Recruiting Football Talk VII

[TheRain]

So good.

 

[TheRain]

 

[Enki_Amenra]

I'm trying my best to get people to chill out on this year...it ain't happening.

I tried to give a friendly reminder that year 3 expectations were 8-4 when Heupel was first hired and that we shouldn't change those expectations because he overachieved with his 1st two teams. "Expectations change", "10 wins should be minimum now", etc. . . nonsense.

 

[drvenner]

We called 27 screen plays last year. We’ve called 21 so far this year

I think we all get your point. Let's hope that this changes some going forward.

 

[KptVFL]

I tried to give a friendly reminder that year 3 expectations were 8-4 when Heupel was first hired and that we shouldn't change those expectations because he overachieved with his 1st two teams. "Expectations change", "10 wins should be minimum now", etc. . . nonsense.

Exactly.

Offense hasn't been what folks were expecting and defense has been a bit bipolar.

Lots were just convinced we'd walk into Gainesville and skull drag them. Not real sure why anyone would have expected that. Away night games in the SEC are just different. That gives me a lot of hope about the next few weeks at Neyland. GBO!

 

[Dooby15]

We lose one game, albeit one we should have won, and this place becomes a cesspool before the game is done. I hope the players and coaches deal with adversity better than we do, because we suck.

 

[Leeleesteeth]

yuck

Based on what? Guy is 1) a great defensive mind. 2) a coach that players will run through a brick wall for. He has taken on jobs in some really tough situations.

 

[RudyVol]

.

 

[KB5252]

Exactly.

Offense hasn't been what folks were expecting and defense has been a bit bipolar.

Lots were just convinced we'd walk into Gainesville and skull drag them. Not real sure why anyone would have expected that. Away night games in the SEC are just different. That gives me a lot of hope about the next few weeks at Neyland. GBO!

I'm not convinced the defense has been bipolar. I think they feasted on weak competition until Florida. I think the defense that played Florida is closest to what we can expect unfortunately. It's what we saw most of last year save inexperience at linebacker.

 

[RudyVol]

I will accept it only after game 12, thank you. I am sure the team has not accepted it, either. You are free to opine, and you may be correct. It does look like it at this point. I still have some faith we can fix some things.

I have a little faith, not much though. It would require a QB change which I don't think we see without an injury making it a necessity.

 

[drvenner]

Someone needs to give @InVOLuntary a Snickers, an Inskip burger or Metamucil. Sweet Christmas he is down on our Vols.

 

[engineerVOL]

Like @KptVFL, taking kiddos to their first game in Neyland next week.

Never gone with littles. What are some must-do things with them on campus before the game? Also do the players and coaches sign autographs at the Vol walk? I usually forego that for the PoTS Salute to the Hill but they want to see the players.

 

[Cosmo Kramer]

Joe Milton following Hendon Hooker is like being the coach at Inbredville that follows Satan. The fan base will complain and never fully embrace them due to unrealistic expectations.

 

[RudyVol]

Like @KptVFL, taking kiddos to their first game in Neyland next week.

Never gone with littles. What are some must-do things with them on campus before the game? Also do the players and coaches sign autographs at the Vol walk? I usually forego that for the POTS Salute to the Hill but they want to see the players.

Meet Smokey if he's available at humanities plaza for a photo op (the real one). Fake one might be there as well though and he's cool too. They don't normally give autographs at the Vol Walk that I've seen but I do recall seeing them give a quick one to a kid or 2 if they're in the front near the rope. If there's a certain player you might have them in the front near the rope and have them ask him for it. Might get lucky. Can't say I've ever seen a coach give an autograph. I would drive around to see the rock, the strip, Vol Navy, etc. just for them to take it all in. You can also walk around TBA and the football practice facility to see a few cool things and it's a pretty area now. Volshop and Gate 21 plaza are cool too. Have fun!

 

[Vawlz]

I tried to give a friendly reminder that year 3 expectations were 8-4 when Heupel was first hired and that we shouldn't change those expectations because he overachieved with his 1st two teams. "Expectations change", "10 wins should be minimum now", etc. . . nonsense.

Big difference between 8-4 where the team fought hard and played generally good football in the 4 losses versus showing up completely unprepared in 4 embarrassing losses. Anecdotal, but the majority of rational fans I've talked to are more upset with the staff's and players' lack of focus and embarrassing performance on both sides of the ball than the actual loss.

FWIW, I expected a 9-3/8-4 season after losing a lot of talent and major questions about whether Milton could run the offense. But Saturday was a complete embarrassment any way you look at it.

 

[UTSuave’]

I didn't want to say it, but I've been thinking it. . . Halzle's inexperience as an OC is showing up in the play calls. Would be nice if Heupel just turned down Halzle's microphone and called the plays without suggestions. I'd like to see that and make light speed a priority for a couple quarters. I bet we look A LOT better.

Golesh Mixes were nice and well timed…this guy doesn’t have a feel but tries to mimic the play calling…I have PTSD from Chaney seeing the same plays ran 3 times in a row…very predictable offense right now.

 

[85SugarVol]

Milton has attempted 23 passes between 1 and 10 yards down field (7.6 times a game). Hooker had 157 last year in 10.5 games which is roughly 15 a game. Also worth mentioning hooker was obviously sitting the 4th quarter of multiple games. There’s a huge difference between our offenses it’s silly to say there’s not

Well you’re talking about 1-10 yards.
The stat I was referencing is “at or behind” LOS - or phrased another way - “less than 1 yard”.

You’re right when you say there’s a huge difference in our offenses. Unfortunately…

Last year’s offense was awesome.

 

[KPT_VFL]

Milton can’t be that bad throwing down the field that they change the entire offense to make him throw behind the line… everyone acting like he’s JG. I think it’s the OL that is causing us to get the quick throws out. Milton isn’t near as awful as everyone acts like he is. He’s no Hendon but who is.

 

[VFL28]

It's time to accept it guys. We stink.

I'd like to see a couple more games until I judge. We will see if some changes are made.

 

[SpringBokVol]

Derek Mason always had good defenses but I think he is very hard to work with.

Not sure he is a good chemistry fit.

 

[Vawlz]

I didn't want to say it, but I've been thinking it. . . Halzle's inexperience as an OC is showing up in the play calls. Would be nice if Heupel just turned down Halzle's microphone and called the plays without suggestions. I'd like to see that and make light speed a priority for a couple quarters. I bet we look A LOT better.

I'd argue that Milton's documented inability to quickly process defenses/reads and our shoddy OL are more significant factors responsible for the offense's poor performance than Halzle. WRs haven't been helping either.

There's no doubt that Golesh could add wrinkles, but at the end of the day this is CJH's offense. He's not going to entrust it to someone who doesn't know what they're doing. With an average, "game manager" QB and a decent OL, this offense would be fine, IMO.

 

[PlanetVolunteer]

Exactly.

Offense hasn't been what folks were expecting and defense has been a bit bipolar.

Lots were just convinced we'd walk into Gainesville and skull drag them. Not real sure why anyone would have expected that. Away night games in the SEC are just different. That gives me a lot of hope about the next few weeks at Neyland. GBO!

Because we should have skull drug them. Preseason this was a mismatch and plenty of non tennessee people including Florida fans thought we'd kill them.

But of course, we've had significant injuries, we fell apart and Florida magically puts it all together and Graham Mertz who has been AWFUL for three years magically puts it together.

We are just forever cursed there. They could play with a team of midgets and beat us in Gainesville. I will never expect to beat them there ever again. This is was by far our best shot since 2003. Doesn't matter. Cursed.

It's also why I'm not overreacting and batching and moaning saying we are losing to USCjr and A&M. They don't have a Gator script on their helmets and we thus automatically play way better on that fact alone.

 

[PlanetVolunteer]

I'd argue that Milton's documented inability to quickly process defenses/reads and our shoddy OL are more significant factors responsible for the offense's poor performance than Halzle. WRs haven't been helping either.

There's no doubt that Golesh could add wrinkles, but at the end of the day this is CJH's offense. He's not going to entrust it to someone who doesn't know what they're doing. With an average, "game manager" QB and a decent OL, this offense would be fine, IMO.

What documented inability to process reads fast? How is he slow at it and how exactly was he different in this game than Hooker in every Hooker road game in a hostile environment?

 

[Weezer]

Wooing is defiantly the cause of our season being ruined. Wooers should be ashamed.

You know who woos during Rocky Top? Communists, that's who. And communists ruin everything.

 

[Leeleesteeth]

Derek Mason always had good defenses but I think he is very hard to work with.

Not sure he is a good chemistry fit.

I would turn that around and say Harsin was the one that was hard to work with. Don't know him personally. Have heard him speak at clinics. People that know him say he is a great guy and players love him. That being said, it's too early to start a DC coaching search.