Vol video
Audio
- Dave Hooker interviews WR Austin Rogers.
- Dave Hooker interviews DE Robert Ayers about UK QB Andre Woodson.
- Dave Hooker interviews QB Erik Ainge
- Dave Hooker interviews WR coach Trooper Taylor about Lucas Taylor.
- Dave Hooker interviews OL coach Greg Adkins.
- Dave Hooker interviews offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe.
- Drew Edwards talks to kicker Daniel Lincoln.
- Drew Edwards talks to offensive tackle Ramon Foster.
Event Details
- What: Tennessee at Kentucky
- When: Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Where: Commonwealth Stadium
- Cost: Not available
- Age limit: All ages
Tennessee Stat Book
If there's a blueprint for stopping Kentucky's potent offensive attack, Georgia followed it to the letter last week.
And Tennessee, which travels to Lexington for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff Saturday (TV: WVLT), was taking notes.
The 19th-ranked Volunteers know that to disrupt the Wildcats and their SEC-best passing game, they need to get quarterback Andre' Woodson on his backside.
"We got to do something," defensive end Robert Ayers said. "We got to hit him, pressure him, make him run, make him fumble the snaps, do something."
Georgia did something last week, sacking Woodson five times. The Bulldogs shut down held Kentucky's run game, too, allowing just 29 yards.
The result was Kentucky's lowest offensive output of the season at 283 yards and the Wildcats' first game below 300 yards of total offense in their last 16 games.
And, a 24-13 Georgia win.
"I think they changed it up," UT defensive backs coach Larry Slade said of Georgia's performance. "They got after the quarterback. The big deal is that they beat him up pretty good."
Unfortunately for the Vols, getting to the quarterback hasn't exactly been an easy thing to do this season.
Aside from its four-sack performance against Arkansas State, Tennessee hasn't had more than two sacks in a game.
Even worse, UT has just one sack and three quarterback hurries in its three losses to Florida, Alabama and California.
The Vols have only 14 sacks for the season, the lowest total in the SEC and a far cry from the Vols' record 50 sacks in 2000.
Defensive coordinator John Chavis says the blame shouldn't all be laid at the feet of UT's defensive front.
"Our guys have played well. I don't want it to sound like I'm being critical, because they've done a tremendous job," Chavis said. "But we're not accustomed to being at the bottom of the league in sacks. Part of our struggles are the fact that we're not as good rushing the passer as we'd like to be and as we've been in the past. That includes our pressure package, it's just not the guys in the front."
Some of it, too, falls on the secondary.
With three first-year players starting in the secondary - safety Eric Berry and corners DeAngelo Willingham and Brent Vinson - the Vols haven't been able to blitz as much as Chavis would like.
"A big part of what we like to do is pressure, and we haven't been able to do that at the level you need to in the SEC," Chavis said. "When you're sitting here with 14 sacks in 11 ball games, that's not good."
What would be good against the Wildcats and the SEC's top-ranked pass offense would be a few more sacks.
Even without sacks, Ayers feels like the Vols can be effective simply by disrupting Woodson.
"I've seen a couple of games when they got pressure on him, he threw some horrible passes," Ayers said. "Just throw it up and (defensive backs) made plays on them. That's what we want to do - force him to make bad throws.
"If he just sits back there, he's unstoppable really."
But pressure will be the key.
"Let's put it like this," Slade said. "It's very difficult to do your jobs when there is no pressure."
Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.
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Comments » 36
DenmarkVol_aka_Mbumburu writes:
Get MEAN and NASTY defense! Smash some mouths! We need RAGING MONSTERS who WILL NOT BE STOPPED...
DO YOU WANT IT ENOUGH? IF YOU LOSE THIS GAME, NO TRIP TO ATLANTA.
NOW GET AFTER IT!
OrangeTint writes:
Championship Saturday!!! The fans will be watching, the state of Tennessee will be watching, and the state of Georgia will be watching. I hope the Vols will lay everything on the field of play.
If they win or lose, they can say they gave everything they had to be winners in a game of football. Go Vols!!!
volgrog#210164 writes:
My prediction is that we will go to much more man-press than we have at any time this year. The key to getting more pressure with this group is putting more people in there to rush. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to apply pressure with 4 linemen to this point. We did a better job at times with Vandy.
Hopefully, the secondary is now ready to go man-up and let us send more people after Woodson. If we give him all day like we've given some QB's this year, we'll get eaten up.
If we don't give up special teams points or easy turnovers for TDs, TN 34 - UK 24.
tnmantravel#531151 writes:
bring the heat defense
what is this "we" stuff?
if we do this, if we do that....are you on the team? ever been on a football team?
aaaarrrrgggghhhhhh!!
jcherrie#219531 writes:
Find it? Is it lost?
The first thing I noticed - early - against Vandy was that the D wasn't beating off the blocks. If they were blocked at the start - that was it. Even when we were leading 6-0 I called my friend and said we were in trouble - because the lack of intensity was apparent.
If the D - stays with the play - and attacks - and wraps the arms - it will be a long day for Woodson.
If we stay flat-footed, tackle like Venus De Milo, and don't beat off blocks - Woodson will look like a pro QB.
CrankE writes:
Would it be fair to say that earlier in the season, we didn't blitz because the secondary was stocked with underclassmen?
We're in game 12 now and the label of freshman has to fade. The secondary has got to hold their own against UK's receivers so that some more bodies can get in there and get after Woodson.
Also, can we blow the cobwebs off the prowler defense? Isn't that the one with no down linemen on defense? Who's coming? Where are they coming from?
Attack!
Go VOLS!
jhen713#212078 writes:
I was at the game Sat. and got tired of watching a 4 man pass rush. it was 4 on 5 or 5 on 6 every time. I kept waiting for some blitzing once we got behind but it never happened. I hope they revamp the playbook for Kentucky. They need to pin there ears back and blitz the gaps!GO VOLS!!!!!!!
inquiry writes:
I think what Chief is saying in Coachola, is that unless Tennessee can outman an offensive front with an extra linebacker, we have little chance at all of catching a quarterback in a sack.. to do that means, one less person in pass coverage, and with 3 freshman still back there.. is that worth the gamble, play after play? We don't exactly have Reggie White or Little at Ends this year, so there's the problem with no rush for UT
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Pass rush! What a concept. I thought our season plan was to make Heisman candidates out of All-Americans like John Fitzgerald Kennedy Rumbottom Parkerhouserolls Wilson! Can you actually tackle the QB behind the line! So out of 2640 total minutes of football, we've done this 14 times. Sounds like enuf to me! We submited 6 (yes six) on defense for ll-SEC honors. That should have been Berry-Berry-Berry etc. Oh well, I digress, we're stumbling on toward Atl! Oh, that's after the Pottamus devours the Cats Saturday! I see, we win 34-14! (Don't ask me how)??
jhen713#212078 writes:
I'm not saying they need to blitz every single down. They need to mix it up with a few safety and LB blitzes from diffrent angles. Just mix it up a little and suprise them.
pete.broockman#629092 writes:
We have not been able to pressure anyone all year. What makes the coaches think that this game will be any different? Better plan on tryig to contain the QB, he can run! I wish ainge had just 10% of that scrambling ability. We can win with a good game on both sides of the ball. whoever turns over the ball most loses this one. GO VOLS!!
navyvolinva writes:
I know we are beat up and have injuries, what about thos cats?..Is there anyone battered this week?
OneTrueVol writes:
tnman - The 'WE' in reference not only includes the team on the field but the team of fans. If you have ever been to a football game then you know who the twelfth player is...The fans can turn a game quick. So we as a collective need to bring everything we got!
aaaarrrrgggghhhhhh!!
GreerVol22 writes:
The only real chance of a sack will come due to top notch secondary play. We cannot continue to play 15 yards off the line on receivers and expect to contain them. Jam them at the line to give the D-line another step or two, every else does it, why can't we?
seaplane#216536 writes:
This year I'd rather the Vols play a strong run oriented team then a strong passing team. There's been no push up the middle to hurry the quarterbacks. This one will have a field day if we don't mix it up and show them a defense they haven't seen before. That includes some unexpected blitzing.
GoVol writes:
Chief - go for it...do not leave anything behind. Turn KY into the Mildcats!!!! Go Vols!!
jweaver3#395614 writes:
It's time to blitz Chief. We can't let Woodson set back like John Parker, He will pick us apart.
Even Sanders can't screw him up with time to throw.
We need the young secondary to step up this week.
GO VOLS!!!
BEAT THE KITTYS
TXVOLSFAN
BigManVolFan writes:
Coach Chavis said the secondary has some blame too....If your DB's werent playing 7 yards of the LOS, maybe we could get a descent pass rush...who has time to rush when they throw a 3 yard hitch route?
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
I never make predictions about the vols winning, but I think that Phil will have them juiced to the max.
UT played 'not to lose' against Vandy; Vandy had the swagger.
Against UK, look for UT's D to get a few personal fouls and a LOT of pad-popping.
The only way to stop a team like UK is to pop every player, every play. Woodson is too good otherwise (just ask LSU, who got out-schemed).
mdvol writes:
My biggest concern is Ainge playing in 45 degree weather. He seems to be losing his accuracy recently. Cold temps and a slick ball won't help.
DenmarkVol_aka_Mbumburu writes:
GreerVol22, great points. "We cannot continue to play 15 yards off the line on receivers and expect to contain them. Jam them at the line to give the D-line another step or two, every else does it, why can't we?"
My guess is that we simply are not good enough to play man coverage. So Chavis and Slade stick with this soft zone. This whole "bend but don't break" and "prevent" defense often does neither. It bends and breaks and doesn't prevent all too often.
We had really better get after it Saturday. Is Woodson as good as Ainge in getting rid of the ball during a blitz?
Ainge himself is the reason we lead the nation in least sacks allowed. He simply won't allow himself to be tackled with the ball. He'll dump it to Foster or throw a screen or throw it away, etc.
Can Woodson pick up a blitz that well? Is he as good as Ainge is in making those split-second decisions? We'll see.
jcherrie#219531 writes:
marc_ash - I'd like to see us mix in a lot of zone blitzes - pressuring Woodson without selling out. I'd imagine that Kentucky will be using a lot of middle screens, quick slants, and draw plays to counter the blitz.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
Woodson is damn good at picking up the blitz. He is also mobile. Just to scare you, he is better than JP WIlson, maybe double....
Stop the run, pressure w/4 plus the occasional blitz, and hope like hell you can tackle.
A lead would be nice :)
I think UT plays EXTREMELY hard, this is a HUGE game for them.
DenmarkVol_aka_Mbumburu writes:
Yep, we seem to play well when either: 1) nobody in the nation thinks we can win, and 2) Fulmer's back is against the wall.
I hope the team that beat GA and AR shows up.
Stumps writes:
the defense should come in with some confidence on their side, that will help. The 4th quarter stand against Vandy was impressive. Blitz or not, pass rush or not, momentum is on their side. As far as Ainge goes, as long as TN can run the ball, that shouldn't be too much of a factor. As long as TN doesn't do something stupid like they did late in the 1st quarter and in the 2nd quarter against Vandy... come out with 4 wide and no backfield and pass every down.
go vols!
Vandylaw07 writes:
Our secondary gets torched game in and game out regardless of how much we blitz. Bring it anyway, and least you'll make Woodson pay when hits wide-open receivers.
99gator writes:
the "bad" tennessee showed up last week. the "bad" tennessee usually doesn't rear its head two games in a row so the "good" tennessee is bound to show up this week. kentucky is not the same team they were in early october either.
just worried about tenn's ability to win on the road this year.
good luck saturday. keep georgia out of the sec title game.
Happy thanksgiving to you all (especially orngejuiced)
cnalumni writes:
Woodson will have a record day Sat. Our secondary will be dizzy after the routes that KY receivers will run. Ut will win by pounding the rock.
DennisVols writes:
CrankE
I agree totally. There are no freshmen on this team now. We used to play only 11 games so game 12 would be the 1st game next year.
There have been improvements but much more will be needed this Sat. Getting our running game going and sticking with it will also be a key to winning this game. UT has to control the ball like they did in the Arkansas and GA games. Key the big play makers off the field for UK.
http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/Denn...
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Hmm, we're next to last in pass defense heading to Lexington. If we leave Lexington one position lower get ready for the Music City Bowl! Oh well, "we'll work harder to get better". Sure hope Berry don't get hurt. I was proud of his two face-mask penalities vs Vandy, at least he was trying!
invisiblekid writes:
I hope they don't get so caught up in pressuring Woodson and stopping the passing game that they forget about Little and Locke. The most impressive stat from the GA game last week IMO was 29 total yards rushing. It's easier to play pass defense when you make a team one dimensional. Little is a fine RB when healthy and Locke has some serious speed.
As far as the defense goes overall, I have resolved myself to the fact that there isn't a Little or Henderson, Haynesworth or Mahelona in the front four. Chavis' defenses are predicated on the front four being able to dominate to free the LB's up for pressure. I don't recall him ever relying on much blitzing from the secondary or going the zone blitz route. Could be wrong, but I think it's a little late in the season to really expect that now.
budrhon writes:
Just heard Kirk Herbstreit (Charlotte radio sports show) predict the Cats will prevail over the Vols ending the streak. LSU is in shock at what happens because they have to face Georgia in ATL. Wonder where that leaves the Vols as for as Bowls if that happens? Hope Herbstreit is wrong.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
alkhall- spank the midcats! I too lived in Ga for 14 yrs (Covington) and listened to zany dawg fans. They couldn't speak for over 30 seconds without mentioning Herschel! And Munson was God! Even though 3 of his biggest calls (run Lindsey run) he failed to mention the Dawgs scored. And the stupid woof, woof, woof! At least Rocky Top can be sung! It was nice to leave the land of the Dogs and return to the hills of Tenn! Go Vol, somehow beat the Cats!
JETnTN writes:
Get Mayo some looks at D End... he is a great pass rusher off the corner!! I have a feeling we will see some of that...worked in the past
Titan writes:
I predict that Chief will resurrect the "Cobra" defense. I don't recall seeing it in the past few years. I'm sure RS has advised KY offensive staff to be prepared for it.
invisiblekid writes:
TDTN, sounds good to me, I don't presume to know football any better than you or anyone else on here. Not meaning to denigrate Chavis in any way, I totally respect him as a coach, but exotic blitz packages isn't the first thing to stand out when thinking back over his career as DC with the Prowler being an exception. I always think of guys like Steve White, Will Overstreet, and Leonard little coming off the edge or Burnett and Simon shooting the gaps up the middle. I think you are right though in that we will see the defense "open up" more as they get more experience. I believe the biggest thing this defense needs to improve for next year is a serious upgrade in the front four.
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