At the end of the season...

[PEPPERJAX]

You realize a lot of the play calling is a result of our QB and Oline not being very good. Our QB overthrew two passes that were sure TDs. Missed another one that might have been a TD. Threw into triple coverage for an interception. He also fumbled a handoff and missed seeing at least a couple of open receivers. Our OLine is hit and miss. Good on one play and then terrible on the next. Also probe to holding at big moments.

This all day. It was a night of blunders and missed opportunities for both teams. Lucky, the good guys came out on top. Football is a game of momentum and UT had a great chance to capture that on the first drive but fumbled it away. After that, the offense struggled mightily. Thankfully, they put together some scoring drives in the second half. UT has to do a better job on offense in the first half. That is two games in a row we’ve come out flat.

 

[WoodsmanVol]

You realize a lot of the play calling is a result of our QB and Oline not being very good. Our QB overthrew two passes that were sure TDs. Missed another one that might have been a TD. Threw into triple coverage for an interception. He also fumbled a handoff and missed seeing at least a couple of open receivers. Our OLine is hit and miss. Good on one play and then terrible on the next. Also probe to holding at big moments.

Such fans don't realize what you said, or don't want to. They are genetically engineered to be fault-finders, eager to denigrate players and coaches. Probably the same ones who mocked those of us who pointed prior to season start how that Nico was an inexperienced frosh QB, and it would show as the season progressed. Probably the same folks who mocked our concerns about the OL, based on the fact we got Heard from LSU. Tried to tell them he's one man, what's behind him has to be equal or near equal quality. My take, some of our fans are allergic to reality.

We hit the jackpot with Hooker, and did well despite having a horrible secondary due to front line play and a rapid scoring offense. FULLY rebuilding the UT from the Burning Man mess we wallowed in for so long, has no magic remedy. Heup is making strides, if we have sense enough to not be knee-jerkers at setbacks, he will have us all the way back. Run him off, is BEGGING for a return to the cesspool we drowned in before he came.

 

[WoodsmanVol]

Nico has to be the most frustrating qb to play for us in a while. And that’s coming off Milton. He has all the talent in the world, just can’t seem to put it together

There it is !!!! Told ya, Nico. The Volgod makers who sang your praised the loudest before you ever QB'ed an SEC season, would be the first to Joe Milton you. Turn on you like rabid rats. There it is!

 

[Eastknox865]

That doesn’t excuse the bad misses on open receivers. I would get an interception or a boneheaded decision every now and then. Nico is just missing passes. It sucks to watch.

He is human after all

 

[rocketskates]

You realize a lot of the play calling is a result of our QB and Oline not being very good. Our QB overthrew two passes that were sure TDs. Missed another one that might have been a TD. Threw into triple coverage for an interception. He also fumbled a handoff and missed seeing at least a couple of open receivers. Our OLine is hit and miss. Good on one play and then terrible on the next. Also probe to holding at big moments.

This. I don’t think that play calling was that big of an issue. You have to execute. Had we taken care of business we win by 2-3 scores. Just once I want to see Tennessee march and score on the first drive of the game against a quality opponent. Seems like we get into a much better rhythm when we are able to do so.

We were carving them up pretty good on the opening drive until the fumble and then our confidence went straight to the porta-john.

 

[Sarms58]

You realize a lot of the play calling is a result of our QB and Oline not being very good. Our QB overthrew two passes that were sure TDs. Missed another one that might have been a TD. Threw into triple coverage for an interception. He also fumbled a handoff and missed seeing at least a couple of open receivers. Our OLine is hit and miss. Good on one play and then terrible on the next. Also probe to holding at big moments.

Yea, but as fans we want to call plays where the line blocks and the QB hits the open receivers. I get frustrated at the runs but running is a fundamental part of this offense - you spread the D out wide and run up the middle. We just aren’t getting the blocking. And of course when I get most frustrated is usually just before Sampson breaks a run.

I’d argue that our execution is a bigger problem than play selection. We’re halfway through the season and the coaching adjustments should be (IMO) to first look at some new personnel in the areas where execution is weakest (OT IMO is the weakest link) and second to look at different formations and/or plays if we can’t get better execution at our weak points.

 

[CoachClick]

Development isn’t there at the QB or OL positions. Elarbee has to go imo, but I don’t have much faith in any staff changes being made.

Exactly. All you have to understand about Heupel's decision making is....

...he KEPT Martinez when his contract was up.

That should tell you all you need to know

 

[McDad]

Exactly. All you have to understand about Heupel's decision making is....

...he KEPT Martinez when his contract was up.

That should tell you all you need to know

Have you tried holding your breath until you get what you want?

Might work.

 

[CoachClick]

Have you tried holding your breath until you get what you want?

Might work.

Insightful.

You know what I said to be true.

Ostrich.

 

[BeardedVol]

No. Why? Milton had 3 years and couldn't do it why should Nico with 6 games? I'm not making excuses for him but he's also a FRESHMAN -very few freshman go ball out at the QB position in the SEC unless they are surrounded by draft picks at several positions.
Do you expect a rookie QB in the NFL to go run everything in their playbook like a well oiled machine? Look at Levis- 2nd year and still struggling to get it

Nico has been enrolled at UT since 12/16/2022. Every week we see more development and better play from QBs who have spent far less time in their respective programs.

There's zero excuses for him to be this bad at the fundamentals of playing QB.

 

[McDad]

Insightful.

You know what I said to be true.

Ostrich.

Perhaps a strongly worded letter to Danny White will do the job.

 

[Orangeslice13]

He has started 6 games, how about give him a little time. You do realize it took Hooker 6 years to reach the level he did. The kids a red shirt freshman with a bad O line

And it’s an O line that mostly could have left last year. It could be so much worse if we were playing all freshman and sophomores on the line

 

[wmcovol]

Tee Martin wasn’t very good early in 1998. He struggled at home vs Fla & was terrible at Auburn that year. He had a good game vs Georgia the next week & was off to the races after that. Nico may well be like that. The talent level is there & at moments, he shows the potential.

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

While we're making changes for next year, I'd like to ask for a different system. 2022 appears to have been a one-hit wonder that caught the league by surprise. Some rules changed, defenses have wised up and Hooker is gone. Heupel needs to adjust like the really good coaches do. This ain't working.

 

[rdk4121]

We have a lot of issues on offense. O-Line holds on all of these scrambles, that cost us probably 50 yards. Then you fumble on 25, which would've been at least 3, but it seemed like it was going to be a TD. Missed on 3-4 deep balls that either would've been big gains or TDs. Somewhat on the QB and WRs on those.

Our margin or error is not very big, so we have to play a clean game. We clearly just haven't been playing clean.

 

[McDad]

While we're making changes for next year, I'd like to ask for a different system. 2022 appears to have been a one-hit wonder that caught the league by surprise. Some rules changed, defenses have wised up and Hooker is gone. Heupel needs to adjust like the really good coaches do. This ain't working.

You guys wanna organize a union picket and walk around in front of Neyland stadium holding signs?

Take action. Be THE catalyst for the change you seek.

 

[Orangeslice13]

This all day. It was a night of blunders and missed opportunities for both teams. Lucky, the good guys came out on top. Football is a game of momentum and UT had a great chance to capture that on the first drive but fumbled it away. After that, the offense struggled mightily. Thankfully, they put together some scoring drives in the second half. UT has to do a better job on offense in the first half. That is two games in a row we’ve come out flat.

I don’t think we came out flat at all. The fumble caused some “here we go again…” but the reality is it didn’t beat us. How many times under Milton did the wheels fall off and we were just done. 2 weeks in a row our very young QB put some momentum together in the second half. This time the team responded and found a way to win. Let’s let this play out just a bit before we declare Nico the new Milton or Tan-o

 

[volbound1700]

Now that we’re up against SEC defenses, Nico is playing like what he is, a freshman. He’s having to do it with very little protection too. Folks promoted him to Heisman status way too early and now blame him for not meeting their expectations. The game hasn’t even slowed down for him yet. We’ve seen what he can do with protection. The talent is there but the hands on experience will take a little more time

It isn't the SEC, it is regression. Florida's defense looked like garbage against Miami and the last time I checked, Miami is not in the SEC. Tennessee's offense has regressed. I get that NC State isn't great but their defense isn't that much worse than Arkansas or Florida. SEC defenses lost to Georgia State, Cal, USC, etc.

 

[volbound1700]

I don’t think we came out flat at all. The fumble caused some “here we go again…” but the reality is it didn’t beat us. How many times under Milton did the wheels fall off and we were just done. 2 weeks in a row our very young QB put some momentum together in the second half. This time the team responded and found a way to win. Let’s let this play out just a bit before we declare Nico the new Milton or Tan-o

It is the defense that is driving these wins. Sampson is a stud as well and a leader.

 

[Orangeslice13]

You guys wanna organize a union picket and walk around in front of Neyland stadium holding signs?

Take action. Be THE catalyst for the change you seek.

Why not. Everyone already thinks we’re the most delusional fan base in the country

 

[volfeeva]

This. I don’t think that play calling was that big of an issue. You have to execute. Had we taken care of business we win by 2-3 scores. Just once I want to see Tennessee march and score on the first drive of the game against a quality opponent. Seems like we get into a much better rhythm when we are able to do so.

We were carving them up pretty good on the opening drive until the fumble and then our confidence went straight to the porta-john.

You want an example of bad play calling ? Early in the game, think it was 2nd possession and we're backed up on our own goal line and we run up the middle for no gain until we have to punt from the end zone. Florida gets the ball on the 50 yd line after we punt. All night long our defense had to bail out poor play calling and executation by the offense.

 

[Orangeslice13]

It is the defense that is driving these wins. Sampson is a stud as well and a leader.

Started flat. Found some success in the second half on Offense. Found a way to win a game we should have lost.
Edit: didn’t start flat. Lost momentum due to a freshman mistake.

 

[theFallGuy]

Such fans don't realize what you said, or don't want to. They are genetically engineered to be fault-finders, eager to denigrate players and coaches. Probably the same ones who mocked those of us who pointed prior to season start how that Nico was an inexperienced frosh QB, and it would show as the season progressed. Probably the same folks who mocked our concerns about the OL, based on the fact we got Heard from LSU. Tried to tell them he's one man, what's behind him has to be equal or near equal quality. My take, some of our fans are allergic to reality.

We hit the jackpot with Hooker, and did well despite having a horrible secondary due to front line play and a rapid scoring offense. FULLY rebuilding the UT from the Burning Man mess we wallowed in for so long, has no magic remedy. Heup is making strides, if we have sense enough to not be knee-jerkers at setbacks, he will have us all the way back. Run him off, is BEGGING for a return to the cesspool we drowned in before he came.

Reason and logic is so refreshing

 

[rocketskates]

You want an example of bad play calling ? Early in the game, think it was 2nd possession and we're backed up on our own goal line and we run up the middle for no gain until we have to punt from the end zone. Florida gets the ball on the 50 yd line after we punt. All night long our defense had to bail out poor play calling and executation by the offense.

True. But teams made bad play calls every game. There were also some good play calls that we didn’t execute on…the bomb to Squirrel, the play to Nimrod, the slant to Nimrod at the end of the game that would’ve put us well into FG range, etc.

 

[volbound1700]

Reason and logic is so refreshing

Razorbacks DC says UT offense is predictable

"When I go home, I'm watching a lot of tape by myself," said Williams. "That's kind of when I get my thoughts and I said you know what, every time they (Tennessee) got this look, they did this. And it's [going] back to 2021, 2022, just watching every team that they played and trying to get a...

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