AJ Johnson hurting us on pass plays?

#26
#26
Our LBs sort of remind me of LBs in the Big 10. They can sure stop you from running, but pass plays.......? We need more Raynoch Thompson type players.
 
#27
#27
I completely agree with Ainge. AJ is a liability on passing downs. Great in run support but not so much in coverage.
 
#28
#28
KingtUT said:
AJ has good speed for a MLB. No LB is going to be able to cover the fastest RBs. Every defense has its strengths and its weaknesses. AJ is is one of our strengths. It's up to the defensive coordinator to keep our players in the best positions to make plays, that's why you will rarely see AJ in man to man coverage on a RB.
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I agree with all of this, but it's going to be a huge concern this weekend. For Tennessee to win, that middle is going to have to be accounted for.
 
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#29
#29
Don't read too much into it. Petrino makes a lot of defensive backfields look bad, especially with as much inexperience as ours had.
 
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#31
#31
One of the tv talk shows were talking about this yesterday.
They were saying AJ is too slow side to side, Sapp is a better option with TN goes to the nickel.
 
#32
#32
Gramps said:
One of the tv talk shows were talking about this yesterday.
They were saying AJ is too slow side to side, Sapp is a better option with TN goes to the nickel.
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I would tend to agree.

I just think it's an interesting dynamic this week.
 
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#36
#36
Cecil Basil said:
So what's the answer this weekend? If you were a coach, what would you do to tighten up that middle this weekend? We could afford to just play it out in the first 2 games, but this weekend, not so much.
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According to most on here we should tuck our tail and forfeit the Oregon game. Why even make the trip since we are going to get beat so bad, right? We have played two games. Give the coaches and players time to make adjustments. We should have two of our best defensive players available for the Oregon game now. Is it going to be a tough game? Hell yea it is. I think our defense will be better off than UVAs was. I think that we will keep our best players on the field. Keep AJ in the game and make adjustments. Let's see if our coaches can do their job and actually coach. Crazy idea, I know.
 
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#39
#39
wmcovol said:
SOS used to isolate his RBs on Lbs and make they cover either deep or crossing patterns. All great OC minds use it. It works great. Few Lbs can cover Rbs across the field, I doubt Brewer could stay with the RB that I remember leaving AJ.

I think they should let AJ rush some off the edge on 3rd down with #54 on the other side. Play extra DB or Brewer in the middle on 3rd and long. Maybe this week?
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Outstanding analysis!!
 
#40
#40
Nuctech777 said:
According to most on here we should tuck our tail and forfeit the Oregon game. Why even make the trip since we are going to get beat so bad, right? We have played two games. Give the coaches and players time to make adjustments. We should have two of our best defensive players available for the Oregon game now. Is it going to be a tough game? Hell yea it is. I think our defense will be better off than UVAs was. I think that we will keep our best players on the field. Keep AJ in the game and make adjustments. Let's see if our coaches can do their job and actually coach. Crazy idea, I know.
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Umm, that's pretty much what this thread is about. Adjustments and coaching decisions. I said nothing about tucking our tails and forfeiting.
 
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#41
#41
this is nothing new as many on this board have said for a long time now.

it's one of the reasons florida has had some success in the passing game against tennessee. as you may have noticed, they don't do much else with a lot of gusto.
 
#43
#43
I think you are gonna see a lot of Nickel and maybe a few other tricks. Oregon's line is not huge, so I think you are gonna see our fastest lineman on the edges at all times. I think that Maggitt, Williams, and even AJ at points will interchange at one end spot, while Smith and Vereen will interchange at the other. I really think that big Dan, and Couch will sub in for each other, while the other tackle spot will see Walls, Miller, and Hood interchange.

I really think that AJ will either sub out, or move down to end on obvious passing downs, with Brewer and Sapp as your linebackers. I think that it is very probable that Brewer will lead the team in tackles this week.
 
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#44
#44
Yes, AJ is a liability covering backs out of the backfield.
Yes, it is the coaches' responsibility to limit that exposure.
No, we cannot afford to leave AJ on the sideline the entire game for fear the Ducks will try to get a mismatch.
We can , and should, try to substitute when feasible and the situation warrants and, more importantly, mix up coverages.
We can use the fact that the opposing offenses are looking to exploit the mismatch by making it appear the mismatch is with one receiver when it is actually with another. Or... dropping a rusher into the area after the snap.
I'm hoping that we bait some guys into mistakes - that's the cat-and-mouse of it.
I think we've been pretty vanilla on defense so far ( just like offense) and , although I don't want to become so complicated that we're lost like last year, I do expect to be disciplined enough to throw some wrinkles in this week.
 
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#45
#45
Nuctech777 said:
According to most on here we should tuck our tail and forfeit the Oregon game. Why even make the trip since we are going to get beat so bad, right? We have played two games. Give the coaches and players time to make adjustments. We should have two of our best defensive players available for the Oregon game now. Is it going to be a tough game? Hell yea it is. I think our defense will be better off than UVAs was. I think that we will keep our best players on the field. Keep AJ in the game and make adjustments. Let's see if our coaches can do their job and actually coach. Crazy idea, I know.
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Nobody is talking about forfeiting.

However, I think Tennessee will have much bigger issues than pass coverage. I thought our offense was very shoddy against WKU. Take away all the pick 6 and short field opportunities and Tennessee's offense was very poor. Toward the end they were doing a decent job of running, but that was against a mentally defeated and physically tired team. Oregon will put up some serious point on us and I just dont see us keeping up with that on offense without some of those HUGE defensive plays that give us a super short field for the offense.
 
#46
#46
GOOD LORD GUYS!!! Everything that has been said is pretty much spot on but there are a few things that need to be considered. First of all is that Petrino, as much as I dislike the man, is maybe the best at creating bad matchups as he schemes for a game. Running backs across the middle will ALWAYS be a mismatch for a linebacker like AJ. The only way to combat that is to go to a nickel package and that is typically a down and distance type defense. You guys are insane if you don't think AJ is a monster on stopping the run. If he gets isolated, as he did a few times Saturday, he should have help and he did. Teams will get yardage, a team coached by Petrino that has good talent like WKU does, will make plays. UT's defense will be fine. This Saturday may make you feel that's not true, but I think Oregon would likely ring up 40 on Bammer. You guys really just need to chill a bit. I read on here all the time that you would love to have Chavis back but his defenses were always of the bend don't break type. AJ will be fine and the defense will be fine.
 
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#47
#47
I think he is a liability against the pass as well, I think when you have a playcaller like petrino he is even a greater liability.
Hopefully that goofy looking ba#$%rd at Oregon cant call plays as good as CK could. CK wouldve picked on him from the opening snap.
 
#48
#48
Cecil Basil said:
Umm, that's pretty much what this thread is about. Adjustments and coaching decisions. I said nothing about tucking our tails and forfeiting.
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Yes, I did not mean to quote you. I was not talking about your answer, I'm sorry. Mistakes happen. I am not predicting a win at Oregon but I am predicting that we will be pleasantly surprised with our effort and our fight. Also, and this is why I am posting in this thread, I believe that our coaches will make the in-game adjustments necessary to keep it close. I am also saying that with Maggitt back, we will not be as weak in the middle or in pass coverage IMO.
 
#49
#49
Dragon18 said:
GOOD LORD GUYS!!! Everything that has been said is pretty much spot on but there are a few things that need to be considered. First of all is that Petrino, as much as I dislike the man, is maybe the best at creating bad matchups as he schemes for a game. Running backs across the middle will ALWAYS be a mismatch for a linebacker like AJ. The only way to combat that is to go to a nickel package and that is typically a down and distance type defense. You guys are insane if you don't think AJ is a monster on stopping the run. If he gets isolated, as he did a few times Saturday, he should have help and he did. Teams will get yardage, a team coached by Petrino that has good talent like WKU does, will make plays. UT's defense will be fine. This Saturday may make you feel that's not true, but I think Oregon would likely ring up 40 on Bammer. You guys really just need to chill a bit. I read on here all the time that you would love to have Chavis back but his defenses were always of the bend don't break type. AJ will be fine and the defense will be fine.
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Oregon's offensive players will be much better than WKU (I dont even have to say that, its obvious). We wont be getting seven turnovers and great field position on them. Even if we play somewhat stout defense and Oregon only manages, say, 35 point on us, our offense wont be able to score that much.

I look for our offense to score no more than 27 points and at least one of those TDs will come late in the game when the game is already over.

The rest of the game will have to be decided on the defense making huge plays (like pick-6s).
 
#50
#50
Dragon18 said:
You guys are insane if you don't think AJ is a monster on stopping the run.

You guys really just need to chill a bit.
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I don't think that anyone in this thread said AJ can't stop the run. As for chilling, we're just talking about possible adjustments for this weekend to put the Vols in the best position to win.
 
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