THOUGHTS FROM SOUTH BEND

[Liper]

Just got back from South Bend, and had plenty of time to think on the drive to and fro. Here is a smattering of things that came into my view.

Jeff Samardzija
Here is a perfect case of how COACHING and DEVELOPMENT get a player to execute. This WR had ZERO career TD catches before this season. Stunning transformation.

No Effort Problem?
Sorry, but our WRs, save Fayton and Swain, aren't giving much. Fulmer says the effort is there (Blind?) on one hand, then says they need more from them on the other. Someone is REALLY wrong about something.

Weis v Chavis
I'm typically pretty solid behind Chavis, but he was schemed pretty good. The 1st qtr screen deluge was pretty darn effective. 3rd and long has killed us this year, and I'm beginning to think that he has fallen in love with what he WANTS to work instead of what will. 4th qtr collapses getting old.

2005 TN Seniors
They started in 2002 and will leave this year. WOW! Their record is 31-16. I'm sure Jason Allen didn't envision this when he went down to practice at the '01 Citrus Bowl. Hello Fulmer! This is not a new problem!

Erik Ainge
This young QB still looked like a true freshman. For a true frosh, I would have said he looked promising, all things considered. As a sophomore who speaks with quite a bit of arrogance, he's MILES AWAY: confused, unsure, reactionary, hurried, uncomfortable, untrained, undisciplined, are a few words that come to mind. We can't with him playing like this.

Offensive Line
OK, they really are not playing very well. The whiffs are almost unbearable; and they don't seem to know who to block. How else can you explain, on 2nd and 6, an I-back losing 4 yards on an ISO play? I watched ND's safeties basically sprinting into our backfield, but some of the gaffes weren't because of the defense outnumbering us.

It's never as bad as it looks or as good. But we're pretty bad overall. Fulmer is at a crossroads with these hires. He doesn't have enough time to stay mediocre. Just think, within three years, that will be ten years without an championship or a BCS bowl victory if something doesn't change drastically in a hurry. But I think he'll get it done.

 

[Lexvol]

But I think he'll get it done.

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Sad thing is this is the first real pressure he has felt to get it done. Surely he knows his future depends on these hires.

 

[Liper]

Originally posted by Lexvol@Nov 6, 2005 11:25 PM
Sad thing is this is the first real pressure he has felt to get it done.  Surely he knows his future depends on these hires.

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Yep, I think his "delusional arrogance" has finally caught up to him. He now has to face the music and realize that he must get it done soon.

Funny, Meachem and Taylor were the first guys that he got after this year. I don't know what that means accept that Fulmer is obviously more into things than he was.

 

[Doughbelly]

The vols Off. & Sp. teams have been playing scared all season. This team is playing not to loose versus playing to win. That is why every mistake is snowballing, D has been great with a few collaspses but nothing as devistating as special teams. Our off. has it's moments but drops and fumbles have just killed us. :banghead:

One more thing. Maybe this year will not be for nothing and maybe a good A$$ whiping is what this program needed. i just hate it for our seniors who have done great things and had them wasted on this losing season. D-line you've been awesome, better than any out there. Some of the freshmen have been excellent. Fosters, D-MO to name a few.

I find it hard to believe that TN will not bounce back next year just like Auburn did in 04 after flopping in 03 being ranked 1 or 2 in the nation. Bama did the same when Mike Dubose was there etc. :cross:

Ainge is very screwed in the head. I wasn't a big ainge fan to start with but I thought UT had the coaches to mold this guy. Guess that's a big hell no. :bad: Bring Coach Cut in so we can establish a leader on Off. at QB. Fire the O-line coach, Sp teams coach and put Cut to work immediatley.