Our real problem is not the players, it's the coaching

[Yikesman]

Reviewing the post mortem comments after last night's game, I see many comments blaming players. This is college ball, so you play the hand you are dealt. Nico always over throws his receivers on the long bomb, so delete it from the playbook. Sure, Dylan Samson is always good for 2-3 yards but we run that play up the middle too often. So if I, a TV room armchair doofus knows what play they will call next, then I'm pretty certain the opposing defense also knows it's coming.

Last night they called Sampson's number at mid field on a 2nd and 12. He gained 3 yards, and good for Sampson--that's what he does. But now the Vols are facing 3rd and 9, a low probability gain to convert. It stopped the drive. Are they incorporating their analytics?

The coaches have virtually no trick plays in their book. A fake punt at mid field is a play they can't even conceive of. They don't break up the plays enough to keep the opposing defense guessing. They don't have enough screen plays in their playbook; I saw only one screen last night. That stupid lateral pass to the sidelines has to go. The line of scrimmage discipline is atrocious, and it's obvious that all season Heupel has neglected the well established simple fix: execute pre-snap drills in practice.

The playbook needs a complete overhaul. Tailor the playbook to Nico's talents: short to mid range passes. More screens and more short slants to the sidelines. This will spread their defense deeper and wider and will enhance Sampson's rushing average. And finally, Josh Heupel needs to fire offensive coordinator Joey Halzle. The problem is the coaching.

 

[AdoptedVOL]

Some truth here. GA called some creative plays last night that really opened up the game. Other teams do the same.

What frustrates me are the dead ball fouls and dropped balls that hit hands. I didn’t attribute that to coaching (other than recruiting maybe).

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Some truth here. GA called some creative plays last night that really opened up the game. Other teams do the same.

What frustrates me are the dead ball fouls and dropped balls that hit hands. I didn’t attribute that to coaching (other than recruiting maybe).

One dropped pass

 

[AdoptedVOL]

One dropped pass

Wrong.

Which one pass are you referring to?

 

[Fatman Photos]

FIRE THEM ALL

 

[theFallGuy]

Reviewing the post mortem comments after last night's game, I see many comments blaming players. This is college ball, so you play the hand you are dealt. Nico always over throws his receivers on the long bomb, so delete it from the playbook. Sure, Dylan Samson is always good for 2-3 yards but we run that play up the middle too often. So if I, a TV room armchair doofus knows what play they will call next, then I'm pretty certain the opposing defense also knows it's coming.

Last night they called Sampson's number at mid field on a 2nd and 12. He gained 3 yards, and good for Sampson--that's what he does. But now the Vols are facing 3rd and 9, a low probability gain to convert. It stopped the drive. Are they incorporating their analytics?

The coaches have virtually no trick plays in their book. A fake punt at mid field is a play they can't even conceive of. They don't break up the plays enough to keep the opposing defense guessing. They don't have enough screen plays in their playbook; I saw only one screen last night. That stupid lateral pass to the sidelines has to go. The line of scrimmage discipline is atrocious, and it's obvious that all season Heupel has neglected the well established simple fix: execute pre-snap drills in practice.

The playbook needs a complete overhaul. Tailor the playbook to Nico's talents: short to mid range passes. More screens and more short slants to the sidelines. This will spread their defense deeper and wider and will enhance Sampson's rushing average. And finally, Josh Heupel needs to fire offensive coordinator Joey Halzle. The problem is the coaching.

You should send a strongly worded email to the staff

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Wrong

Thornton. Where/Who else?

 

[Manchester Vol]

Bring back Cornbread so we can be in the cellar of the SEC. I agree with you guys. The possibility of going 10-2 is really miserable and horrible and as a Tennessee fan it really pisses me off. We need to start a campaign to hire somebody from Alabama and get rid of Josh, hopefully the entire state of Tennessee burns everything orange today and bulldozers at university in Knoxville flatten that dirty stain up there that’s called Neyland Stadium. Burn it all to the ground!!!

Anybody know if there’s an ancestor of Sherman lurking around and handy? You know the mad bastard that burnt Atlanta to the ground.

 

[AdoptedVOL]

Thornton. Where/Who else?

Samson in the middle comes to mind. Several others at key moments.

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

Truth hurts

 

[goooooovols]

It’s the players or fact that there are some other really great programs like ours. Do we win that game if it’s at Neyland last night… maybe. But we’re kidding ourselves if we are saying we SHOULD have won that game.

We had opportunities that we didn’t cash in on where we lost the game… pre snap penalties, face mask, off sides… player penalties, let drives continue, stop some of our drives dropped passes

 

[EastTNVol6240]

This would mean taking ownership and not blaming someone else. We aren’t good at that around here.

 

[DaddyChad]

Thornton. Where/Who else?

There was more than that one. That one was a good chunk of yardage and was wide open. There were at least three passes that could’ve been DPI, one was pretty egregious.

 

[utVolFanInVA]

Wrong.

Which one pass are you referring to?

Stats say there were 3 dropped passes by TN

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Samson in the middle comes to mind. Several others at key moments.

No one would have made that catch. That was on Nico for throwing a 98mph fastball.

Name them. Several?

Nope. Sorry

 

[Majors]

Some truth here. GA called some creative plays last night that really opened up the game. Other teams do the same.

What frustrates me are the dead ball fouls and dropped balls that hit hands. I didn’t attribute that to coaching (other than recruiting maybe).

GA was somehow able to beat us with a backup TB and 3 TE’s. That’s pretty creative.

 

[Frozevol]

The three TEs in a bunch was a new wrinkle that sent our D into a tailspin. Good coaching does that sort of thing. Our first TD drive was a great example. Then what? The same ol same ol, what we used to call “Johnny Ball” or “pound the rock”. UGA just poured it on with that same bunch formation when it became obvious we had no clue on how to counter it. Who would have thought that Heupel would have a boring offense?

 

[StickMan]

That's right! We should never lose, or else the coaches suck! There's no excuse for Heupel not being able to inherit what he did and win every game by his fourth year. Georgia isn't that good, I don't care if it's at their place and they're in a must win situation. I don't care if they typically beat teams by 50 to 60 points in that circumstance. If we don't win, the coaches suck!!

(Not messing with the blue font, but hopefully you get the point.)

 

[GiveHim6InSC]

The penalties are what killed the flow last night.
This includes the ones that weren’t called on Georgia.
I don’t understand the predictability of the play calling, although I know they have to adjust based off the defense- it just looks to me like there would be some variation of the play that the QB could check to or the coaches could adjust to, especially given the helmet comms and so forth, that would make the defense more honest.
Everybody in the stadium knew what was coming on those plays.

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

The three TEs in a bunch was a new wrinkle that sent our D into a tailspin. Good coaching does that sort of thing. Our first TD drive was a great example. Then what? The same ol same ol, what we used to call “Johnny Ball” or “pound the rock”. UGA just poured it on with that same bunch formation when it became obvious we had no clue on how to counter it. Who would have thought that Heupel would have a boring offense?

They script the first several plays in a comfortable office with no play clock. That’s why we look sharp out of the gate. Then whoever calls the plays resorts back to middle run, sideline pass, overthrown deep pass. Rinse and repeat.

 

[volgr]

That's right! We should never lose, or else the coaches suck! There's no excuse for Heupel not being able to inherit what he did and win every game by his fourth year. Georgia isn't that good, I don't care if it's at their place and they're in a must win situation. I don't care if they typically beat teams by 50 to 60 points in that circumstance. If we don't win, the coaches suck!!

(Not messing with the blue font, but hopefully you get the point.)

The offense is averaging 23 points in SEC games? This after averaging 24 points last season.

Last year we were told Milton couldnt run the offense and Heupel had to change his scheme due to that. Fast forward to this year and Heupel has his hand picked QB and we are a point worse than last season.

Once again, another season where Heupel's team is highly penalized and look undisciplined.

Can we not have a discussion about these issues without going to the extremes of fire them or do you want Pruitt and Butch back. Obviously both are idiotic responses.

 

[rocytop2624]

Bring back Cornbread so we can be in the cellar of the SEC. I agree with you guys. The possibility of going 10-2 is really miserable and horrible and as a Tennessee fan it really pisses me off. We need to start a campaign to hire somebody from Alabama and get rid of Josh, hopefully the entire state of Tennessee burns everything orange today and bulldozers at university in Knoxville flatten that dirty stain up there that’s called Neyland Stadium. Burn it all to the ground!!!

Anybody know if there’s an ancestor of Sherman lurking around and handy? You know the mad bastard that burnt Atlanta to the ground.

Gruden.

 

[BigALWiLson]

No one would have made that catch. That was on Nico for throwing a 98mph fastball.

Name them. Several?

Nope. Sorry

I believe Nico had to put steam on that to get it around the paw of a GA DL. Would have to watch the replay. Otherwise it is probably a completion.

 

[FranklinVFL]

Guess I’m the odd man out here.

Am I down because we lost? Sure.

But man…10-2 with wins vs UF and ALA if we can beat Vandy? A possible 11th win in a bowl game?

It hasn’t been so long ago that I still feel the pain of not being bowl eligible, getting beat by GA ST at home, losing conference records, coaching carousels.

Right now, complaining about a potential 10-2 record and 6-2 in the conference just seems unfathomable to me based on the recent history that was UT football.

And let’s remember how the offense really took off during Hooker’s SECOND year starting at QB.

 

[madbamahater]

It's not the coaching, it was lack of execution last night. I go full blast on bad coaching with no shame, but last night the Vols just got that ass whooped on both sides of the line of scrimmage, plain and simple.