ForumsVols Focused On Moving Past Big Plays
KNOXVILLE – On 537 of the 565 plays the Tennessee defense has been on the field, its opponents have averaged just 3.78 yards. On the other 28 plays, however, opponents have averaged 37.7 yards per play.
While Arkansas certainly has the ability to post plays that mirror the latter figure, the Vols are focused on not letting it affect the former.
“We’re emphasizing the same thing we’ve tried to emphasize all week,” head coach Derek Dooley said. “Don’t focus on the last play. Don’t focus on two plays from now. Don’t focus on the scoreboard. Just focus on what you have to do to execute the next play. It’s easier said than done.
“You have to accept the fact that you’re going against a good football team and they’re going to make some plays. And that’s OK. We’re going to make some too. We’ll see who the last guy standing is in the fourth quarter. What you can’t do is let a few of their plays start affecting you, and then you don’t do what you’re capable of doing from an execution standpoint.”
The Razorbacks are first in the SEC in total offense and scoring offense, while putting together 16 touchdown drives of less than two minutes.
“They’re explosive across the board,” defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox said. “If you look at their skill players, the wide outs, the tight ends. They beat people all year. Their running backs are very skilled; they are good in the run game and in the pass game. They use them a lot of different ways. So it is a very dynamic offense, and the quarterback throws the ball as good as anybody we have seen, probably better.”
The Arkansas offense may break some big plays, but one of the biggest keys to the game for Tennessee will be limiting the points the Razorbacks score off of those opportunities.
“We have to get off the field on defense,” Dooley said. “They’re going to move the ball. They’re going to hit a lot of plays. They do against everybody. When they get down in that red area, you have to keep them to a field goal.”
On 95 percent of its plays, the Vols’ defense has been strong. How the other five percent will take its toll Saturday remains to be seen.
FAMILIAR FOE FOR CHANEY
Tennessee offensive coordinator Jim Chaney will be matching wits with an old friend this Saturday, as it will be Willie Robinson calling plays to try and stop the Volunteer offense. The two worked together for the St. Louis Rams in 2006-07 with Chaney serving as the offensive line coach and Robinson as the team’s defensive coordinator.
Although familiar with Robinson’s style of defense, it won’t make Chaney’s job much easier due to the Razorbacks’ “multiplicity.”
“They do a lot of things and they do them pretty well,” Chaney said. “They fly around hitting people. I think the multiplicity, they do a lot. Willy Robinson, a friend of mind and their coordinator, does a lot of stuff and makes you really think. That is the one thing that we try and worry about a little bit as we go in just trying to figure out exactly what they are going to try to do and attack us. It has been difficult because they do a lot of stuff.”
In addition to the difficulty that their defensive scheme presents, Chaney is quick to note that they have a lot of talented players running that scheme as well which allows them to make plays even when they aren’t in perfect position.
“They are (fast) in the secondary and they have some big bodies inside that move people around,” Chaney said. “I think their linebackers run extremely well, their outside linebacker can run. They are a very athletic team. They know where they are headed and they make plays. About time you think you got them, you don’t because they will fly somewhere unorthodox and make a play on us.”
Arguably the most talented player on the Arkansas defense is senior defensive end Jake Bequette who tops the team with five sacks for a loss of 43 yards this season despite missing four weeks and three games with a hamstring injury. The Little Rock, Ark., native really stepped his game up last week, sacking South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw three times.
“I think he is really coming on after last week and we are really see him flourishing and rolling like he is capable of rolling,” Chaney said. “He was a handful for them last week, he will be a handful for us. He is a very good football player. We have to know where he is at at all times. You go through and watch defenses play and you say, ‘can he wreck your game plan, can he wreck your game plan.’ This kid can. He is that special of a player and his motor really separates him from most.”
QUOTABLE
Head coach Derek Dooley
(On Cameron Clear)
“He’s really starting to come on. It took him awhile early on, probably not being around this much scheme, if you will. It took him awhile to really learn and understand what to do. It’s pretty complex for tight ends. He’s starting to now get it and once guys start getting it, they play faster and their abilities start showing up a little bit better. He has tremendous size, he’s very athletic, he’s a strong guy and I think he has a great future.”
(On Tennessee’s health)
“We’ve had two terrible unfortunate injuries that hit our team, but other than that, we’ve been pretty fortunate from an injury standpoint everywhere. Usually, you lose a little more than what we’ve lost. What’s unfortunate is who we lost. We’ve been pretty fortunate across the board with injuries this year, knock on wood. We still have three weeks.”
(On Tennessee’s starting linebackers)
“They’ve been productive and they’ve had their share of mishaps, but they’ve also generated a lot of positive plays for us. Austin has had two picks here. He’s starting to create some things. A.J. has caused a couple fumbles. We just have to keep getting more and better play out of them.”
(On UT’s freshmen adjusting)
“The biggest thing they have to understand is it’s normal how they feel. They’re not going to feel this way next year at this time because their body will be used to it and adjusted to it. If they keep pushing, they’ll play their way out of it. That’s probably the most difficult part. When they feel bad, they think they have to shut it down. If you just keep pushing, your body will adjust and you’ll start feeling good again.”
Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney
(On how to account for their defense with a young quarterback)
“We have to move to simplicity for us. We try and do too much. I think today was a classic example. I tried to put a few more things in today and we didn’t execute very well, didn’t have a very good third down practice today, I didn’t feel like. It goes back to simplicity just trying to get the kid on the right page and execute the plays.”
(On the wildcat helping the run game)
“I think we are reaching for anything. Any type of creativity we can come up with and help and benefit us that way. We thought it did a little bit. Who knows how much we will end up getting into it this week, but we will always little back up.”
(On James Stone)
“I feel like he is doing okay. James is a super intelligent kid that watches the tape and has very high expectations of himself. When he is not playing that well he understands what is going on. We think he works his butt off. We thought he earned the right in practice to get back on the field.”
(On comparing Marcus Jackson and James Stone)
“I think Marcus brings a little bit more girth in there, a little more butt to push people around a little bit better. And James brings a lot more experience and field mental mistakes. Any given things you have pros and cons of both of them. We like both of the kids and are just trying to find some harmony with both of them.”
(On concerns about crowd noise with a freshman quarterback)
“Any type of communication issues, which we have right now quite often, won’t be any fun. There is no question it will be loud. We worked it today quite a bit and we’ll continue to work that throughout the week. It’s part of the game and our kids understand that. Worley has never been in that situation so it will be fun to see how he handles it. We’ll go play, that’s what we do.”
(On generating a run game with a young quarterback)
“It’s very important. You can’t go out there and be one-dimensional with a kid when Willie (Robinson) throws so much at these guys. It will be difficult on us if we can’t find a little bit of a run game out there on Saturday.”
(On the wear-and-tear of the season)
“It’s part of football and you just keep right on the grind. It’s the grit that makes you who you are as a football player. You have to fight through all that and keep on going.”
Defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox
(On Brian Randolph)
“Brian has gotten better and better every week. He is making fewer and fewer mistakes and is a really solid guy in terms of knowing what to do. He is accountable. I think he is going to be a good player and has proven that he belongs here and can play at a high level. He is far from perfect, but he is getting better and better every week.”
(On generating more turnovers in recent games)
“You stress it from day one. You really always stress turnovers, it’s something you do in practice. You have to practice getting turnovers. The results have (come from) guys playing a little more decisive, a little more aggressive and that is when those type of things happen.”
(On Eric Gordon)
“Eric played well against Middle. Eric just has to be more consistent week-in and week-out during practice, during games. We expect him to do that and when he does play consistent he can do a good job for us. His skill set is more suited for nickel so that is where we play him for the most part, but he does take a few corner reps.”
(On Willie Bohannon)
“Willie is just very consistent. He is accountable, knows what to do and plays very hard. Really he has earned his right to play and has been a solid guy for us. He probably doesn’t have as many ‘wow’ plays, but Willie is a solid guy in terms of being where he needs to be.”
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