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Sports => VTTW Message Board => Topic started by: PirateVOL on April 22, 2016, 10:23:36 EDT



Title: "philosophical differences", and pffft Lawson was gone
Post by: PirateVOL on April 22, 2016, 10:23:36 EDT
http://www.knoxnews.com/sports/vols/football/dave-lawson-let-go-as-ut-strength-and-conditioning-director-31195142-f997-32a9-e053-0100007fb204-376773711.html (http://www.knoxnews.com/sports/vols/football/dave-lawson-let-go-as-ut-strength-and-conditioning-director-31195142-f997-32a9-e053-0100007fb204-376773711.html)

Another long time member of Butch's staff bites the dust

The writing was on the wall when Mike Szerszen took over the football program earlier this spring


Title: Re: "philosophical differences", and pffft Lawson was gone
Post by: Black Diamond Vol on April 23, 2016, 12:22:43 EDT
I wonder if all the injuries the past few years have something to do with this. :dunno:


Title: Re: "philosophical differences", and pffft Lawson was gone
Post by: VOLveeta on April 23, 2016, 12:27:28 EDT
Whew.  Head Coach has to make some tough calls... he's earning his pay... letting a friend go is awfully hard.


Title: Re: "philosophical differences", and pffft Lawson was gone
Post by: PirateVOL on April 23, 2016, 12:31:00 EDT
I wonder if all the injuries the past few years have something to do with this. :dunno:
Possibly, but IMO more along the lines that he was not agreeable to the development program that the HFC wanted.  The writing was on the wall when he was kicked to the curb for football a few months back


Title: Re: "philosophical differences", and pffft Lawson was gone
Post by: Tnphil on April 23, 2016, 01:54:15 EDT
One of my major issues with Butch in the beginning was bringing his MAC coaching friends and trying to win big in the SEC. Big difference in the MAC and Big East trying to win in the SEC. To Butch's credit he's figured out his A$$ is on the line and adjusted. Unless our WRs as a group improve a lot this season the WR coach needs to be the next one on the chopping block.


Title: Re: "philosophical differences", and pffft Lawson was gone
Post by: Black Diamond Vol on April 23, 2016, 02:46:13 EDT
One of my major issues with Butch in the beginning was bringing his MAC coaching friends and trying to win big in the SEC. Big difference in the MAC and Big East trying to win in the SEC. To Butch's credit he's figured out his A$$ is on the line and adjusted. Unless our WRs as a group improve a lot this season the WR coach needs to be the next one on the chopping block.

When Butch made the disastrous decision to give Nate Peterman his first start on the road in the '13 UF game, I came to realization that he was going to have to learn how to be a successful coach at this level.  I believe he learned a lot in that game.  And I hope he learned a lot in last season's games against OU and UF. 

In Butch, we clearly have a great recruiter.  And I think we have an excellent X's and O's guy.  But in retrospect, he had some things to learn about SEC football.  Giving a QB his first ever start at Ball State is a far cry from throwing him into the fire at the Swamp.  And at this level, when you have someone down for the count late in the game, you'd better keep playing to win- because a team with greater talent that is playing with nothing to lose is more than capable of coming back to win when their out-manned opponent is just trying to milk the clock. 

When hiring a new coach, you always hope they won't require any OJT.  But sometimes they do.  And if you have the patience to wait them out, it can be worth it.  Our trajectory has been pointing up for all three years of Butch's tenure.  And as long as that continues, I see no reason why his job should be in jeopardy.  Maybe it's taken a little longer than we had hoped (though that probably wasn't realistic), but as long as we keep improving, that's all we can ask for.


Title: Re: "philosophical differences", and pffft Lawson was gone
Post by: BanditVol on April 23, 2016, 06:26:45 EDT
When Butch made the disastrous decision to give Nate Peterman his first start on the road in the '13 UF game, I came to realization that he was going to have to learn how to be a successful coach at this level.  I believe he learned a lot in that game.  And I hope he learned a lot in last season's games against OU and UF. 



That was a terrible decision, but one that most fans wanted at the time.  I could see a case for bringing Peterman in...AFTER we played Florida.  We played some cream puff the following week.  Don't start a true frosh on the road in the Swamp before he has taken a snap! 

And I am on record as saying that experience made Peterman look a lot worse than he actually is, which is still pretty mediocre, but not, as some have said "the worst QB in the history of the SEC".


Title: Re: "philosophical differences", and pffft Lawson was gone
Post by: PirateVOL on April 23, 2016, 06:53:07 EDT

 but not, as some have said "the worst QB in the history of the SEC".
He's no Freddie Kitchens! :naughty: