Recruiting Forum Football Talk XXIX

[OGbabyaviVol]

a possible theory on the volume of injuries we have had this season:

Due to depth/talent problems when CBJ arrived, we have been forced to play guys since their freshman year against the brutality of the SEC, a grown man's league. Rather than give our guys 2 and 3 years out of high school to get stronger and develop, guys like JRM, Sutton, KMac, Kirkland, Hall, Jones, Abernathy, etc. were forced into action as freshmen before their bodies were physically prepared for it. Over time, perhaps the totality of the physicality at this level (before their bodies were ready) put them in a position where injuries were more likely to occur.

Obviously not a hard and fast rule, and there is no way to prove it... but just a theory as to why it seems we have been hit harder by the injury bug this year than most teams ever have.

Nice post.

 

[WriterVol]

ST's has always been a group effort under Butch...that hasn't changed. Berry and Kamara haven't brought any to the house this season...doubt Elder would have altered that. TE's were no great shake last season maybe it's the scheme? :dunno:

Not just returning, but they've given up some returns as well. It happens even to good teams, but it just doesn't seem like the team is locked in like last year.

I don't think you can blame drops and poor blocking on scheme when it comes to TEs. Coaching, maybe, but scheme shouldn't be the problem unless you've got them going against DTs or something.

 

[LynxVol]

Basketvols picked to finish 13th in the SEC.

I miss Bruce.

Team is heavy with sophomores and freshmen. Barnes needs another year for the current guys in his system and to get his players here.

Also, I liked Bruce just as much as the next guy, but he's 26-40 at Auburn. Just saying.

 

[Chuckie]

Of course we won't really know for many years whether I'm right or not, but if we finish the regular season 5-0, I suspect we'll enjoy the memories of this year much more than we'll remember the thrashing we just took. Just think back on the year so far, for me the positive memory of the Hail Mary alone overshadows the beatdown from the Gumps.

 

[avolation]

If you watch closely that DB actually helped him catch that pass. When he stuck his arm out the ball hit him on the back of his hand.

 

[butchna]

Not just returning, but they've given up some returns as well. It happens even to good teams, but it just doesn't seem like the team is locked in like last year.

I don't think you can blame drops and poor blocking on scheme when it comes to TEs. Coaching, maybe, but scheme shouldn't be the problem unless you've got them going against DTs or something.

Never been impressed with our TEs blocking and/or receiving. Best case scenario is scheme...worst, our TEs suck.

 

[Aesius]

Of course we won't really know for many years whether I'm right or not, but if we finish the regular season 5-0, I suspect we'll enjoy the memories of this year much more than we'll remember the thrashing we just took. Just think back on the year so far, for me the positive memory of the Hail Mary alone overshadows the beatdown from the Gumps.

Agreed. I still can't believe the Florida streak is over.

I actually dreamed that we lost to Florida a few nights ago. It's like my subconscious just can't accept that we beat them yet.

 

[Theshag]

Administration support (lack there of) goes back to CPF time. Hamilton did not have the muscle or leadership skills of Dickey. Hamilton's negative impact can not be overstated (imo)

Of all the characters that have come and gone during football's down decade, the one I still hate the most is Hamilton. Kiffin had to pay 800k to go to USC. We had to pay Dooley millions to kick his ass to the curb.

Hamilton couldn't run a lemonade stand.

 

[MockingVol]

Agreed. I still can't believe the Florida streak is over.

I actually dreamed that we lost to Florida a few nights ago. It's like my subconscious just can't accept that we beat them yet.

Well that's something. I keep having dreams that all of my teeth and hair are falling out... you know, normal stuff.

 

[OGbabyaviVol]

Of course we won't really know for many years whether I'm right or not, but if we finish the regular season 5-0, I suspect we'll enjoy the memories of this year much more than we'll remember the thrashing we just took. Just think back on the year so far, for me the positive memory of the Hail Mary alone overshadows the beatdown from the Gumps.

After Saturday, the 1st thing I thought was we beat Georgia and Florida already in the same year with significant injuries. I immediately forgot about the Bama loss.

 

[CroKev]

On the field is the biggest problem

2016 College Football Team Talent Composite


Bama has 17 composite five stars. We have one. Our roster average is a three star. Bama's is a four star which is ridiculous for when accounting for 80 something players.


We have to go into that game healthy and he have to play our best game to have a chance.

Wait, wait, you're talking about stars and everybody is going to immediately respond that Sutton was only a 3-star...

 

[zhangliao04]

Just to bring up a (little bit) different conversation than the doom and gloom. Who do you all have pegged as possible assistant changes at the end of the season? Honestly, I think this is the year we see a change at WR coach. I firmly believe that the changes we see this year is still due to CBJ having to help out in that area. Would love to be proven wrong on that.

 

[Aesius]

Well that's something. I keep having dreams that all of my teeth and hair are falling out... you know, normal stuff.

At least you don't have dreams where you oversleep and miss your final exam.

 

[drvenner]

https://twitter.com/claytravis/status/788480691059261440

Good gravy, I read that as Chip Kelly the first time. That might be more interesting, though.

 

[appyvol]

With a win Saturday, Kentucky moves into 2nd place in the East. Lol.

 

[Aesius]

With a win Saturday, Kentucky moves into 2nd place in the East. Lol.

Vandy and UK fans are suddenly feeling like they have a chance to make noise in the East and beat us. Kinda funny. There's a thread on the UK board about how Tennessee is extremely lucky to be 5-2 and that all the injuries are Butch's fault. And of course the tired narrative that Butch is one of the worst coaches in the SEC continues to get tossed around.

 

[ScottishVol]

Wake me up when it's time to die.

-Catbone

How many lives does he have left?

 

[vol2002]

One of the things I find frustrating about football as a sport is that there are so few games. Of course, there's good reason why. But with baseball and basketball, it's common for good teams to have occasional games where because of minor injuries, fatigue, or just a bad night, your team comes out flat, plays a bad game and gets blown out. But you get to rest up and play a game either the next night or in the next couple of days, and put it behind you and move on. People notice the big loss, but they don't put a ton of weight on that game because they get to see very soon how the team responds before drawing any conclusions.

With football, if you lose a single game big for any of the same reasons (e.g., injuries, fatigue) you have to sit around for a week or two until you play next, and in the meantime everyone completely overanalyzes and dissects the big loss, and loses their minds as they draw broad, sweeping absolute conclusions about the state of your program and how your coaches and (backup) players were and always have been overrated and how you'll never win another title again. It's mind numbing.

Why can't a bad night just simply be a bad night in football?

 

[WriterVol]

Never been impressed with our TEs blocking and/or receiving. Best case scenario is scheme...worst, our TEs suck.

Both Croom and Wolf have shown flashes, but they are far from consistent enough. Wolf had a much stronger start last year.

 

[BigZiti09]

Vandy and UK fans are suddenly feeling like they have a chance to make noise in the East and beat us. Kinda funny. There's a thread on the UK board about how Tennessee is extremely lucky to be 5-2 and that all the injuries are Butch's fault. And of course the tired narrative that Butch is one of the worst coaches in the SEC continues to get tossed around.

129-51

That's the three year combined score Butch Jones has against Kentucky.

 

[WriterVol]

One of the things I find frustrating about football as a sport is that there are so few games. Of course, there's good reason why. But with baseball and basketball, it's common for good teams to have occasional games where because of minor injuries, fatigue, or just a bad night, your team comes out flat, plays a bad game and gets blown out. But you get to rest up and play a game either the next night or in the next couple of days, and put it behind you and move on. People notice the big loss, but they don't put a ton of weight on that game because they get to see very soon how the team responds before drawing any conclusions.

With football, if you lose a single game big for any of the same reasons (e.g., injuries, fatigue) you have to sit around for a week or two until you play next, and in the meantime everyone completely overanalyzes and dissects the big loss, and loses their minds as they draw broad, sweeping absolute conclusions about the state of your program and how your coaches and (backup) players were and always have been overrated and how you'll never win another title again. It's mind numbing.

Why can't a bad night just simply be a bad night in football?

I've heard college football exalted for just that reason. Many believe the high stakes of each game make it better.

Most of the time, I agree, but as a fan, it can be very exhausting.

 

[knoxville's finest]

Just to bring up a (little bit) different conversation than the doom and gloom. Who do you all have pegged as possible assistant changes at the end of the season? Honestly, I think this is the year we see a change at WR coach. I firmly believe that the changes we see this year is still due to CBJ having to help out in that area. Would love to be proven wrong on that.

I'm fine with everybody on the defensive side of the ball. OC, WR, and Oline would be the only changes I see. I could see debord coaching the Oline and replace Mahoney with a QB coach.

 

[WriterVol]

129-51

That's the three year combined score Butch Jones has against Kentucky.

I don't know, man. Kentucky fans are experts on bad football coaches.

 

[zhangliao04]

I'm fine with everybody on the defensive side of the ball. OC, WR, and Oline would be the only changes I see. I could see debord coaching the Oline and replace Mahoney with a QB coach.

I was thinking about that, too. We don't need 2 OL coaches. We need a QB coach. Badly, imo. Get rid of Mahoney, give Debord full reigns of the OL and then go get a good QB coach. Problem I see with this scenario is that Mahoney has been Butches man for years.

 

[LA Vol]

Many Vols fans are underestimating how badly UK, SCAR and Vandy want to beat us. All three schools consider us one of their top 2 rivals. The hate is real. SCAR and Vandy are OTR and both have been close games the past few years. We'll get their best game. Given our injuries and propensity to play from behind, winning out is not a slam dunk.