Offense vs Defense Who's to blame?

[UTFranklinVol]

I thought this put the year into focus and cleared some things up for me.

If you look at year 1 through year 3 our offense has done this:

2021 - 511 points (39.3 avg) and 475 yards per game
2022 - 599 points (46.1 avg) and 525 yards per game
2023 - 330 point (30.0 avg) and 438 yards per game with 2 games remaining

Suppose UT scores their season average over the last 2 games they would end up at 390 points. That's over TWO HUNDRED fewer points scored vs last year and over 120 fewer than year 1. And if you add the 16 points per game difference to this year's games, we would have beaten Florida and Bama again. If you didn't understand the difference between Milton and Hooker before, boy I hope you do now.

Meanwhile on the defensive side...

We have given up
2021 - 378 points (29.1 avg) and 404 yards per game
2022 - 296 points (22.8 avg) and 399 yards per game
2023 - 240 points (21.8 avg) and 352 yards per game with 2 games remaining

Again if we give up our season average over the last 2 games we will end the year at 284 points.

So our defense looks like it will improve every year so far.

Regardless of what you think of our defensive staff, it's pretty dang clear to me who's fault this disaster of a year is. It's the guy calling the offense and the guy playing QB.

 

[CAVPUT]

Special teams has been good. Beyond that....

 

[RockyTop140]

Our defensive numbers would likely be better than they were if our offense could sustain drives. For our defense to put up its best statistics yet with this offense is impressive. Banks has had a few disappointing games, but overall I think he is good enough for us to win big if we figure out our offensive problems.

 

[Butch s]

I thought this put the year into focus and cleared some things up for me.

If you look at year 1 through year 3 our offense has done this:

2021 - 511 points (39.3 avg) and 475 yards per game
2022 - 599 points (46.1 avg) and 525 yards per game
2023 - 330 point (30.0 avg) and 438 yards per game with 2 games remaining

Suppose UT scores their season average over the last 2 games they would end up at 390 points. That's over TWO HUNDRED fewer points scored vs last year and over 120 fewer than year 1. And if you add the 16 points per game difference to this year's games, we would have beaten Florida and Bama again. If you didn't understand the difference between Milton and Hooker before, boy I hope you do now.

Meanwhile on the defensive side...

We have given up
2021 - 378 points (29.1 avg) and 404 yards per game
2022 - 296 points (22.8 avg) and 399 yards per game
2023 - 240 points (21.8 avg) and 352 yards per game with 2 games remaining

Again if we give up our season average over the last 2 games we will end the year at 284 points.

So our defense looks like it will improve every year so far.

Regardless of what you think of our defensive staff, it's pretty dang clear to me who's fault this disaster of a year is. It's the guy calling the offense and the guy playing QB.

Uh oh. The “low football IQ fans “are going to come after you. For some reason, they love them some Joe

 

[UTFranklinVol]

Our defensive numbers would likely be better than they were if our offense could sustain drives. For our defense to put up its best statistics yet with this offense is impressive. Banks has had a few disappointing games, but overall I think he is good enough for us to win big if we figure out our offensive problems.

Our issues on defense this year were 100% caused by how many times Milton and the offense went 3-and-out or even worse went for it on 4th down and didn't get it, leading to a short field for the opposing offense.

 

[lukeneyland]

Our defensive numbers would likely be better than they were if our offense could sustain drives. For our defense to put up its best statistics yet with this offense is impressive. Banks has had a few disappointing games, but overall I think he is good enough for us to win big if we figure out our offensive problems.

When I calm down and take a sober look at it. I think the defense has actually done a reasonable job, especially if you consider all the injuries. We just need a QB that can operate our offense at a higher level

 

[Milehigh_Vol]

I thought this put the year into focus and cleared some things up for me.

If you look at year 1 through year 3 our offense has done this:

2021 - 511 points (39.3 avg) and 475 yards per game
2022 - 599 points (46.1 avg) and 525 yards per game
2023 - 330 point (30.0 avg) and 438 yards per game with 2 games remaining

Suppose UT scores their season average over the last 2 games they would end up at 390 points. That's over TWO HUNDRED fewer points scored vs last year and over 120 fewer than year 1. And if you add the 16 points per game difference to this year's games, we would have beaten Florida and Bama again. If you didn't understand the difference between Milton and Hooker before, boy I hope you do now.

Meanwhile on the defensive side...

We have given up
2021 - 378 points (29.1 avg) and 404 yards per game
2022 - 296 points (22.8 avg) and 399 yards per game
2023 - 240 points (21.8 avg) and 352 yards per game with 2 games remaining

Again if we give up our season average over the last 2 games we will end the year at 284 points.

So our defense looks like it will improve every year so far.

Regardless of what you think of our defensive staff, it's pretty dang clear to me who's fault this disaster of a year is. It's the guy calling the offense and the guy playing QB.

Replacing the OC is a huge task, I think CJH picked somebody he can trust, but Alex G was trained by CJH for years and knew the plan to a T.
I'm not against offering him a dump truck load of money to come back as OC.

Hopefully we can fix this.

If you look at 3rd down conversions the number tells the true story, its awful.

 

[WhenUrVolUrVFL]

Our issues on defense this year were 100% caused by how many times Milton and the offense went 3-and-out or even worse went for it on 4th down and didn't get it, leading to a short field for the opposing offense.

This should be obvious to anyone that was sober while watching Tennessee football this year.

Really frustrating when you have a playoff caliber team EVERYWHERE ELSE—except at ducking quarterback….

 

[bpalmer28]

The defense has improved despite the offense tanking. They’ve been on the field more this year, yet the numbers have improved. Impressive

 

[UTFranklinVol]

Replacing the OC is a huge task, I think CJH picked somebody he can trust, but Alex G was trained by CJH for years and knew the plan to a T.
I'm not against offering him a dump truck load of money to come back as OC.

Hopefully we can fix this.

If you look at 3rd down conversions the number tells the true story, its awful.

And also red zone performance. Truly awful. That speaks directly to offensive play calling and execution.

 

[Milehigh_Vol]

And also red zone performance. Truly awful. That speaks directly to offensive play calling and execution.

Red Zone is a different monster, QB play is very important there. Things get tighter, that is where Hendon shined, I think you have to have a QB for Red Zone no matter the play caller, but the QB maybe better under prior OC also.

 

[VOLfrombama]

Ultimately it's both, but it's more the O than the D because it takes an entire team to win.

But its a lot harder to stay focused and play with intensity when your O keeps putting you back out onto the field and you keep getting further and further behind.

 

[THEONLYTENISEE]

This year, the struggling offense. Back to back 3 and outs and it’s game over.

 

[JettVol]

Milton isn't and never was the answer. He provided an arm this year and allowed for Nico to get into our program and develop and get some weight on before next fall. The play calling shows this staff doesn't trust Milton to make intermediate down field throw. They will let him throw the 50-70 yard bomb no one can really catch, and then the bubble screen 3 yards to get back to the line of scrimmage. They know Joe's miss is a high ball which is could be intercepted by the defense's safeties. 8-4 is what we will be with a possible bowl game W.

All that said I hope Nico isn't listening to the noise outside of that locker room. I would like to see him here for a couple years if not longer. if we can surround him with some talent and keep trending in the right direction on defense, he's got a chance to be a very good QB for us for a long time. If he transfers, we are back to dumpster fire for a couple years I'm afraid. GBO!

 

[volbound1700]

Both honestly.

Offense doesn't consistently stay on field or score enough and defense gives up constant 3rd down conversions and 8-9 minute drives keeping the ball from the offense and limiting their opportunities.

 

[CINCYVOL]

This should be obvious to anyone that was sober while watching Tennessee football this year.

Really frustrating when you have a playoff caliber team EVERYWHERE ELSE—except at ducking quarterback….

Playoff caliber team? That’s crazy talk. Bad QB play coupled with losing too many starters that we couldn’t afford to lose

 

[87&91ALUM]

Agree 100% and thank you OP for putting facts to work instead of just BS. I would add the injury to Mays early on probably hurt our offense and cost us the Florida game. Then there were some horrible officiating games including Florida and Bama. Milton is just not consistent. We gave up way to many plays with dumb penalties. We were getting called for holding or off-sides or false starts and our opponents were not. I think we are growing, going in the right direction, and just hit a pothole this year. Let's get it back together and have 2-3 QBs on the bench who can out perform Joe. We need consistent play from both sides of the ball. Go Vols and let's win out and take the Bowl Game.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

And also red zone performance. Truly awful. That speaks directly to offensive play calling and execution.

More about execution and less about play calling. Play calling is overrated

 

[loservol]

Both sides can take a share of the blame.

 

[whodeycin85]

I'd like to see rz numbers, 3rd down, and TOP comps...to see if we Improved there as well...our lack of Offensive consistency was a big problem. Joe shoulders about 55%...the Recievers 45% and OL 5% once cooper came back they were much better

 

[njvols]

When I calm down and take a sober look at it. I think the defense has actually done a reasonable job, especially if you consider all the injuries. We just need a QB that can operate our offense at a higher level

Definitely. JH knew he was going to be hamstrung this year in passing (or maybe better said, drop off from Hooker). So, in one year, we went from strong middle-upper tier rushing team (including Hooker rushing) to the #1/#2 rushing team in SEC. In theory, that's pretty good coaching to be able to pivot from #1 passing offense to a top rushing offense in one off season...though, in fairness we laid a pretty good rushing foundation last year. As long as we close out Vandy, we're about where I'd thought we'd be this year.

 

[Dadof2Vols]

I'd like to see rz numbers, 3rd down, and TOP comps...to see if we Improved there as well...our lack of Offensive consistency was a big problem. Joe shoulders about 55%...the Recievers 45% and OL 5% once cooper came back they were much better

105%?

 

[whodeycin85]

105%?

Lol. My bad. Supposed to be 50 on joe.

 

[Dadof2Vols]

Lol. My bad. Supposed to be 50 on joe.

55 is more right than 50, I would say closer to 60 and go for 110.

 

[whodeycin85]

55 is more right than 50, I would say closer to 60 and go for 110.

See this is where I have issues....if a WR rounds off his route then he is 2 steps quicker and allows a DB to stay on his hip....if the QB throws to the same spot as he would if the WR too a sharp cut then throw will look off mostly behind..which Joe was..so is it the poor route or late throw..we dont know..but Joe get blamed by the fanbase...I'll admit Joe doesnt have the best accuracy. But he was harmed more then helped by his receiving Corp