Espn writer-Vols on the rise

[hmanvolfan]

 

[Biopsyman]

Said for years that line play is the key in SEC- it's where the men play

 

[jasonvol18]

We have improved in the following areas

Recruiting, Amount of dropped balls by our WRs, QB play, speed on defense, pass blocking

We have not improved in these areas

Run blocking, special teams, offensive play calling( variety of play calls on offense and creativeness on offense)


Now, we are about to see how well we actually have improved on defense when the speed of the teams we play and talent vastly improves

We have improved in areas of special teams. Kickoff and Punt returns against has been really good and can tell we are much faster..No we haven't played a top 25 team but our special teams defending kicks was horrible against everbody last yesr and have recovered two fumbles in 2 games..Punting has been good so far too..Medley needs to get more consistent on his kickoffs and field goals but hopefully that comes with playing more and getting healthy. Run blocking has been aweful so far and have only returned one punt I think and that was Carter yesterday. Not sure if they don't want Cam returning punts with risk of injury or just not getting good punts to return. Really been impressed by Josh Smith so far.

 

[hmanvolfan]

 

[volfanbill]

Most people don't like hearing the negative about anything

People usually like to hear only the positive

We all can't be the same

There's a difference in admitting there are still negatives and failing to own up to any positives.

 

[jasonvol18]

Said for years that line play is the key in SEC- it's wear the men play

It's key everywhere..

 

[nash101]

Because anyone can write a fluff piece at anytime

I can write one right now that says Vandy is on the rise with Mason, point to various reasons why I think so, and Vandy fans would lap it up like a cat laps up milk.

Actually if you wrote a fluff piece on Vandy, their other fan might throw his hat and shirt at you too

Sure some of us need to temper our optimism but I don't get fans who seem to have thrown in the towel after 2 games - both wins. I want to compete and beat the top teams on our schedule and realize that probably won't happen this year; however, I'm not going to give up or quit supporting them. I have tickets for the Oklahoma game and will be there wearing orange. Go vols!

 

[rallen]

vol miner!

 

[CountVolcula]

Agreed. Would you agree that last years team would have dropped one of these first two or at the very least looked horrible while scaring us half to death?

Hard to say

As bad as people want to say our line was last year, I believe they would have opened up more holes for the running game. But, when you run basically the same set of plays each time you line up, its not hard for DC to guess your next move. All ASU did was shoot the gap because we ran up the middle every time.

 

[17Vols]

Because anyone can write a fluff piece at anytime

I can write one right now that says Vandy is on the rise with Mason, point to various reasons why I think so, and Vandy fans would lap it up like a cat laps up milk.

cats do like lapping that milk!

 

[Voltrapnbama]

Because anyone can write a fluff piece at anytime

I can write one right now that says Vandy is on the rise with Mason, point to various reasons why I think so, and Vandy fans would lap it up like a cat laps up milk.

I want you to convince me Vandy is on the rise?.
Posted via VolNation Mobile

 

[KBVol]

We are in contention for the playoff, just have to win the games on the schedule. If bama happens to be our only loss, I think we get in.

Everybody tryin to have a grown up discussion in here and you show up with this. Come on man.

 

[GBO97]

We are in contention for the playoff, just have to win the games on the schedule. If bama happens to be our only loss, I think we get in.

Let's make a bowl first. Baby steps.

 

[volgrl]

"On the rise"...Well, nowhere to go but up. I am encouraged by a lot of what I witnessed the last two games but we have not been challenged yet. We are improving but I am not sure it is article worthy. Our lack of depth will become much more evident against Oklahoma and continue to show as we run through the SEC gauntlet. We can't help having a young team...we have a shot at quickly turning things around when you consider the type of talent that we are recruiting and the fact that they are playing early. So, with that said, the future looks bright...but I would call us "a team to watch"....It is purely semantics but "on the rise" just seems a little too immediate.

 

[Orange_Crush]

4. Tennessee: The Volunteers might not have enough depth or talent on the lines to compete in the SEC this season, but they're making big strides under coach Butch Jones. The Vols moved to 2-0 by beating Arkansas State 34-19 at home. They're talented enough to beat a team or two they're not supposed to defeat this season.

From the article:

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

UT fans reaching at anything trying to prove we are an improved team

Only thing that will prove it is how we square up against our SEC competition

Good lord man are you catbones twin? You guys thrive on negativity. It's obvious that you didn't read the entire thing and just wanted to put the team down. Pathetic.

 

[jwp1223]

My question to some of you guys would be

If we go 5-7 again, what aspects of this team will determine whether or not you guys see it as an improved team?

For me, I will need to see closer games against Alabama, Florida. Close games again with Georgia and South Carolina. Possibly beating South Carolina again. We have to beat Kentucky and Vandy. A loss to Vandy again, which should be nearly impossible at this point, would be devastating.

I would also like to see us win a game on the road in the SEC. I don't consider Vandy a road win. Its basically a home field advantage for us this year. A win at Ole Miss would go a long ways in proving this teams improvement

Other than that, if we lose big to our rivals and can't beat a team we shouldn't, with a younger, but improved roster, then I can't call us an improved team

If you think we're losing to Vandy, than you're an idiot. There is no way in hell we'll lose to Vanderbilt.

 

[tennrich1]

Please write one about that.

Oh heck you beat me to it.... That would be some fancy writing.... My wife is a renowned journalist and author of several books and That would be a great task for her.... Especially since she knows nothing about football....

 

[hndog609]

Oh heck you beat me to it.... That would be some fancy writing.... My wife is a renowned journalist and author of several books and That would be a great task for her.... Especially since she knows nothing about football....

I would think knowing nothing about football would be a huge asset, if not a requirement, in trying to write such a thing. In Count's defense though I think it was more a reflection on the intended audience than the accuracy of what would be written.

 

[TVOL71]

My question to some of you guys would be

If we go 5-7 again, what aspects of this team will determine whether or not you guys see it as an improved team?

For me, I will need to see closer games against Alabama, Florida. Close games again with Georgia and South Carolina. Possibly beating South Carolina again. We have to beat Kentucky and Vandy. A loss to Vandy again, which should be nearly impossible at this point, would be devastating.

I would also like to see us win a game on the road in the SEC. I don't consider Vandy a road win. Its basically a home field advantage for us this year. A win at Ole Miss would go a long ways in proving this teams improvement

Other than that, if we lose big to our rivals and can't beat a team we shouldn't, with a younger, but improved roster, then I can't call us an improved team

I guess you haven't heard that nearly half of the 2 deep on the depth chart are starting their first games this year, so expecting them to win a road game (excluding Vandy) is not likely (I think they might have a shot at SCe). The youth of the O-Line is clearly a problem (only team in the country with no returning starters on O-Line or D-line, in case you haven't heard), but if you can't tell that the defense is better, and Worley is better, you clearly haven't been watching. When you play top 5 schedules most years, it takes some time to get to that level, but they are moving in the right direction. You build a team by getting high level talent and letting them play early (with likely losses) to get experience which will lead to wins in the future.

 

[VonoreVol]

This team is definitely on the rise, and has definitely improved. That said, some people on here are setting themselves up for a huge letdown in the coming weeks. I love the Vols and always will, but I always look at things realisticly and not through orange colored glasses. I think Count is the same way. This team has improved leaps and bounds at the skill positions. QB play is better, Hurd is a big addition at RB, we are loaded at WR, Wolf is a big addition at TE, and there's too many to list on the defensive side, but team speed really stands out. I think everyone recognizes the problems on the offensive line, but I don't think people understand just how big an issue this is. It's a HUGE problem! SEC football games are often won and lost in the trenches. We could have Adrian Peterson at RB but if the line doesn't open up holes then it isn't going to matter. Worley has improved and we got weapons galore at WR, but the line has to give Worley enough protection for the play to develop, which is why we've been seeing so many short/medium passes. If we had last years line on this years team, we could easily be looking at a 8+ win season. If this line does not grow up and improve in a hurry, we will be fortunate to make a bowl game, and lucky if Worley can survive the season in tact. That's just the truth of the matter. I do think this line will make steady improvements throughout the season, but I don't know if it will be enough and we can't afford more injuries to this unit. I'm proud of young guys like Jashon Robertson and Coleman Thomas, but ideally, we shouldn't be relying on 3* true freshman to come in and play right away in the SEC. That's not a knock on those guys, because I think we got two really good lineman right there, and it's not a knock on Butch's recruiting. If anything, it's a knock on Dooley for his lack of recruiting on the offensive and defensive lines. We should not be this thin and inexperienced on such a critical position(s). It is what it is, and we got to roll with it, but don't discount how big an issue this is and why people aren't considering us more of a threat this season. Sorry for such a long post, but it puzzles me how so many are overlooking this problem and down on folks for being negative and not thinking we are going to win 10 games this year. For the record, I am enjoying the ride with this young team, and do see much brighter times ahead in the near future. I just don't think it will be this year, but I'm gonna love and support my Vols like always!

Edit...sorry for the long post. Got carried away a little!

 

[NCVol1025]

Not to be a sunshine pumper but did anyone watch the USCe vs ECU game? I thought Spurrier would have them ready to smash an ECU team with under sized O & D lines but the Pirates made it a game going into the 4th. While throwing 2 interceptions. That ECU team is very similar to our VOLS. It seems possible we could pull off another win and go bowling. To me that is real improvement. GBO

 

[GahLee]

Because anyone can write a fluff piece at anytime

I can write one right now that says Vandy is on the rise with Mason, point to various reasons why I think so, and Vandy fans would lap it up like a cat laps up milk.

No they wouldn't.
1. They're too awful to defend
2. They're smarter than that
3. You're not that talented of a writer

 

[TNnative]

We have improved in the following areas

Recruiting, Amount of dropped balls by our WRs, QB play, speed on defense, pass blocking

We have not improved in these areas

Run blocking, special teams, offensive play calling( variety of play calls on offense and creativeness on offense)


Now, we are about to see how well we actually have improved on defense when the speed of the teams we play and talent vastly improves

The "variety of play call & creativeness" is still limited by a very green offensive line, and though Worley is showing vast improvement, he still has his limits. So, the play calling is going to not be wide open. But it is more creative than last season. Anyone that pays passing attention should realize that.

 

[TNnative]

This team is definitely on the rise, and has definitely improved. That said, some people on here are setting themselves up for a huge letdown in the coming weeks. I love the Vols and always will, but I always look at things realisticly and not through orange colored glasses. I think Count is the same way. This team has improved leaps and bounds at the skill positions. QB play is better, Hurd is a big addition at RB, we are loaded at WR, Wolf is a big addition at TE, and there's too many to list on the defensive side, but team speed really stands out. I think everyone recognizes the problems on the offensive line, but I don't think people understand just how big an issue this is. It's a HUGE problem! SEC football games are often won and lost in the trenches. We could have Adrian Peterson at RB but if the line doesn't open up holes then it isn't going to matter. Worley has improved and we got weapons galore at WR, but the line has to give Worley enough protection for the play to develop, which is why we've been seeing so many short/medium passes. If we had last years line on this years team, we could easily be looking at a 8+ win season. If this line does not grow up and improve in a hurry, we will be fortunate to make a bowl game, and lucky if Worley can survive the season in tact. That's just the truth of the matter. I do think this line will make steady improvements throughout the season, but I don't know if it will be enough and we can't afford more injuries to this unit. I'm proud of young guys like Jashon Robertson and Coleman Thomas, but ideally, we shouldn't be relying on 3* true freshman to come in and play right away in the SEC. That's not a knock on those guys, because I think we got two really good lineman right there, and it's not a knock on Butch's recruiting. If anything, it's a knock on Dooley for his lack of recruiting on the offensive and defensive lines. We should not be this thin and inexperienced on such a critical position(s). It is what it is, and we got to roll with it, but don't discount how big an issue this is and why people aren't considering us more of a threat this season. Sorry for such a long post, but it puzzles me how so many are overlooking this problem and down on folks for being negative and not thinking we are going to win 10 games this year. For the record, I am enjoying the ride with this young team, and do see much brighter times ahead in the near future. I just don't think it will be this year, but I'm gonna love and support my Vols like always!

Edit...sorry for the long post. Got carried away a little!

WOW! And you are from Vonore.