LBs MIA on that drive

[PirateVOL]

Untouched it looked

[LouisVOL]

Every drive, our LB play this year may be as bad as I have ever seen from a Tennessee team, and I go back a ways.  A.J. would have been an outstanding middle linebacker in the 60's/70's when size and toughness were the necessities.  But size, toughness, speed, quickness, and coverage skills are now the LB necessities, and he does not have that complete tool set.

[ChattanoogaVol]

I think A.J. is the player I am most disappointed in after watching the game.  Made some tackles, but they all seemed to be 10 yards down the field.  I also do not like how they keep putting him over a 3rd receiver that he has no CHANCE IN HELL OF COVERING AT ALL... it just takes him off the line and out of running plays.  Sapp also missed a ton of shots at the LOS.
Anyone else notice these tendencies on our defensive formations??
A.J. is a classic 4-3 middle linebacker BATTERING RAM, WE DON'T SEEM TO BE USING HIM WHERE HE IS SO GOOD AT PLAYING.
 

[PirateVOL]

I think A.J. is the player I am most disappointed in after watching the game.  Made some tackles, but they all seemed to be 10 yards down the field.  I also do not like how they keep putting him over a 3rd receiver that he has no CHANCE IN HELL OF COVERING AT ALL... it just takes him off the line and out of running plays.  Sapp also missed a ton of shots at the LOS.
Anyone else notice these tendencies on our defensive formations??
A.J. is a classic 4-3 middle linebacker BATTERING RAM, WE DON'T SEEM TO BE USING HIM WHERE HE IS SO GOOD AT PLAYING.
 

we essentially had him playing Will and Sapp Mike Saturday night.' Weird 

[Volcreed]

Every NFL mock draft I have seen as  A.J. as a 2nd rounder or better, and A.J. is the least of the linebacker problems. OLB play forcing A.J. to play a MLB and 1/2 OLB might be another issue. Brewer and Sapp are both playing out of position and we see the effect of Peters going to Arkie and the Curt's injury.

09/23/2013 - Despite sloppy play, easy to see NFL talent in SEC showdown...LB A.J. Johnson, Tennessee - A player who is consistently around the ball, Johnson led the SEC in tackles a year ago and is on pace to be one of the conference leaders again in 2013. He finished the Florida/Tennessee match-up with 10 tackles, his 14th career double-digit tackle performance at the college level. Johnson has only average range and isn't a special athlete, but he plays hard and fast on every snap, impressing with his high-effort mentality. He has strong hands and is a violent tackler who looks to strike through his target and leave his mark, something that was obvious on several occasions in this contest. While he isn't that elite-type of prospect, he is a physical, hard-nosed linebacker who leaves it all on the field. - Dane Brugler, NFLDraftScout.com