Volquest shared some interesting info about the team

[SNAFU]

Our inability to get off the field defensively on 3rd down has been a problem all year. When you think about it... we’ve lost 5 in a row but had double digit leads in 2 games and a halftime lead in another one. It’s taken a team effort to be this bad.

Opponents are converting 50 percent of their third downs against Tennessee. Pruitt’s first two teams at Tennessee gave up fewer than 40 percent. Auburn converted 9 of 15 third downs or 60%

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

Yes sir. Can’t leave the defense on the field the whole game and win.

They havent been in the field the entire game when its the second quarter

 

[wmcovol]

Yes sir. Can’t leave the defense on the field the whole game and win.

Sounds like the defense is somewhat responsible for being out there too

 

[rikberry31]

Sounds like the defense is somewhat responsible for being out there too

That’s true.

 

[EZE]

The first half of the Ga. game defense played good, then two quick turn overs they lapsed, same againt Ky it i'm not mistaken ky had like 50 yards of total offense. Then more turnovers by jg, and lapsed again. Those kind of things sucks the life out of the whole team, thus the defense does not play as good. Remember we were leading at half time against Ga. so our defense was playing well, and again jg's turnovers. Momentum has a lot to do with how anyone plays.

D gave up a lot of yards in that Ga game. BUT, they had us in that game into the 4th Quarter...despite Guaranturnover‘s multiple gifts in the third quarter.

Just one Tenn score in the 3rd Quarter and that woulda been anybody’s game down the stretch. But, as usual, the offense did nothing positive.

 

[PandamoniumReigns]

It’s just a reaction to the fantasy that we’re just a QB away from being good. If we we’re 4-3 with losses to UGA, Alabama and a close loss somewhere else, maybe I buy that. But you don’t get to 5 double digit losses in a row without sucking in multiple ways.

I can get that. Aside from the QB position which has completely throttled the offense, the defense has been the biggest disappoinment of the season.

But I would add that we are a good QB away from being way better than we are. Not necessarily saying good, but much better. Perhaps even another couple wins better

 

[Mightyvol]

lol....yea, I hear that we are in the top 10 in practice polls

And to think, I had it backwards all these years and so did my coaches. It’s all about the PRACTICE!

 

[touchdown-tony]

TOP doesn't matter unless an offense scores

It matters when someone is arguing the defense is too tired to stop anyone.

 

[livefaith]

Yes sir. Can’t leave the defense on the field the whole game and win.

True, but we've won the TOP battle the last 2 game and STILL lost. We need an offense that can score 30pts. Our D is adequate if our O didn't suck.

 

[bpalmer28]

Wearing masks in the mountain air has affected our recovery from strength training.

Blue font

 

[rikberry31]

True, but we've won the TOP battle the last 2 game and STILL lost. We need an offense that can score 30pts. Our D is adequate if our O didn't suck.

Agree, but turnovers trump TOP. This losing streak is laid at the feet of turnovers. We would have scored 30 in those games if not for turnovers.

 

[marvin616]

Nailed it!

In the words of Slingblade:

"We, uuuh, haven't dun gud in any part of the game, aight? We outta, uuuhh, dun more gud things like, uuuhhh, catchin' and runnin' de ball, cause, aight, uuuuh, we gotta get that dun better and stuff, aight?"

You left out a few ya kno's but otherwise that's spot on.

 

[livefaith]

Agree, but turnovers trump TOP. This losing streak is laid at the feet of turnovers. We would have scored 30 in those games if not for turnovers.

True, but I was referring to time of possession in reference to the fact that someone stated that our defense had to stay on the field the whole game. That's all.

 

[Remy]

Nobody is blaming everything on the defense.

Yes and many of the issues for the defense still compound when our offenses starts throwing pick 6's, fumbles and multiple three and outs because it strips the whole team of momentum and hands over the momentum to the other team.

When your offense cannot stay on the field it wears out the defense.

If you'll notice.

Our defense didn't give up a single point in the first half against KY and Arkansas and was respectable against Auburn.

The defense isn't great, but if you have a catastrophe at QB that hands points on a silver platter to the other team and have to do everything then you might struggle a little more than you normally would.

We also held leads against UGA and Auburn at the halves. The defense has played winning football in the first halves of most of our games.

 

[rikberry31]

True, but I was referring to time of possession in reference to the fact that someone stated that our defense had to stay on the field the whole game. That's all.

I think the real issue with TOP has been in the second half of games when the disparity has been caused by turnovers.