Vols' leading receiver...

[Creek Walker]

Tennessee's leading receiver this season is Preston Williams. Who didn't catch a pass until the WCU game. 

[Clockwork Orange]

Tennessee's leading receiver this season is Preston Williams. Who didn't catch a pass until the WCU game. 

8 guys with 3 catches and 35+ yards. 0 guys with 10 catches, 0 guys with 100 yards. Through 3 games that's pretty crazy.

Butch was asked about the deep WR rotation and whether it affects the QB and WRs getting in sync. He pretty much deflected on the answer. I think it does. It doesn't much matter if your WR are fresh if they're not catching passes because they can't get timing settled with the QB.

[Creek Walker]

Another stat that is unsettling: Tennessee is 97th in the nation among FBS teams in the number of pass plays for 10+ yards. Consider that two of the three defenses we have faced are WKU and BGSU and that's downright alarming.

[Clockwork Orange]

Another stat that is unsettling: Tennessee is 97th in the nation among FBS teams in the number of pass plays for 10+ yards. Consider that two of the three defenses we have faced are WKU and BGSU and that's downright alarming.

We ran the clock out for half the game against WCU, and we ran at will against BGSU. I'm not sure those make the stat more alarming.

But I think it is troubling with or without that stat because you could tell just by watching. We don't throw down the field much and when we do, Dobbs has not been very accurate. You'd think we would be getting some catch and runs over 10 yards but there isn't much of that either . . . I think WRs failing to get separation is a big part of all this.

[murfvol]

Jerry Colquitt didn't sound like a fan of the rotation. He's on Basilio's postgame show.

Here's the deal. If Dobbs is the QB, he's got to run a lot to have value. If he's not running, we may as well go with the guy who can throw.

[volsboy]

Why can't the Vols throw the ball? Is it the OL? I thought we had some talent at the WR position. The OL is going to win or lose the UF game. After watching Tulsa score a lot on OU I'm not sure their D is as good as we thought either. Makes you worry about our offense.

[volsboy]

Could it be that Dobbs is still that same guy from two years ago who was so inconsistent it hurt. Or is he the guy from the last few games last year? I am beginning to wonder. Of course he can't make the OL play better than it is. But the coaches could call plays to help it along. Which they didn't do in 2nd half against OU.

[murfvol]

One of Tony's seemingly knowledgeable guests surmised the staff is going to run their offense if you, me, or the Pope is QB. I prefer tailoring an offense to meet skillsets, but that doesn't seem to be the approach of this regime.

Hopefully that works.

[LouisVOL]

I am just surprised that we have 8 guys that accidentally got open enough to catch the ball, because we only have 2 or 3 that can run a crisp route and get separation.  Between that fact, and an underwhelming OL, therein lies the problem.

8 guys with 3 catches and 35+ yards. 0 guys with 10 catches, 0 guys with 100 yards. Through 3 games that's pretty crazy.

Butch was asked about the deep WR rotation and whether it affects the QB and WRs getting in sync. He pretty much deflected on the answer. I think it does. It doesn't much matter if your WR are fresh if they're not catching passes because they can't get timing settled with the QB.

[PirateVOL]

I am just surprised that we have 8 guys that accidentally got open enough to catch the ball, because we only have 2 or 3 that can run a crisp route and get separation.  Between that fact, and an underwhelming OL, therein lies the problem.

2, 25, 81 are the only receivers that consistently get open.
3 is much improved,over last year but tends to be hot and cold.  For example, against BG he ran one (I think) curl route, though it isn't clear what the route was intended to be and then followed it up with a very crisp deep in that resulted in a nice gain.

I will note that WR blocking has improved this year

[BanditVol]

I don't really pay much attention to the rotation during the game, what receivers are in, etc.

But I do look at results and notice who is catching passes.  And it seems that this season and last, we have really never settled on who the primary receivers are.  Pig Howard was that last season to an extent, and maybe Marquez North the first year Butch was here, but for the most part it's a whole bunch of different guys catching passes and it varies from game to game.

Most of the time in most programs there is a primary (like when Julio was at his peak at bammer or Cooper at USC jr this year) or at most two guys who get the lion's share (like Kent and Nash when Peyton was here).

I've never seen anything like this, where not only do we not settle on anything but new WRs continue to emerge each week.  We seem to have so many.  Why is it again that the DB (Jennings?) converted? 

There are rumors that North is nicked up, who knows, but that can't explain all of it.

I do wonder if North didn't just make a couple lucky catches as a frosh and make us all think he was better than he is.

The one hopeful thing I have seen is that Malone has been playing well.

If I was coaching, I'd definitely start Malone and he would be the go-to guy.  I'd move Howard to the slot, and then the other starter would be North or Von Pearson with Williams the first guy off the bench.  And that would be it.  The other guys only play if we get a big lead or there is an injury.

That's my .02 anyway

[Tnphil]

There are 3 things that have limited our passing game.....OL yes....WR's....yes. But also you can put blame on Dobbs. He has a issue of locking in on his primary and if it's not there he takes off. He doesn't do a good job of going through his progressions. Even if our OL gets better and the WRs improved, this will still be an issue if Dobbs doesn't improve.

[BanditVol]

There are 3 things that have limited our passing game.....OL yes....WR's....yes. But also you can put blame on Dobbs. He has a issue of locking in on his primary and if it's not there he takes off. He doesn't do a good a good job of going through his progressions. Even if our OL gets better and the WRs improved, this will still be an issue if Dobbs doesn't improve.

He sometimes does take off early, but he was criticized for doing this less against OU seemingly, or at any rate some questioned if he didn't hesitate too much to do it.  I'm not sure if he locks on to his primary or not....against OU he typically didn't have time to go through the progression.

Having said that, he definitely looked pretty sloppy against OU and WCU.  He has lots of room for improvement.  Against OU he hit 2-3 middle to deep passes early, including the TD to Malone, that really loosened them up.  We are going to need that for the whole game Saturday.  I hope he is up to it.

[HerbTarlekVol]

Seeing rumors of Pig Howard possibly being out this week.  No details or verification yet, just rumor as I said.

[HawkiVol]

There are 3 things that have limited our passing game.....OL yes....WR's....yes. But also you can put blame on Dobbs. He has a issue of locking in on his primary and if it's not there he takes off. He doesn't do a good a good job of going through his progressions. Even if our OL gets better and the WRs improved, this will still be an issue if Dobbs doesn't improve.

  He locks in on 1 receiver and never seems to check off to anyone else and that telegraphs it to the db's. Several of his throws should have been picked off and we've just been lucky they haven't been.

[VOLMAN]

  He locks in on 1 receiver and never seems to check off to anyone else and that telegraphs it to the db's. Several of his throws should have been picked off and we've just been lucky they haven't been.

I think he makes a pre-snap determination where he's going and that's the WR he locks in on....he's just not a true passing QB. I think when he's going to pass they need to stop with all of the fakes to the WR around and the RB in order to give him an extra second or two to get rid of the ball...against OU by the time he completed his fakes the rush was all over him. Also, they have to hit the TE down the seam and some crossing routes/slants to get those LBs out of constant blitz mode like OU did.   

[BanditVol]

they have to hit the TE down the seam and some crossing routes/slants to get those LBs out of constant blitz mode like OU did.   

yes