Defensive changes for 2023

#52
#52
farmdogvol said:
The biggest need for next year. Losing the best LB and not much depth left on the roster. Mitchell was terrible the last few games and was a big disappointment all year. Hopefully Herring takes a big step forward next year and becomes a starter. Need at least 1 big time LBer from the portal.
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I think Herring is gonna take over that MLB spot. He looked physically ready as a freshman and just looks like he has the instincts to excel at that position in the limited time we’ve seen him. By next season with more time in the system and S&C, I think he’ll make a huge leap.
 
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#55
#55
Would love to see McDonald at backer. It looked like he was playing that star or nickel role this season…. I wonder if he could pack on the extra weight to Jeremy Banks it?
 
#56
#56
Unpopular opinion, Banks is good as DC.

Secondary (and roster in general) just wasn’t good enough talent wise to handle a full season. Injuries piled up, players missed time… a full season wears you down physically, even if you don’t miss games, you are hurt…. especially with them playing the snaps they were.

Depth is the answer. Appears the staff is doing a great job adding bodies via the recruiting class.
 
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#58
#58
Without being in the defensive room we really have no idea outside of a few players what the actual issue is but I tend to think it is a mix of coaching and talent in the secondary. If it is scheme... that is on Banks. If the players were the best available but couldn't get it done we have to use the portal to get some studs.

Alonte Taylor was a great example of a player who had a nose for the ball. Was he put in good positions to make plays? Yes. But he also had the head and athleticism to get it done. I felt like in many of our games the secondary was told to keep it in front of you and no big plays allowed. As the field compressed we got better and did not allow as many points as the other stats would suggest we should have (save two games).

Bottom line it's a mix in my opinion. You have the horses to keep up with SEC receivers or you have a scheme to limit them and we did neither well in the one game that cost us the CFP. Keep Garner because that was the most improved unit on the team. Amazing work against some ELITE offenses.
 
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#59
#59
I know it's not popular opinion but does appear the defensive staff will be back as it appears Heup sees it as a lack of talent/depth. Meaning the staff is handcuffed with current roster, but they've recruited very well defensively, so they get a little leash until talent arrives/develops. I actually have hope or belief in banks just needs better talent, but mixed feelings on Willie Martinez.

Anyway I noticed tonight that Jim Leonard DC for Wisconsin is NOT staying on with new staff there. Talk about a HUGE DC candidate. I wish we jumped on that but won't happen.

I get this sinking feeling in my gut he's gonna end up at Bama and give that elite coach, elite talent he's never had.

Idk maybe he gets HC opportunity somewhere
 
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#60
#60
Allvols1996 said:
I’d fire the entire defensive staff (yes, including Garner). Bring in a proven DC coach who can assemble his entire staff.
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Well you don't say....how about us telling all the D recruits they can go too! Fire one of the best DL coaches in the game. Where has he failed?
 
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#62
#62
Mccage said:
Well you don't say....how about us telling all the D recruits they can go too! Fire one of the best DL coaches in the game. Where has he failed?
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My point was that the next DC should have the ability to bring in his own staff. Period. Without caveat. Recruits mean nothing if they aren’t getting coached. Banks is NOT the answer. One position coach is not worth the bigger problem.
 
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#65
#65
Allvols1996 said:
My point was that the next DC should have the ability to bring in his own staff. Period. Without caveat. Recruits mean nothing if they aren’t getting coached. Banks is NOT the answer. One position coach is not worth the bigger problem.
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One position coach is probably the best Dline coach in this conference in the last twenty years. If a DC doesn’t want him retained I question whether that DC has a brain.
 
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#66
#66
They said:
Unpopular opinion, Banks is good as DC.

Secondary (and roster in general) just wasn’t good enough talent wise to handle a full season. Injuries piled up, players missed time… a full season wears you down physically, even if you don’t miss games, you are hurt…. especially with them playing the snaps they were.

Depth is the answer. Appears the staff is doing a great job adding bodies via the recruiting class.
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But they were pretty terrible at start and finish of games where opposing offenses had decent passing. They were terrible from top to bottom in secondary. Talent maybe an issue but I don’t believe this is the most talentless defensive team in the country yet we play like it. Some of this, a large portion is coaching or lack there of.
 
#67
#67
DaddyChad said:
Talent maybe an issue but I don’t believe this is the most talentless defensive team in the country yet we play like it. Some of this, a large portion is coaching or lack there of.
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Can't really evaluate the quality of a defense solely based on rankings. Lot's of teams ranked above the Vols have far less ability and/or coaching, but they played far weaker offenses. The Vols saw some pretty strong offenses this year and the ranking is strongly affected by their schedule. Not saying the defense is solid - it isn't. It just isn't anywhere near the worst in the nation as some describe. Frankly, I wouldn't mess with coaching until I see a change in personnel with the new recruits.
 
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#68
#68
Lurker said:
Can't really evaluate the quality of a defense solely based on rankings. Lot's of teams ranked above the Vols have far less ability and/or coaching, but they played far weaker offenses. The Vols saw some pretty strong offenses this year and the ranking is strongly affected by their schedule. Not saying the defense is solid - it isn't. It just isn't anywhere near the worst in the nation as some describe. Frankly, I wouldn't mess with coaching until I see a change in personnel with the new recruits.
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With this level of coaching on that side of the ball are you going to see better talent wanting to come here?
 
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#69
#69
DaddyChad said:
With this level of coaching on that side of the ball are you going to see better talent wanting to come here?
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Looking at the recruits, I think it is already coming. Maybe I'm wrong. Heaven knows a lot of top defenders left the team that would have helped a great deal this year.

Given the speed of Heupel's offense, defense is going to always be an issue at Tennessee. We knew that when he came and nothing has really changed. The defense is going to have to be on the field a lot because offensive ball control is not the goal. Scoring as fast as possible is the plan and out comes the defense again.
 
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#72
#72
Lurker said:
Looking at the recruits, I think it is already coming. Maybe I'm wrong. Heaven knows a lot of top defenders left the team that would have helped a great deal this year.

Given the speed of Heupel's offense, defense is going to always be an issue at Tennessee. We knew that when he came and nothing has really changed. The defense is going to have to be on the field a lot because offensive ball control is not the goal. Scoring as fast as possible is the plan and out comes the defense again.
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Scoring is the priority in the game plan. We run the fastest offense in the country and rank DEAD last in TIME OF POSSESSION. This will ALWAYS wear your defense down. Our kids on d are playing enough to have played 2 games in one night......that's NOT sustainable.

But again, we're 10-2.....we found a way to win and it's not just because offense scored alot of points on a few occasions. Remember, half the season, the offense only NEEDED to score 14 pts.
 
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#75
#75
They said:
Unpopular opinion, Banks is good as DC.

Secondary (and roster in general) just wasn’t good enough talent wise to handle a full season. Injuries piled up, players missed time… a full season wears you down physically, even if you don’t miss games, you are hurt…. especially with them playing the snaps they were.

Depth is the answer. Appears the staff is doing a great job adding bodies via the recruiting class.
Click to expand...
I moved back and forth between sitting on the fence and thinking he's not the guy. USCe has moved me pretty strongly into the belief that he is simply not the guy. That wasn't just players or being out-talented. He was outcoached in every conceivable way by an OC who after wisely got out of Columbia while he was on top. They were ready to fire him before the last two games.

To believe what you say about the roster... you'd have to believe that there are more than 100 FBS rosters with more talent. About 60-70 P-5 rosters with more talent.

You would have to believe that talent was the reason they were trampled for 63 points by USCe a week after a bad UF D held them to 6 points and 3 weeks after a Mizzou roster with equal or less talent held them to 10 points. You would have to believe that UT's talent was more than 200 yds worse than USCe's average opponent.

You would have to ignore the number of QBs who have had career days against Banks over the last two years.

NO ONE that I've seen has tried to claim that UT doesn't need more depth and talent on D. I'm not. I am saying that over two years he's come nowhere close to maximizing the results of the talent he had.
 
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