Watching the "Big Orange Nation" and Team Implode

[PC Jr.]

It is a very sad thing indeed. Fans are bashing each other. Some are calling for Dooley to be fired. Others are sure that next year "Tennessee is going be a power house". Some say Dooley was a foolish hire referencing his record when tied or playing from behind. What a mess and what a fickle fan base you are a part of. Beginning of the year it was UT to win anywhere between 7 and 9 games.

Suggestion: Some of you are over reacting and some of you are no seeing things clearly as in, they are worse than they appear.

Dooley is the right guy for the job and he will have this program in better shape for next year. UT will not win the East next year.

Dooley lost the games when he was tied or behind because he didn't have the depth on his two deep to compete. That is the exact same story here.

Coaching changes do need to be made. Chaney, Hiestand, and Joseph need to take a walk. The play calling is unimaginative and so predictable. The O-line is big enough to compete, but they are not fundamentally sound...directly relates to LACK of coaching. D-Back refuse to tackle correctly across the board. D-back production is very low. It is time for Joseph to go. The offense has failed to make half time adjustments all year. They are continually out coached.

All is not lost. UT WILL be better next year. The schedule is also easier than this year's. However, UT will most likely loose to UGA and possibly UF and that is just in the East.

More depth means playing 60 minutes vice 35. Depth is coming as these Freshmen and Sophomores develop.

Be patient. UT was destroyed over a decade. It will talk a couple more recruiting classes to catch back up. Just remember, as UT is signing guys, so is everyone else. When the talent and depth are even, we will really see what kind of coach we have.

UT will lose to ARK but win the rest. They better pray they go to a bowl and draw a weaker team. That might make this year a little less embarrassing.

 

[Carlitovol]

My biggest concern moving forward into next year is the fact that our running game is absolutely PITIFUL. If we had any semblance of a rushing attack, I would feel a little bit better about the overall state and direction of the program.

Everyone knows you have to be able to run the ball to win in the SEC. Even with Bray and Hunter healthy, we weren't able to move the ball successfully with Poole or any of the other RBs. I don't know how this is going to be fixed overnight.

We have to continue to give CDD time.. But I think you're right - Hiestand has to go.. That, or he needs to be forced to change his philosophy/scheme and do something entirely different. I just don't see how we're going to be able to magically flip a switch and be that much improved on the ground next year..

 

[pasadenavol]

My biggest concern moving forward into next year is the fact that our running game is absolutely PITIFUL. If we had any semblance of a rushing attack, I would feel a little bit better about the overall state and direction of the program.

Everyone knows you have to be able to run the ball to win in the SEC. Even with Bray and Hunter healthy, we weren't able to move the ball successfully with Poole or any of the other RBs. I don't know how this is going to be fixed overnight.

We have to continue to give CDD time.. But I think you're right - Hiestand has to go.. That, or he needs to be forced to change his philosophy/scheme and do something entirely different. I just don't see how we're going to be able to magically flip a switch and be that much improved on the ground next year..

Just remember that Tauren Poole was 4th string 2 years ago. How many 4th stringers do you know that even get a chance to be the featured back?

 

[Outdors21]

Chaney has NEVER coordinated a highly successful running offense. Remember this. He coordinated massively pass-heavy offenses against Big 10 defenses. 500+ attempts a season (11 game seasons then). It is becoming increasingly obvious that he cannot coordinate/game plan well enough against SEC-Caliber defenses.

If you NEED a nationally top-5 QB and WR to be successful, you aren't the right guy for the job. That kind of personnel is a fleeting opportunity.

 

[005]

What coordinator you gonna throw at me that wins against maybe the 3 best defenses in the nation with a tailback that wouldn't start on most SEC teams and either Matt Simms or an 18 year old QB with a week of first team reps?
Who ya got?

 

[Outdors21]

What coordinator you gonna throw at me that wins against maybe the 3 best defenses in the nation with a tailback that wouldn't start on most SEC teams and either Matt Simms or an 18 year old QB with a week of first team reps?
Who ya got?

It isn't about winning. It's about the game plan, play calling, and regression.

Please explain how the offensive game plan against USCe was in the best interests of UT and Justin Worley. That was a NIGHTMARE expressed as a play-calling fiasco.

 

[005]

If Worley nails the pass to Da'rick, doesn't panic after Waggner's int, and Da'rick catches the deep ball... that's 21 points.

But yeah, Chaney sucks?

 

[Outdors21]

If Worley nails the pass to Da'rick, doesn't panic after Waggner's int, and Da'rick catches the deep ball... that's 21 points.

But yeah, Chaney sucks?

....21? Are you mis-remembering?

Worley should never have been put in a position where he had to make a PINPOINT throw at the goal line to score a TD. MOVE THE POCKET, JIM.

 

[005]

Assuming we make the extra points, 3 touchdowns almost ALWAYS equals 21 points.

 

[Outdors21]

Assuming we make the extra points, 3 touchdowns almost ALWAYS equals 21 points.

I am meaning...there were TWO Da'Rick plays?

 

[005]

Yes. The obvious one, that Da'Rick dropped.

And early in the game... Worley: 1. Got out of the pocket, and tried to throw it to... i really dunno who... when Da'Rick was open at the back of the endzone. And on that same drive, maybe even the next play, Worley threw one into the back wall when Da'Rick was open for 6 in the back of the endzone.

And the pick after Waggner's interception was, basically, a freshman deciding where he's gonna throw the ball before the play starts.

 

[Outdors21]

Yes. The obvious one, that Da'Rick dropped.

And early in the game... Worley: 1. Got out of the pocket, and tried to throw it to... i really dunno who... when Da'Rick was open at the back of the endzone. And on that same drive, maybe even the next play, Worley threw one into the back wall when Da'Rick was open for 6 in the back of the endzone.

And the pick after Waggner's interception was, basically, a freshman deciding where he's gonna throw the ball before the play starts.

Ah. Okay. That one. Yes...bad throw. So 21 total vs. 24...that was where I was really confused.

But TWO of those drives were gifts from the defense/ST. Chaney did nothing with them at all. Common theme going back to the Florida game (with Bray) and Georgia game (with Bray).

 

[005]

I didn't even include the drive where we got two penalties and Palardy missed the 42 yarder, and the drive after Randolph's forced fumble where, hopefully, Bray WOULD NOT have thrown a ball into double coverage the very next play.

It sucks to watch the game over (as I did last night) and see Worley panicking and wanting to scream "Bray would have done this, that, etc. etc."

 

[Pompey]

My biggest concern moving forward into next year is the fact that our running game is absolutely PITIFUL. If we had any semblance of a rushing attack, I would feel a little bit better about the overall state and direction of the program.

Everyone knows you have to be able to run the ball to win in the SEC. Even with Bray and Hunter healthy, we weren't able to move the ball successfully with Poole or any of the other RBs. I don't know how this is going to be fixed overnight.

We have to continue to give CDD time.. But I think you're right - Hiestand has to go.. That, or he needs to be forced to change his philosophy/scheme and do something entirely different. I just don't see how we're going to be able to magically flip a switch and be that much improved on the ground next year..

....in order to rush the ball in the SEC a team must have a SEC level running back....Poole is the only thing that Lane Kiffin was right about....

 

[Outdors21]

I didn't even include the drive where we got two penalties and Palardy missed the 42 yarder, and the drive after Randolph's forced fumble where, hopefully, Bray WOULD NOT have thrown a ball into double coverage the very next play.

It sucks to watch the game over (as I did last night) and see Worley panicking and wanting to scream "Bray would have done this, that, etc. etc."

So...please explain how Chaney wasn't the problem against UF and UGA?

 

[005]

So...please explain how Chaney wasn't the problem against UF and UGA?

I am of the opinion that if Hunter doesn't get hurt, we win the Florida game.

Keep in mind, if Palardy makes his field goal early on, that final drive against Florida is to tie...

 

[Outdors21]

I am of the opinion that if Hunter doesn't get hurt, we win the Florida game.

Keep in mind, if Palardy makes his field goal early on, that final drive against Florida is to tie...

But it was INEPT. We still should have won the UF game. The play calling was awful.

The UGA game was...ugh...a disgrace.

 

[005]

I wasn't able to watch the UGA game, I admit that. My DVR receiver completely crapped out the day before and I couldn't record it.

What was inept about it?

I mean, I see some things I wish we would do on offense. For dang sure. But the jury is still out.

 

[BigSteve09]

With or without Hunter, Bray, and other players I still predicted UT to win 7 tops (including a bowl game).

I'm not surprised, and I think that the people who are upset have only themselves to blame. Most people on here who understand college football have been saying 6-8 wins since last season ended. We knew going into this season that we had a tough schedule. We knew that we had a young team. We knew that Dooley was still getting it together.

If you're upset about how this season was going, that's on YOU. No one made you get so excited. Everyone from the experts, to the talking heads, to respectable posters on this website (and many others) thought we would finish with 6-7 wins BEFORE the injuries.

Take a big step back from the keyboard and suck it up. You got excited and now you're sad. That's no one else's fault but yours.

 

[005]

With or without Hunter, Bray, and other players I still predicted UT to win 7 tops (including a bowl game).

I'm not surprised, and I think that the people who are upset have only themselves to blame. Most people on here who understand college football have been saying 6-8 wins since last season ended. We knew going into this season that we had a tough schedule. We knew that we had a young team. We knew that Dooley was still getting it together.

If you're upset about how this season was going, that's on YOU. No one made you get so excited. Everyone from the experts, to the talking heads, to respectable posters on this website (and many others) thought we would finish with 6-7 wins BEFORE the injuries.

Take a big step back from the keyboard and suck it up. You got excited and now you're sad. That's no one else's fault but yours.

I agree with this, essentially.

I mean, I'm still sad. In an "It's just been that kinda year..." kind of way. And as a gigantic Tennessee fan. But not in a "we SHOULD be winning the East" kind of way.

 

[Outdors21]

I wasn't able to watch the UGA game, I admit that. My DVR receiver completely crapped out the day before and I couldn't record it.

What was inept about it?

I mean, I see some things I wish we would do on offense. For dang sure. But the jury is still out.

Predictability in play calling mainly. About 7 toss sweeps that all lost yardage, and it seemed like UGA knew they were coming (either from film study or someone in the offense doing something to inadvertently tip them). Multiple play calls coming to Bray late (he was extremely agitated most of the 2nd quarter because calls were coming in late). No imagination on how to better utilize Arnett/Rogers/Dallas, etc. Just a terrible, terrible game offensively...starting in the coaching box.

 

[BigSteve09]

I think that everyone in the fan base is pretty bummed about the kind of year we've been having, but to put it on the players or coaches is silly at this point.

 

[005]

Who is going to find a brilliant, imaginative way to dominate a game with Arnett and Dallas?

Those are guys who could be pretty solid, potentially good YAC receivers... eventually. Not right away.

Not saying the UGA game was called WELL. It, on here and in what I saw from the coaches in interviews, seemed like the game where they felt they failed the most with gameplan.

I'm just not sure who you guys think would have lit Georgia up in that game.

 

[Outdors21]

Dallas was an EE. He should be nearly 100% up to speed on the playbook. Since when is being a freshman an excuse for having zero production? Pretty sure that plenty of freshman WR throughout the SEC have had success, especially as a secondary or tertiary target (Rogers/Rivera).

 

[005]

Which SEC WRs are these?

And I expected huge things from Dallas. But I don't think he or Arnett is at the level, yet, to go out and straight up beat coverage constantly. Especially without Bray slingin it.