. O and BTW James Franklin at mizzou will run for 500 yards himself if we can't stop Jeff driskel from escaping the pocket!!! O and one of driskells long runs ths 6'6 370 Dan McCullers makes the tackle 40 yards downfield??????????? Talk about some horrible play in the second part if our D to allow that to happen......I'm all vol just tired of seeing the same Sh#7 Over and over and over and no blame is placed anywhere. At somepoint there has to be accountability for how HORRIBLE our half time coaching is......
 
#5
#5
Goods post. I agree.

Biggest play of the game to me was after the we stopped the fake punt.

If we go and score on that drive we win. It would have been huge momentum and a killer to Uf.

Instead we go for the kill shot on first down and it killed us.
 
#6
#6
I would agree with most of your points here. However, a well coached team doesn't quit when they are faced with adversity. I would have no problem losing to Florida, had we left it all on the field. After getting down one score, the wheels came off of this team, as it has many other games the past few years. It boils down to a lack of discipline and motivation. This falls squarely on Dooley's shoulders.
 
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#9
#9
TVolRedsox said:
Good points, Tyler Bray has the happiest feet in football the thought of him being a first round pick is laughable. O and BTW James Franklin at mizzou will run for 500 yards himself if we can't stop Jeff driskel from escaping the pocket!!! O and one of driskells long runs ths 6'6 370 Dan McCullers makes the tackle 40 yards downfield??????????? Talk about some horrible play in the second part if our D to allow that to happen......I'm all vol just tired of seeing the same Sh#7 Over and over and over and no blame is placed anywhere. At somepoint there has to be accountability for how HORRIBLE our half time coaching is......
Click to expand...

Again, I don't think the coaching was so bad in the 2nd half. I think the Florida defense just took over the game.

Tennessee was in a lot of situations that favored the Florida defense in long down and distance situations. A couple of dropped passes, a sack, and a few QB hurries really just disrupted what Tennessee was trying to do.

Florida's game plan didn't really change too much from the first half to the 2nd half, UT just got tired and it allowed UF to hit some big plays. Driskel especially really stepped up and made some HUGE plays under immense pressure. Coaching had nothing to do with that. Some players just react better to pressure.
 
#10
#10
AFL2008 said:
...Some players just react better to pressure.
Click to expand...

Some players have leadership to handle that pressure. It often comes from team leaders (SENIORS). Those don't exist at UT and the coaching has not created leaders from other classes. It has been going on a long time. Those that should be leaders are looking toward the NFL instead of the game at hand. It is either a locker room cancer or a coaching problem. In either case, surgery is needed.
 
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#12
#12
OP, your team owned us because we are mentally weak. That simple. Your team expected to win when you were down, and ours expected to bend over and grab the ankles when we were down because that's what were used to doing.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#13
#13
Hey op, nobody cares what a Florida fan thinks of our team. Go iron your jorts, brush that mullet, and beat it...
 
#14
#14
vol2002 said:
This is a good post and I agree. Our first team clearly is as good as almost anyone's in the SEC. It's our depth that remains an issue. But I think we match up better with other SEC teams on our schedule and I think 8 wins is very attainable. That was all I hoped for coming into this year. Well, not all. I wanted to beat Florida.
Click to expand...


Depth! That is the problem that Vanderbilt has had for years. They hang with us for awhile, then lose in the 2nd half.
 
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