Last Year's Talent

#76
#76
You and I actually agree on some things. I think we agree pretty closely on AJ. I think he's been asked to do too much because of the holes around him- first because of the move to the 3-4 and then because of Maggitt's injury. It also didn't help that he played the last half of '13 with McCullers in his lap.
 
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#77
#77
sjt18 said:
No. Nor should we write them off and use "yeah but he was a 3*" as an ironclad argument.

Nope. Help yourself. Several of us saw USCe as a good matchup. With Worley, Mizzou is also a closer game and a possible win. A "game manager" at QB was exactly what the Vols needed in that game.

I see it as a huge loss. Not enough to explain Vandy. Not enough to excuse the coaches for not having a back up more prepared. But it was a tremendous loss. I think more of Worley's ability than most around here. In fact, I like all 4 of UT's returning QB's though I can't see Peterman shaking UF.

I think USCe was a better team than Mizzou. I don't think it was a fluke that they beat Mizzou the week after losing to UT. I think those 3 teams at that point in the season were pretty close to each other.

It would be hard to claim that Worley would have been worth 28 pts vs Mizzou... but he would have been worth something just in his ability to keep their O off the field.
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In response to your previous question I think about 7-5 should be expected next season.
 
#78
#78
sjt18 said:
You and I actually agree on some things. I think we agree pretty closely on AJ. I think he's been asked to do too much because of the holes around him- first because of the move to the 3-4 and then because of Maggitt's injury. It also didn't help that he played the last half of '13 with McCullers in his lap.
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Many of the problems people see with AJs speed are a result of poor play from DEs OLBs and Safeties. He shouldn't have to make tackles on the sideline.

And I'm not pro player bashing at all. That's why I hate hearin people who know nothing about dline play and spend the entire game watchin the ball claim Smith was getting killed. Not that he was impressive and he did give up the edge a lot. But claiming he missed a lot of tackles? It's not like he's a db or lb who plays in space. I imagine he missed very few tackles over the course of his career.
 
#79
#79
Vol8188 said:
In response to your previous question I think about 7-5 should be expected next season.
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Next season '14 or '15?

I can honestly be pretty happy with a 6 or 7 win season this fall with a team that is competitive and improves over the course of the year.
 
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#80
#80
Vol8188 said:
Many of the problems people see with AJs speed are a result of poor play from DEs OLBs and Safeties. He shouldn't have to make tackles on the sideline.
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Agree. I also noticed him overrunning cut back lanes off tackle last fall because he thought he had to chase the play to the sideline.

And I'm not pro player bashing at all. That's why I hate hearin people who know nothing about dline play and spend the entire game watchin the ball claim Smith was getting killed. Not that he was impressive and he did give up the edge a lot. But claiming he missed a lot of tackles? It's not like he's a db or lb who plays in space. I imagine he missed very few tackles over the course of his career.
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I don't think Smith fits in the same bucket with AJ. I think he did play poorly many times. However, I'd say he was more screwed by the catastrophically stupid decision to go to the 3-4 than pretty much anyone else. All of the DE's were really though. I think Walls and Miller had their growth as players stunted by the 3-4 experiment.

That decision cost Dooley has job. I think it is also the one thing he did above all else to hurt the program.
 
#81
#81
sjt18 said:
Next season '14 or '15?

I can honestly be pretty happy with a 6 or 7 win season this fall with a team that is competitive and improves over the course of the year.
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2014. I'm hoping for eight or more in 2015, but I'm not certain what the schedule looks like.
 
#82
#82
Vol8188 said:
Anytime a MLB is isolated on a quick shifty back in pass coverage, the defense is expected to lose that battle.
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Against Oregon, I agree, but not against Western Kentucky, that's a matchup that AJ should be able to handle.
 
#84
#84
Vol8188 said:
You do realize UWK had one of the best rb's in the nation, correct?
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Yes, Apparently, every team UT plays has great running backs.

Let me make this simple for everyone to comprehend. AJ DOES NOT have the lateral quickness that UT needs from a middle linebacker to compete against the best teams on our schedule. That doesn't mean he's a bad player, it's a weakness that he needs to improve for the defense to get better. No matter how many tackles he registered in his career at UT, he's not what I want to see out of the middle linebacker. But, he is easily the most experienced player that UT has on that side of the ball, and I would hate to see where the defense plays without him.
 
#86
#86
99gator said:
he appears slow because he is slow.

aj johnson is a classic example of a guy who people think is great because he's the best you have.

he isn't great. he isn't good. and he isn't going to look better after having lost a 7'10" 5,000 lb defensive tackle.

he doesn't get off blocks well. he doesn't get to the outside. and he isn't going to cover backs or tight ends very effectively.

in addition, if he were as good as people here think, he would have left for the draft. it was not a banner year for linebackers in the draft, particularly inside linebackers. only 1 inside linebacker was drafted in the 1st two rounds.
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AJ has some areas to improve such as pass coverage but you are trying to blame him for the failures of Sapp, Brewer, J. Smith, McNeil and NB failure by committee.

There is a really, really good chance that ALL of the cast surrounding AJ will be better, faster, stronger...Just like Steve Austin.
 
#87
#87
With Couch, Saulsberry, and Worley for the full season, we could have won 2-3 more games including GA and Vandy.

Sentimore should have come back and gotten better too. I won't even talk about Maggitt being gone whole season.

On the bright side, with Bray back it would have been a total disaster with him being pulled right before OR game and playing entire Spring/Summer taking the starter reps.
 
#88
#88
SJT Vandy came down to a 1 yard 3rd down play to win the game. Maybe I am old school, but I think if you have an OL that is supposed to be the best OL in the country and you need 1 yard, you should put the game on them and pick it up. Vandy made the play, we didn't! Maybe that's just my perspective. I think the draft showed us our talent for the last couple of years. What was it 3 players drafted and lots of UDFA? We should have more players drafted by accident than that.
 
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#89
#89
HuntlandVolinColo said:
AJ has some areas to improve such as pass coverage but you are trying to blame him for the failures of Sapp, Brewer, J. Smith, McNeil and NB failure by committee.

There is a really, really good chance that ALL of the cast surrounding AJ will be better, faster, stronger...Just like Steve Austin.
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And that's the bottom line

cuz Stone Cold said so


:stunner:
 
#91
#91
Vol8188 said:
2014. I'm hoping for eight or more in 2015, but I'm not certain what the schedule looks like.
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IIRC it lightens up just a tad. They open with UAB then get OU at home. I do not think the 4th OOC game has been determined (probably FCS) but North Texas is later in the season.

UF and Bama will be on the road. Ole Miss, USCe, and UGA will be home games. I honestly DON'T think UT will be in danger of losing to MU, VU, or UK by that point.

Barring injuries and assuming continued elite recruiting and player development, 8-11 wins look like a reasonable possibility. A long time til then though. Lots of things can go right for UT... or wrong. Same for all their opponents.
 
#92
#92
MrBiggles said:
SJT Vandy came down to a 1 yard 3rd down play to win the game. Maybe I am old school, but I think if you have an OL that is supposed to be the best OL in the country and you need 1 yard, you should put the game on them and pick it up. Vandy made the play, we didn't! Maybe that's just my perspective. I think the draft showed us our talent for the last couple of years. What was it 3 players drafted and lots of UDFA? We should have more players drafted by accident than that.
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It shouldn't have come down to that but I don't disagree with you and especially after North was injured. You put the game in the hands of your best asset... and in this case the guys with the most to gain or lose.
 
#94
#94
sjt18 said:
It shouldn't have come down to that but I don't disagree with you and especially after North was injured. You put the game in the hands of your best asset... and in this case the guys with the most to gain or lose.
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Dobbs was horrible until UK game. And we lost Croom and North for Vandy game. Palardy had a bad game too which I think was related to the cold. Downs couldn't block anyone.

It was a good defensive effort after some horrible blowouts Bama, Mizzou, Aub.

We just let them hang around too long and they beat us.
 
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#95
#95
HuntlandVolinColo said:
Dobbs was horrible until UK game. And we lost Croom and North for Vandy game. Palardy had a bad game too which I think was related to the cold. Downs couldn't block anyone.

It was a good defensive effort after some horrible blowouts Bama, Mizzou, Aub.

We just let them hang around too long and they beat us.
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Dobbs struggled throwing the ball vs Auburn and was bad vs Candy, although I think at least half the issue there was our awful WR play and overly conservative offensive gameplan. That being said, I thought he looked very good the second half vs Bama (albeit in a game already settled), and very good vs Missouri where he had nearly 300 total yds and was our leading rusher as well. He would've had well over 300 yds and a td pass had Smith not dropped an excellently thrown post route by Dobbs.
 
#96
#96
HuntlandVolinColo said:
Dobbs was horrible until UK game. And we lost Croom and North for Vandy game. Palardy had a bad game too which I think was related to the cold. Downs couldn't block anyone.

It was a good defensive effort after some horrible blowouts Bama, Mizzou, Aub.

We just let them hang around too long and they beat us.
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Guess what team held Vandy to their fewest points all of last season? If you guessed the Vols you'd be correct.
 
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#100
#100
sjt18 said:
My problem to the extent I have one is with people who keep trying to set the bar low and make excuses for the staff. Jones has only really done that once with the "toughest schedule in the history of college football" hyperbole. .
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Please educate me, who played the tougher schedule and when ?
 
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