Tonight revealed one thing…

[tampavolsfan]

Get him a quarterback that can consistently complete open deep balls, and he’s gonna be elite. I’ve never seen another play caller that can create so many open deep shots. He just doesn’t have a quarterback that can connect on them right now. Hooker only reads half the field and is putting up big number. Heupel’s offense will be unstoppable when he gets a quarterback that can use the whole field, and consistently complete wide open deep balls.

I really want to agree with you, but he doesn’t mange the game well at times. Especially late games that are close (Ole Miss and Pitt). UCF fans had the same complaints against him. Now, if we had better players, especially in the secondary, this post probably wouldn’t exist.

 

[Vol423]

A young coach has room for improvement? Color me shocked.

He isn't that young.

 

[GulfCoasterVol]

Tonight revealed one thing…..

We don’t automatically throw things when the refs screw us out of a win.

But we probably should.

 

[Cartervol]

Got miles to go defensively to get anywhere near a championship.. No offense to Tim Banks but it has to improve tons by next year or he needs to go.. Even a marginally better defense and this team probably wins 10 ballgames.

 

[tampavolsfan]

Heupel gets this roster of leftovers to 7-5 and loses a bowl game to an 8-4 team that had 2 better wins than we did and now we discredit him…gotta love it.

Discrediting his work over the entirety of a season is one thing. Criticizing his choice of plays, during a critical stretch of the game is another. Our fans, fans of other teams, national and homer journalists, others on this board have all questioned that last series.

 

[a vol n tears]

If late in a basketball game you are down by 2 pts, and a good shooter is open for a 3 pointer should he take it? Same as having a wide open WR for a TD when the score is tied. Hooker just missed a wide open three. If the ref had called the obvious hold, we would have been in FG range with a 1st down. Typical college officiating. Officials determine the outcome.

 

[MrBiggles]

This game should have never been close after the first quarter. In the first quarter Cedrick Tillman had 3 receptions for over 100 yards and 2 TDs, and then in the second quarter he wasn't sighted at all. Purdue didn't stop Tillman all game. We didn't throw the ball to him at all. Payton was quiet too. Hooker was throwing like the wild thing. He should have been targeted 15 times at least. He would have had 200 yards+ receiving and 4 TD at least.

 

[VolArmy74]

Without reading the whole thread:

We had receivers open deep all night, but Hooker didn't have a great game.

We were incredibly short in the secondary, and they ate us up.

The officiating was unforgivable, and we just weren't good enough to offset that.

Can't drop easy first downs.

There's plenty of blame to go around, but we had 7 different ways to win this game and the chips just didn't fall.

I don't think the coaching or play calling even crack our top-5 flubs.

Hooker had an absolutely amazing game actually. The defense was so bad he needed a record shattering game and not a record breaking game. We still scored enough to win, but once more the refs took away a score for no reason that exists in the football rule book.

 

[NEO]

Willis Mcgahee. But he actually rebounded and had a decent NFL career.

Lost a ton of first round money though.

Think he had an insurance policy that offset it but didn’t quite equal it.

 

[VolMack——————$]

I do give the guy credit for having guts and faith in his men to go for it twice on 4th down in OT.

I'm chalking this one up to growing pains for Heupel and Company.

What’s wrong with believing in the WHOLE team? There’s no frigN I in team. This style of playing is exciting but doesn’t win national championships. Those coaches have names like the gambler/mad scientist and etc....you can’t win the SEC playing like this !

 

[tampavolsfan]

Geezus! By every count except the VN Elites, this team exceeded expectations and we freakin lost 29 players to the transfer portal. I really don't know what would appease some of you knuckle draggers. This team is the definition of overachievers. I would have bet against 7 wins in August and gladly paid.

Whatever. I can finally go back to the recruiting forum and forget this one for a few months. It's like playing cards with my brothers kids!

And, once again, in this thread, we are not talking about being appeased, firing coaches, or transfer portals. We are not talking about overachieving or underperforming players. We are talking about the last series of regulation being mishandled on every level. If Heupel does not fix his close/late game management skills, we are going to lose more games that should be wins. Anyone with a pulse can see this needs to be addressed in his coaching. Does it mean I don’t think he is the guy? No. I like him and want him to succeed.

Now, you have the right to choose whatever forum you would like to feel superior in, but forum choice will not change your football IQ.

 

[tampavolsfan]

If late in a basketball game you are down by 2 pts, and a good shooter is open for a 3 pointer should he take it? Same as having a wide open WR for a TD when the score is tied. Hooker just missed a wide open three. If the ref had called the obvious hold, we would have been in FG range with a 1st down. Typical college officiating. Officials determine the outcome.

Apples to oranges, but I get what you are trying to say. I think.

 

[Rockytoprowdy]

He didn’t kick the field goal because he thought his defense wouldn’t be able to stop them hell they didn’t stop them the whole game so that’s why he went for the touchdown

I think he’s referring to taking two shots at the end zone at the end of regulation and leaving his kicker a 56-57 yards attempt on a ice rink of a field. Rather than attempting to get 6-10 yards and getting into a reasonable field goal range.

 

[tombowalker]

How long have we been saying that? How many years? For crying out loud.

Umm, it's his first year, champ.

So.... never?

 

[Sandevol]

Heupel still has a long way to go before he is an elite coach. I like Heupel, and he has done some good things this year, however, he should have never been considered for Coach of the Year.

The final possession of tonight’s game proved my point. Benefit of the doubt - Hooker just forgot that we could actually kick a field goal. No idea what that whole last series during regulation was about.

Should have never went to OT.

Guys hooker is a journeyman QB , a good kid obviously a hard worker but a talent and a NFL prospect he is not. I’m grateful we have him and that he’s coming back. We have many holes in this roster. I’m still skeptical this offense or Mississippi St offense will be successful long term in this conference. Leach was OC at Kentucky under Hal dummy it didn’t work then. I have no faith that it will get you more than 8 to 10 wins a season and that’s about it. I’m not being a hater I love the vols and this staff is definitely an upgrade from the mentally challenged one we just ran off.

 

[deezvols]

He isn't that young.

43 and only been a HC for 4 years now…. Pretty young.

 

[VolMack——————$]

He didn’t kick the field goal because he thought his defense wouldn’t be able to stop them hell they didn’t stop them the whole game so that’s why he went for the touchdown

If he doesn’t change his philosophy he want win the SEC. A team plays together and win or lose together...There’s no I in team!

 

[VolMack——————$]

Guys hooker is a journeyman QB , a good kid obviously a hard worker but a talent and a NFL prospect he is not. I’m grateful we have him and that he’s coming back. We have many holes in this roster. I’m still skeptical this offense or Mississippi St offense will be successful long term in this conference. Leach was OC at Kentucky under Hal dummy it didn’t work then. I have no faith that it will get you more than 8 to 10 wins a season and that’s about it. I’m not being a hater I love the vols and this staff is definitely an upgrade from the mentally challenged one we just ran off.

Guys hooker is a journeyman QB , a good kid obviously a hard worker but a talent and a NFL prospect he is not. I’m grateful we have him and that he’s coming back. We have many holes in this roster. I’m still skeptical this offense or Mississippi St offense will be successful long term in this conference. Leach was OC at Kentucky under Hal dummy it didn’t work then. I have no faith that it will get you more than 8 to 10 wins a season and that’s about it. I’m not being a hater I love the vols and this staff is definitely an upgrade from the mentally challenged one we just ran off.

Guys hooker is a journeyman QB , a good kid obviously a hard worker but a talent and a NFL prospect he is not. I’m grateful we have him and that he’s coming back. We have many holes in this roster. I’m still skeptical this offense or Mississippi St offense will be successful long term in this conference. Leach was OC at Kentucky under Hal dummy it didn’t work then. I have no faith that it will get you more than 8 to 10 wins a season and that’s about it. I’m not being a hater I love the vols and this staff is definitely an upgrade from the mentally challenged one we just ran off.

Nothing wrong with the offense other than needing bigger versatile backs. My problem is not kicking FG. And leaving points on the field. There’s no I in team. These crucial points has caused us blowouts and the bowl game. These continuous calls in crucial moments will never win the SEC !

 

[DaddyChad]

Your attitude sucks. It goes against everything that is about being part of a team.

I think some of us are from a different era where team meant something more. That said I think for these kids and the program it’s more important for them to get to the league healthy, means more for the player bc it’s life changing money for these kids and means more to the program than winning a random bowl game. Jmo

 

[DaddyChad]

Heupel gets this roster of leftovers to 7-5 and loses a bowl game to an 8-4 team that had 2 better wins than we did and now we discredit him…gotta love it.

Yep.

Let’s run through it:
Hooker- transfer; flop at Va Tech
Tillman- 2star wr; no real production before Heupel.
Payton-Miss State transfer
Jones-USC transfer
Smalls- 3star RB
And a pretty underwhelming Oline.

And on defense you’ve got a mediocre to decent front four with really underwhelming secondary and linebackers behind them.

Heupel took a 3 win team from the year before which lost about a third of their roster and fielded a dynamic offense built with spare parts. And yet some numbskulls want to discount him as a coach now.

 

[orangemadam]

Shades of Butch Jones! 1st down at the 2 yd line and you don't try to stuff it? Then on 3rd and 3 you run it with your smallest back?

I just don't understand our play calling in crunch time.

You have to go for the fg in regulation if that's all you need to win. We throw 3 bombs and miss.

 

[Vol4life2]

How long have we been saying that? How many years? For crying out loud. We can’t even beat a middle of the pack B10 team that had their best offensive and defensive players out.

If Bell would have played they likely would have ran us off the field. This was a pathetic game from Heupel. He has to own it. So does the staff and players as well. TN had a great chance to make a true statement to cap off a great year. Instead, they came out and played like crap.

Yes the play was lackluster at best but you can’t project IFs…. Maybe Bell would have made a huge difference or maybe he wouldn’t. We lost…. A middle of the pack SEC team lost to a middle of the pack Big10 team. It’s not the end of the world. Let’s see if the Portal can help us address some obvious needs.

 

[Pride85]

Yep.

Let’s run through it:
Hooker- transfer; flop at Va Tech
Tillman- 2star wr; no real production before Heupel.
Payton-Miss State transfer
Jones-USC transfer
Smalls- 3star RB
And a pretty underwhelming Oline.

And on defense you’ve got a mediocre to decent front four with really underwhelming secondary and linebackers behind them.

Heupel took a 3 win team from the year before which lost about a third of their roster and fielded a dynamic offense built with spare parts. And yet some numbskulls want to discount him as a coach now.

Most of the posters you are referencing don't have enough patience to even consider your valid points. I think he is the coach for us. He will have to learn that there are times that you have to make a conservative play in order to say up the knockout blow. My only issue with the end of regulation play calling was he should have gotten inside of McGrath's field goal range before he took the deep shots. He had that chance, and the timeouts to burn. He will get better. Just a final note, we had 666 yards total offense. Did we even have 600 total yards all season last year?

 

[ReelfootVol]

We only have two running plays.............off tackle right and off tackle left. Wow our running game sucks !!!!! And I like Heupel !

 

[KeyVol14]

We only have two running plays.............off tackle right and off tackle left. Wow our running game sucks !!!!! And I like Heupel !

We ran between the guards as well. We had 288 yards rushing play calling was fine. Defense is to blame and everyone knows that was TD