Why do other teams move the ball with ease

#76
#76
WestGaVol said:
Much of the time our offense looks very mechanical, Dobbs looks robotic at times as does Hurd. It almost looks like technique over natural ability. Technique is awesome but sometimes natural ability is better when we have these great athletes
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The short answer is Dobb's and Hurd's brains are removed before each game to avoid the chance of concussion. Debord controls them remotely from the press box. Many of us think we should turn those duties over to a kid...you know one of those true gamer types with lightening thumbs. But Butch educated us on why only OC's should remain in control of brainless players for liability reasons. So there you have it. Hope that helped you better understand why our offense looks so mechanical at times.
 
#77
#77
ReaderVol said:
So in your brilliant analysis you think we will do worse this year than last?
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Yes it is possible. Has the sunshine pumping hurt your eyes? We cannot move the football, Dobb's can't throw the ball, the line having trouble blocking is killing the run game. Our D will do fine but if you can't score you are going to lose the ball game. It is a reverse from Dooley's years we could score 50 a game but couldn't stop anyone so they would out score us. Marcus Spears said it best on SEC network yesterday, if you have the talent, the facilities, and the backing to win games the problem is usually coaching if you are not winning. Our players never seem to develop. Look at Kiffen at BAMA and what he does with the QB's and the offensive coaching scheme. Deboring has nothing to offer. I am just starting to take the Orange colored glasses off and realize the facts. Butch has done great things here in getting it turned around from what it was. But I think he has peaked on what he can actually do.
 
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#78
#78
EastTN said:
Yes it is possible. Has the sunshine pumping hurt your eyes? We cannot move the football, Dobb's can't throw the ball, the line having trouble blocking is killing the run game. Our D will do fine but if you can't score you are going to lose the ball game. It is a reverse from Dooley's years we could score 50 a game but couldn't stop anyone so they would out score us. Marcus Spears said it best on SEC network yesterday, if you have the talent, the facilities, and the backing to win games the problem is usually coaching if you are not winning. Our players never seem to develop. Look at Kiffen at BAMA and what he does with the QB's and the offensive coaching scheme. Deboring has nothing to offer. I am just starting to take the Orange colored glasses off and realize the facts. Butch has done great things here in getting it turned around from what it was. But I think he has peaked on what he can actually do.
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Debord never had anything to offer; if he did he would not have been idle for five years. Player development....I like that.
 
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#79
#79
orangerush said:
Debord never had anything to offer; if he did he would not have been idle for five years. Player development....I like that.
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Yea I think Player Development is the key factor. We get good talent but they stay where they are almost from day one. Kiffen takes freshman QB's and makes them instant superstars. Dobbs has had problems trowing from day one. He just came in when Peterman was struggling and he could run the ball so all the sudden he looked like the hero. But really his skill set has stayed about the same the whole time. Buth will have to get a good OC and QB and Oline coach to be very good here.
 
#80
#80
vols 30 said:
A top #25 team shouldn't against Appy ST
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You guys still don't realize that App State has a very good football team. As has been mentioned 50 times before, the had won 17 of their last 19 games. They had 17 returning starers from last years team which won 11 games. They have a lot of team speed. Their Qb was ranked higher than almost all of the Qbs in the SE. It is obvious that the team did what 98% of the posters on this board did, and that was App State was a push over. Many people now realize the are a good football team. Those who don't have little knowledge of the game. Many teams have similar talent. We have more talent than App State. The secret to winning ANY sport is attitude. Thursday, App State had the attitude we did not. I think we will see a different attitude after Thursdays' game.
 
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#81
#81
VOLINVONORE said:
You guys still don't realize that App State has a very good football team. As has been mentioned 50 times before, the had won 17 of their last 19 games. They had 17 returning starers from last years team which won 11 games. They have a lot of team speed. Their Qb was ranked higher than almost all of the Qbs in the SE. It is obvious that the team did what 98% of the posters on this board did, and that was App State was a push over. Many people now realize the are a good football team. Those who don't have little knowledge of the game. Many teams have similar talent. We have more talent than App State. The secret to winning ANY sport is attitude. Thursday, App State had the attitude we did not. I think we will see a different attitude after Thursdays' game.
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Ok........App state is a very good lower tier team but UT should not have struggled that bad with them. They were good enough to hold UT just under 30 points and that should've been it!!!
 
#82
#82
EastTN said:
Yes it is possible. Has the sunshine pumping hurt your eyes? We cannot move the football, Dobb's can't throw the ball, the line having trouble blocking is killing the run game. Our D will do fine but if you can't score you are going to lose the ball game. It is a reverse from Dooley's years we could score 50 a game but couldn't stop anyone so they would out score us. Marcus Spears said it best on SEC network yesterday, if you have the talent, the facilities, and the backing to win games the problem is usually coaching if you are not winning. Our players never seem to develop. Look at Kiffen at BAMA and what he does with the QB's and the offensive coaching scheme. Deboring has nothing to offer. I am just starting to take the Orange colored glasses off and realize the facts. Butch has done great things here in getting it turned around from what it was. But I think he has peaked on what he can actually do.
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1,000% agree! This offense will struggle similar to what the Clawfense did and I'm sick over it. Strangely enough Fulmer picked Clawsen as OC over Debord back then. I swear UT signed a deal with the devil years ago and he's come to collect.
 
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#83
#83
Let's see, our offensive line is suspect at times. Our QB has about 50% accuracy downfield. We always struggle against a quick defense. If you can stop the run and Dobbs scramble, we are up sh*t creek without a paddle.
 
#84
#84
I think there is reason for concern but not panic. The first game is always a challenge because, as many others have said, you don't expect to use the entire playbook and instead count on the talent difference to overwhelm your opponent. We were simply beaten at the point of attack by a lower level of talent with, at least on this night, a higher level of heart.

My concern is the preparedness of our offensive team. It always takes longer to get an offense rolling but we were getting beaten on our "bread and butter" plays regularly. This offense didn't resemble, in any way, the squad that dominated NW last year.

Again, not time to panic as we can erase the questions with a strong performance against VT. I believe a 21+ pt win will put us back in a top 10 conversation but that will be easier said than done. We have to make this a statement game....

Thoughts?
 
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#85
#85
I believe it boils down to our play calling. We are so predictable, in order to have a decent run game you have to be able to pass the ball. We have to change our offensive scheme. Dobbs might not be the best at throwing down field, but I like him he is a clutch player. We need more slant passes, screens, and play actions. If we keep run, run,and passing every down we're in trouble. Change the scheme and we're fine. Go Vols!!
 
#86
#86
dbarker said:
You mean 2015's #11 defense?? Or the team that is ranked higher than 6 SEC teams??? Or both???
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Time to kill the "#11 Defense in 2015" argument. Defending our offensive performance is a freaking joke.

2015 Opponents and offensive rank (only Clemson plays in a power 5 conference)
Clemson #11
Arkansas State #37
Georgia State #43
Idaho #44
Georgia Southern #46
Ohio #56
LA Lafayette #77
Old Dominion #91
Wyoming #100
Troy #102
South Alabama #111
UL Monroe #122
Howard #74 in FCS
 
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#87
#87
Cartervol said:
Need to get the line fixed asap.. Dobbs has clear limitations, but he'll look a lot better if he can get someone to actually block for him. I liked what i saw out of Texas the other night. The playcalling was sound , the tempo was right and not saying a 2 qb system is the answer, but they made it work and work well.
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If Dobbs makes a couple of boneheaded decisions and we need a change of pace, throw Dormady in for a series or two, see what happens. If not for anything else, maybe it will light a fire in Dobbs.
 
#88
#88
Flipdaddy said:
I think the VOLS are in trouble. I hope I'm wrong. The QBs were after it! Super impressed with their play. The play calling looked very good in the Texas/ND, OM/FSU, UGA/ UNC games.
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In the games you mentioned, the flip side of the offense looking really good implies that the opposing defense did not look that good. And in a couple of those match ups, teams built leads that then vanished in short order when their defenses failed to stop the other teams offense.

Offense is exciting to watch but defense wins championships.
 
#90
#90
UT_King said:
If Dobbs makes a couple of boneheaded decisions and we need a change of pace, throw Dormady in for a series or two, see what happens. If not for anything else, maybe it will light a fire in Dobbs.
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They're going to have to end up doing something.. This offense isn't a attacking offense like it needs to be. Teams aren't scared of Dobb's arm. Everyone will load the box and make him throw. This team has to work too hard to score. 12-15 play drives don't happen every series. You need a few easy ones.
 
#91
#91
would it be possible to get near the performance out of this group that we saw in the bowl NW game?

Just get close!

That is the only reason we were put in the top ten. Did they forget how to play the game?
 
#93
#93
Eastknox865 said:
Watching other teams play and looking at our offense often seems like it's hard for us to move the ball. Every offensive drive looks like a grind for every inch.
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These are our total offense national rankings for yards/play (ypp)

2008 12 games 718 plays 4.49 ypp #110/120 Fulmer
2009 13 games 877 plays 5.69 ypp #53/120 Kiffin
2010 13 games 827 plays 5.72 ypp #49/120 Dooley
2011 12 games 792 plays 5.04 ypp #94/120 Dooley
2012 12 games 890 plays 6.42 ypp #19/124 Dooley
2013 12 games 804 plays 5.27 ypp #94/125 Jones
2014 13 games 977 plays 4.93 ypp #108/128 Jones
2015 13 games 988 plays 5.56 ypp #70/128 Jones
2016 01 games 072 plays 4.43 ypp #105/127 Jones

Let me educate you (always wanted to find an opportunity to use that) - Football is a game of inches :)

FWIW, I think our ypp number will be much higher at the end of this season. It was one game, one ugly game. We should look better going forward. :crossfingers:

cfbstats.com - 2016 National Team Leaders
 
#94
#94
"We have no talent"

"We have talent, but they are young"

"We have talent, but they are not living up to it"

"We need a new staff"


The progression of UT Football
 
#95
#95
ChattaTNVol said:
These are our total offense national rankings for yards/play (ypp)

2008 12 games 718 plays 4.49 ypp #110/120 Fulmer
2009 13 games 877 plays 5.69 ypp #53/120 Kiffin
2010 13 games 827 plays 5.72 ypp #49/120 Dooley
2011 12 games 792 plays 5.04 ypp #94/120 Dooley
2012 12 games 890 plays 6.42 ypp #19/124 Dooley
2013 12 games 804 plays 5.27 ypp #94/125 Jones
2014 13 games 977 plays 4.93 ypp #108/128 Jones
2015 13 games 988 plays 5.56 ypp #70/128 Jones
2016 01 games 072 plays 4.43 ypp #105/127 Jones

Let me educate you (always wanted to find an opportunity to use that) - Football is a game of inches :)

FWIW, I think our ypp number will be much higher at the end of this season. It was one game, one ugly game. We should look better going forward. :crossfingers:

cfbstats.com - 2016 National Team Leaders
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Obviously this is not a predictor of success. Alabama was 49th in this category last year.
 
#97
#97
Brave Volunteer said:
And look at how well all the true freshman QBs performed. Hurts, Francois, Eason, Buechele, etc. I didn't hear any of their coaches using the youth excuse.
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All these QB's were early enrollees and Francois is basically like a 3rd year guy, EE and redshirt = lot of reps

We had 4 EE's and none of them were named Jarrett Guarantano
 
#98
#98
volfan102455 said:
Obviously this is not a predictor of success. Alabama was 49th in this category last year.
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I agree, in isolation, most metrics, including this one are not predictors of success. In Alabama's case last year we actually edged them out with a better rushing yards per attempt. We actually did a lot of things well last year and had a significantly improved season as a result. Alabama, last year, ranked #2 in the nation in ypp on defense. We were #39. We had the second best offensive production in ypp of all the 15 teams that faced their defense last year. Not bad, really. In contrast, Fulmer's 2008 defense ranked #3 in the nation in ypp allowed but his offense wasn't very effective at all, coming in at #110.

The conventional wisdom coming into this season was that mostly the only area we needed to improve on significantly was our passing game. The run/pass mix of Alabama and Tennessee last year was very close. They just executed the pass a bit better than us. For example, in their come from behind TD drive in our game, 44 of those yards came from their pass game. Our offensive outputs overall were pretty similar but our passing capacity was ranked #74. That brought down our overall total offensive ranking in ypp. We need to consistently be a threat to pass effectively in order to take the next step - or so says the conventional wisdom. The optimistic thinking was we should be able to do that this year with the talent and increased experience we have gained. Obviously, a lot of people are still waiting to see if in fact we have taken that next step.

My takeaway from last year is that Alabama suggests you don't need the best offense if you have a great defense and Fulmer in 2008 suggests that even if your have a great defense it's going to be difficult to keep your job if you don't at least have an average offense. :)
 
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