Tennessee Defense

#26
#26
Originally posted by TNVOLS1@Apr 25, 2005 9:52 PM
gunner I am afraid your going to be disappointed. I wish that some people understood what went on last year and what has been done to correct it. But I'll not let the surprise out of the bag. Let UF and Meyer get a face full of it.
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TNVOLS1:

You truly are a homer looking through orange tinted glasses. I am more of a realist. At times last season that was the worst defense I have ever seen at UT. At times they were at best average, but mostly very inconsistent. It is not logical to think that mostly the same players from that defense will in one season improve to be the best defense in the conference or nation (even though I would love to see that happen).

I think UT's defense will be much improved from last season, I don't see them stopping high powered offenses on a regular basis. I hope that UF doesn’t put 24, 30 or more points on my beloved Vols. I hope the Vols hold them and other high powered offenses below 14 points. We can speculate all that we want but no one knows for sure if the problems have been fixed on defense until they line up against a really good offense in the fall.



Gunner

:gun:
 
#27
#27
Originally posted by gunner+Apr 26, 2005 6:29 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (gunner @ Apr 26, 2005 6:29 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-TNVOLS1@Apr 25, 2005 9:52 PM
gunner I am afraid your going to be disappointed. I wish that some people understood what went on last year and what has been done to correct it. But I&#39;ll not let the surprise out of the bag. Let UF and Meyer get a face full of it.
Click to expand...

TNVOLS1:

You truly are a homer looking through orange tinted glasses. I am more of a realist. At times last season that was the worst defense I have ever seen at UT. At times they were at best average, but mostly very inconsistent. It is not logical to think that mostly the same players from that defense will in one season improve to be the best defense in the conference or nation (even though I would love to see that happen).

I think UT&#39;s defense will be much improved from last season, I don&#39;t see them stopping high powered offenses on a regular basis. I hope that UF doesn’t put 24, 30 or more points on my beloved Vols. I hope the Vols hold them and other high powered offenses below 14 points. We can speculate all that we want but no one knows for sure if the problems have been fixed on defense until they line up against a really good offense in the fall.



Gunner

:gun: [/quote]
i kinda see what your sayin but i think theyll be very good compared to last year. They did look horrible sometimes last year but the secondary is more experienced and i think we&#39;ll be more consistent.
 
#28
#28
Originally posted by gunner+Apr 26, 2005 7:29 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (gunner @ Apr 26, 2005 7:29 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-TNVOLS1@Apr 25, 2005 9:52 PM
gunner I am afraid your going to be disappointed. I wish that some people understood what went on last year and what has been done to correct it. But I&#39;ll not let the surprise out of the bag. Let UF and Meyer get a face full of it.
Click to expand...

TNVOLS1:

You truly are a homer looking through orange tinted glasses. I am more of a realist. At times last season that was the worst defense I have ever seen at UT. At times they were at best average, but mostly very inconsistent. It is not logical to think that mostly the same players from that defense will in one season improve to be the best defense in the conference or nation (even though I would love to see that happen).

I think UT&#39;s defense will be much improved from last season, I don&#39;t see them stopping high powered offenses on a regular basis. I hope that UF doesn’t put 24, 30 or more points on my beloved Vols. I hope the Vols hold them and other high powered offenses below 14 points. We can speculate all that we want but no one knows for sure if the problems have been fixed on defense until they line up against a really good offense in the fall.



Gunner

:gun: [/quote]
A homer NO not quite but I do know football. Do you have a clue what started on defense last year? Do you really?

2 first year starters at DT, 2 first time starters at CB, 1 first time starter at S and 1 converted from CB, Loss of best MLB. Short on depth at DL and at DB. Depth was thin and young

Yes it is logical especially for those that have played the game.
1. More on field experience
2. more depth
3. stronger
4. better understanding of the system
5. influx of talent

I&#39;ve seen it too many times from all levels of football.

UF will be lucky to get 17 points on UT
 
#30
#30
yeah, they don&#39;t have 3yrds to go for a 1st down, we have a whole 3yrds in which to contain them....Get er Done&#33; to be as young as they were and to loose Simon, last yrs D graded out pretty good (yeah I know the Kent and Vandy games were dissapointing and AU gave it to us pretty good but not as bad the 2nd go round) and most of those guys that stepped it up last yr will be back, orange tint or not our D is gonna kick a** and take names this yr, write it down&#33;
 
#31
#31
Since 1992 no SEC teams has pitched more shut outs than UT - 13
Since 1992 UT&#39;s road record is 42-11 . 792
 
#32
#32
Good stat but I am not sure if that really will make a difference next year
 
#34
#34
More of a phrase, imo then reality.

I think in a way success breads success but last year was not a success on defense and barring a miracle...it will still be a bit of a thorn for us.

 
#35
#35
For the first time in a long while UT has disruptive forces at DT that will command double teams the front 7 IS the strongest in the SEC and the DB&#39;s will be in the top half of the conference.

The problem is most people just look at stats and UT&#39;s will never look good since unlike most of the rest of the SEC UT calls off the dogs early.
 
#36
#36
It all balances out though. That D that everyone rips from last year saved our butts against Ole Miss, Alabama and Georgia and singlehandedly kept us in the Notre Dame game.
 
#37
#37
A little too optimistic for me about our front 7. Agree that our front 7 is very talented and 2-deep at each position but as of right now I don&#39;t think it&#39;s one of the best in the SEC just yet.
 
#38
#38
Excuse me but you must have misunderstood me. They are the best in the SEC.
 
#39
#39
With the front OL looking much better+depth... IMO Tackling at the line, Wrapping up was pittiful last season.

Burnette and Allen seemed to be on every play or atleast in pursuit, We cant have that this yr&#33; AUB ran all over us yes brown and chevette Williams had all the talent in the world and that cat from La Tech Moats embarassed our OL

I dont see much getting to the outside this yr?

Thus keeping everything contained tween the tackles the OL should be much improved and make more stops at the line. With alittle help ofcoarse from some ball hunting LB&#39;s
 
#40
#40
Basically ... Eight starters (and that doesn&#39;t include LB Kevin Simon) return to a defense that will be among the best in America. If Simon&#39;s injured knee is fine, the front seven will finish among the top five in the country and will be one of the leaders in sacks and quarterback hurries. The secondary finished last in the SEC last year, but there will be a big turnaround with the freshmen starters of last year now seasoned veterans. The cornerbacks will be outstanding with former safety Jason Allen a sure Thorpe Award candidate.

Defensive Line
The line was a concern going into last season with experience and depth issues. Not this year. This is a line full of All-SEC performers and All-America candidates led by Jesse Mahelona in the middle and pass rushing superstar Parys Haralson on the ends. There are some tremendous young prospects behind the good starting front four with several great options to work with. There&#39;s no reason to believe this won&#39;t be among the nation&#39;s best lines.

The linebacking corps all depends on the knee of Kevin Simon. He&#39;s ready to come back this fall with the hope of returning to All-America status. Once he gets into the swing of contact drills, a decision has to be made to either put him in the middle or on the weakside with Jason Mitchell taking whichever spot is open. Mitchell is better on the outside, so the likely scenario is for Simon to start off in the middle. If Simon can&#39;t go, or is less than 100%, Mitchell will take the weakside and Jon Poe will start in the middle. Don&#39;t forget about likely All-SEC performer Omar Gaither on the strongside. There&#39;s plenty of flexibility and lots of options, but the corps is much, much better with a healthy Simon.

Tennessee finished last in the SEC in pass defense allowing 236.38 yards per game. It would be easy to simply say the Vols were bad, but that&#39;s not necessarily the case as freshman defensive backs had to work the kinks out. Even so, defensive coordinator John Chavis was a mad scientist this spring trying out starting corners Jonathan Hefney and Roshaun Fellows at safety and moving star safety Jason Allen to corner. Fellows is likely to move back to corner, but the experiments showed the concern over the safety situation. The talent is there, and now so is the experience for a tremendous turnaround. Expect things to get even more interesting this fall when an outstanding crop of freshmen defensive backs like Demetrice Morley and Adam Myers-White enter the mix. The rating is based on potential and talent.

Best Defensive Player: Senior DT Jesse Mahelona. One of the best tackles in the country, Mahelona is a killer of an interior pass rusher and an anchor against the run for everyone to work around. He&#39;s not huge by today&#39;s standards at 6-2 and 297 pounds, but he&#39;s very quick and tremendously strong.

 
#41
#41
Originally posted by TNVOLS1@Apr 26, 2005 5:17 PM
Excuse me but you must have misunderstood me. They are the best in the SEC.
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I didn&#39;t mis-understand you, just completely disagreed/
 
#42
#42
Projected Starters
- DE Parys Haralson, Sr. - 43 tackles, 7 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss ... The 248-pound Haralson was a leader both on the field and in the locker room as a team captain and also a big-time pass rusher with 21 quarterback pressures along with seven sacks. He&#39;s a flash coming around the end, but he&#39;s also stout against the run.
- DT Justin Harrell, Jr. - 26 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss ... The unsung producer on the line, the 6-4, 306-pound Harrell finally was healthy and progressed as last year went on culminating in a huge Cotton Bowl performance against Texas A&M walking away with defensive MVP honors. With the rest of the line strong enough to keep the pressure off of him, Harrell should come up with an All-SEC caliber season.
- DT Jesse Mahelona, Sr. - 42 tackles, 5 sacks, 18.5 tackles for loss ... Mahelona came in from the JUCO ranks and immediately dominated as a tremendous interior pass rusher and anchor of the line. His experience turned into a godsend for the young line becoming the focus of everyone&#39;s blocking scheme. He&#39;s a smart player with the athleticism of a defensive end.
- DE Jason Hall, Sr. - 27 tackles, 3 sacks, 4 tackles for loss ... The return of Hall eases the loss of Karlton Neal on the end. When Hall got his chance, he was extremely productive highlighted by a big performance in the win over Georgia. He&#39;s a tremendous athlete at 260 pounds and should have a huge year with offenses preparing to block Parys Haralson and Jesse Mahelona.

- Omar Gaither, Sr. - 92 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks ... One of the team&#39;s smartest players on and off the field, Gaither is coming off a great season finishing third on the team in tackles on the strongside. He&#39;s a decent sized players with good athleticism and tremendous speed when he gets into the backfield. He&#39;s also solid in pass coverage.
- Kevin Simon, Sr. - 5 tackles ... Possibly the unluckiest star linebacker in college football, Simon has dealt with a broken ankle and a torn ACL in his Volunteer career (and a torn ACL in his senior year of high school), but all indications are that he&#39;ll be back at almost 100% this fall. He was able to run around this spring and was kept out of contact drills. He&#39;s able to play in the middle or on the weakside likely starting out inside. When he&#39;s right, he&#39;s one of the best tacklers in America. Word is that his speed and quickness are back.
- Jason Mitchell, Sr. - 57 tackles, 2 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss ... Mitchell will prepare for both the weakside and the middle depending on the status of Kevin Simon. With receiver speed, Mitchell is more suited for the outside where he was great in space chasing down runners. He&#39;s too fast not to be used more to get to the quarterback.

- CB Jason Allen, Sr. - 123 tackles, 2 interception, 7 broken up passes ... Allen did a dance with the idea of leaving early for the NFL, but coming back was a decent move if only to show off his versatility. He was a top tackler last year leading the SEC with 123 stops as a safety. Now he&#39;ll move to corner to beef up the SEC&#39;s worst pass defense. He&#39;s a good hitter with tremendous size for a corner and good speed.
- FS Corey Campbell, Jr. - 21 tackles, 4 interceptions, 5 broken up passes ... At 6-3 and 190 pounds, Campbell is a big safety with next-level speed. He led the team with four interceptions, but he has to make more plays now with Jason Allen moving to corner. With a year of experience as a starter, he has to shine right away.
- SS Antwan Stewart, Soph. - Stewart was expected to be a starter before missing all of last year with a knee injury. He still has to give his knee a full test run in practice, and now he has to deal with other players getting more work at safety. However, if back at 100%, Stewart is expected to instantly upgrade the secondary with his track star speed.
- CB/S Roshaun Fellows, Soph. - 39 tackles, 3 interceptions, 14 broken up passes ... Fellows is a tremendous corner prospect who will likely end up taking over the right corner spot. He led the Vols in defended passes and came up with several big plays, but he was moved to safety this spring to see if the position fit his size a bit better.
 
#43
#43
TENNESSEE IS GONNA BREEZE THROUGH THE SEC THEY ARE THE BEST BY FAR STEVE SPURRIER IS GONNA GET THE **** KICK OUT OF HIM AND SO IS MEYER THIS IS SEC BALL BIOTCH.............VOLS N/C 2005 COUNT ON IT



VOLS :worship:
:machinegun: :gun: SPURRIER
 
#45
#45
Originally posted by volskickAZZ@Apr 26, 2005 6:31 PM
TENNESSEE IS GONNA BREEZE THROUGH THE SEC THEY ARE THE BEST BY FAR STEVE SPURRIER IS GONNA GET THE **** KICK OUT OF HIM AND SO IS MEYER THIS IS SEC BALL BIOTCH.............VOLS N/C 2005 COUNT ON IT



VOLS :worship:
:machinegun: :gun: SPURRIER
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bmgshift.jpg
 
#47
#47
Stewart likely to be starter at FS with Hefney starter at SS.
You forgot to mention that Fellows was 1st team Freshman AA
 
#48
#48
No doubt we have a better group than last year. However, I agree with the concern addressed in this thread -- poor tackling.

We all know that a source of great (greatest?) frustration in watching the Vols last year was the tendency to try to knock a runner over with a hit rather than wrapping up.

IMHO the increase in talent will not compensate enough if the 05 Vols exhibit this same tendency.

Our road schedule is brutal. The D must be DOMINANT --- top 10 in country --- to survive. Sure tackling is critical.
 
#50
#50
UTVOLS1:

This is a good topic. I disagree with your opinion that UT will have the best defense in the SEC next season; I do agree that the potential is there for improvement from last season.

I really hope that you are right, and we don&#39;t have to wait too long to find out. The second game in the Swamp will be a good test to see the improvement. Remember you predicted 17 points or less for the Gators. We will see, and again I hope that you are correct.



Gunner

:gun:
 
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