Where are the freshman DBs?

[VOLSBEERS1992]

I am not one to typically be out on freshman or label them busts but all or most of those highly rated DB's we signed last year were early enrollees correct?

So they are scholarship guys who've been on campus 11 months, gone through bowl practices, full spring practice, full off season summer workouts, full fall camp, and now its deep into the season and we are playing walk on defensive backs over them?

Its not like we are talking about a kid that showed up in august not ready to be on the field in September.

Either those were all terrible evals, or our coaches are doing an awful job getting them ready to play.

 

[EastTNVol423]

Well Ricky Gibson played the best coverage on a Georgia receiver the whole game (outside of one play by slaughter). Gibson has shown that he has ability but this staff really likes playing older guys...

 

[Rocky Top T]

Ricky Gibson should be starting at corner

 

[bpalmer28]

Some people think they aren’t ready because they’re too young or that they don’t have a good enough surrounding cast to be successful. I don’t but either of those arguments. Ricky Gibson III is our most natural cornerback. He should have gotten more playing time this year. I haven’t seen enough from Jordan Matthews to have an opinion but he’s at least executed a corner blitz well

 

[Teeman]

One word. Martinez. I heard him on Vol Calls recently singing the praises of the older guys. Then Saturday against Georgia one of the announcers said UT can’t blitz because they can’t play man coverage. That must be true, because UT played soft coverage against Missouri too.

 

[Stevo1]

I know as fans, it's what we do, but you have to believe that coaches that see these guys everyday, and are much better evaluators than any of us, kind of know who should be on the field. It's possible that talent is just a part of the equation. I get as frustrated as anybody, but maybe what we see is the best 11 that we have available, and that the coaches believe give us the best shot at winning. I too find it hard to fathom sometimes, but it's these guys job and reputation on the line so you have to believe that they are doing what they feel needs to be done to win, and that includes the getting the best personnel on the field.

 

[UT_Tix79]

Freshman might have more natural talent, but they are freshman, and our defensive game plan is tough to pick up supposedly. They can play in limited roles, but we’d have to dumb down the defense for them to play full time

 

[GiveHim6InSC]

Well, it’s a lot to look forward to, as the old guys Martinez plays will be gone and the new ones will have the spring and summer to pick up the playbook

 

[TNStudMuffin]

Freshman might have more natural talent, but they are freshman, and our defensive game plan is tough to pick up supposedly. They can play in limited roles, but we’d have to dumb down the defense for them to play full time

That baloney they put out on the field is some sort of advanced defensive strategy? lol

 

[BruisedOrange]

In today's game, DB is not so much a position as it is a unit composed of 4-7 players who have to read, react, interact, switch, and handoff while making split second decisions--and all in coordination with the other DBs and LBs.

So just being a solid tackler and an effective cover man-on-man is only enough to get you into the position room. Each player has to be able to perform with split-second comprehension and effective communication with the rest of the unit, as well as be able to exhibit the physical skills.

I understand nobody wants to deep dive into the intricacies and complexities of the game at the players & coaches' level. But if you replay our offensive highlights from last season's Alabama game, you can see how easy it is to manipulate or confuse even experienced, 4- and 5-star DBs into touchdown allowing mistakes--even in the same game!

@ 03:30
@ 04:25

 

[Rocky Top T]

One word. Martinez. I heard him on Vol Calls recently singing the praises of the older guys. Then Saturday against Georgia one of the announcers said UT can’t blitz because they can’t play man coverage. That must be true, because UT played soft coverage against Missouri too.

Not on him, Banks is the problem

 

[Godfatha]

Been wondering the same thing. If my DBs are going to get beat, I'd rather young talent that can get better get beat then seniors who never had it and never will.

 

[BruisedOrange]

Been wondering the same thing. If my DBs are going to get beat, I'd rather young talent that can get better get beat then seniors who never had it and never will.

I think there's broad psychological agreement that you can learn from mistakes in technique or from nervousness, but making mental mistakes tends to compound the problem.

This is probably forgotten now (with so many using their GPS for navigation) but if you're old enough (or Luddite enough) you'll remember times when you took a wrong turn going somewhere, and thereafter whenever you'd come to that spot, you'd very likely repeat the wrong turn.

Your brain recognized this was a critical juncture, but your awareness only reinforced your memory of what you did--so your brain actually causes you to repeat the error.

That's why coaches don't want QBs and DBs making mental mistakes in games "...just for the learning experience." They'll put them out there with a limited number of plays or with limited options, so that they get the experience of doing it correctly. But they'll create a learning curve setback for the player if he gets in a situation he's not prepared for.

 

[sjt18]

Gibson is playing. Am I confused or wasn't Matthews nicked up? Conyer has played in 8 games probably ST's primarily. John Slaughter has played. I don't think Luttrell has played at all. Hurt?

 

[titansvolsfaninga]

That baloney they put out on the field is some sort of advanced defensive strategy? lol

I'm assuming YOU know how to play combo zone coverage and switch depending on the offensive formation?

 

[JRich]

Freshman might have more natural talent, but they are freshman, and our defensive game plan is tough to pick up supposedly. They can play in limited roles, but we’d have to dumb down the defense for them to play full time

Yeah... I don't know about this. I'm sure it's more complicated than high school (depending on where they went to high school) but DB work is still basically mano-a-mano and you go make a play on the ball.

 

[njvols]

Freshman might have more natural talent, but they are freshman, and our defensive game plan is tough to pick up supposedly. They can play in limited roles, but we’d have to dumb down the defense for them to play full time

This is probably true, but usually when we have top level DBs through the years, those talented individuals have found their way on the field early in their careers, many times as freshmen.

Not entirely sure if it's scheme or talent, but in our four losses, any time we've had a third and long (7+ yards), it's been almost an automatic first down. So frustrating to see us give huge cushions on critical downs. You could argue when we're averaging 35 points/game, that you can play safer and make teams drive the distance of the field...but when you're not scoring at that clip like this year, then more aggressiveness is needed...in my opinion.

 

[TNStudMuffin]

I'm assuming YOU know how to play combo zone coverage and switch depending on the offensive formation?

I don't have to.

 

[BruisedOrange]

Yeah... I don't know about this. I'm sure it's more complicated than high school (depending on where they went to high school) but DB work is still basically mano-a-mano and you go make a play on the ball.

The great thing about football is that it can be enjoyed by anyone, even kids or wives who don't yet know the rules.

You can also enjoy it at any level of appreciation for technique, play calling, or strategy.

Without messing with your enjoyment, I'd bet you and me both would be lost within 10 seconds, sitting-in on a conversation between Tennessee defensive backs or coaches, even if we'd studied the glossary and knew what all the terminology meant.

In the 3 seconds before snap through 3 seconds after snap, our DBs go through more mental processing than a family of 6 looking at a TGI Friday's menu for the first time.

 

[vol94]

Some people think they aren’t ready because they’re too young or that they don’t have a good enough surrounding cast to be successful. I don’t but either of those arguments. Ricky Gibson III is our most natural cornerback. He should have gotten more playing time this year. I haven’t seen enough from Jordan Matthews to have an opinion but he’s at least executed a corner blitz well

This. Some coaches have the “ Dean Smith” syndrome and won’t start freshmen. Michael Jordan was the only freshman that I can recall that started for Dean.

While they are young and may make mistakes, the freshmen who excel in practice need game reps. I noticed Bama starts a freshman o lineman. Plus some of the blue bloods give meaningful snaps to freshmen throughout a game. It may not be in the 4th qtr during a tight game, but they still get reps.

 

[bpalmer28]

This. Some coaches have the “ Dean Smith” syndrome and won’t start freshmen. Michael Jordan was the only freshman that I can recall that started for Dean.

While they are young and may make mistakes, the freshmen who excel in practice need game reps. I noticed Bama starts a freshman o lineman. Plus some of the blue bloods give meaningful snaps to freshmen throughout a game. It may not be in the 4th qtr during a tight game, but they still get reps.

Georgia and Bama both have freshmen starting in their secondary, although Bama's is a redshirt freshman I think. They both earned freshman all-sec honors.

 

[volfeeva]

That baloney they put out on the field is some sort of advanced defensive strategy? lol

I love the logic = we can't risk putting in freshmen DB'S because their youthful inexperience would result in giving up first downs and easy TD's, So we play older experienced DB's that give up first downs and easy TD's. We get the same result, the same losses , but at least we saved the freshmen from embarrassment ?

 

[TNStudMuffin]

I love the logic = we can't risk putting in freshmen DB'S because their youthful inexperience would result in giving up first downs and easy TD's, So we play older experienced DB's that give up first downs and easy TD's. We get the same result, the same losses , but at least we saved the freshmen from embarrassment ?

I'm right there with you. It's borderline silly. It's like with Joe at QB. We're in the second half and will almost certainly go 3 and out. Why not run the wildcat? Why not put in one of the other QBs? What, are you afraid we are going to lose, just like we will if we keep doing the same thing?

 

[Tnphil]

I could understand the youth inexperienced excuse if it wasn't for our current DBs getting their asses beat game after game and have been for 3 years. If you're going to get beat I'd rather have youth out there getting experience.

I'm beginning to believe Heupel sticks with older players across the board to show future recruits....Commit to us and get a starting job and you'll start to you leave....Might be his recruiting tactic. Lol

 

[jeff1vol]

Georgia and Bama both have freshmen starting in their secondary, although Bama's is a redshirt freshman I think. They both earned freshman all-sec honors.

Well... HUGE difference in the level of athlete and coaching. Got a LONG way to go, Boys and girls.