Understand what actually happened

[wNCeTNnGAVOL]

So here is my take on it. At preseason the Vols at best 10-2. Good year 9-3 but more than likely 8-4. So hats off to they young men for going above and beyond what has been expected, and keeping a level head. These are kids with more pressure than 99% of us fans. So let’s keep it in perspective and keep pulling for these kids who are doing their best. We all need to remember too it really is just a game and it’s about the fun of it. Let’s not make it more than it is and always remember these are kids. #GO VOLS

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

Kirby made some early coaching mistakes at Georgia, especially with Alabama.
He was not going to do that with Tennessee because he knew if he did not have ball control in the 2nd Half that Tenn was capable of putting up 3 touchdowns in a matter of minutes.
So yes he went Conservative to control the Game and to slow it down. Wise Move. It is simple why throw it around in the Rain and risk blowing a lead.

The Template has always been there. The execution of it with Average Athletes is another Story.

You have to have the jimmys and joes to execute it like Georgia, Kirby has grown as a coach

 

[hUTch2002]

So UT made it rain?

No but do you think coaches make adjustments at halftime?

 

[hUTch2002]

The deep ball was because it was 3rd down and gave the O a chance to hold the ball with no danger or giving TN good field position. If it was intercepted, the defending interceptor would have been pinned to the sidelines 40 yards down the field. An interception would have effectively served as a punt but a completion there closes out the game.

If you've watched UGA at all this yr, you would know that when Kirby gets a big lead in the 2nd half, he starts what has become known as the death march and tries to shorten the game. In most cases the opposing D wilts and more points are scored but it was obvious once the rain came that Kirby was placing more importance on ball security and the clock than chasing stats and scores. It was 100% complimentary football.

I agree it was doing what UGA does and playing smart football. It had absolutely nothing to do with being merciful or letting their foot off the gas.

 

[DukeDaisySam]

No but do you think coaches make adjustments at halftime?

Sure they do. When it starts raining and you have a 4 score lead, you take your foot off the gas. Run the ball, bleed the clock, take care of the ball, win the game.

 

[84Volfan]

I know the punt was huge. The missed deep balls were huge. The weather was huge. The crowd noise was huge. But for me the biggest play of the game was when Banks missed the interception. Looking at a whole different ball game then imo

 

[Visiting Dawg]

I agree it was doing what UGA does and playing smart football. It had absolutely nothing to do with being merciful or letting their foot off the gas.

Exactly. UT entered the game as the #1 team in the nation. Mercy would never be a consideration and getting out with a win, whether 1 point or 30 was the only goal. KIrby started running clock when the rain started for one reason and one reason only, he thought running clock and limiting UT's possessions was the best route to a win.

 

[BAMA-DAWG]

They gave us the underneath stuff. We wanted more though. If we have to play them again, which would be great, take what they give you. It will require discipline to not go deep...but we had everything we wanted under 7 yds.

Dont you think that forces you out of what it is you like to do? I think UT knew that UGA's D would get more stops to end drives than UT's D would. Heupel likes to score first and score fast. That's how his team is built.

 

[aaronvol]

Dont you think that forces you out of what it is you like to do? I think UT knew that UGA's D would get more stops to end drives than UT's D would. Heupel likes to score first and score fast. That's how his team is built.

That's one way to look at it. But, when you're on the road in an environment that's difficult, playing against really good talent, and having an off day...you take what you can get. We could have continued running and dinking and dunking. UGA was defending against every big play possibility. We could have dinked and dunked a bit more. That's all I'm saying.

 

[volfan2024]

Talking with my uga grad neighbor earlier he said # 88 had been nursing injury had played 5 snaps then 18 snaps previous games but played 48 snaps against us and totally disrupted our offense.

 

[hUTch2002]

Sure they do. When it starts raining and you have a 4 score lead, you take your foot off the gas. Run the ball, bleed the clock, take care of the ball, win the game.

Or, it’s called UGA doing what UGA usually does, playing smart yet still trying to score. It’s not like they were trying to be merciful or not score. By the way, they never had a 4 score lead. I know math is hard.

 

[hUTch2002]

Exactly. UT entered the game as the #1 team in the nation. Mercy would never be a consideration and getting out with a win, whether 1 point or 30 was the only goal. KIrby started running clock when the rain started for one reason and one reason only, he thought running clock and limiting UT's possessions was the best route to a win.

It wasn’t as bad of a beat down as what you all did to Oregon but it was a pretty thorough whipping. Y’all have a better roster that came out and played hard and well for 60 minutes. We didn’t play well, mostly due to you all having a good plan that you executed. That’s it. Part of that plan was to run clock and keep us off the field. That’s being smart. I don’t understand why some want to make it out to be anything more.

 

[DukeDaisySam]

Or, it’s called UGA doing what UGA usually does, playing smart yet still trying to score. It’s not like they were trying to be merciful or not score. By the way, they never had a 4 score lead. I know math is hard.

UGA was MUCH more concerned with taking care of the football and bleeding clock than they were with scoring. If you cannot see that then you are completely delusional. Would they have taken the points if they had broken an 80 yard run? Or put together a 14 play drive (13 runs, 1 pass)? Sure they would have. But were they going to put the ball in harms way, in the rain, with an insurmountable lead? No they weren't.

 

[Remy]

Vols must finish business. No letdowns against Mizzou. if we stumble against mizz it really puts a damper on a fantastic season.

If we do not and I believe we will, it will be a lot like Butch Jones 2nd 9-3 season where the wheels fell off at season's end.

 

[Probably_in_Class]

Georgia showed the SEC the template for shutting Tennessee's offense down. Georgia could have scored as many as they wanted against our defense, Kirby went conservative in the 2nd half during the rain so they could maintain their lead and not turn the ball over.

Georgia showed how to slow down our offense, but no one else in the country has the horses to execute it like they did.

 

[volfeeva]

"Hooker had a bad game">>>>>>yes, because he was rushed all day. And the pocket collapsed around him most of those blitzes. Maybe he over threw cause the receiver had a defender on him and he was hoping he'd out run the guy if he just threw it where it was a little long, but out of reach for being intercepted .

 

[bpalmer28]

"Hooker had a bad game">>>>>>yes, because he was rushed all day. And the pocket collapsed around him most of those blitzes. Maybe he over threw cause the receiver had a defender on him and he was hoping he'd out run the guy if he just threw it where it was a little long, but out of reach for being intercepted .

Meh... he was sacked one time in the first half after he held onto the ball for 4.5 seconds. The passes he overthrew, he normally hits. We had guys open. Not as frequently as we normally do, granted, but we had opportunities. We probably would have had more opportunities if we didn't have 8 false starts.

 

[bpalmer28]

They gave us the underneath stuff. We wanted more though. If we have to play them again, which would be great, take what they give you. It will require discipline to not go deep...but we had everything we wanted under 7 yds.

I think we actually tried to do that and just couldn't. I'm thinking of one pass to Hyatt on 3rd down. It was like a 6 or 7 yard curl route and Hooker bounced it to him. The false starts were just brutal. It's hard to dink and dunk your way down the field when you need 15-20 yards for a first down. That's why I want a rematch on a neutral field so bad. Take the false starts out of it... now what happens? I'd like to know.

 

[rocytop2624]

It was the punt. The punt changed everything. We started off getting a stop. And we should have scored a TD. But that punt prevented us from
Having a slug fest.

That punt was the first punt I have ever seen that was a momentum killer. If the returner catches that at 30 he is on there side of the field and we get a touchdown and it could have been a different game.

 

[BAMA-DAWG]

That's one way to look at it. But, when you're on the road in an environment that's difficult, playing against really good talent, and having an off day...you take what you can get. We could have continued running and dinking and dunking. UGA was defending against every big play possibility. We could have dinked and dunked a bit more. That's all I'm saying.

True. Kirby was content to allow you to earn that. He could not afford you any explosive plays. Down 2+ scores, UT was playing against the clock as well.

 

[BAMA-DAWG]

That punt was the first punt I have ever seen that was a momentum killer. If the returner catches that at 30 he is on there side of the field and we get a touchdown and it could have been a different game.

Yes. It energized the defense. And after your punt resulted in a short field, the offense capitalized. A huge momentum swing.

 

[JRich]

I haven't read any posts that say HH sucks all around, but saying he performed poorly is fair. It happens to everyone.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Georgia showed the SEC the template for shutting Tennessee's offense down. Georgia could have scored as many as they wanted against our defense, Kirby went conservative in the 2nd half during the rain so they could maintain their lead and not turn the ball over.

That "template" doesn't work with ordinary defensive players. If it did, Vandy would beat us.

 

[hUTch2002]

UGA was MUCH more concerned with taking care of the football and bleeding clock than they were with scoring. If you cannot see that then you are completely delusional. Would they have taken the points if they had broken an 80 yard run? Or put together a 14 play drive (13 runs, 1 pass)? Sure they would have. But were they going to put the ball in harms way, in the rain, with an insurmountable lead? No they weren't.

I don’t think they assumed the lead was insurmountable as 3 score comebacks happen all the time. And if you think we made no adjustments at the half then you’re delusional.

 

[Delmar]

Exactly. UT entered the game as the #1 team in the nation. Mercy would never be a consideration and getting out with a win, whether 1 point or 30 was the only goal. KIrby started running clock when the rain started for one reason and one reason only, he thought running clock and limiting UT's possessions was the best route to a win.

He certainly wasn’t going to do it from a mercy standpoint. Nobody is doing that. But when you go conservative because of the rain and only throw 4 passes in the second half against a secondary that would have trouble covering me, isn’t that taking the foot off the gas? Showing mercy is not the only definition of “taking the foot off the gas”. You do it to shorten the game and not give a potent offense a chance to find its rhythm and that’s what Smart did. Good plan. Hopefully we get another shot at solving it.