Event Details
- What: Tennessee vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
- When: Saturday, Nov. 3, 2007, time TBA
- Where: Neyland Stadium
- Cost: Not available
- Age limit: All ages
Tennessee Stat Book
Tennessee has outscored just three teams in the second half during its eight games this season.
In the SEC, the Vols have been outscored 79-36 in the final 30 minutes. For the season, UT has been outscored 106-85 in the final two quarters.
"I haven't studied it that way," offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe said. "Obviously we're not playing good enough long enough if that's the numbers. Nothing happens different schematically."
There's no arguing the results of Tennessee's offense in the second half nearly all season long.
The last two weeks have been particularly bad for the Vols after halftime.
After building a 21-0 lead against South Carolina, Tennessee went without a point until Daniel Lincoln's game-tying field goal with five seconds left in regulation.
In that game, Tennessee went three-and-out on five of its first six second-half possessions.
The week before against Alabama, the Vols went scoreless after cutting their deficit to a touchdown on the last play of the first half.
Wide receiver Josh Briscoe chalks it up to a lack of execution.
"We can't have three-and-outs the way we did in this last game and Alabama, from what I remember," says Briscoe, who missed the second half against Alabama with a concussion. "We can't have three and outs. We have to keep their defense on the field and ours off the field as much as we can.
"We just got to continue to try to have five-, six-minute drives at a time."
According to quarterback Erik Ainge, it's not a change in play calling.
"He calls the same plays, we do the same things," Ainge said. "It's just for whatever reason, we're not getting it done on those first few drives coming out of the second half."
Part of it has been UT's offense, which mustered fewer than 100 yards after halftime against South Carolina and only 145 in the second half at Alabama.
In the last two weeks, Ainge has thrown for just 178 yards after halftime.
In four games where the Vols led at the half, their opponent has outscored them twice (Georgia, South Carolina).
The Vols have won all four of those games, but Ainge wouldn't mind seeing a wider margin.
"We come out in the second half, and the mindset's different," Ainge said. "Whether you want it to be or not, it is. Their mentality's different.
"We need to have that killer instinct, where we come out third quarter and score a touchdown and make it 28-0 instead of 21-7."
Rogan Ready: Fulmer said Thursday that former Fulton standout Dennis Rogan had a good week of practice.
Fulmer said Tuesday that Rogan will return punts against Lafayette on Saturday.
"He's a talented young man," Fulmer said. "He's very conscientious. This is the right time to get him in the mix, and he'll add some real dynamics and excitement to our punt return team.
"I don't expect him to conquer the world. I don't think that's fair, but I think he can be a real plus for us."
Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.
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Comments » 23
gohawks1 writes:
"I haven't studied it that way," offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe said.
Isn't that what a coach is supposed to do?
eb502us#225637 writes:
Cutcliffe is clueless and if his play calling doesn't prove it, then his quote does. Fulmer needs to be forced to fire him at seasons end or let him stay on as a QB coach only. An OC he is not!!! Second half meltdowns are usually one or two problems.....either its a lack of halftime adjustments or a matter of conditioning and depth. I tend to believe it's alot of the former and some of the latter.
RangerForSix writes:
EB502US
I agree that in the 'second half', we often do not adjust as well as our some of our SEC opponents, so far.
Coaches like Cut, PF, and "thousands of successful coaches" throughout the land, tend to be able to 'out work' their opponents and 'out-scheme' them, most often "with a week" of preparation.
But, once the S#*t starts in the 2nd half, especially in the 4th quarter, they 'get scared', or 'conservative', or 'revert to habits', or 'go with what has worked before, in certain clutch/crazy 3rd and 8 plays', over their careers. 'Or any other way you wish to explain it.' You can see, it's hard NOT to see their point of view.
But..... "thinking outside the box", on the move, is the key to 'game coaching success' as much as 'conditioning', 'teamwork' and 'weight lifting'. Realizing that the opponents 'know every play you've called' in the last 5 or more years, in most "key situations".
And as for long scoring drives to protect our defense; NO!
A 'Scoring drive' is 'ALL' that matters. 1 play or 15 plays! And 'every defensive player' would agree to that, that I know.
Our coaching staff does a "great job" of preparing our team for combat! General McClelland was an amazing preparer of troops! Not so good in the chaos of combat.
General Thomas Jackson on the other hand was an unpredictable game planner, much tougher to get to, understand and beat. His opponents "respected his unpredictability", they didn't think he wasn't a great soldier because of it.
"All soldiers know, ANYTHING to win."
So coaches, for the last 6 games this season,(thinking positive) lets 'call the offense' 'the defense' and 'special team plays' like unpredictable General Stonewall Jackson, not the predictable General McClelland. Relax just a bit gentlemen, so you too 'can think absolutely clear'. Just like y'all expect for the players you place on the football field.
Just a thought...I also know it's hard to change.
But that's what you teach your players everyday.
"That Positive changes and hard work, will take you as far as you want to go!"
So...
Go VOLS!
Genuinely destroy this team with "amazing effort" and "execution" for 60 minutes, by every guy who has the privilege to step on the field as a UT VOL. Oh and "have fun doing it!!"
"Stay together no matter what!!!"
Volunteered writes:
The vol coaches' play calling has become stagnant and completely unimaginative over the last several years. They are amazingly predictable on both sides of the ball and are unwilling and/or unable to make necessary adjustments once the game starts. CPF doesn't know whos playing or not; Cut doesn't study game statistics; unbelievable! The players are inadequately coached and/or conditioned for 60 minutes of competition. How many teams have commented on the vols lack of conditioning and/or motivation after having beaten the vols (e.g., Nebraska, Clemson, Maryland, Kansas St., Penn St., Florida, LSU, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Alabama, Auburn, California)? The W-L record and other statistics of reliable indicators (including those cited in the above article) since 2000 bears this out.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
Funnny how after last year we christened David Cutcliffe the second coming of David Cutcliffe and rejoiced in the increase of scoring from the previous year. In fact, just before Alabama, we said things like "we'll score 35, will they".
Well, after two pitiful offensive outings we are ready to send him packing again. How quickly the tide turns.
Cutcliffe is a great offensive coordinator. The last two games stunk, granted. Look at the offensive jugernaut of U. Southern Cal. They haven't been hanging it up on ANYONE, but trust me... they will. Just because we stunk it up against Bama and against South Carolina (#1 pass defense in the nation) doesn't negate his accomplishments. The points will come and we will all be happy again.
VOLinDAWGland writes:
nicks:
same thing for Chavis...last few years when the O was down, Chavis was a hero, savior, yadayada...now he's a bum.
I'm getting better a skipping past the idiots who clutter this board.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
phillip.gilbert:
Right on! Same thing. Chavis had "national championship caliber defense" even in 2005 when the offense couldn't score.
All of the sudden, he has no potential to ever get it right again.
Everyone laughs at "stay the course" and "right the ship" but maybe, just maybe, these old ball coaches know a thing or two and may get it done.
vol4good#206163 writes:
I really think Coach Cutt and Chavis are great coaches who havent had to challenge themselves in awhile. Hopefully the third chance to win the SEC East will motivate them. This homecoming game should help some of the young fellas get ready for the 3 game run.
cgbtn writes:
Former players told John Pennington that the conditioning program for this team is a joke. Instead of Fulmer recognizing that his players are gassed in the second half, he accused Pennington of a cheap shot. In the articles after the SC game, the players said they were so tired they couldn't execute. SC surely didn't look tired to me.
seaplane#216536 writes:
This team needs to play like it's behind even with a 40 point lead with one minute to go. We don't need a "Prevent Offense".
GreerVol22 writes:
All you old schoolers know where I'm coming from when I say that for the past 40+ years UT gets a small cushion, sits on it, and plays defense. Its a Tennessee football tradition. We have won a lot of ballgames that way.
problem is, the D isn't capable of slowing anybody down these days. "Nothing happens different schematically" proves my first point. Playing prevent defense the entire second half with zero blitz' also aids my point. Its just dissapointing that this team shows a complete lack of aggression that other teams use to fuel their aggreession and then proceed to out play us.
finn writes:
nicksjuzunk, During Cutcliff's first tour at UT, he caught a lot of heat for being predictable and using Seaplane's 'Prevent Offense.' He was OC when I was in school & he had his share of critics then as well. In spite of some great O talent (Manning, Lewis..etc,) our offensive numbers were never 'great.' To someone better with stats, has a Cutcliff offense ever been ranked in top 20 nationally? He has done well with Ainge and our O has generally performed this season so I am not too down on the guy but I'm also not surprised to see a repeat of some of his old tendencies. I think he is a capable OC that can win with a good D behind him but not good enough to win consistently in a shoot-out.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
Air that junk out!! Ainge is great, however his passes have been too short. I think it is time to take off the training wheels and see if this bird can fly!!
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
sjt18:
Monk is a great receiver but has Dick gotten any better since last year? I could not believe what I was seeing when he threw the ball. It's kind of like the old Reggie Ball - Calvin Johnson thing.
What do you think?
firetst#220411 writes:
Few words about the second half:
conservative when we get a lead and too out of condition to hang tough.
kjneel#238751 writes:
He cant throw deep because of his pinky. The one that was supposed to take 4 weeks to heal. Take the F'in tape off already and throw it.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
I will reiterate what I have said in other posts, MacFad and Jones will get 300. Casey Dick must be himself and Monk must be rusty for us to win.
All of this is possible... maybe probable.
murrayvol writes:
Let's review:
Cutcliffe: "Nothing happens different schematically." Well, that's pretty obvious.
Ainge: "He calls the same plays. We do the same things." Again, that's pretty obvious.
Briscoe: "We can't have 3 and outs." Duh! That's real bad.
Second half performance boils down to conditioning, focus(execution), and making adjustments. I'm going out on a limb and saying that execution and lack of adjustments are the culprits here. That may not be catastrophic against LaLa U but it sure as hell will be when Ark, Vandy, & UK show up.
Ralph_Crampton writes:
Its time the Vols get them a mobile QB, the last time we had one, we won big...for a change, lets tire the the opposing defenses with pass-run QB, A pass-run guy could change the whole ball game...the stand-in-the pocket QBs we have had in recent can't buy a little more time to create havoc against defensive opposition.
invisiblekid writes:
"McFadden and Jones getting 300 is certainly within their capability... OTOH, they were stuffed by Auburn so there is a blueprint out there for getting it done."
SJT18, this sounds good in theory but I don't honestly expect the Vols to be able to follow that blueprint. Auburn, from what I have seen, is a fundamentally sound team that rankes in the top 20 of most every defensive statistical category. The Vols, well....their travails have been well-documented.
I made the comment the other day regarding the quote from Chavis getting the team off the field quickly. I think there are a couple of reasons we haven't seen that approach this season. The first is the issue of not trusting their secondary and the second is the lack of playmakers in the front seven. When these guys do get close to making a TFL or sack, it has resulted more often than not in a missed tackle. Given the fact that this defense is closing in on one of the worst defenses the Vols have fielded in 20 years or more, it would seem to warrant a change in the approach.
asleep#212036 writes:
Conditioning? Bull! Put any defense in the country on the field for almost 50 plays in one half and see what happens. Of course SC wasnt' tired - I've never heard of a tired offense, have you? Their D was off the field every two minutes, so of course, they weren't tired either. The real issue with our D all year starts with no offensive production after halftime. In all 3 losses, plus USC, the offense went completely south after halftime and left our D out there to get killed. I think the other teams make adjustments and our players don't. Surely nobody thinks Cutcliffe can't see what 's happening and adjust. Our recievers don't get separation or break off routes (inexperience) and our O-line can't run block 9 guys. End of offense! Time will heal that but will it be in time to get to Atlanta? Who knows? Go Vols!!!
RangerForSix writes:
My observations were not just for the last game, but for the last 4-5 years! Fulmer doesn't like to throw the ball deep, especially down the middle. Ainge can and has hit many guys 25 to 50 yards down the field.
Biggest problem with the 'deep ball' is you need 'an athlete to make a play on the football'. We don't have one guy who does that 'consistently'!
J. Swain was the last UT receiver to understand that if 'you can't catch the ball' at you, 'you do ANYTHING to make sure the other guy doesn't get it'. Our receivers are terrible at that one thing.
I watched the games again. Our wide-outs can't/don't get 'any separation' on the "one on one, I'm going to beat you plays".
Hell, if Ainge doesn't hit them right in the numbers, no completion! With a 65% completion percentage, Ainge isn't the problem, it's the 'get open' & 'make a play on the ball end.'
And...They are getting better.
I agree Ainge had a bad day throwing in our win over USC. 59% is not acceptable!
Ainge knows it, the kid will be 'throwing strikes' again all over the field our last 6 games. IF 'we get open', and 'catch the balls we're supposed to' and 'make genuine plays on the football', we'll win all 6!!!
Go VOLS!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Our LBs should have to pay for a ticket! The great view of opponents going by them is priceless! Karl said he'd lost a step, but thought he was getting it back. If he was any slower he've have to leave his dorm on Thursday to get to Neyland for Saturday's game! We leave our DBs out on a limb with NO pressure! I hate to say it but Chavis's time has passed. 89th in the country! WHEW! Help! Go Vols!
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