Let's go ahead and burn that theory about this team never quitting

[Creek Walker]

Because this team has flat-out quit, and their coaches have quit. Tennessee was never going to win this game, not with the injuries. But this is an embarrassment. Looks like something we could've expected during the Dooley era.

[HerbTarlekVol]

But they will beat up on the lower half of the SEC down the stretch and play Bama again in Atlanta.

And the same thing will likely happen again. 

Still a lot of bricks to be laid, and yes, I understand how the injuries have affected this team.  But the question I have is why are we having so many injuries? 

[Black Diamond Vol]

But they will beat up on the lower half of the SEC down the stretch and play Bama again in Atlanta.

And the same thing will likely happen again. 

Still a lot of bricks to be laid, and yes, I understand how the injuries have affected this team.  But the question I have is why are we having so many injuries? 

Good question.  Maybe an even better question: How does bammer NEVER have a serious rash of injuries like this?  When is the last time they had more than a couple starters miss a game?  Just in the past 5 years, UT, UF, UGA, LSU, OM have all had seasons where they were decimated by injuries.  Bammer never does.  Is it just luck, or something else?

[droner]

Good question.  Maybe an even better question: How does bammer NEVER have a serious rash of injuries like this?  When is the last time they had more than a couple starters miss a game?  Just in the past 5 years, UT, UF, UGA, LSU, OM have all had seasons where they were decimated by injuries.  Bammer never does.  Is it just luck, or something else?

It wouldn't matter if the entire first string for offense and defense were injured, Bama would run it the next group of 4 and 5 star players. When their players are injured, you don't notice it. They are as loaded as I've seen any team. You would have to go back to the Oklahoma and Nebraska teams of 40-50 years ago to find a team this deep.

It was going to be a struggle for us even if we were at full strength. As it was, we didn't have a chance. They brought their "A" game today and this was the result.

[FLVOL]

It wouldn't matter if the entire first string for offense and defense were injured, Bama would run it the next group of 4 and 5 star players. When their players are injured, you don't notice it. They are as loaded as I've seen any team. You would have to go back to the Oklahoma and Nebraska teams of 40-50 years ago to find a team this deep.

It was going to be a struggle for us even if we were at full strength. As it was, we didn't have a chance. They brought their "A" game today and this was the result.

exactly what I was going to say, verbatim

[Black Diamond Vol]

It wouldn't matter if the entire first string for offense and defense were injured, Bama would run it the next group of 4 and 5 star players. When their players are injured, you don't notice it. They are as loaded as I've seen any team. You would have to go back to the Oklahoma and Nebraska teams of 40-50 years ago to find a team this deep.

It was going to be a struggle for us even if we were at full strength. As it was, we didn't have a chance. They brought their "A" game today and this was the result.

That's what 10 straight years of #1 ranked classes buys you.  Still, it's uncanny how those guys never get hurt in college.  Then they get to the NFL, and often spend most of their pro careers on the IR.

[Creek Walker]

I said early in the week that Tennessee couldn't win with the injuries, but if the Vols were full strength, they would win this game.

Tennessee would've been beaten by 14 or 21 points even if every single player was available and 100%. You can't put this one completely on coaching because of all the injuries, but coaching was a handicap. I love Shoop, but he was schooled by Kiffin today, and DeBord's game plan was atrocious. Just flat-out awful. And I don't want to hear any more about how good Alabama's defense is or how banged up UT's offensive line is. Because we knew both of those things were true, and Tennessee's offensive execution was atrocious even after accounting for that. How many times did Tennessee do something other than run between the tackles on first down? DeBord is too vanilla to get creative, and his predictability caught up with him in a big way.

I wanted Alabama in the SEC Championship Game when this team is at full strength, but I don't anymore. Coaches coached scared and I think the confidence will be lacking in a rematch, after the beat-down we just saw. I'm rooting for TAMU next week. Of course, given our luck, Florida runs the table.

[Black Diamond Vol]

I said early in the week that Tennessee couldn't win with the injuries, but if the Vols were full strength, they would win this game.

Tennessee would've been beaten by 14 or 21 points even if every single player was available and 100%. You can't put this one completely on coaching because of all the injuries, but coaching was a handicap. I love Shoop, but he was schooled by Kiffin today, and DeBord's game plan was atrocious. Just flat-out awful. And I don't want to hear any more about how good Alabama's defense is or how banged up UT's offensive line is. Because we knew both of those things were true, and Tennessee's offensive execution was atrocious even after accounting for that. How many times did Tennessee do something other than run between the tackles on first down? DeBord is too vanilla to get creative, and his predictability caught up with him in a big way.

I wanted Alabama in the SEC Championship Game when this team is at full strength, but I don't anymore. Coaches coached scared and I think the confidence will be lacking in a rematch, after the beat-down we just saw. I'm rooting for TAMU next week. Of course, given our luck, Florida runs the table.

I dunno.  I can't judge the coaches based on what they're doing with this MASH unit.  When your OL is gutted, it really limits what you can call.  I would like to have seen more downfield passing today, but those plays take time to develop- and Dobbs wasn't getting ANY time.  And on D, our LBs are an absolute liability right now.  

It's easy to say "next man up".  But when you're down to 3rd and sometimes 4th stringers, you're going to get a big dropoff.  No way around it.

[PirateVOL]

Because this team has flat-out quit, and their coaches have quit. Tennessee was never going to win this game, not with the injuries. But this is an embarrassment. Looks like something we could've expected during the Dooley era.

what freaking game did you watch?

Yes, the backups to the backups played poorly but you cannot say with a straight face that they quit!

[SmokeyJoe]

I dunno.  I can't judge the coaches based on what they're doing with this MASH unit.  When your OL is gutted, it really limits what you can call.  I would like to have seen more downfield passing today, but those plays take time to develop- and Dobbs wasn't getting ANY time.  And on D, our LBs are an absolute liability right now. 

It's easy to say "next man up".  But when you're down to 3rd and sometimes 4th stringers, you're going to get a big dropoff.  No way around it.

Yeah. This.

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[JeffCountyVolFan]

I dunno.  I can't judge the coaches based on what they're doing with this MASH unit.  When your OL is gutted, it really limits what you can call.  I would like to have seen more downfield passing today, but those plays take time to develop- and Dobbs wasn't getting ANY time.  And on D, our LBs are an absolute liability right now.  

It's easy to say "next man up".  But when you're down to 3rd and sometimes 4th stringers, you're going to get a big dropoff.  No way around it.

I agree with this. This team was totally outclassed today from on athletic standpoint, which makes the coaching much easier for Saban and his staff. The total domination by the Bama defensive front was evident and limited UT's options I thought.

The one thing I did question was the fact that I don't remember Dobbs really ever pull the ball and run. His greatest attribute is his ellusiveness in the run and we didn't seem to try that. Maybe that wouldn't have worked either, but I saw a few plays where they seemed to crash the middle and he never kept it and ran the edge, at least that I remember.

OH well, on to the bye week to heal up, hopefully, and then run the table. Sucks that we aren't controlling our destiny now though.

[PirateVOL]

I agree with this. This team was totally outclassed today from on athletic standpoint, which makes the coaching much easier for Saban and his staff. The total domination by the Bama defensive front was evident and limited UT's options I thought.

The one thing I did question was the fact that I don't remember Dobbs really ever pull the ball and run. His greatest attribute is his ellusiveness in the run and we didn't seem to try that. Maybe that wouldn't have worked either, but I saw a few plays where they seemed to crash the middle and he never kept it and ran the edge, at least that I remember.

OH well, on to the bye week to heal up, hopefully, and then run the table. Sucks that we aren't controlling our destiny now though.

that is because the backside LB was usually on him like stink on crap

[Creek Walker]

what freaking game did you watch?

Yes, the backups to the backups played poorly but you cannot say with a straight face that they quit!

Unfortunately I watched the freaking game that saw the home team quit in the second half. Butch decided to punt on a 4th and less than one and after that the team just folded.

[JeffCountyVolFan]

that is because the backside LB was usually on him like stink on crap

OK, I can understand that. Did he ever keep one running wide? I can't remember any.

Between the tackles wasn't working. My thinking was 'let's at least let our running QB try to make a play, break a tackle, and at least make the defenders think before crashing down the line'.

I'm no football coach and no expert on the subject, but I wondered why we didn't at least test this option. I'm not being negative toward our staff, really I'm not. We were not beating this Bama team today, it wasn't happening.

[PirateVOL]

OK, I can understand that. Did he ever keep one running wide? I can't remember any.

Yes, early they tried it and got stuffed

[tshadow]

My take on the coaching is you can't be very imaginative when you are limited by player experience (and possibly talent). It is a different way to say what BDV said. The team pulled a couple of rabbits out of their hat. Then they ran into the meat of their schedule while they were crippled. What is it 11+ starters out? One of the reasons the vols were so highly thought about at the beginning of the year were the returning starters? Well about half of them have not been on the field.

[LouisVOL]

Disagree that we quit, we were just flat whipped by a far superior football team.  What we have lost on defense through injury is speed and the ability to play without having to think about it, virtually no football smarts and natural talent reaction..  Our LB are slow and bit on every misdirection.  Our patchwork OL was incredibility outclassed.  And, we cannot throw the ball downfield, period.  Even on the rare occasion when we had time to throw, and had people open, we made the decision to dump the ball short. The truth is that fans and team just got a bitter taste of reality, but I didn't see quit.

[BanditVol]

Some perspective...of the five OL that started against Tamu, only one - Jack Jones - played the majority of the game.  Wiesman was injured at Tamu and replaced by Thomas.  Robertson was injured at Tamu and replaced by Boulware.    Chance Hall played a couple series today, went out, and was replaced by either Tatum or Richmond.  Also today, Kendrick was injured and replaced by either Tatum or Richmond.

Think of it...four of our five OL gone in roughly 5 quarters. 

I will say this...Thomas started the year, although Jack Jones did not, but basically Thomas and Jones are legit starters.  Still, most of the line was a very young band aid.

[BanditVol]

I listened to the post game and also the show that Hyams and Reviez do on the way home.

The consensus was that bammer recognized early that we could not protect Dobbs and just played straight man (a fact repeatedly pointed out by my slightly intoxicated neighbor to my left at the game).  We unfortunately did not have time to throw deep, and bammer was able to jam our run game.

Other teams have tried to stack the box and failed but (a) we had time to throw and punish them (see Tamu last week), and (b) bammer has one of the best frton 7 in the history of college football, so when they stack the box it's stacked.

Now, could we have done something different in spite of the patched up OL?  Maybe roll Dobbs a bit (but bammer very fast on edge, so...?)  The only thing I can think of is more screen passes.  Those worked really well against Tamu.

But this was hardly our full team...

[VinnieVOL]

Disagree that we quit, we were just flat whipped by a far superior football team.  What we have lost on defense through injury is speed and the ability to play without having to think about it, virtually no football smarts and natural talent reaction..  Our LB are slow and bit on every misdirection.  Our patchwork OL was incredibility outclassed.  And, we cannot throw the ball downfield, period.  Even on the rare occasion when we had time to throw, and had people open, we made the decision to dump the ball short. The truth is that fans and team just got a bitter taste of reality, but I didn't see quit.

Agree.

[BanditVol]

My take on the coaching is you can't be very imaginative when you are limited by player experience (and possibly talent). It is a different way to say what BDV said. The team pulled a couple of rabbits out of their hat. Then they ran into the meat of their schedule while they were crippled. What is it 11+ starters out? One of the reasons the vols were so highly thought about at the beginning of the year were the returning starters? Well about half of them have not been on the field.

Tim Priest said in the post game that there are only 7 left of the original 22.  So that's 15 out.  

Let's see if that makes sense. On D, Kirkland, JRM, Sutton, O Brien, Foreman.

On offense four OL gone.  I guess that's only 9?  Whatever, it's still a lot. 

[PirateVOL]

Tim Priest said in the post game that there are only 7 left of the original 22.  So that's 15 out.  

Let's see if that makes sense. On D, Kirkland, JRM, Sutton, O Brien, Foreman.

On offense four OL gone.  I guess that's only 9?  Whatever, it's still a lot. 

on offense,mP Williams started,the first,game as well
On defense, Micahnis hurt as well

[SmokeyJoe]

Decimated is an understatement.  Kirkland was injured after we were up 45-17, and JRM on special teams. Not sure I agree with those personnel decisions. If you can't cultivate game time experience late in blowout games, and on special teams, when will you? Feeling pretty pessimistic today. However, I think most of the injured players will be back after the buy week.

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[Black Diamond Vol]

Tim Priest said in the post game that there are only 7 left of the original 22.  So that's 15 out.  

Let's see if that makes sense. On D, Kirkland, JRM, Sutton, O Brien, Foreman.

On offense four OL gone.  I guess that's only 9?  Whatever, it's still a lot. 

Here's a good list.  Boy, do we need this bye week.

http://www.rockytopinsider.com/2016/10/16/recapping-uts-injury-situation/

[BanditVol]

A glimmer of good news there.  Cam IS eligible for a red shirt year.   

Now, I realize, particularly given what happened this year to JRM, that it's very much in his interest to go, and he probably will.

But if his stock drops a lot, there's a really good chance he stays.