Our Current Situation

[T_man_J]

It is time to perform a situation analysis of where we are as a football program. I submit my observations; I ask for your input as well.

To be successful in the SEC you must display the following characteristics each week:

• Consistency
• Aggressiveness
• Creativity

Consistency:
I am tired of hearing the excuses each year about not having enough “Big Time” players to stay competitive in close games. For those of you that believe this, I have one word for you: RUTGERS. The solution is to recruit smart kids and teach them the true fundamentals of football, e.g., blocking, route running, gap assignments, and tackling.

Aggressiveness:
The problem we seem to have is that we do not play to win; this seems to create timidness in the players. How about trying something different on offense like using short post routes over the middle (I think Florida refers to these as slants), or maybe some blitz packages on defense? After all, what do we have to loose?

Creativity
The age of making adjustments at half time and winning the game in the third or fourth quarters are over. There is just too much parity in the conference for that to happen on a consistent basis. This means that the coaches are going to actually have to build a game plan based on the opponents tendencies and be ready to use it in the first quarter! Damn, imagine that.

Conclusion:
The coaches are responsible for not having our kids prepared and ready to compete from week to week. I understand that Coach Fulmer has accepted full responsibility for this train wreak, but where is the accountability?

 

[Big Vol Nasty]

Agressiveness could be summed up in "How Bigs our nutsack"

Well last night after we sat on the ball down 28-7 and let the clock run out and went in for the half my question was answered:

Our coaches have no nuts. No balls, Their timid little nancy boys when it comes to being agressive and teaching it as it contains to football. Now at the bar thats a different thing.

 

[WA_Vol]

Nice post.

To be fair to the coaching staff, Arkansas was the first game where UT wasn't in it at the end. Game plan or not, the other losses UT came up just short at the end.

 

[therealUT]

Agressiveness could be summed up in "How Bigs our nutsack"

Well last night after we sat on the ball down 28-7 and let the clock run out and went in for the half my question was answered:

Our coaches have no nuts. No balls, Their timid little nancy boys when it comes to being agressive and teaching it as it contains to football. Now at the bar thats a different thing.

You wanted us to put the ball in the air again in that situation? Crompton had just handed Arkansas 7 more points. We were a good 70 yards away from the endzone. Arkansas had a higher chance of getting to 35 than we had of getting to 14 at that point in the game.

 

[Big Vol Nasty]

You wanted us to put the ball in the air again in that situation? Crompton had just handed Arkansas 7 more points. We were a good 70 yards away from the endzone. Arkansas had a higher chance of getting to 35 than we had of getting to 14 at that point in the game.

Do you think the Tennessee coaching staff teaches agressivness and has a pair of balls?

 

[therealUT]

Do you think the Tennessee coaching staff teaches agressivness and has a pair of balls?

I do. I don't believe they are the most aggressive staff, in terms of play calling, in the nation. However, they are aggressive enough to get the job done on the field.

I don't believe that any coaching staff could turn McBride or McGothlin into players. The same goes with Ligon and McNeil.

I think our RBs, WRs, LBs, and DBs are very physical and aggressive (as is Crompton.) However, when you do not have the guys controlling the trenches, it becomes pretty trivial.

 

[Big Vol Nasty]

We are hurting in the 2 most vital spots on the football field.

McGothlin is awful. Don't forget about Eric Young on the O-line did you catch his wiff job on the false start last night.

The only running back we have that is physical is Coker, and maybe Hardesty when he isn't doing dance moves, but he has actually been progressing since the first of the season.

 

[therealUT]

We are hurting in the 2 most vital spots on the football field.

McGothlin is awful. Don't forget about Eric Young on the O-line did you catch his wiff job on the false start last night.

The only running back we have that is physical is Coker, and maybe Hardesty when he isn't doing dance moves, but he has actually been progressing since the first of the season.

I did have to laugh at Young's whiff on that false start.

I agree we are hurting in the two most important areas. However, since they are not skill positions, they are relatively easy to recruit, get the right bodies in, and right the ship in a couple seasons.

 

[Big Vol Nasty]

I did have to laugh at Young's whiff on that false start.

I agree we are hurting in the two most important areas. However, since they are not skill positions, they are relatively easy to recruit, get the right bodies in, and right the ship in a couple seasons.

I predict Trooper Taylor is the O-Line, and D-Line coach next year.

I'm only joking, but really I'm not

 

[hatvol96]

I did have to laugh at Young's whiff on that false start.

I agree we are hurting in the two most important areas. However, since they are not skill positions, they are relatively easy to recruit, get the right bodies in, and right the ship in a couple seasons.

Couldn't disagree more. The toughest position to recruit quality players to is the defensive line. There aren't that many guys who can play at a high level. You can find backs and receivers all over the place.

 

[champyvol]

It is time to perform a situation analysis of where we are as a football program. I submit my observations; I ask for your input as well.

To be successful in the SEC you must display the following characteristics each week:

• Consistency
• Aggressiveness
• Creativity

Consistency:
I am tired of hearing the excuses each year about not having enough “Big Time” players to stay competitive in close games. For those of you that believe this, I have one word for you: RUTGERS. The solution is to recruit smart kids and teach them the true fundamentals of football, e.g., blocking, route running, gap assignments, and tackling.

Aggressiveness:
The problem we seem to have is that we do not play to win; this seems to create timidness in the players. How about trying something different on offense like using short post routes over the middle (I think Florida refers to these as slants), or maybe some blitz packages on defense? After all, what do we have to loose?

Creativity
The age of making adjustments at half time and winning the game in the third or fourth quarters are over. There is just too much parity in the conference for that to happen on a consistent basis. This means that the coaches are going to actually have to build a game plan based on the opponents tendencies and be ready to use it in the first quarter! Damn, imagine that.

Conclusion:
The coaches are responsible for not having our kids prepared and ready to compete from week to week. I understand that Coach Fulmer has accepted full responsibility for this train wreak, but where is the accountability?

pretty good thoughts. i agree.

 

[secfanclub]

I do. I don't believe they are the most aggressive staff, in terms of play calling, in the nation. However, they are aggressive enough to get the job done on the field.

I don't believe that any coaching staff could turn McBride or McGothlin into players. The same goes with Ligon and McNeil.

I think our RBs, WRs, LBs, and DBs are very physical and aggressive (as is Crompton.) However, when you do not have the guys controlling the trenches, it becomes pretty trivial.

I think we are watching two different teams. I do not see much aggressiveness by our players. They seem to be too timid. With the conservative approach that Fulmer takes 99% of the time on play calling and the use of the clock, it is not unusual to expect a less than aggressive team. When coaches take the conservative approach too often, players play with less enthusiasm and aggression. Also, players will look at conservative play calling as a lack of confidence in them from the coaches. Being down so much before the half is a time you take a less conservative approach and try to close the gap on the score. There is a time to be conservative when the score is close.