Josh Heupel “We’re going to play Elite Defense”

[VolFreakJosh]

 

[GAVol]

I’ll settle for merely “enough” defense.

 

[TAF]

MY Coach!

 

[TAF]

I’ll settle for merely “enough” defense.

I rewatched the Florida game today (slow day at the office)...

Defense ALMOST lost that game!

 

[BowlBrother85]

I’ll settle for merely “enough” defense.

Yeah ... I don't think we will even need to be elite. The defense from 2015 + the offense from 2022 = CFP.

 

[zooguy]

Won’t be elite as long as it is on the field too long due to the offense.

 

[Voldog1998]

Heupel’s defenses will never be elite not with his fast pace offense I just hope they are decent to average instead of terrible as they been the last two years.

 

[BowlBrother85]

Won’t be elite as long as it is on the field too long due to the offense.

That's not necessarily true. A lot will depend on the quality of depth, which we don't yet have ... but that can change.

 

[TC 83]

Im bullish on our defense. A lot more depth this season and I believe the defense is going to be better than expected. Elite? No but definitely improved all around.

 

[AllThingsTN]

Won’t be elite as long as it is on the field too long due to the offense.

Not true. With depth, mostly on the d-line, it is very possible. But depth is the key.

 

[dobre_shunka]

Tennessee's 2022 scoring defensive ranking was 36th putting it just outside the top quartile of the 133 FBS teams.

It certainly wasn't pretty at times and had a horrible outing versus SCAR, but is wasn't as bad as it has been made out and did a respectable job at keeping teams out of the endzone.

 

[livefaith]

Won’t be elite as long as it is on the field too long due to the offense.

True, but expectations have to be managed considering what hand they are dealt. I'm confident that UGAs D would have had worse stats had they played "complementary" football w our Offense.

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

Get back to old school Tennessee defense and Heupel will win a lot of hardware here.

 

[MSME Vol]

I rewatched the Florida game today (slow day at the office)...

Defense ALMOST lost that game!

True, but in the same breath you have to give defense credit for allowing us to win at Pittsburgh.

They weren't perfect, but they improved enough... hoping the elite statement becomes true

 

[sjt18]

In a subtle way... he just called Banks out.

 

[UTK]

Won’t be elite as long as it is on the field too long due to the offense.

They were on the field too long because they couldn’t get off the field on third downs consistently. Blame the offense all you want, but the d can control how long they’re on the field too.

 

[volroadwarrior]

Won’t be elite as long as it is on the field too long due to the offense.

This is nonsense that anti Heupel magpies are preaching since he was hired. The defense is responsible for getting off the field. If they go 3 and out or 6 and out on most possessions it doesn't matter what the offense does.

 

[SpookyAction]

In a subtle way... he just called Banks out.

Very subtle. Very, very subtle.
The subtlest.

I have thought about it. If Banks does what he did back in the day, Johnny Majors would have buried him the rest of the season and ruined his NFL prospects to make a point. Coach Heupel was very generous with Banks.

 

[KB vol]

They were on the field too long because they couldn’t get off the field on third downs consistently. Blame the offense all you want, but the d can control how long they’re on the field too.

Good point. CJH had a huge defensive deficit to overcome when he got here. I think we’re recruiting in the right direction and adding depth with high level players, and good coaching will hopefully solve that problem. Preferably sooner than later.

 

[DonDiego]

Very subtle. Very, very subtle.
The subtlest.

I have thought about it. If Banks does what he did back in the day, Johnny Majors would have buried him the rest of the season and ruined his NFL prospects to make a point. Coach Heupel was very generous with Banks.

I think you've got the wrong Banks.

 

[bicenTENNial]

I’ll settle for merely “enough” defense.

Idk... Elite sounds better lol

 

[livefaith]

You have to admit. Heupel and staff sure made inroads to this with this years recruiting class.

 

[LittleVol]

Won’t be elite as long as it is on the field too long due to the offense.

I was saying the same things in after 2021.
- But look the way we're recruiting defensive recruits.
- Look how the stats are distributed amongst the defense players.

It plays as is if we have 2 starting defenses and a 3rd defense that finished the 4th qtr.

We need the first 22 on defense to be stout. And that's it!

 

[DrTNT]

Won’t be elite as long as it is on the field too long due to the offense.

Can be if you have a 2 deep of players that could all start, rotate them from drive to drive. 1a & 1b. That way each unit gets to rest longer.

 

[sjt18]

Very subtle. Very, very subtle.
The subtlest.

I have thought about it. If Banks does what he did back in the day, Johnny Majors would have buried him the rest of the season and ruined his NFL prospects to make a point. Coach Heupel was very generous with Banks.

I was talking about Coach Banks.