Unbelievable improvement on Defense

#26
#26
Biggest improvements on defense have been in stopping the run and in creating some pressure on the QB. Stopping the pass has still been very bad this year.
 
#27
#27
keckjm said:
Biggest improvements on defense have been in stopping the run and in creating some pressure on the QB. Stopping the pass has still been very bad this year.
Click to expand...

We basically shut down one of the best SEC passers and heisman candidate for the second half. yes, there are injuries, but he is a heisman candidate. We also have a number of interceptions. I know we can improve, but I wouldn't say the passing defense has been very bad, especially compared to last year.
 
#28
#28
ng:
goldvol said:
From last year's putrid D, has anyone else been impressed with how far the defense has come in just 1 year? In previous years, no matter how terrible the offense was, I could always count on being in a game against any opponent because of the Tennessee D.

I started a thread in November last year that showed we were dead last (120th) in red zone D. http://www.volnation.com/forum/tennessee-vols-football/178007-tennessee-dead-last-120th.html

I was curious if the statistics backed up what I felt was an improved defensive effort. I was pleasantly surprised to find that we jumped to #24 in the country in red zone defense!!!

Now, we are still letting teams into the redzone more than alot of other teams, but it seems to be the "bend, don't break" mentality.

I can't wait to see the defensive system develop over the next 3 years. If you get a chance, check it out and let me know what you think. Red Zone Defense - NCAA.com
Click to expand...

Good post BUT UT needs to improve week to week And I believe they are.
 
#30
#30
namasteVOLfans said:
Would love to know how many ints we have this year compared to this time last year.
Click to expand...

Looks like we had 9 ints thru 6 games last year (before getting to SC and BAMA). This year, thru 6 games, we have 11 ints. Comparing the two years, there is probably not a significant difference between 9 and 11 ints. Also note that a large portion of the interceptions both last year and this year were against weaker opponents.
 
#33
#33
oregonvol said:
Sorry that you aren't able to handle opinions other than your own.

Your thread stated "unbelievable improvement on defense". Sorry, I thought you were talking about the defense as a whole.

I guess if you separate out one aspect of our defense and just focus on that you can make a case for significant improvement. On the other hand, one might wonder how the difference in offensive production affects the game plan. After all, it's easier to settle for field goals, if that's all you need to win anyway.

And for those talking about how Oregon throws the overall number off, please remember that we have also played 3 of the 4 weakest opponents on our entire schedule in these 1st 6 games.
Click to expand...

I think either WKU or USA could take Vandy, so let's change that to "3 of the 5 weakest".

As far as the defensive improvement, it would have been hard not to do better than last year, but it's still considerable. There is a good bit of difference between the 76th scoring D at 28 ppg and last year's 104th at 36.8 ppg (the second worst in Vol history, and only second if you count 1896). Over a TD per game...not "unbelievable" but definitely "significant".
 
#34
#34
What's exciting about the improvement in the D is the amount of defensive talent that Jones is assembling.

Bates is the no. 3 LB (strongside I think) in the country, Barnhart is the no. 11 DE, and though I don't know his ranking, Kelly is a very fast DB and highly rated.

That's the thing...as concerned as I am with our offense losing most of the OL next year, our D is only going to get better next year, the year after, etc. :rock:
 
#35
#35
BanditVol said:
I think either WKU or USA could take Vandy, so let's change that to "3 of the 5 weakest".

As far as the defensive improvement, it would have been hard not to do better than last year, but it's still considerable. There is a good bit of difference between the 76th scoring D at 28 ppg and last year's 104th at 36.8 ppg (the second worst in Vol history, and only second if you count 1896). Over a TD per game...not "unbelievable" but definitely "significant".
Click to expand...

Vanderbilt hasn't lost to a team as low caliber as either of those two this season, so I'm not sure why you would assume that. But I hope you're still saying that come November 23rd and you haven't changed your tune that Vanderbilt is a worse team than WKU and S. Alabama (and consequently, there is no excuse for losing to them again). Otherwise, I might think you're just making baseless claims here to support a faulty argument.

I won't dispute that our defense has improved somewhat. But I'm not sure if it has been that significant. I guess it will seem more significant to me when it actually makes a difference in winning a significant game.
 
Last edited:
#36
#36
goldvol said:
From last year's putrid D, has anyone else been impressed with how far the defense has come in just 1 year? In previous years, no matter how terrible the offense was, I could always count on being in a game against any opponent because of the Tennessee D.

I started a thread in November last year that showed we were dead last (120th) in red zone D. http://www.volnation.com/forum/tennessee-vols-football/178007-tennessee-dead-last-120th.html

I was curious if the statistics backed up what I felt was an improved defensive effort. I was pleasantly surprised to find that we jumped to #24 in the country in red zone defense!!!

Now, we are still letting teams into the redzone more than alot of other teams, but it seems to be the "bend, don't break" mentality.

I can't wait to see the defensive system develop over the next 3 years. If you get a chance, check it out and let me know what you think. Red Zone Defense - NCAA.com
Click to expand...

Definitely improvement but unbelievable? Its still a very bad defense.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#38
#38
oregonvol said:
Vanderbilt hasn't lost to a team as low caliber as either of those two this season, so I'm not sure why you would assume that. But I hope you're still saying that come November 23rd and you haven't changed your tune that Vanderbilt is a worse team than WKU and S. Alabama (and consequently, there is no excuse for losing to them again). Otherwise, I might think you're just making baseless claims here to support a faulty argument.

I won't dispute that our defense has improved somewhat. But I'm not sure if it has been that significant. I guess it will seem more significant to me when it actually makes a difference in winning a significant game.
Click to expand...

I'm looking more at the teams they have beat....Austin Peay, U Mass, and UAB. The best of that sorry lot is UAB and they are only 2-4. I suppose you could say they had relatively close calls against USCe and Ole MIss, but I don't think Ole Miss is that great anyway.

I have said all along that if Butch Jones doesn't accomplish anything else, he will handle Vandy. They have not improved that much. The talent disparity between our two programs is huge. As bad a recruiter as Dooley was, we still averaged 15th in the country the last 4 years. Vandy is nowhere near that.

So yes, I will be feeling very good November 23rd, after we beat them down.

I also think it's pretty likely we get to 6-6 this year if not 7-5, and go bowling. But we will see.
 
#40
#40
definite improvement on D. also what about the different ways we have scored this year.. pick sixes, O taking advantage from forced turnovers into points, punt blocked for TD.. way more exciting than excruciating pain..
 
#41
#41
Defence is better by far...not just about stats. They dont seem as lost or as slow. Still some bad angles and missed tackles, but nothing was decent last year. We have the kids -- not Bama calibure -- but we have some talent and most importantly no Sunseri. I just cant help but imagine what last years team could have accomplished if we had stayed in the 4-3 and just played ball the way the kids were used to playing. Of course its better by far to imagine what this years team would be like with Bray, Patterson and Hunter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 people
#42
#42
Bluetic said:
Defence is better by far...not just about stats. They dont seem as lost or as slow. Still some bad angles and missed tackles, but nothing was decent last year. We have the kids -- not Bama calibure -- but we have some talent and most importantly no Sunseri. I just cant help but imagine what last years team could have accomplished if we had stayed in the 4-3 and just played ball the way the kids were used to playing. Of course its better by far to imagine what this years team would be like with Bray, Patterson and Hunter.
Click to expand...

Don't forget to show some love to White Lightning and Rivera!

Agreed on the 4-3 though. If Wilcox had stayed or if we had just gotten someone who stuck with the 4-3 as DC, we win 2-3 more games just on that. The talent on offense last year though, in the right hands, could've won the east.
 
#43
#43
Actually, in one sense, there's nothing to be impressed about because they aren't overachieving at all they are playing like they're supposed to.

I know that sounds mean or negative so let me say yes I'm still impressed haha.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#45
#45
Last yr I didn't have no confidence in our defense to make a stop. But this ur they have improved big time. GO VOLS!
 
#46
#46
It will be interesting to see what kind of cushion we give and the defense sets we show.
Should be a tell all type of game.
 
#49
#49
VolFan4Life87 said:
Don't forget to show some love to White Lightning and Rivera!

Agreed on the 4-3 though. If Wilcox had stayed or if we had just gotten someone who stuck with the 4-3 as DC, we win 2-3 more games just on that. The talent on offense last year though, in the right hands, could've won the east.
Click to expand...

I think he listed those 3 because they actually could have played this year (disregarding that Bray would be ineligible) while the other 2 were graduating and out of eligibility.
 
#50
#50
oregonvol said:
I wouldn't necessarily call 80th total defense (up from 107th last year) "unbelievable improvement", but I guess we all have different standards.
Click to expand...

As the offense improves, the defense will as well. Just watch. If we can start posting some decent TOP numbers and sustaining drives down the field instead of going three-and-out, it gives our D time to rest up and will ultimately result in better play.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top