Strange: Vols seek fast fix to 3rd, short dilemma

Oh boy the coaches opened pandoras box with some of these comments and in particular the would of could of should of senerios. Bottom line the reason we can't convert third and one is because we are no longer committed to the run like we use to be. Teams don't respect our ability to just line up and play smash mouth.

Vol coaches think too much but they are not great thinkers. How can an offense that appears so simple and unfortunately predictable to the defense be made so complicated for Vol players? Seems it only works to keep the best talent off the field because "they don't yet have a grasp of the offense." Like being the fastest runner, but intentionally shooting yourself in the foot before the race.

Maybe they take a play out of other teams books and have a quick count on 3rd down, instead of being on the line and making sure we get the right play called. Quick snap and get a first down. Do something different!

I think we are shaping up to be a pretty good team, I also thinks we are gonna kick some gator butt this wknd, provided the D holds up

i think the college game is evolving towards an NFL style of play. you have faster athletes, with an emphasis on defensive speed and spread-offenses. the "smash mouth" style was a beautiful thing to watch, but defenses, particularly those in the SEC, have galvanized themselves against that style of play. i think that's what cutcliffe was alluding to. maybe, tn is not getting AS many NFL prospect athletes as it was in the 90's, but we've obviously got talent, it's just not as easy to "smash mouths" anymore...as far as saturday goes, i like chad's idea of a hurry up on 3rd & short. fla's d is young; catch 'em with their pants down. we witnessed that first hand @ cal when longshore quick snapped and threw to jackson for a td.
go vols

FOOTBALL IS NOT A COMPLICATED GAME IF YOU RUN THE BALL WELL YOU USE THE CLOCK UP AND KEEP THE OTHER TEAMS OFFENSE OFF THE FIELD. THIS USUALLY WEARS THE OTHER TEAMS DEFENSE DOWN AS THE GAME GOES ON. ITS A SNOW BALL GOING DOWN HILL. WE JUST DONT SEEEM TO BE ABLE TO DO IT LIKE WE USED TO IN THE LATE 90S. WHY WHO KNOWS?

You're right Darth, take away the Jackson punt return (-7 for Cal) and make the 3 yards that Foster left short of the goalline (+7 for UT) and score would have been tied at 38! I-kid is totally on track, we don't have the future NFLers on the line of scrimmage anymore to knock people off the ball. Either side of the line! The problem with the flare pass to the RB out of the backfield is that all the safeties and corners are up close for the short yardage. By the time the pass gets out to the flat, the corner has side stepped the inept blocking by the WR and is waiting on Foster. Make that first guy miss and he is gone. Don't, and he doesn't, and it is a loss of yardage.

Seven_pin, Lighten up.

3rd down on either side of the ball makes me pucker up.

I agree with Chad, tractor, and i-kid. Gotta mix it up. Now which gives opposing defense best chance to stop us: leave 'em guessing and they guess wrong, or point straight to what we are going to try and then attempting that? But my main beef with what we have been running is, if we think we gotta pass on 3rd and two, then send it at least 2yds down field, and not behind line of scrimmage. Play action pass to big tight end sounds good.

FYI, for all of you that are planning on watching the game on TV like me, get ready for verne lundquist to start ramblin on about how great the gators are, and won't mention one thing positive about the Vols. I ran into him last year after the bama game at chesapeake's in k-ville. He was kissing butt up to the tide fans in the restaurant. Oh how i LOATHE him! Every game, every year is different, but some things never change. Oh well, if it gets too bad, we can turn the TV down, and turn on Vol Network and listen to Bob Kesling.

I think it is that simple.. you have a great line against a new defensive front and linebackers.. they eat beef all year long for free and lift weights for 8 months out of the year.. we can't make a 1 yard gain after all that, we should be asking ourselves why not..

Don't be "cute" Cutliffe.. play Tennessee power football

Westennvol it will have to get pretty damn bad for me to listen to Bob Kesling.

Here's a 3rd and short idea. How about we line up with plenty of time on the play clock, and Ainge walk back and forth barking fake play changes, then as soon as he goes under center we snap the ball. I slight change of lining up quick and snapping, but mostly the same idea - catching the gators off balance.

Some do's and don't on third and short.
Never line up in the gun. Make the defense respect the run and commit to stopping it. Don't let them sit there and read the qb 3 yards deep. If it's a pass, take advantage of play action, which is pretty much ineffective out of the gun. (While I'm at it you should probably junk play action on third and long. Everybody knows you're going to throw it on third and twelve, and they're not gonna slow down one eye blink if you fake it to the running back.)

If you're gonna throw it, make sure the receiver is past the marker. The easiest tackle in football is for the defender to come up behind the receiver as he is making the catch and running laterally. No forward progress after the catch. My grandmother could make that tackle.

If you're gonna run it, use a lead blocking fullback, or give it to the fullback on a quick hitter, and run it behind your best run blocking lineman. And if you don't think you can make a yard running your best back behind your best lineman with a lead blocker, you shoulda stayed home and forfeited the game.

I think it has to do with predictability. I've been blasting the Vols' inability to convert because they aren't pounding the ball on the ground. They try these cutsie plays (see previous article). The truth, however, is that there are times to use such plays. It seems that the opponent usually knows what to expect from us, whether we run it, pass, or whatever. Why would that be?

you fans are freaking idiiots!!! "oh, we used to be able to play smash-mouth football"

Look at the defenses in the SEC. Every team out there has NFL-quality players. The SEC is so much better than it' ever been.

I'm no apoiogist for the vols. but I'll tell you this: on third or fourth down, you better run a play with some options because if you don't, you won't be coaching long.

...and I guess one more thing for you guys who are whining about the runs and play calls:

If you want to smash Phil, his recruiting style (linemen 1 year, receivers one year, qb's one year) is fair game. But if you want to criticise the kids who execute, or the coaches who call the plays, then you are a damned fool. Most of you would soil your pants being in front of 100k and on national tv doing this stuff.

ah, hell, it's useless, why did I waste the diskspace to post this.

oh, ok sheep, sorry to disappoint you. keep up you smashmouth, works every time. I'll bet you'll be the first one crying in your beer... oh shoot, sorry, that's bowling alley stuff. I meant, the first one spilling your martini when they don't make it ('why do they keep running it up the middle, can't they see the defense has 9 in the box').
Sigh.
look, seriously, all I'm saying is to give the coaches a break on this. It is a hard down and distance nowadays.