defense/defensive backs

[ice]

Spurriers offense with a sr qb just completed 8 passes against us

I`m not talking about SCe. I`m talking about the days at Fla. when he had good quarterbacks and receivers.

 

[volsbrock]

You hit the nail on the head. Bet I`ve seen it a hundred times.

The opposing team throws for a 15 yard completion. Our guys tackle him, then jump up and down like they have done something great.
They have a 15 yard completion and our defenders are jumping up and down clapping their hands like idiots.

You sure your watching this years games? Not seen that much at all

 

[Catbone]

What bothers me the most is the inability of many of our players on D to take proper angles in pursuit, and wrap up in open space. Teams that play good defense year in year out like Stanford, Bama, VT Tech, all seem to be masters of those 2 skills.

Yeah, Virginia Tech Tech is pretty good.

 

[Tenacguy50]

The Dline can/does help the secondary if they get pressure on the QB. Stating the obvious here, but our dline has been a little inconsistent getting pressure. Against SC we had pressure pretty much all day. Against Ala, McCarren could have lunch back there. It's a team game.

 

[Vol865]

Please help me understand this shortcoming by our defense.
It has been going on for years under multiple head coaches.
Our backs do a terrible job defending against the long ball.
When the ball leaves the hands of the opposing teams quarterback, especially on long throws, our defenders almost always do not look back at the ball. The receiver knows where the ball is going and therefore has the advantage.
Why do our coaches not teach our defensive backs to watch the ball, intercept or slap it down.
This has been the norm at TN for years.
On long balls, the ball is in the air for quite some time. A defender should adjust and move on the ball.
I don`t get this and it gripes my ass seeing this over and over again.
My thought is that players on the college level should be good at defending against the long ball.
We are terrible at it and have been for a long time.
What gives?.

ps: While I`m on the box, did you notice how Ala s offensive line manhandled our defensive line?.

In situations where the db is trailing, they are taught to watch the WRs eyes and hands. When his hands go up, you try to get your hands in the way to break it up. You will hardly ever see an INT by any team in that situation. Cameron Sutton does this very well.

 

[Spartacavolus]

I`m not talking about SCe. I`m talking about the days at Fla. when he had good quarterbacks and receivers.

Different age of football. He was ahead of his time. Also, the overall sec speed and talent wasn't there, or the opponents coaches.

 

[sechamp2012]

dbs this year, outside of Coleman really, have played the ball in the air better than the last decade or so, outside of EB. We are highly ranked in int's and have played 3 top 10 teams in the process, so looking for the ball isn't really an issue at all this year, imo.

On the Bama TD where Toney took a bad angle and whiffed. Did anyone notice Coleman... The Bama guy caught the ball and instead of coleman putting his hands out an fighting off the blocker and pursue the runner...he engaged the blocker like that was his goal. Seen him do the same thing on a sweep later.

 

[OrangeDonkey]

While we're on the topic why cant our players defend screens and bubbles? I know for a fact that the coaches (even the last staff) have taught them better than how they are performing.

 

[DC Vol]

In addition, this defense takes terrible tackling angles. Bama's first TD was a carbon copy of a play Florida used, in almost the same spot on the field, with similar results. If your team is lacking in overall speed as the Vols D is, you've got to take better angles to cut off the opposition. On the bright side, this unit tackles better than last year; it's just getting to them to make the stop that's still an issue.

In both of those plays, Coleman was outside. He did the correct thing when he played the Screen outside of his blocker to force it inside. The Nickel takes a horrible angle and 1 blocker beats 2 UT players.

Bama tried to run that play to Sutton's side and he beat his block (impressive enough) and blew up Cooper.

 

[Spartacavolus]

In both of those plays, Coleman was outside. He did the correct thing when he played the Screen outside of his blocker to force it inside. The Nickel takes a horrible angle and 1 blocker beats 2 UT players.

Bama tried to run that play to Sutton's side and he beat his block (impressive enough) and blew up Cooper.

I don't like taking on the block and relying on a one on one tackle when your teammate is the lesser of the athlete. Other teams read a key and see it coming, or quickly read it, knowing they have help, and get up field asap. Cam finally did, but we need both dbs closer to the line and both to fire upfield in lanes and force the wr to the middle.

 

[DC Vol]

I don't like taking on the block and relying on a one on one tackle when your teammate is the lesser of the athlete. Other teams read a key and see it coming, or quickly read it, knowing they have help, and get up field asap. Cam finally did, but we need both dbs closer to the line and both to fire upfield in lanes and force the wr to the middle.

He was isolated, he had no help on that side.

Coleman and Sutton both played it right in their respective positions, in my completely unremarkable and worthless-in-the-long-run opinion.

And Coleman was outside on both WR Screens that went for TDs. Not his fault, both were on Swafford/Toney.