Postgame, Fulmer said...

[GreyWolf1129]

Except this is a FLEXBONE. It includes a passing dimension that those older power running triple options didn't have. We had to keep the DB's out there to keep them from ripping big ones in the passing game all night long.

Yeah, the flexbone is tough. Georgia Southern turned it into the most-feared offense in I-AA back in the Erk Russell Years (so long, Erk...it was fun watching your teams run that offense).

The quote about the wishbone/flexbone/triple-option being "assignment defense" was right. It takes a very well disciplined, and well-rehearsed defense to stop it. The reason Air Force, Army, and Navy (among others) run it is that it allows them to compete with the big boys.

Personally, I don't think we learned much from either the offense or the defense last night. I would have expected Ainge to rip the AF secondary apart, and I expected us to have trouble with the option. Heading into the Florida game, I'm concerned about:
- Injuries. We'll need every player healthy for this game, and that clearly won't be the case. The entire team will have to take it up a notch to carry the day.
- The running game. We will have to be able to run the ball (pronounced "control the line of scrimmage") against Florida, and our remaining opponents. Hardesty looks like he might turn out to be the guy, but we have to give him holes to run through.
- 3rd down defense. Getting Florida into 3rd and long (six or better), and stopping them will be critical. I have this suspicion that, due in large part to our defensive speed, we are vulnerable to misdirection plays. Gotta watch that against Florida.

Anyhow...it was a win. We're 2-0. Gotta be 2-0 to get to 3-0. It's Florida week. Come Saturday, we'll have a much better feel for what we've got.

Go Vols.

 

[OWB]

Let me make this perfectly clear for you, VolinArizona. I'LL SAY WHATEVER I _ _ _ _ WELL PLEASE, AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, TOUGH! This defense played like absolute crap last night.

Yep, and the offense scored enough to win while the defense made the only big play that mattered. That's what winning football teams do.

 

[thirdsaturday]

I feel like he should have just done the Mora, "In my opinion ... that sucked" and walked out of the room

Another Moraism that would have sufficed -
"We couldn't do diddly poo on [defense]"

 

[GAVol]

PLAYoffs!!

 

[thirdsaturday]

PLAYoffs!!

Exactly

 

[sparta vol]

I don't know why anyone would be surprised that we had trouble with their offense. Granted, it was a lot more trouble than anyone expected. Fact is when you have a defense built for speed, it is just not gonna match up with an offense like that. Especially if that team is can execute the way Air Force did last night. Not only did they execute their misdirection well, they block superbly as well. Our D will be fine next week. They did some growing up this weekend and will be ready next week.

GO VOLS!!