Running The Table in '07

[patrick]

I don't want to turn any attention off of this season, but out of curiosity, I was scanning the schedule for 2007. Guys we have a real live shot of running the table in 2007. I know it is 2006 and we have this season to go, but take a real glance at the 2007 schedule and tell me what you'll think.

The vols are going to have a tough enough time getting thru the rest of this season.........

:BANGHEAD2: :BANGHEAD2: :BANGHEAD2:

 

[allvol]

you've got that right. UT will not win against Tebow. not hatin', and am not trying to be pessimistic and will be glad to be wrong.

You guys are throwing alot of love Tebow's way, but we've yet to see what this guy can do when he is THE quarterback and not just a glofied running back sneaking into the game. Has he even completed a pass yet this season?

 

[Vol71]

I agree that with the schedule it is very doable to run the table. I think we can beat Florida with Tebow. I have this strange gut feeling that this years team will be the beginning of some good things to come. I think that I saw something against Marshall that bodes well for the future....We'll see

 

[WA_Vol]

You guys are throwing alot of love Tebow's way, but we've yet to see what this guy can do when he is THE quarterback and not just a glofied running back sneaking into the game. Has he even completed a pass yet this season?

Wasn't Tebow the no.1 QB prospect out of high school? Isn't it a forgone conclusion he can throw?

 

[utchatt]

I agree that with the schedule it is very doable to run the table. I think we can beat Florida with Tebow. I have this strange gut feeling that this years team will be the beginning of some good things to come. I think that I saw something against Marshall that bodes well for the future....We'll see

What did you see because I saw that we only had 30 or 40 yards rushing against Marshall until the long td run. We did not look good on both sides of the ball until the 4 quarter of the game.

 

[VolinArizona]

Wasn't Tebow the no.1 QB prospect out of high school? Isn't it a forgone conclusion he can throw?

He was top 3 or 4. I saw Mustain and Stafford rated ahead of him.

 

[Vol71]

What did you see because I saw that we only had 30 or 40 yards rushing against Marshall until the long td run. We did not look good on both sides of the ball until the 4 quarter of the game.

Winners figure out a way to win....losers lose....maybe we got lucky, maybe they got tired...but the fact is he pulled off the third longest run from scrimmage in UT History...I realize that it was Marshall and certainly not Florida, Georgia, LSU, etc. but Tennessee found a way to turn a potential loss or "ugly win" into a rout...that means something to me....if they get their "asses" handed to them against Memphis or Georgia...I'll know that I was wrong...but I believe that we have a team that is going to beat some people....(and not just the Air Forces and Marshalls of the world)....

 

[jakez4ut]

Sept. 1 California Berkeley, Calif
Sept. 8 Southern Miss Knoxville, Tenn.
Sept. 15 Florida* Gainesville, Fla.
Sept. 22 Northern Illinois Knoxville, Tenn.
Oct. 6 Georgia* Knoxville, Tenn.
Oct. 13 Mississippi State* Starkville, Miss.
Oct. 20 Alabama* Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Oct. 27 South Carolina* Knoxville, Tenn.
Nov. 3 Louisiana-Lafayette Knoxville, Tenn.
Nov. 10 Arkansas* Knoxville, Tenn.
Nov. 17 Vanderbilt* Knoxville, Tenn.
Nov. 24 Kentucky* Lexington, Ky.

Dunno

@ Cal
@ UF
@ Bama

running the table...hm. seeing as how it's a year out, anything is possible, but given those three road games, i would say 10-2.

 

[kptvol]

He was top 3 or 4. I saw Mustain and Stafford rated ahead of him.

Some ranked Tebow ahead of these two. These were pretty much the consensus top 3, however. Stafford has struggled and got benched. Mustain has done, OK. He's thrown a lot of passes that should have been picked off, but weren't. If a few more of those had been picked, I'd say he'd be benched by now. All three of these guys might be terrific someday, but I don't think Tebow is really missing out on anything by learning from a great passer like Chris Leak. In the meantime, he's being eased into the offense, instead of trying to carry it on his shoulders.

 

[jakez4ut]

Some ranked Tebow ahead of these two. These were pretty much the consensus top 3, however. Stafford has struggled and got benched. Mustain has done, OK. He's thrown a lot of passes that should have been picked off, but weren't. If a few more of those had been picked, I'd say he'd be benched by now. All three of these guys might be terrific someday, but I don't think Tebow is really missing out on anything by learning from a great passer like Chris Leak. In the meantime, he's being eased into the offense, instead of trying to carry it on his shoulders.

i think Tebow is in the best situation given his ability and the scheme he will be playing in, and the other talent around him. Matt Stafford will get better over time. Mustain may very well be a good qb, but i'm not sure that he will have the weapons around him the other two will have at UGA and UF.

 

[Mr. Rockytop]

@ Cal
@ UF
@ Bama

running the table...hm. seeing as how it's a year out, anything is possible, but given those three road games, i would say 10-2.

Cal can't compete with the power of the south

Bama is in disarray and rebuilding

Florida wil have a Tebow, who has yet proven that he can complete pass !

 

[jakez4ut]

Cal can't compete with the power of the south

Bama is in disarray and rebuilding

Florida wil have a Tebow, who has yet proven that he can complete pass !

those are all true THIS year...NEXT year, those all may just be distant memories. If it stands to reason that next year we'll be good enough to run the table, does it also not stand to reason that those three teams will be better as well?

I have to think that Florida will be much better given how much talent they have this year, and combine that with this year's and next year's recruiting classes, Florida will be a force to contend with probably for the next 3 years at least.

Cal won't be caught like they were this year, and Bama is young like us. they will gain much needed experience this year which has to bode well for them. Also, next year will be year 2 after all the NCAA sanctions....they will be deeper.

Everyone thinks that we're the only ones planning for the future or that we're the only ones that won't be better going forward....every team we play is doing the same thing, and at least 3 of the teams on our schedule may be ahead of us next year in that respect.

 

[Mr. Rockytop]

those are all true THIS year...NEXT year, those all may just be distant memories. If it stands to reason that next year we'll be good enough to run the table, does it also not stand to reason that those three teams will be better as well?

I have to think that Florida will be much better given how much talent they have this year, and combine that with this year's and next year's recruiting classes, Florida will be a force to contend with probably for the next 3 years at least.

Cal won't be caught like they were this year, and Bama is young like us. they will gain much needed experience this year which has to bode well for them. Also, next year will be year 2 after all the NCAA sanctions....they will be deeper.

Everyone thinks that we're the only ones planning for the future or that we're the only ones that won't be better going forward....every team we play is doing the same thing, and at least 3 of the teams on our schedule may be ahead of us next year in that respect.

True but Cal simply can't compete physically
Bama is losing alot but have nothing right now to be proud of
Florida is losing Leake ( a key ingredient) Tebow can't run draws on every play.

 

[ConMan]

True but Cal simply can't compete physically
Bama is losing alot but have nothing right now to be proud of
Florida is losing Leake ( a key ingredient) Tebow can't run draws on every play.

You're right he can't run a draw on every play. Let's ask White from WV what he does, or the QB at Oregon (can't remember his name) Florida is going to look very similar to those two teams starting next year. Given UT's performance against option teams it's probably not going to be pretty.

 

[Mr. Rockytop]

You're right he can't run a draw on every play. Let's ask White from WV what he does, or the QB at Oregon (can't remember his name) Florida is going to look very similar to those two teams starting next year. Given UT's performance against option teams it's probably not going to be pretty.

Yeah you're right, damn Chavis we have to something about that option, but wait, after Chavis chewed Ryan Karl out on the sidelines, we started causing problems with the option for Marshall. Hopefully that will carry over if we see the option later on and in the future from our opponents!

 

[checkerboard_charly]

you've got that right. UT will not win against Tebow. not hatin', and am not trying to be pessimistic and will be glad to be wrong.

:lolabove:

They said that about Chris Leak when he was a freshman too.

 

[jakez4ut]

True but Cal simply can't compete physically
Bama is losing alot but have nothing right now to be proud of
Florida is losing Leake ( a key ingredient) Tebow can't run draws on every play.

I think CAl learned a valuable lesson this season, and as to evidence, i'd show you the past three games by them, which have been virtual beat downs...granted, the only one of note was ASU, but nonetheless, they are killing folks right now.

Again, Bama may not be very good right now, but that doesn't mean anything going in to 2007. If that were true, we should suck this year right?

Some how, i think losing leak will not be that big of an issue for UF seeing as how TEbow is the guy that can best run Meyer's offense, and when i look at teams like WVU, that offense can be down right scary when the right people are running it.

2007 could be a very good year for us, but to start talking about running the table, well, is a bit premature.

 

[ConMan]

I think CAl learned a valuable lesson this season, and as to evidence, i'd show you the past three games by them, which have been virtual beat downs...granted, the only one of note was ASU, but nonetheless, they are killing folks right now.

Again, Bama may not be very good right now, but that doesn't mean anything going in to 2007. If that were true, we should suck this year right?

Some how, i think losing leak will not be that big of an issue for UF seeing as how TEbow is the guy that can best run Meyer's offense, and when i look at teams like WVU, that offense can be down right scary when the right people are running it.

2007 could be a very good year for us, but to start talking about running the table, well, is a bit premature.

That's exactly what I'm talking about, UF is only going to get better when Leak leaves. He doesn't fit in Meyer's offense. I don't know what the situation at RB is like for Florida but that looks like all they are going to need to be deadly. It really doesn't matter if Tebow is a great passer or not because WR's are going to end up wide open at some time. It really kills me to think this but it's not hard to see coming.

 

[TravisHenryCBlockedMe]

Comments on a couple things...

1. Tebow. The UF game was frustrating because everyone knows when he comes in he is just gonna run, and yet we couldnt stop him. If anyone saw UF-Ken, Kentucky couldnt stop him either. We havent seen him complete a pass, but Im fairly sure he set the Florida state record for td passes. We'll see.

2. California. I think we'll be ok because our linebackers will all be back except Mitchell, and our D-line is gonna be experienced because they have no choice but to play the green's this year.

3. Bama will be tough simply because they hate us at least as bad as Auburn, if not worse, and theyll be coming off a loss against us from '06.

But we wont run the table because of...

4. Florida. They just own Fulmer, plain and simple. I remember when Spurrier left thinking "ok, we can take this Zook guy" and they laid it on us in the rain. Then Meyer hasnt missed a step. They have better talent and a psychological edge. And our wins against them have been fairly lucky...the '98 win was destiny, '01 we dont win if we play them earlier in the season like we were supposed to, '03 and the hail mary, '04 and the ref's screwing florida over. Honestly though I think we'll have a better chance against them then...

5. Georgia. Richt has beaten us 5 out of 6, the one loss coming down to the final play of the game. Their talent has passed ours and they are better coached. Again, they just own us.

If we EVER run the table again with Fulmer as our coach, I'll dive naked into the Tennessee River. With Florida and Georgia both making us their (rhymes with snitches), things wont change until there is a change at the top.

 

[WA_Vol]

Is the problem with the option, LB's and Safeties? Having trouble tackling, not tackling the QB, picking up the option back etc?

 

[GAVol]

Is the problem with the option, LB's and Safeties? Having trouble tackling, not tackling the QB, picking up the option back etc?

I'm no expert at defending the option, but the thing I'd like to see more of is us hitting the QB and worrying less about playing the pitch. If they're going to run the option, make them run the option. The first guy needs to quit defending it like a 2 on 1 fast break.

 

[jakez4ut]

I'm no expert at defending the option, but the thing I'd like to see more of is us hitting the QB and worrying less about playing the pitch. If they're going to run the option, make them run the option. The first guy needs to quit defending it like a 2 on 1 fast break.

that i agree with...and it does force your D line to hold the line of scrimmage, and someone has to play back side, and he better be a very good tackler.

but in my mind, penetration in to the backfeild to disrupt the timing of the pitch is the key. If the offense is going to attack, the best defense may simply be to attack it right back. you'd need a really good secondary and capable linebackers, and a D line that can get push.

and who knows, you hit qb hard enough, long enough, eventually he may just pitch it all the time because of fear....

either way, if they get really good at that offense, and the D continues to get better, as much as i hate to admit it, UF may be a force to reckon with for a while. But as with all offenses, the defenses will catch up, eventually.

 

[OWB]

Any time the QB rolls out for the option, someone needs to hit him hard.

 

[kiddiedoc]

I'm no expert at defending the option, but the thing I'd like to see more of is us hitting the QB and worrying less about playing the pitch. If they're going to run the option, make them run the option. The first guy needs to quit defending it like a 2 on 1 fast break.

I noticed in the second half against Marshall, we started doing just that. Notably, Marshall scored a grand total of zero points in said half.

It seems (from a fan's perspective -- with much less football knowledge than yourself) to be an assignment issue. The first guy looks like he thinks he has to defend both guys, which is the whole goal of the option. A well-coached defense shouldn't have this problem. The lead guy nails the QB with the confidence that his wingman will have the pitch guy. Air Force succeeded by cut-blocking the outside defender with the receiver. As I see it, there should be one more guy out there, shouldn't there?

 

[GAVol]

There should be one more guy, but against Air Force that guy kept getting hung up in the wash as he held his ground out of respect for the FB dive that they kept killing us with.