Florida Gators
Tennessee's receivers know the talk surrounding skill-position players in Saturday's SEC opener against Florida at Neyland Stadium.
It's all about Florida's speed. Moreover, it's all about the Gators, period.
"I'm sure we take it personally," UT receivers coach Latrell Scott said.
Such talk amid the pre-game hype is understandable.
Florida's players have the national championship jewelry and the talent (i.e. aforementioned speed) to back it up.
UT, however, believes it has shown enough depth in its receiving corps to dictate Florida's coverage.
Thanks to UT's depth at receiver, Scott believes the Vols will see more man coverage and little two-safety defenses when the Gators come to town.
That should give the Vols ample opportunities to make plays downfield.
"It gives us a little more of a luxury, but we've got to be able to win versus man coverage," Scott said.
It's not as if the Gators aren't well versed in playing press-man coverage. In fact, it's their specialty.
"We know Florida's going to come in and play man-to-man and try to challenge us at the line of scrimmage," said senior receiver Josh Briscoe, who estimates that Florida will play press coverage 70 percent of the game. "We have a lot of guys that can beat press coverage.
"We just have to go out and execute."
Which is easier said than done. Beating press coverage requires quickness, speed, strength and - maybe most importantly - the mind set to do so.
"You've got to believe you can do it before you can actually go out and do it," Briscoe said.
Scouting Report: Defensive tackles coach Dan Brooks knows Florida well, having coached against the Gators at UT for more than a decade. He also knows that it's the unknown to be wary of.
"We always get something from Florida that we haven't seen much of in the first couple of games," Brooks said.
As usual, Florida hasn't had to go deep into the playbook to best its first two opponents. The Gators beat Hawaii and Miami by a combined score of 82-13.
Brooks suggested that the surprise this weekend may come from Emmanuel Moody, the Florida tailback who transferred from Southern Cal.
Moody has played in one game this season, carrying the ball twice for 2 yards.
Moody or not, Brooks knows he has plenty to defend.
"As far as raw speed, they're right up there at the top with anybody you've ever had to prepare for," Brooks said.
Making Sense: It is widely known that the team that rushes for the most yards in the UT-Florida series almost always wins the game.
Senior tailback Arian Foster suggested that is the case because the better rushing team is regularly the more physical team.
"It goes back to the days of Vince Lombardi and leather helmets," Foster said. "Rushing the football is a big part of the game. It helps you build confidence on offense and demeans a defense.
"If you're known as a physical team, you're probably known (as such) because you can stop the run and run the ball."
Junior tailback Montario Hardesty believes UT can be that sort of team Saturday.
"I hope that we showed the coaches how we can run the ball, how the O-line is playing up front, that they'll have more confidence in running the ball," he said.
The Vols are averaging 5.9 yards per carry. Hardesty said that success is a result of a physical spring practice.
Slow and Steady: UT fans fond of an attacking defense may not like what they see on Saturday.
Senior linebacker Ellix Wilson predicts the Vols will play deliberate at times against Florida's option attack.
"We all just have to slow down, slow down our reads," Wilson said. "You just can't be moving so fast. They'll misdirection you. The spread offense is hard to defend.
Practice Report: Receiver E.J. Abrams-Ward continues to run UT's scout team, as he did last week to prepare the Vols' defense for UAB.
Try as he might, there's only so much Abrams-Ward can do to simulate Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.
"You can't simulate him because you don't have one of those guys," Brooks said.
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Comments » 49
SmokeDog72 writes:
"We all just have to slow down, slow down our reads," Wilson said. "You just can't be moving so fast. They'll misdirection you. The spread offense is hard to defend.
Good luck getting Florida to slow down so you can make your reads. I'm seeing an 8 yard pick up before somebody puts a hand on 'em. Not real encouraging.
WaltGoVols writes:
First?
gnm53108 writes:
To win,which I believe we can,we are going to have to be physical.
Pound the rock,run it till the wheels fall off,gut check time.
Hit anything not in orange and white.Hit em hard.
Repeat till clock reads 0.00
Go VOLS!
SmokeDog72 writes:
Walt,
Take the "first" crown. I will always refuse.
On a more serious note, if you watch the interview with Chavis he talks about players making faster reads against Florida's offense. Wilson is talking about slowing down to make reads. Is this our D-coordinator throwing up a smokescreen........?
No, I just think that the players are realizing they may have a better shot at beating Florida by ignoring the coaching!!!!
MrBamSeydu writes:
I'm pretty sure deep down inside, everyone knows what's going to happen on Saturday.
Don't give yourself false hope that UT will win. I'd rather go into it knowing we don't have a chance and that we will get blowed out. At least that way, if we only lose by 3 TDs I can say "well, it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be!"
rblakeh writes:
Instead of making reads, I'd like to see each defender get assigned an offensive player. If it looks like the ball is going to that person, hit him. Don't hesitate to see if he has the ball or not. That's letting the offense dictate to you what your defense is, and as soon as you hesitate, the play is 10 yards past you.
Just my two cents. I'm obviously not a coach.
volfan007 writes:
Let's all hope that we dont get a lead at halftime, because if we do, then we'll see the Mustang package in the second half. And then, Tebow will have Heisman numbers by the time the game ends, and we'll be seeing gator chomps...lots of them.
SmokeDog72 writes:
volfan007,
Amen. Never seen another team go prevent when up by 3 with a quarter and a half left to play. Damn frustrating to watch.
BigVolinCarolina writes:
Volfan and SmokeDog are spot on.
I've always wondered why we play so much zone defense when we've heard how good our secondary is. If our secondary is that good, then why don't we play man-coverage and put the other 7 in the box and rush?
I think we might know the answer (hint: that our DB's as a group aren't as good as advertised).
SmokeDog72 writes:
BigVolinCarolina,
I think you are half right. I think our safeties are solid (particularly in closing speed). But, I am not sold on corner play being any better than the last few years. Vinson may be an exceptional athlete but he has not had an impact this year. The others (Rogan, Johnson, etc) are average.
rblakeh writes:
Rogan is doing well for a rookie at the position, and Willingham had a great pick against UAB. I think our secondary is solid enough to play man, especially with Berry roaming the field to clean up messes.
bluetick writes:
7 interceptions in 2 games and tied for 2nd in the country ISN'T talking about a bad defense.
Posted by volfan007 on September 17, 2008 at 11:44 p.m.
NICE CALL!
And yemmusdork... please change your name to Iam_aloser pls. Nobody wants to hear your crybaby @ss. Go pull for another team and stfu.
volnga writes:
There are going to be some hard hits in this game,and i believe it will come from our DDD.
cdonsbach writes:
Good article, Hook!
GO VOLS!
volunteers4life writes:
I have also noticed along with many of you that Chavis and Fulmer seem to stick to a rigid guideline whenever we get a lead no matter how minor it is. Slow down the tempo, each offensive possession run the same play that doesn't work three times then let the defense do the rest. Defense is evidently required to play a deep zone with a mandatory 5 yard cushion and we are not allowed to apply any pressure to the quarterback. This is probably the reason that soooo many of our games end in OT or by some insanely close margin. I personally feel that in the SEC, with as competitive as it is, to be effective you have to turn the engine on and leave it on until the game is over. I understand that there is some skill in good clock management, running the ball to burn time when your ahead and often, at least the way that TN does it, this makes for some exciting, edge of your seat games. But frankly many of these games should never have been so exciting in the first place. Many times, we threw away the opportunity to slam the door shut had we just not turned off the power. My guess is Fulmer figures that if he loses a game by being overly aggressive with the play calling it will just give his detractors more ammunition to use against him. I just think that the only way we win Saturday is by looking at any lead as fleeting and race for another one like its the cure for baldness. Florida is going to score and usually pretty big numbers so, we cannot let them back in it if we get them out of it in the firstplace. GO VOLS! PLEEEEAAAAASSSSEEE BEAT FLORIDA B/C I CANNOT TAKE ANOTHER WHOLE YEAR OF DISAPPOINTMENT!!!!!!
smokedoctor writes:
Im just going smoke one an try an enjoy the game.
dirtdobber1 writes:
Sounds like good time to deploy the MUSTANG PACKAGE.
CoverOrange writes:
I wish they would stop with the "most rushing yards wins" phooey. Isn't that true of most games? And isn't it true that the team that falls behind (UT) passes more to catch up?
GreerVol22 writes:
It doesn't mean squat if JC turns and trips over Foster...
Lofton4Three writes:
Wonder if Mike Hamilton has sent out an email to Sony, Vizio, Samsung, and others to demand that HD be dropped so he can fill Neyland Stadium? Nevermind that we have settled for complacency and now 8 wins is enough...that's not the problem. The problem lies in those darned HD televisions...stupid 21st century...
Volalumnus writes:
I'm sure we take it personally," UT receivers coach Latrell Scott said.
.....well do you or don't you!!!!!!
No speed limit and Chavis and company will be inviting record speed tests instead of trying to put an outright halt to trespassing on Shield-Watkins field.
In the mean time, we will have trouble getting open and if we do, our QB will be 15 yards off.
Unfortunately that is what has been shown so far this season to expect against a solid program.
Moaninglikeheck writes:
One glimmer of hope comes from having an all new offensive staff, in the sense that the Florida monkey has never been on their backs. They have a fresh perspective and the fear/intimidation may be less of a factor.
If Clawson does indeed have a special gameplan (which leans on a solid ground game), and if Foster, Hardesty and Co. fire on all cylinders, and if Crompton just calms down and doesn't try to force anything, our offense should be productive.
Our defense is solid...when Chavis lets it be. Just say NO to Mustangs. Camaros are better anyway.
waterskier3#226480 writes:
fla was overrated last year and we got torched because our team quit and coach cut had a BS plan for the second half of that game. they may be overrated again this year and we get them at home so if we can get a little offense going who knows... but i do remember the last time they were here and in the 4th qtr we went prevent and lost the game :) chavis no prevent in 2nd half
if we drop to 1-2 with the games coming up.... man it could be a long season to wear orange......
pax_americana writes:
1. With this coaching staff, there is simply no way we beat Florida because in order to do so, we would have to play bump and run and constantly blitz to put pressure on Tebow. The constant pressure also can disrupt their around-the-end wide receiver hand offs. And, other than Tebow himself, they don't run up the middle. On offense, our run-pass ratio would need to be 2-1 run, but, apparently, Clawson and Fulmer believe, notwithstanding two games of evidence to the contrary, that Crompton is the second coming of Manning, i.e. 40+ passes against UCLA. Because neither of these are likely to occur, FLA 41 - UT 17.
2. I have undergraduate and post-graduate degrees from UT and love everything about it dearly, including our deep and rich football tradition. In that vein, it has taken me a while to come around to the Fulmer-must-go-at-all-costs viewpoint, but I am now firmly ensconsed in that camp. Simply stated, until Fulmer is fired or resigns this program will be perenially 8-4 or 9-3 with the occasional 7-5 or 6-6. The game has simply passed him by, on both sides of the ball. Yet, I truly respect what Fulmer has done for the University and would like to see the matter handled with class; nevertheless, he has to go.
GoVol writes:
Pax - agree with you 1000 percent!! Nicely said.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
pax -amer 10:08 - many eyes have been opened.
greervol 8:44-two players coliding in the backfield does show true agility garnered only thru solid coaching.
To a national TV audience, thus our lofty ranking.
pdlawyer23 writes:
Remember back in 1998....
Tee was only completing 35-40% of his passes. He managed the game (whatever that phrase means)against Florida and was like 7-18 passing for over 100 yards. Running game was limited to Bryson's big run (60 yards). However, defense was incredible and the breaks fell our way.Keep in mind we have beaten Florida 5 times in 16 tries since the SEC realignment. Wioth all that being said Crompton is not a Tee Martin and the defense this year is not 1998's. I am just tryng to be optimistic...Now I am going to get some work done.
richvol writes:
Chavis has really never been able to stop Florida effectively. Even the 2001 game we won at the swamp we had to outscore them...which is very rare in this series. That team had several future pro players on it and Chavis still could not gameplan well.
Whenever we manage to beat Florida we have just squeaked by. They, on the other hand, have beaten us badly several times. This alone should tell you what kind of job the coaching staff has done.
jasonn1970 writes:
Tennessee must hit big plays when the Gators stack the line to shut down the run. And I'm not talking about 5 yard outs either. If they hit a couple of big plays to loosen things up they need to pound the rock relentlessly. And not allowing Florida to make HUGE special teams plays would be nice, though I'm not so sure they can accomplish that one.
givehim6 writes:
We know the receivers want to be in the game and contribute and some do, although if you had some one good throwing to you would help. For now just block, run, block, run. GO VOLS!
SewaneeTiger writes:
I just hope we can avoid committing too many mistakes. The story of many a lost Florida game has been drive-killing, morale-dampening mistakes.
When we don't fumble, trip, commit stupid penalties (think <<offsides>>) or throw interceptions, our perennially talented VOLs have been hard to beat over the years.
If our boys' heads are in the game and focused on doing their jobs and they refuse to quit, we can win the game.
volguy41nlouisiana writes:
Never have i seen so much whining and beotching about a team you call your own. You guys are so petrified of Florida its ridiculous. Yeah they kicked our azz last year. Broke our hearts in 05. Won in 06 as well. But we all know that at least two of em couldve and shouldve gone our way. However we take our worst beating after just being down 28-20, and its nothing but doom and despair. Even to the point of predicting the score, against us. Why even go out there, our coaches are horrible, our players are scared or will quit. My god, just stay home and do some laundry or something. BS!!! This is our house. Get nasty. Do not take one ounce of shite from Florida. Punch first, and dont stop til the last horn. WE will win this game. Our O line is gonna be unreal. The D will be on ESPN hi lites for a month (busting up receivers and ints) Join me here Monday for some CROW pie. Have a litle faith. Its easy to take the safe route and pick against us. It takes a true FAN to see that we can win and will. Go Vols
Lofton4Three writes:
Not afraid of Florida...I'm afraid of The Vols that are lead by Fulmer.
volguy41nlouisiana writes:
Well hes the leader for the time being. So get behind the guys or get outta the way. It is what it is. WE will win Saturday. Time to stop the naysaying and back our boys
Lofton4Three writes:
And have a glass of Kool-Aid guys....makes the losing go down easier!
VolGraduate writes:
Go Vols!!! kick the chit out of the gators
wagee12 writes:
A realistic accessment of the situation at hand is not nay-saying. Foolmurr's record vs. Florida is a pathetic 5-10 and his record vs. Meyer is 0-3. These records were compiled when the talent levels were about equal. Florida has hauled in top ten recruiting classes every year since Meyer's arrival. Two of Foolmurr's last three classes have been anemic at best. Obviously, all these guys would love to see the Vols smack the Gators around, but do you really believe that is what will happen?
BNR10 writes:
Man Im tired of all this Gator talk I want the game to be here already!
volguy41nlouisiana writes:
Wagee12...of course I think that. Im a fan. I dont care about the past. Just this Saturday. Ive moved on from last year, the UCLA game, and the UAB game. If coaching changes etc dont get settled in the off season, then there is no reason complaining now. Nothing will change during the season. All im saying is this is just some guys wearing Florida jerseys going up against my guys wearing Tennessee jerseys. Yeah, theyre coach has owned mine, but I will think every year we will beat them. I truly beleive that this year.
jeremyinitalia writes:
volguy41:
You just keep pushing against that mountain...it's a valiant existence. Until there is a major change in the program any major win will be nothing more than a flash in the pan. We are a mediocre program with flashes of prior glory (GA 2007, Cal 2006) and a few complete disasters (UCLA 2008, Cal 2007, AR 2006, FL 2007, AL 2007). The sad thing is the overall trend is a slow death...like frogs in hot water.
pammyvol1000 writes:
I'm not walking the fine line here like some..
I love the Vols but.. we can't win kind of post.
Analyst trying to give their best perspetive..
I say let's just ALL be Big Orange fans and talk about how our guys are gonna smash some gator mouth and beat up some gator tail.. hmmm.. whatcha say.. come back now.. Let's get fired up.
LasVegasVol writes:
I'm in, Pammy! Support the kids on the field playing their guts out. The heck with the guys with the guts wearing headphones.
It's football time in Tennessee!
volball7222 writes:
Florida lost 4 times last year.
Tennesse lost 4 times last year.
We lost early last year while we were so green in the secondary.
The Orange are much more mature on defense than last year and have many more offensive weopens than last year.
Vols in 60 minutes of intense football....by 6 points.
pammyvol1000 writes:
Well Alrighty then LasVegas Vol!!
Rocky Top you'll always be.. home sweet home to me..... Good ole Rocky Top.. Rocky Top Tennessee.
Believe me that's pretty good. You should hear me in person..
I am driving my dawg friends crazy this week..
I'm known as Miss Tennessee at work all the way to the top..:)
pammyvol1000 writes:
Remember..
in Knoxville..
21-20
nuff said
MustangPackage101 writes:
If we do lose and see another unprepared ut football team on saturday, would Phil's 0-4 start against Urban Meyer be grounds for firing?
beef4davols writes:
oldsouth: A flag route is a sideline route, but what you are saying is right...a team can make a living in the middle of the field!!!
rockytop4ever writes:
Im tired of hearing all this stuff about Floriduh has better athletes and more speed. Speed doesnt matter when you are laying flat on your back! Hit em in the mouth guys! Vols by 1. 35-34.
lovinwk writes:
Cry "Havoc!" and let loose the VOLS of War!!!
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