Defensive Expectations

#104
#104
Johnnyreb#VFL said:
I’ll allow it. Good balance to some of the sunshine. It’s usually always somewhere in the middle
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Yeah, but when every one of his posts is some bad about Tennessee...i don’t think they can claim to be a fanatic of Tennessee football. Acting more like a Kentucky or Gator fan
 
#105
#105
My guess, and it’s a guess, is that just like on the offensive side of the ball, it all starts up front.

And I think there are improved pieces on the back end of the defense, but at times it will be hard to tell because what’s up front isn’t good enough
 
#106
#106
99gator said:
My guess, and it’s a guess, is that just like on the offensive side of the ball, it all starts up front.

And I think there are improved pieces on the back end of the defense, but at times it will be hard to tell because what’s up front isn’t good enough
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Based on what? The majority of the guys playing on the DL this year are getting their first shot at proving what they can and cannot do. They are an unproven squad, but bold comments are TBD. I think CJP has upgraded the DL from size standpoint, however not much production returns. I was not impressed with the DL players that graduated last year and hope this squad performs better.
 
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#109
#109
99gator said:
If they were better, they would have started last year. Are they starting this year because last year’s group is gone or would last year’s group still be starting?

Same goes for some of the offensive lineman
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This. Replacing Tuttle, Phillips, Johnson, and Bain won’t be easy. Guys emerge for every team every year but expecting this year’s DL to be better than last year’s is a bit naive. We’ll almost certainly take a step back.
 
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#110
#110
I would just like to see a defense that tackes well and play fundamentally sound football. Do that and get 3rd down stops. If that happens I think the team will be alright. It's not rocket surgery.
 
#111
#111
99gator said:
If they were better, they would have started last year. Are they starting this year because last year’s group is gone or would last year’s group still be starting?

Same goes for some of the offensive lineman
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Good point, however 2 guys were brought in from JUCO and some of the younger guys took a RS to get bigger. We were also thinner on the DL last year compared to this year. There will be more bodies in the rotation. The offense did not do the D any favors last year with so many 3 and outs. If reports are correct, the newcomers appear to be more athletic compared to what we have seen in the past two seasons. Bottom line, you never really know until they hit the field and line up against an opponent. I don’t expect to see a John Henderson or Derek Barnett type out of this bunch but do expect to see noticeable improvements from coaching & development.
 
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#112
#112
Vol_from_86 said:
This. Replacing Tuttle, Phillips, Johnson, and Bain won’t be easy. Guys emerge for every team every year but expecting this year’s DL to be better than last year’s is a bit naive. We’ll almost certainly take a step back.
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Yeah it won’t be easy but what did those guys ever really do? Highly recruited players that were a big part of 4-8 & 5-7. I am glad they gave their all for UT but Kongbo, Phillips, Tuttle etc were extremely overrated.
 
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#113
#113
I see a D that may or may not make as many mistakes as last year, but will be able to recover and not let the mistakes turn into long TDs. We are going to be stronger and more athletic on D with Crouch and Henry. IF the O holds serve and has some success then our D will be more than plenty good enough to win most of the games we play.
 
#114
#114
PEPPERJAX said:
Yeah it won’t be easy but what did those guys ever really do? Highly recruited players that were a big part of 4-8 & 5-7. I am glad they gave their all for UT but Kongbo, Phillips, Tuttle etc were extremely overrated.
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That’s such a bummer too. Definitely weren’t given a fair shake, but i remember getting Tuttle, Phillips, Kmac in 2015 class and Kongbo in 16. Could have been one of the best d line we’ve ever had
 
#115
#115
swchandler1988 said:
That’s such a bummer too. Definitely weren’t given a fair shake, but i remember getting Tuttle, Phillips, Kmac in 2015 class and Kongbo in 16. Could have been one of the best d line we’ve ever had
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4 years of coaching from Pruitt & company would have most likely been a different story.
 
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#116
#116
Man I hope that inky speech sunk in with the players. It did with me. I want players in there that will scrap. I don’t care if you bench 500 or run a 4.3 40. I hope we have guys in there that will fight scratch and claw for theirs.
 
#117
#117
PEPPERJAX said:
Based on what? The majority of the guys playing on the DL this year are getting their first shot at proving what they can and cannot do. They are an unproven squad, but bold comments are TBD. I think CJP has upgraded the DL from size standpoint, however not much production returns. I was not impressed with the DL players that graduated last year and hope this squad performs better.
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Exactly what I'm trying to tell people. No reason judge them prior to playing. We all see they have more size up front and what looks like to be more athletic ability.
 
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#118
#118
99gator said:
If they were better, they would have started last year. Are they starting this year because last year’s group is gone or would last year’s group still be starting?

Same goes for some of the offensive lineman
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They appeared to have a lot of those guys doing more S&C last year knowing they didn't have a lot returning. They were also very young compared to last year's Sr heavy DL.

Until they play, we can't know anything. Pruitt has been really tight with info out of camp so we don't know how they've performed against UT's OL's either. Some of UT's OL's are good players.
 
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#119
#119
sjt18 said:
They appeared to have a lot of those guys doing more S&C last year knowing they didn't have a lot returning. They were also very young compared to last year's Sr heavy DL.

Until they play, we can't know anything. Pruitt has been really tight with info out of camp so we don't know how they've performed against UT's OL's either. Some of UT's OL's are good players.
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Not saying my thinking is foolproof. There are plenty of exceptions.

But, by and large, if player A isn’t good and player B does not beat him out, I worry about player B. Now, I make exceptions for 1st year players. So, redshirt freshman and true sophomores get a pass.

But, I have found that the thinking is more sound than not
 
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#120
#120
99gator said:
Not saying my thinking is foolproof. There are plenty of exceptions.

But, by and large, if player A isn’t good and player B does not beat him out, I worry about player B. Now, I make exceptions for 1st year players. So, redshirt freshman and true sophomores get a pass.

But, I have found that the thinking is more sound than not
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Yes. And you're still the same guy.

But according to your rule no player that doesn't play by their sophomore year should give up their scholarship and move on... because no one needs to be developed for a couple of years before playing. Of course, we shouldn't factor in that Pruitt transitioned to the 3-4 from the 4-3 AND Jones' idiotic ideas about player development.

No. Just one more time you have to show up and condescend to tell UT fans they shouldn't expect anything good of their players or program. I bet that makes you feel real big, huh?
 
#121
#121
sjt18 said:
Yes. And you're still the same guy.

But according to your rule no player that doesn't play by their sophomore year should give up their scholarship and move on... because no one needs to be developed for a couple of years before playing. Of course, we shouldn't factor in that Pruitt transitioned to the 3-4 from the 4-3 AND Jones' idiotic ideas about player development.

No. Just one more time you have to show up and condescend to tell UT fans they shouldn't expect anything good of their players or program. I bet that makes you feel real big, huh?
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I have a pulse on reality. I have no issue with Tennessee being good or becoming good.

You missed the part where I said “if player A isn’t good”. And this is true at Florida and damn near every other school. If you don’t start over a quality player fine. If you can’t beat out players who have proven to be God awful, that might be a problem.

They have been 4-8 and 5-7 in consecutive seasons. They had no one drafted this past year. Their lines of scrimmage have been brutal.

It would be fair to suggest that veteran talent is lacking. What Tennessee may have is young talent and if that’s the case that bodes well a year or two from now, but this season poses to be problematic.

In the meantime, other schools recruit, have strength and conditioning programs, have coaches who can coach, etc.

Hopefully, Pruitts signees pan out and he’s given time. Meanwhile, there are problems. If it’s condescending to acknowledge that, so be it.
 
#122
#122
sjt18 said:
Yes. And you're still the same guy.

But according to your rule no player that doesn't play by their sophomore year should give up their scholarship and move on... because no one needs to be developed for a couple of years before playing. Of course, we shouldn't factor in that Pruitt transitioned to the 3-4 from the 4-3 AND Jones' idiotic ideas about player development.

No. Just one more time you have to show up and condescend to tell UT fans they shouldn't expect anything good of their players or program. I bet that makes you feel real big, huh?
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#123
#123
99gator said:
If they were better, they would have started last year. Are they starting this year because last year’s group is gone or would last year’s group still be starting?

Same goes for some of the offensive lineman
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Phillips 6'6 270 play over 6'7 311 Middleton?
6'3 303 Tuttle play over 6'4 310 Emerson?
Johnson 6'4 295 play over 6'4 300 Williams?
6'3 290 lbs Bain play over 6"4 290 Solomon?

Those are our potential top 4 vs last year's seniors. None of them were even available last year...
So again. You don't know anything yet.
 
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#124
#124
99gator said:
Not saying my thinking is foolproof. There are plenty of exceptions.

But, by and large, if player A isn’t good and player B does not beat him out, I worry about player B. Now, I make exceptions for 1st year players. So, redshirt freshman and true sophomores get a pass.

But, I have found that the thinking is more sound than not
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What about player N? As in Not here yet??
None of the top 4 potential starters were even available last year.

Dude, this is a whole different season. In 2018 Butler was a backup DE at 6'4 260.
2019 Butler is a backup DE at 6'4 285.
He's better, bigger and stronger and STILL a backup. So your logic doesn't fly bro.
Every year is it's own year.
 
#125
#125
LittleVol said:
Phillips 6'6 270 play over 6'7 311 Middleton?
6'3 303 Tuttle play over 6'4 310 Emerson?
Johnson 6'4 295 play over 6'4 300 Williams?
6'3 290 lbs Bain play over 6"4 290 Solomon?

Those are our potential top 4 vs last year's seniors. None of them were even available last year...
So again. You don't know anything yet.
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This. One correction, Phillips was 6’4 270. But that just further proves your point. I don’t think any of those guys except Tuttle freshman year form would have beaten out this years d line. Love all of them, but we’re just in a different weight class now
 
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