Best Defense I’ve Witnessed

[NEO]

Nico took a huge step forward in the second half. We may be witnessing something special Hoss. These kids are playing with some serious heart

Part of me truly believes CJH knew Nico was playing scared and didn’t wanna get pulled for Gaston so when he was hurt CJH told Gaston to throw the dumbest interception possible into triple coverage so Nico can see ur zero threat cause after that Nico was totally different.

 

[SpaceCoastVol]

Part of me truly believes CJH knew Nico was playing scared and didn’t wanna get pulled for Gaston so when he was hurt CJH told Gaston to throw the dumbest interception possible into triple coverage so Nico can see ur zero threat cause after that Nico was totally different.

LOL

 

[VolArmy74]

Nico finished the game 5-7 for 85 yards, with the bomb to Thorton and the high high level td throw to Brazzell. He also had some big time runs, including the long one inside the Alabama 10 in the second half, while leading us to 24 points in the half. He ended up with 44 yards rushing even after the sack yardage was removed. He ran for 9, 4 and 27 in the second half.

All in all a pretty nice half of work. It would have been even better if not for a couple of dumb penalties, like the illegal touching that came from just not paying attention when you line up. That took a 1st down throw into Bama territory off the board. Then we lost another first down because of the holding play on a 15 yard run by Bishop. Ended up punting when that 1st and 10 became 3rd and 5.

Hopefully the bye week treats us better than the last one. Maybe we can get some receivers healthy and clean up some of the penalties that kill drives.

 

[GordonC]

I'll wait until the next game before I believe he has proved anything. There's an awful lot of sunshine pumping going on tonight, and it is TOTALLY understandable. I WANT him to be great, but I still don't see it.

And I am really sorry. I don't mean to be a NegaVol at all. I can;t wait to light up my cigar. GBO!

I mean I don't see how tha fook it's "sunshine pumping" when you beat Oklahoma, Florida, and Bama. And he's a freshman QB. And has trailed both games the last two rivalry games at halftime.
Nobody has said he is great right now. He got better tonight.

 

[apevol]

Part of me truly believes CJH knew Nico was playing scared and didn’t wanna get pulled for Gaston so when he was hurt CJH told Gaston to throw the dumbest interception possible into triple coverage so Nico can see ur zero threat cause after that Nico was totally different.

I think him playing better had more to do with getting hurt

 

[apevol]

lets get back on track - this defense is special.

I asked in the zone earlier this year if we have the best defense in the SEC. It was wishful thinking on my part. At least I thought it was.

 

[NEO]

I think him playing better had more to do with getting hurt

Sure sure but I read the script and it clearly said Gaston throws int.

I swear these SEC writers are getting good.

 

[NEO]

lets get back on track - this defense is special.

I asked in the zone earlier this year if we have the best defense in the SEC. It was wishful thinking on my part. At least I thought it was.

We have the best D line in college and it’s deep. Secondary still needs work. An accurate QB can still pick it apart.

 

[DiderotsGhost]

I've hesitated to say it, but I honestly think this D may be better than the '98 championship team.

Offense, not so much yet, but man, did Nico look great in the 2nd half. We need more consistency on offense, but when Nico is in rhythm, offense looks good.

Looking back at the scores in '98, the '98 team only gave up more than 20 three times:

* Opener against Donovan McNabb's Syracuse team - we gave up 33
* Arkansas stumble and fumble win - we gave up 24
* Tim Couch / Mike Leach Kentucky - we gave up 21, but we scored 59 so kind of a meaningless 21 - KY coaches probably wanted to keep Tim Couch in Heisman contention

It's a lot more difficult to go 7 games without giving up 20 today than it was in 1998, both because of greater offensive output, but also tougher SEC schedules.

 

[Ernie McCracken]

Agree

I've hesitated to say it, but I honestly think this D may be better than the '98 championship team.

Offense, not so much yet, but man, did Nico look great in the 2nd half. We need more consistency on offense, but when Nico is in rhythm, offense looks good.

Though, looking back at the scores in '98, the '98 team only gave up more than 20 three times:

* Opener against Donovan McNabb's Syracuse team - we gave up 33
* Arkansas stumble and fumble win - we gave up 24
* Tim Couch / Mike Leach Kentucky - we gave up 21, but we scored 59 so kind of a meaningless 21

Agreed friend and well said! This D is amazing and fun to watch. Seems the face plant Nico took knocked a few birds out of his cage. GREAT TO BE A VOL TONIGHT. Smoke um up...

GBO

 

[kptvol1]

This Defense has proven to me, definitively, that aggression to the ball is the winning edge. TV concentrates its cameras on the ball location and this D makes sure them cameras stay zoomed into the backfield to LOS often. Our line is held from behind a lot with no yellow rags thrown, but they just line back up and do it again.

 

[BigOrangeCrush32]

I mean I don't see how tha fook it's "sunshine pumping" when you beat Oklahoma, Florida, and Bama. And he's a freshman QB. And has trailed both games the last two rivalry games at halftime.
Nobody has said he is great right now. He got better tonight.

Bc the Defense, Dylan Sampson and bad play calling by the opposite team is the biggest reason we won those games...not Nico.

 

[dduncan4163]

Part of me truly believes CJH knew Nico was playing scared and didn’t wanna get pulled for Gaston so when he was hurt CJH told Gaston to throw the dumbest interception possible into triple coverage so Nico can see ur zero threat cause after that Nico was totally different.I think Nico

I think that hit is what Nico needed to make that light come on. Getting knocked on your ass is when you find out what you’re made of and Nico dusted himself off and answered the bell

 

[SamuraiVol74]

I was dead wrong about the defense and I am happy I was. That game yesterday was a clinic on how to shut down that offense. McCoy played lights out all game. The front guys were pushing the O-Linemen around. I only worried if they could sustain the level of play because the offense was so inept for the first half. I was afraid they would get gassed by mid 3rd quarter and Bama would start to run away. Boy, that didn't happen. I think their play accelerated when it mattered most in the second half. Great defensive game by the Vols.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Those 2015 and 2016 squads had the talent, defense included, but failed to execute, especially in big games. It really has been since the late 90s since the defense has executed like this one

Our defense was exceptional in 98. In other years, they weren't anywhere near this good. JC was the most overrated coach in the country.

 

[VolRage]

I'll wait until the next game before I believe he has proved anything. There's an awful lot of sunshine pumping going on tonight, and it is TOTALLY understandable. I WANT him to be great, but I still don't see it.

And I am really sorry. I don't mean to be a NegaVol at all. I can;t wait to light up my cigar. GBO!

I’ve verbally beat up on Nico a lot to say the least. I still don’t think he’s a “Generational QB” as the experts claim but I saw him turn the corner last night. He played loose in the second half, he stopped running like a timid sissy and started running with intent / purpose, and started seeing the field better. It will be interesting to see how he plays in the next game. I hope he continues to grow into half the QB the “experts” claimed he’d be. If Nico played like Hooker in 2022, this team would be undefeated and a national championship team but….

 

[BACKDOC]

The '85 defense was somewhat porous until Tony Robinson sustained his season-ending injury. After that, they were all but impregnable. During the last seven games, they surrendered only 34 points. Before that season, the 1970 defense was phenomenal. They surrendered 116 points in 12 games and established an NCAA record by intercepting 36 passes and recovering 21 fumbles in 11 games. In the '71 Sugar Bowl, they recorded an additional four interceptions and four fumble recoveries, but stats for bowl games did not count then.

They were very good versus UCLA in the opener until we went prevent D late in the game; same for the Auburn game. I think we only gave up 17 to Fla. in the swamp. We did give up too many to wake; I was at that game, but a little hangover was expected after beating Bo and the no.1 team in the land.

 

[NeverWe'llSever]

I’m amazed at the jump we’ve made on defense since 2023. It definitely improved from 2022 to 2023, but this year’s defense is insane.