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One of the many surprises in a surprise-filled 2008 Tennessee football season: 43 passing attempts in the season opener against UCLA. It was an alarming stat for a team breaking in a new quarterback, a new offensive coordinator and a new offense.
And it’s a stat new UT coach Lane Kiffin wouldn’t want to repeat this September.
Kiffin on Tuesday reiterated his commitment to running the football. His passion for the running game emanates from his brief stint as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders.
“I became a much better run-game coach there, and how important it is for your team — if you’re going to be a physically dominant team — and for your defense for you to be a great running team. So I’m very committed to the running game.”
The stats confirm his commitment.
“For four straight years, Oakland had never been over 29th (NFL ranking) in rushing,” Kiffin said at Tuesday’s media conference. “We went to sixth the first year there.”
That wasn’t a continuation of what he did as an offensive coordinator at Southern California.
“If you have never been a head coach, you just see things from one perspective,” Kiffin said “You don’t really see things from a team perspective.
“When I went to Oakland and you’re responsible for the defense as well, I changed a little bit. I used to not think anything about the mentality of the entire team.”
UT ranked 88th in the nation in rushing last season when it averaged only 122.9 yards per game. For obvious reasons, Kiffin and his staff stressed the running game in the spring.
The recruitment of star running backs Bryce Brown and David Oku is also expected to boost the Vols’ running game.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
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Comments » 36
allvolinatlanta writes:
Pound the rock!
Waldorf writes:
Something tells me this runing game is going to be different than the Foolmore off-tackle isolation every play running attack.
JtDL writes:
I wonder how much of his commitment to the run game "emanates from his brief stint as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders" and how much it emanates from not having a quarterback.
vol88 writes:
Only one way for the running game to go. Go Vols!
Waldorf writes:
That got me reminissing to that UCLA game...
43 passes by a QB who wasn't allowed to call audibles at the line AND whose reads only were for half the field. Then again we did have.....
Arian Fumble, I mean Foster, fumbling away another victory. I guess they were afraid Hardesty would break a nail and be out for the season if he played too much.
A blocked punt because the main punter was a drunk and got in trouble with the law for the umpteenth time but was still on the team because of his daddy.
Daniel Lincoln.....need I say more?
And the defensive wizard John "Chief" Chavis being made to look like a fool by Norm Chow and his back-up intramural QB.
If this doesn't summarize 2000-2008 of the Foolmore era in one game, I don't know what would.
Phowell23 writes:
Run it down their throats!
Phowell23 writes:
I bet our RBs and potential RB recruits are loving this article.
DennisVols writes:
When you throw the ball 3 things can happen.
1) A incomplete pass
2) A interception (giving the ball to your opponent)
3) A completion.
As you can see the odds are 66-33 of anything good happening.
Last year those odds increased to the bad side by placing a pro-style QB in a new spread system.
Throw in the messed up blocking schemes that the "clawfense" required including a constant shuffling of the line into different positions and we also gave up more sacks by the end of the 2nd game last year than the line gave up in all of '08.
UT entered last season with little confidence in the "clawfense" and when it began to fail the coaching staff continued to push it.
"If you do the same thing again and again and expect different results you are a fool"
"If you always do what you've always done. You'll always get what you always got"
There will be major improvements this year. The competitive spirit that this staff has already shown benefits. 100% of the players taking part in player only practices, confidence being restored (probably the biggest challenge for the staff. All this will show up on the field.
We must understand though that it took more than a year to het what we got last year, it will take more than a year to correct all the issues.
This is a journey, not a destination. Great teams continue to develop, to make changes that are necessary because of graduation or draft status.
Keeping it Real
Go Vols!!
Go4Two writes:
Most fans don't have the guts to let the running game develop. They yell run run pass punt. The passing game is like a drug the more you throw the more you feel compelled to throw the ball.
TommyJack writes:
Run the ball? Necessity is the mother of invention.
DonJuan writes:
Gerald Jones all year.
1974Vol writes:
And Tide that's exactly what Zone Blocking was designed to combat. When your OL men are assigned a "man", such as block the DE, the "D" can bring safties into the box and simply out number the "O". The "D" has more bodies to block than the "O" has bodies to block them. But when you are assigned to block a Zone or a Gap the numbers game is not nearly as effective. Which ever "D-Man" is in your assigned gap that's who you block and you don't try to push him in an assigned direction. He wants to go left-push him hard left - let his own momentum ride him out of the play. There is no assigned "hole" for the back to run through, he just cuts off the block. Remember the Denver Bronco's in the late 90's? If its run right its a tough "O" to defend because its assignment football. As a defender you have to get in your assigned gap and not get pushed out of it. For D's that like to pin their ears back and get up the field it will be a long day.
Rockytop38 writes:
i like the theory of run to set up the pass. Keeps em' guessing. We don't want to be one demintional, but if we got the hogs up front than can open the holes and the running game is going..unless they start loading up on us..we can ram it down their throats.
NeylandWest writes:
You nailed it, for the most part. I can only think of a few games that I really admired watching our Vols and two of those were games against UGA in 2006 and 2007. Aside from those, I can't think of a better example of 2000-2008 than the opening UCLA game last year.
It hurts to think about it.
spencer1989#206886 writes:
For a change.....This is one year I am looking forward to. Even if we lose 50% of the games this year (which I don't think we will).....I will be content if I see the effort on the field this year. And....Something tells me that we will see the effort, heart, and passion this year (that has been missing for several years). By the way....How many more days is there? I haven't looked it up.
MidTennVol writes:
Montario Hardesty, this is YOUR year. Pound the rock. And make Brown and Oku and whoever else EARN their carries.
You can get at least 1000 yards behind this line and zone blocking. GO FOR IT.
BE THE ORANGE BULL.
CrankE writes:
Must...run...football!!!!!
I'd be okay if they didn't throw a pass in the first 7 games. That might help to atone for a decade-long drought of rushing at UT broken only briefly in 2001 and 2004. (Given our choices for starting QB, run every down might not be a bad choice in any case.)
Volfan4everandaday writes:
THAT WAS WELLLLLL PUT!!!
graphpro#231211 writes:
In Fulmers era, how many games would you want to see the replay of? Respond with approximate no.
Cal game here,
Miami game there,
Georgia 2 games
Alabama overtime win with Clausen and Manning game (First play a touchdown to Joey Kent)
Florida win in 98 and 01
The 98 season
Manning games against GA and Alabama
SEC Chambionship win over Auburn
Michigan bowl in 01,
Texas A&M bowl
I guess there is less than 25-30 games that would be good to watch the replay of. Didn't Fulmer coach 150+?
What is everyone else's opinion?
I bring it up because for the last week CSS has showed many of UT's disappointments (i.e. Florida loss by 1 at home)
Also vote (yes/no), was 2 championship seasons worth Phil's career? Opinions?
TommyJack writes:
you wish
givehim6 writes:
Yes that is one of my concerns the O line open up the lanes our backe need. For the past few months while the big thing has been about a QB I've been saying " yes a good QB is needed but look a what we do have! Which is what I think is one of the best running games in the NCAA. Yes we need a good passing game being one dimensional is not good. But I fill UT is much brtter off then 2008.
ColeTrickle writes:
What about the UT/Florida game in 04?
"Also vote (yes/no), was 2 championship seasons worth Phil's career? Opinions?"
emphasize please
BlakeyWakey writes:
ok I can see us pounding the ball.. but what happend to the 98 Vols when we would air the phooey out of the ball....we didnt see any of that last year..every pass was like a 5 yard pass that got stuffed!!!! LETS GOOO!!
graphpro#231211 writes:
Oh yes, the missed extra point and the long field goal in 04.
To further get opinion. If we could spin the clock back would the majority take the Championship seasons (97, 98) knowing most of 8 years following would have disappointment? (i.e. Florida losses, Rival games that we got blown off the field.. aka Georgia here, and so on) or trade those two Championship years for a much better past 8 years under someone else?
arlvol writes:
Last years Vols probably had the three worst games in a single season ever. Of course im talking about the UCLA debacle, the POS Auburn game (pretty sure we had only a few first downs) and of course the wonderful Wyoming game. I blame Dave Clawfense more. He sucked big time!
DennisVols writes:
On top of it was the kid was at GA with his parents when CMR told him he was no longer welcome.
I know colleges have a right to change their minds just as much as the kids do but give me a break, You wait till the kid comes to your campus to accept his scholarship offer to tell he you are not going to honor the offer.
yeavols#228407 writes:
Hey spencer..put this link into your favorites and refer to it as much as you like...you'll never be without knowing how many days till kickoff is left:
http://www.geocities.com/jerrybecker/...
ETownVol writes:
As good as I've ever heard it said.
graphpro#231211 writes:
The LSU game was too much of a roller coaster ride. I'd only watch the second half. I'd get sick again, if I had to watch the first half. LOL
Great memories for you though.
I guess that one of the things that bothers me the most about the previous staff. They had let the program fall so badly, that memories associated with the games weren't good any more. It was like watching a train wreck over and over with nothing good coming from it.
I'm eager to see this staff in action... and see what happens when...
1. They have the lead... Will they try to sit on the lead for the rest of the game...
2. Will they play prevent on both sides of the ball. Like the previous staff did.
3. How creative will the play calling be on both sides of the field.
4. When and if they get a team down will they try to go for the knockout blow.
Even though I hate Florida and USC. I appreciate as a competitor how aggressive the coaching staff coaches. I hope CLK is more like Pete Carole than Phil Fulmer.
Another plus, it's been sometime since UT's had a great player or two on offense. We've seen poor backs of late... slow, fumble, miss holes, get ran down from behind.
tngivem6 writes:
Don't forget to watch the game film and work like heck to fix it.
Mr_Bandman writes:
Not sure if you meant to include the National Championship Game vs. FSU along w/ the entire 98 season or not---I hope not---I love to watch that game, even with the mistakes and sloppy play on both sides, but a lot of the 98 season was really stressful---a WAY too close game at Syracuse that we would have lost if not for a questionable call, a nail-biter at Auburn, a near disaster vs. Arkansas. The Florida game finish was among my favorite moments, but the game was stressful as anything to watch until the second the Florida FG attempt left the ground.
The multi-overtime win over Arkansas with Clausen and Witten simply out-gutting everyone else on the field was special.
VolFanInAtl writes:
3.33333334 yards per carry.
Give'em 6
AF_VOL writes:
A Norm Chow Offence VS. a Monte Kiffin Defense. This should be one hell of a matchup!
TheAuthority writes:
A strong defense and a solid running game can go a long way (see 2008 Titans). The D is spoken for. Hopefully the new coaches can enhance the O-line and with the talent we have in the backfield, both from the incumbents and frosh, there is no reason not to believe in our ground game. If The Kiff can just teach Crompton or whoever to manage the game like Kerry Collins, this year might turn out better than expected. Keyword might...
Psychovol writes:
Remember when Fulmer wanted to nickname Neyland Stadium "The Rock?" What a joke!
Voluvr writes:
Balance is the key.
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