The biggest problem with this team right now

[rockytop114]

Ok, so the elephant in the room is why aren't we recruiting a SEC QB then?

I always think u should take one a year, most schools do.

Cause next year Ferguson will be a freshman

 

[1985Vols]

Yes, but they put him in that situation

How so?.?

 

[armchair]

Yes, we need a good QB--and badly. And, yes, the offense cost us last night's game, in which we had absolutely no passing game. You can't win when all you do is run up the middle. What is this, high school? But the defense has also been somewhere between average to bad all year. Last year we had a potent offense but the worst defense in the last 40 years. We almost never have a game in which both the offense and defense play reasonably well--and we almost never have a SEASON when both are decent. If the defense is solid, the offense sux--or vice versa. So we have a lot of issues, still. And coaching is part of it. Too conservative in big spots last night. You can't let QBs stand in the pocket untouched when you're trying to protect a 3 point lead--got no pressure on the QB. We have a QB who can run--a desperate need--and we fail to use his legs on a crucial 3rd and 3, instead giving it to the RB who gets tackled by 9 vandy players who knew he was getting the ball. We need coaches with balls, too. Of course, when our coach did try something creative, the fake FG, it was horribly executed. The idea wasn't bad, actually--but the execution was terrible. Why would you have the punter run left and then try to throw across his body to the right side of the field? Makes no sense.

 

[T_man_J]

The coaches didn't throw the ball right to the Vandy defensive players on 2 occasions.

But the coaches called the play that required our QB to make the difficult throw.

Our entire strategy should have been based on using our x and z reveivers to take the top off of the defense, and then match our slot (or running back, or TE) against Vandy's LBs. This would have allowed our QB to make the shorter throws (to lateral routs) instead of trying to throw into the seam.

Our tendency on offense is to throw the seam, and Vandy zoned that area, so basically we got our rear ends handed to use in the coaching department.

 

[CountVolcula]

How so?.?

Hey Dobbs, you're our starting QB tonight.

 

[VolDomination]

Agree that there are definitely some questionable calls by this coaching staff but keep telling myself, it's hard to make chicken salad out of chicken sh$t!

Yes, but this staff has got to understand that. Pulling a fake field goal with that distance and you have 3 in your pocket is a terrible decision.

 

[1985Vols]

But the coaches called the play that required our QB to make the difficult throw.

Our entire strategy should have been based on using our x and z reveivers to take the top off of the defense, and then match our slot (or running back, or TE) against Vandy's LBs. This would have allowed our QB to make the shorter throws (to lateral routs) instead of trying to throw into the seam.

Our tendency on offense is to throw the seam, and Vandy zoned that area, so basically we got our rear ends handed to use in the coaching department.

Bottom line, the coaches didn't have confidence in our QB to let him throw the ball because he is too erratic. 5 INT's and no TD's speaks volumes.

 

[1985Vols]

Hey Dobbs, you're our starting QB tonight.

What other option did they have without burning Ferguson's redshirt? Peterman?.?.:birgits_giggle:

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

The coaches didn't throw the ball right to the Vandy defensive players on 2 occasions.

Yes.

Because the best way to highlight your team strengths of a senior RB and veteran offensive line is to have the freshman throw it 6 times in the first three possessions then go into a shell when he predictably screws up.

It also helps to make sure one of your best play makers on the outside in Pig Howard only touches the ball 4 times the entire game.

You want to see an example of what I am talking about, look at what Vandy did with Matthews. They figured out a way to get it to their best player instead of lobbing it down the field to hands of stone Josh Smith.

The lateral passing game to Neal was also scintillating. 4 catches for NEGATIVE 1 yard.

I am in no way saying Dobbs isn't at fault, but he isn't the only problem these last 4 weeks.

 

[Wylo]

UT looks like a bad Big East football team.


Could be coaching.

 

[armchair]

If you think Ferguson has a chance to the be starter, you play the kid. Why? Because we're going to sux again next year unless we get MUCH BETTER QB/passing play. Now, Ferguson is almost out of the mix, IMO, because he's got too guys with experience ahead of him. I don't know whether Fergs is any good or not, I'm just saying if the coaches think he is, they should have played him to get a sense of how he performs in live action. If he's talented, burning the redshirt wouldn't have mattered.

Also, what was the deal with Croom this year? Nothing--that was the deal. He did nothing as a WR, save for one TD. He doesn't have the speed to play WR. A coaching screwup, methinks. Our passing game was TERRIBLE--and two big reasons were Croom and the TE who gave us nothing in the passing game.

 

[1985Vols]

If you think Ferguson has a chance to the be starter, you play the kid. Why? Because we're going to sux again next year unless we get MUCH BETTER QB/passing play. Now, Ferguson is almost out of the mix, IMO, because he's got too guys with experience ahead of him. I don't know whether Fergs is any good or not, I'm just saying if the coaches think he is, they should have played him to get a sense of how he performs in live action. If he's talented, burning the redshirt wouldn't have mattered.

Also, what was the deal with Croom this year? Nothing--that was the deal. He did nothing as a WR, save for one TD. He doesn't have the speed to play WR. A coaching screwup, methinks. Our passing game was TERRIBLE--and two big reasons were Croom and the TE who gave us nothing in the passing game.

If not for his injury prior to the AL game, Ferguson would have played vs. Bama and been the starter ever since. He was #2 on the depth chart behind Worley before getting injured. He will be the starter next season, you can bank on it.

 

[armchair]

Yes.

Because the best way to highlight your team strengths of a senior RB and veteran offensive line is to have the freshman throw it 6 times in the first three possessions then go into a shell when he predictably screws up.

It also helps to make sure one of your best play makers on the outside in Pig Howard only touches the ball 4 times the entire game.

You want to see an example of what I am talking about, look at what Vandy did with Matthews. They figured out a way to get it to their best player instead of lobbing it down the field to hands of stone Josh Smith.

The lateral passing game to Neal was also scintillating. 4 catches for NEGATIVE 1 yard.

I am in no way saying Dobbs isn't at fault, but he isn't the only problem these last 4 weeks.

A smart offensive coordinator would have recognized that with our weak/inexperienced QBs and receivers, we BADLY needed a competent SHORT passing game. Let me repeat that---SHORT. Half a dozen SHORT passing plays that we can EXECUTE well. You get the ball to Pig. You throw to the TE and backs. We did a little of that--but we throw the ball down the field too much when we have NO CHANCE of completing those passes 85 percent of the time (about the only ones we did complete were to North in the SC game). Bama has had medicore QBs executing short passes for years. Yes, Pig needs 8 touches a game, not four. Our TE was a complete NON-FACTOR in the passing game all year. We play Croom at WR when he clearly should be at TE. So frustrating.

 

[Chad F]

A smart offensive coordinator would have recognized that with our weak/inexperienced QBs and receivers, we BADLY needed a competent SHORT passing game. Let me repeat that---SHORT. Half a dozen SHORT passing plays that we can EXECUTE well. You get the ball to Pig. You throw to the TE and backs. We did a little of that--but we throw the ball down the field too much when we have NO CHANCE of completing those passes 85 percent of the time (about the only ones we did complete were to North in the SC game). Bama has had medicore QBs executing short passes for years. Yes, Pig needs 8 touches a game, not four. Our TE was a complete NON-FACTOR in the passing game all year. We play Croom at WR when he clearly should be at TE. So frustrating.

Croom is beyond frustrating. I don't know how much of it is him, the play calling, or the QB but he NEVER makes a catch until usually the game is out of hand. If the pressure is on and we need a play the one guarantee is that he will NOT be involved in making a positive play. Heck, I love his size and skill but it just isn't happening for some reason.