Recruiting Forum: Football Talk XIV

[eazyTD]

Can you still play? How about suiting up for tomorrow?

Maybe you can contribute?

What was the last year you played football?

Did you play football?

Are you still in school?

Where did you go to school?

You must have been an OL yourself?

Where did you play football? Why did you quit?

Where did u play ball?

I mean, come on dude. Everyone here loves the Vols and I'm pretty sure we have just as much of a right to an opinion as anyone else, even if 99% of us on here didn't play college football.

 

[WriterVol]

Thanks for the confirmation.

Been telling y'all this for two seasons. I am not saying they undermined Worley, they may have legitimately thought he had a different skill set. But all QBs can throw slant and short crossing pattern passes starting in middle school. Running a zone scheme offense with a legitimate pro style pocket passer is silly. Either adapt the offense somewhat to the talent, like an O-line built for NFL style offenses last season with a pocket passer while running a zone read scheme; or go full Dobbs and insert some guys on the line that can run the zone read and gap scheme and take your lumps. That's what they thought they were doing with Thomas and Robertson on one side this season until Thomas proved that was not going to work with him in there.

The reason they are losing games they could win is because they are not adapting the offensive system to the roster. That deal had to be cut Day One in Cincy with Hart IMO. So it does no good to wish and hope and whine (which I do like a DA) after they lose a game they should win because there was little to no offense. Not saying I agree with the approach at all, but it is obviously why we get the "be patient", coach speak, etc.

Haven't they been running a combination of gap and zone? I find it hard to believe that if the gap plays had been wildly more successful in the early season that they wouldn't have increased those back then.

Another thing I noticed from the article is that the TEs and WRs were mentioned as having good blocks. This has also been an inconsistency this year, especially the TEs from my recollection.

I think the surprise emergence of Dobbs was the biggest factor against Alabama. While SCs defense isn't what it used to be, I'm a little worried about their ability to come up with something to slow down our offense enough to allow their offense to win the game.

You're doing quite a bit of guessing as to why certain calls are made and schemes are run. You might be right, but the only way to know would be to ask a coach point-by-point why certain things were done. There is likely a reason for many of them beyond our ability to guess.

Or maybe you're right about all of it, and they should just hire you to be the coach.

And for the record, it's not that you're second guessing things. It's that your so sure of your second guesses. I find your posts where your more self-effacing to be more helpful.

 

[WriterVol]

Agreed. Players' parents and message boards do not mix. Especially when said player is receiving a lot of criticsm for his play. Looking through his post history, it's easy to see that he's pretty upset about some of the things being said.

While I think you have a good point, I actually like hearing an opinion that's a bit closer to the players/coaches.

We do so much guessing on here, it's hard to know who really has quality football knowledge. And unless we get a player's post-game grade, it's hard to know how well they really did sometimes.

For example, a lineman might appear to "miss" a block on a certain play, but there are times where this is by design. While that "missed" block might blow up the play, it could have been a player behind the lineman that did something incorrect.

And making blocks in space, I'm guessing, is among the more difficult things for any blocker, especially if the play develops faster than the blocker can engage the block.

 

[butchna]

I mean, come on dude. Everyone here loves the Vols and I'm pretty sure we have just as much of a right to an opinion as anyone else, even if 99% of us on here didn't play college football.

If this board required posters to be former players or coaches, there'd be maybe 15-20 guys basically texting each other.

 

[jspvol76]

If this board required posters to be former players or coaches, there'd be maybe 15-20 guys texting each other.

Wait, you guys know each others phone number? I feel left out.

 

[eazyTD]

If this board required posters to be former players or coaches, there'd be maybe 15-20 guys texting each other.

Exactly.

 

[VolunteerVandiver]

I could've played college ball until I took an arrow to the knee in the summer of '69.

 

[MockingVol]

I have a personal connection with all of the players and coaches as many on here would also post. Suggesting to give VN a break is the wrong suggestion because part of our team is VN - the good and the bad. Sometimes some of us have to monitor the trending of the attitudes on here because there are some VN posters who have a tendency to post downward trends toward the negative that end up in the gutter. It negatively impacts everyone not just players and coaches. It negatively impacts People like you and I.

Well as I said dogging the players is never ok, but it's ok to say something is bad when it's bad. Crowder has snapped the ball great all year, but he had been very poor at the blocking part of his job.

You oftentimes get overly defensive when people critique certain players which is why I suggested taking a break might be in your best interest.

 

[volssam]

Wait, you guys know each others phone number? I feel left out.

Go ahead and post yours here in the thread.

Nate is waiting to copy it down

 

[butchna]

I could've played college ball until I took an arrow to the knee in the summer of '69.

Damn peyote...scourge of hippy Native Americans.

 

[flowd82]

I could've played college ball until I took an arrow to the knee in the summer of '69.

I used to play college ball.

It was a pretty d*** big deal. JMO.

 

[SergeantVol]

Intramural Ultimate Football Champion here!

 

[OldVol49vfl]

I could've played college ball until I took an arrow to the knee in the summer of '69.

Was that in 1869? Did you fight with the U. S. Calvary in the old Indian wars?


jk

 

[NMVol]

Arrow to the knee without more invites speculation. :yes:

 

[Catbone]

Speaking of arrow to the knee, I cant wait til the new Fallout and Elder Scrolls comes out

 

[OldVol49vfl]

Damn peyote...scourge of hippy Native Americans.

I would suggest that you don't take part in the Sun Dance unless you've used a little peyote.

 

[jspvol76]

Go ahead and post yours here in the thread.

Nate is waiting to copy it down

I'm no Jakob.

 

[jave36]

No you really do not see a 'theme'. If you see any 'theme' it's from three posters who have a personal agenda. Crowder overall has had a good (not perfect) season with near perfect snaps - something you would be very remiss to mess with right now. Also the combo scrape blocks haven't worked as planned (combo on DT with a G then releasing down to the Second Level)

When you don't know what you're talking about you should keep your opinion to yourself. It doesn't help the team, the Oline, or the fan base. Your posts indicate you really do not know what you're talking about. In addition to many other complicated factors it takes time for a new Oline to jell just look back 4 years ago and you will find similar challenges.

Those were quotes from that website. He was breaking down plays from our season. That had nothing to do with my opinion, go comment on that guy's website if you don't like his analysis.

 

[jave36]

Hmmmm. Log off for a few hours? Or, stay logged on and watch the ensuing urinating contest between jave and hitUM?

LOL I was just posting quotes from the website people were talking about. Thought it was funny that almost every play he was analyzing ended with Crowder missing a block.

 

[butchna]

I would suggest that you don't take part in the Sun Dance unless you've used a little peyote.

Bogarding Elk uses more than a little. :cool2:

 

[volinexile17]

If this board required posters to be former players or coaches, there'd be maybe 15-20 guys basically texting each other.

Maybe.

 

[WriterVol]

LOL I was just posting quotes from the website people were talking about. Thought it was funny that almost every play he was analyzing ended with Crowder missing a block.

To be fair, the article mentioned Crowder twice. Once he missed a block on a linebacker in space with the play developing behind Crowder and no real way to guess which way the LB is going. A difficult play to make for any OL.

The other mentions Crowder on the ground, and it doesn't say how he got there--whether tripped or just pushed.

 

[DD4ME]

I briefly met Crowder's dad before a game once at a parking lot. Nice guy. Meeting him in person reminded me how tough it must be for parents to have their kids held up high or slammed so low. Big time D1 football is a level of scrutiny I certainly have never known. Even former letterman from past decades likely can't relate to the kind of scrutiny that today's technology and press allows.

 

[jave36]

To be fair, the article mentioned Crowder twice. Once he missed a block on a linebacker in space with the play developing behind Crowder and no real way to guess which way the LB is going. A difficult play to make for any OL.

The other mentions Crowder on the ground, and it doesn't say how he got there--whether tripped or just pushed.

There were several other mentions throughout the website. I didn't intend to come down as harshly as some apparently think I did. Just ironic that his name kept coming up as the reason a play fell apart throughout the different articles. I don't think Crowder has been the worst OL, just pointing out the irony that his name kept coming up.

The two guys to the right of him have been much worse if we're talking about my opinion on the matter.

 

[JCP201]

Article praising Croom for his play against Alabama.

Notes: WR Jason Croom draws praise from WRs coach Zach Azzanni