UT most dominant first-half team in SEC

[joevol33]

It can be and has been both.

I agree.

 

[DD4ME]

One of the Yahoo commenters said it best. Our coaching staff is either unwilling or incompetent when it comes to making halftime adjustments.

Even if we get all the talent in the world, this is a serious concern moving forward.

By yahoo commentator I believe you mean random bozo who made a comment.

 

[KBVol]

When is Tennessee ever going to have depth? 3 years of Dooley it was depth when Jones took over it was quality of depth. Now 3 years later we are back to just depth again so when is depth not an excuse anymore? How long does that take? I'm looking forward to the day when its time to put up or shut up and I think the time is next fall.

Wait til next year when we lose our RSSr LT, our Sr WRs, our Sr safeties, our senior DT, our RSSr DE/LB .... and perhaps our Jr CB & LB. The answer to your question is never. It will never be said that our roster composition/experience is ideal because it never will be. Ohio State won the national title last year with a ton of freshmen and sophomores....the #1 team in the country right now is Clemson, and they've played 28 freshmen this year...SECe champ Florida has youth and inexperience all over the place on the offensive side of the ball. You recruit top talent, which we have, and you coach em up, plugging young, talented players in wherever they're needed....that's today's world of college football.

 

[TheBigOne10]

Oh well.....not how you start but how you finish. Geez...what a useless statistic...

Actually this is isn't the NFL. EVERY game matters. It sucks but it is what it is.

 

[RollerVol]

I wouldn't mind having a co-OC who is in charge of actually calling plays after we get beyond the first two or three scripted drives.

IMO DeBord is very, very good at scripting early drives. But he sucks at adjusting on the fly. Having another guy in the booth who at the very least can suggest plays to him once the defense adjusts to us would be helpful.

There is another guy in the booth. His name is shutup and do what I tell you...:whistling:

GO VOLS!

 

[Vol8188]

One of the Yahoo commenters said it best. Our coaching staff is either unwilling or incompetent when it comes to making halftime adjustments.

Even if we get all the talent in the world, this is a serious concern moving forward.

No. Just no. The issue is we have zero depth. Our starting dlinemen play more snaps than any other dline in the SEC.

Also, our offense starts 7 under classmen and 4 on defense. We simply have 0 depth!

 

[thebjd]

Sure, sure. Depth and experience had absolutely nothing to do with the Bama loss. Ok coach.

Where in that game was it evident? We were the team with the energy in that game. Will we beat Bama next year at home or do you have an excuse lined up already? We will be more experienced. If not next year will we have enough experience to beat them when we return to Tuscaloosa the following year. The game this year came down really to two plays where their receivers beat our corners in one on one situations. Would you have rather had a corner besides Sutton on the field at that time? Eleven play at a time, not 85.

 

[KBVol]

Where in that game was it evident? We were the team with the energy in that game. Will we beat Bama next year at home or do you have an excuse lined up already? We will be more experienced. If not next year will we have enough experience to beat them when we return to Tuscaloosa the following year. The game this year came down really to two plays where their receivers beat our corners in one on one situations. Would you have rather had a corner besides Sutton on the field at that time? Eleven play at a time, not 85.

Exactly. And "depth and experience" had absolutely nothing to do with a loss to perhaps the deepest and most talented team in the country. When you're able to have leads in the 4th vs virtually every team you play, it's not an experience or talent or depth issue. The awful, embarrassing statistics that compare how we play consistently worse thoughout our games, has way, way more to do with other teams making adjustments to try and stop what we've done early when we've been successful.....and Jones' unwillingness/inability to respond in kind IMO.

 

[kamoshika]

One of the reasons the Vols have been so successful early, DeBord said, is that they’ve done well in early drives with plays that are scripted throughout the week. DeBord said before each game, the Vols script out their first 10 plays for first and second downs and a number of third downs based on distance to the marker.

“Our guys know right now the first play, second play, third play,” DeBord said. “They know what’s coming all the time, and that’s an advantage that way. Now, you get past those, they’re not going to remember what play 25 is and 30. So now you’re calling it and you’re going. I just think a little bit of it is familiarity and practicing that before the game and them knowing what we’re going to do.”

But once the Vols have finished the script and opponents have had a chance to adjust, they have found it harder to move the ball, especially with a lead. In those cases, opponents have responded with pressure on early downs to stop the run.
Tennessee trying to improve in the second half - GoVolsXtra Story

UT Vols struggle to sustain fast starts on offense | Times Free Press

 

[bowlinggreenvol]

This is at least the 2nd time this season Kerbyson has said that a team changed up their DL fronts/blitzes and we didn't respond well. The OL is either incompetent and not utilizing what they're taught in said situations or Mahoney is incompetent and isn't recognizing the adjustments. These subtle comments by Kerbyson don't look good for a coach.

 

[BeecherVol]

One of the reasons the Vols have been so successful early, DeBord said, is that they’ve done well in early drives with plays that are scripted throughout the week. DeBord said before each game, the Vols script out their first 10 plays for first and second downs and a number of third downs based on distance to the marker.

“Our guys know right now the first play, second play, third play,” DeBord said. “They know what’s coming all the time, and that’s an advantage that way. Now, you get past those, they’re not going to remember what play 25 is and 30. So now you’re calling it and you’re going. I just think a little bit of it is familiarity and practicing that before the game and them knowing what we’re going to do.”

But once the Vols have finished the script and opponents have had a chance to adjust, they have found it harder to move the ball, especially with a lead. In those cases, opponents have responded with pressure on early downs to stop the run.
Tennessee trying to improve in the second half - GoVolsXtra Story

UT Vols struggle to sustain fast starts on offense | Times Free Press

Sounds about right.

 

[SECVolFan]

It may be the young players and lack of depth like Butch said and not "failure to make adjustments". Remember before this season Butch had an amazing record (51-3) when leading at halftime. That makes me think that the problem with losing big leads this season is more this team's make up (lack of depth, young) than coaching. TIFWIW.

We will get our answer on this next year. I believe it will be improved and go back to the long term trend line for Butch holding leads.

This is what I don't get about the argument that a CBJ-coached team can't finish a game or make adjustments. I swear, critical thinking and reasoning are taking a back seat to most people's arguments these days. That record isn't just good, it's amazing. It's even more amazing when you take into consideration that he coached for 6 of those 8 years in leagues that don't have "SEC vs. Cupcake DII" type games that would inflate that number.

 

[Iam4utalways]

Tennessee dominates 1st half, struggles to close out games - Yahoo Sports

Coaching
Depth
Execution
Conditioning

Go Vols!

 

[jakez4ut]

One of the reasons the Vols have been so successful early, DeBord said, is that they’ve done well in early drives with plays that are scripted throughout the week. DeBord said before each game, the Vols script out their first 10 plays for first and second downs and a number of third downs based on distance to the marker.

“Our guys know right now the first play, second play, third play,” DeBord said. “They know what’s coming all the time, and that’s an advantage that way. Now, you get past those, they’re not going to remember what play 25 is and 30. So now you’re calling it and you’re going. I just think a little bit of it is familiarity and practicing that before the game and them knowing what we’re going to do.”

But once the Vols have finished the script and opponents have had a chance to adjust, they have found it harder to move the ball, especially with a lead. In those cases, opponents have responded with pressure on early downs to stop the run.
Tennessee trying to improve in the second half - GoVolsXtra Story

UT Vols struggle to sustain fast starts on offense | Times Free Press

mut gut reaction to that statement is severe concern.

one of the points of scripting plays is to help you evolve the game plan going forward....if this, then do that type of thing.

and that should be pretty well communicated, expectation set, plans set based on outcomes etc...

so no matter what happens on play 25, it should be based on what happened on plays 1-10. and they should be prepared one way or the other.

when i read that statement, it makes be think there's not enough communication going on, or hte game planning is woefully deficient. lastly, makes me wonder as well about our self scouting....

probably reading too much in to that, but that statement just irked me.

 

[Volnukem]

Or...

Our depth is killing us in the second half. Same idea as when a G5 team hangs with a top tier P5 for the first half of the game, but it turns into a "Katie bar the door" type game in the second half. We have the horses for a half, but they get worn down by half time.

You can believe what you want, but I see this as the most plausible explanation.

 

[BeecherVol]

mut gut reaction to that statement is severe concern.

one of the points of scripting plays is to help you evolve the game plan going forward....if this, then do that type of thing.

and that should be pretty well communicated, expectation set, plans set based on outcomes etc...

so no matter what happens on play 25, it should be based on what happened on plays 1-10. and they should be prepared one way or the other.

when i read that statement, it makes be think there's not enough communication going on, or hte game planning is woefully deficient. lastly, makes me wonder as well about our self scouting....

probably reading too much in to that, but that statement just irked me.

I don't think you are that far off.
Its interesting that questions are being asked because of what is actually happening. And now that is being discussed in some depth with these comments. The bold makes a lot of sense.

 

[MikeVol44]

I don't think it's 100% coaching, depth has to be an issue. Players get tired but coaches also get conservative.

good point....but depth has truly not been an issue in any game except the ARKY game--in my opinion......

I know it's all CBJ can say--that immaturity crap.....but it's also true about his staff....

 

[BeecherVol]

good point....but depth has truly not been an issue in any game except the ARKY game--in my opinion......

I know it's all CBJ can say--that immaturity crap.....but it's also true about his staff....

I would add OU but that was aided by some of our own decisions.

And in both situations it was the defense that was gassed.

 

[MikeVol44]

This is what I don't get about the argument that a CBJ-coached team can't finish a game or make adjustments. I swear, critical thinking and reasoning are taking a back seat to most people's arguments these days. That record isn't just good, it's amazing. It's even more amazing when you take into consideration that he coached for 6 of those 8 years in leagues that don't have "SEC vs. Cupcake DII" type games that would inflate that number.

51-3...against who????

 

[jakez4ut]

Or...

Our depth is killing us in the second half. Same idea as when a G5 team hangs with a top tier P5 for the first half of the game, but it turns into a "Katie bar the door" type game in the second half. We have the horses for a half, but they get worn down by half time.

You can believe what you want, but I see this as the most plausible explanation.

the depth is a real issue, not denying or debating that. especially on defense. which is why it is increasingly frustrating to see our offense stall out.

we need to win on 1st down more often. our offense has been good, but it's been because they've made plays on 3rd and long....a lot. give them credit, cause they're doing it....

but if i see 2nd 8 or 9 more than 1/2 the time, then that tells me something......

the depth is an issue on defense. our offense should be geared to protect against that, especially in the 2nd half, which is why the half time adjustments, or lack there of, addressed above, are worrisome.

 

[BeecherVol]

Or...

Our depth is killing us in the second half. Same idea as when a G5 team hangs with a top tier P5 for the first half of the game, but it turns into a "Katie bar the door" type game in the second half. We have the horses for a half, but they get worn down by half time.

You can believe what you want, but I see this as the most plausible explanation.

I think that makes more sense for the defense and not the offense.

 

[jakez4ut]

I don't think you are that far off.
Its interesting that questions are being asked because of what is actually happening. And now that is being discussed in some depth with these comments. The bold makes a lot of sense.

these are the things that have to get fixed.

i see the light at the end of the tunnel.

but these issues are making me wonder if it's a train or not.

i like CBJ, and i see all the good. it's tangible, and it's real.

it's also real, that there are issues.........the good news....the issues can be fixed. so we'll see.

 

[MikeVol44]

I would add OU but that was aided by some of our own decisions.

yessir....OK loaded the box--filled the gaps....and brought the heat in long-yardage--forcing Dobbs to beat us.....

How many 3 & outs did we have in the 2nd half?

I don't think that = a depth issue....it's a coaching issue..

 

[jakez4ut]

51-3...against who????

against their schedules, which is all they could do.

it does no good to argue the sos given who they were, and who they were playing.

it doesn't change that they did accomplish it.

it also has no bearing on what will happen going forward.

 

[tallvolball98]

The plan is somewhat predetermined based off strengths and weaknesses of the opponent and your own. Most of that is determined early in the week before the game.

Normally when you attack certain points the other team will adjust (if you are successful) and force you to do something else if they are able to carry it out. In some occasions it doesn't matter because one or the other has to many deficiencies to mask . After you get a few series into the game the smaller pieces that make up a plan start shifting and changing based off several things. At that point it is about reading and reacting as a staff to stay ahead of the opposing staff. The great HCs and staffs normally have the team well prepared but are also able to make adjustments during the game to eliminate or gain an advantage.

Yes the other team normally will adjust but as coaches don't you know they will and have a plan to adjust for that?