http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/12432471/ncaa-suspends-jim-boeheim-nine-games-cuts-syracuse-orange-schoarlships

So there is hope   

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_27643316/peyton-manning-return-broncos-2015-agrees-pay-cut

 

Donnie Knoxville's guys celebrated with a post game Corn Dog buffet, by the way.   

That's way cool.

Jury is still out on Donnie Knoxville. Team started strong but has been inconsistent down the stretch.  Although satisfying, one game means nothing.

We will see how he does the next two years...provided he can dodge the NCAA.

We may not even make the NIT 

I dunno, I think it's funny.  It certainly mocks ISIS, and that's a good thing IMO.  But I didn't actually see it, so...

Post from a LSU fan on TOS:

"Chavis's defense in this case will be great until the end....then he'll lose." 

Noice 

drive as fast as I want" idiot that I see each snow/ice event piled up in a ditch or another car.     

Even I slow down in bad weather 

Welcome to the extended engagement.m I get to spen another week over here, including another weekend in London.

Oh the sacrifices you must make for your job   

Must be my cable company...only station with no sound....weird!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Likely you were better off without it.   

BCS has been great.  I've been watching Amazon's "Bosch" as well - not too bad.  It's kinda like "The Shield" without the steroids.

Oh I liked The Shield.  I would check that out if I had Amazon.

I watched the first five episodes on DVD, but they didn't do the last two.  So I finally found it on in the 2 am timeslot on some obscure network and recorded it.  I watched the entire last two seasons that way, but the final episode was 2 hours long and when it came up the network only showed the first hour and then ended it.  LOL!  I still need to finish watching the last episode. 

I may try to do that today.  Haven't thought about that in a couple years, which is when I did my catching up. 

He will be missed.  It would be illogical to feel any emotion though.   

Um, sounds to me like LSU needs to read it.  Per the comments on that blog, he is not actually disputing anything with Tamu.  They are included just because they are involved.

It's a business dispute between Chavis and LSU.  LSU is insisting that Tamu pay the 400K buyout and Chavis and Tamu are disputing that.  Routine business stuff IYAM.

Well, they backed it up. Came into our house and beat that a$$. We made em look like Duke shooting 3's and giving them open looks.

First loss of the year that I'm very disappointed in the play and the coaching. Lost 8 out of the last 10 now.

Yeah, I was thrilled at how we started, but it's a long season.  It's not ending well so far.

True, but there was a time not so long ago that it didn't matter if you were a starter or not.  If you were a scholarship player at UT, and you had completed your eligibility without getting in any off-field trouble (or were good enough to enter the draft early), you were pretty much guaranteed a shot in the NFL- usually as a draftee, but no worse than a FA signee.  That hasn't been the case for a few years now- but I think it will be again soon.

Okay, I disagree a bit here.  It's very true that you didn't have to be a starter to be a candidate for the draft or even to make it in the NFL.  There was a guy who was an underachieving WR at UT that became a successful TE for the Packers (I think) who comes to mind, and there were others.

But I don't agree that "If you were a scholarship player who completed your eligibility....you were pretty much guaranteed a shot in the NFL".  There were plenty of busts all through the Fulmer years.  I can recall many years not recognizing half the names on Senior Day as they ran through the T for the last time. 

I do think what you are saying was true of our two deep from 1998-99, but it has not been so since.  I would agree that any scholarship player completing their eligibility had a good shot at the NFL, but it was far from a guarantee.

Whether he gets to stay or not, we need a decision ASAP.  Donnie is not going to be able to recruit as long as this cloud hangs over him.  These next two classes are crucial, and if we can't turn over this roster with some quality players, we're going to be stuck in this hole for a while.

Great points.  Based on past NCAA rulings, he ought to get off scott free.  But while the NCAA may not always be fair, you can always at least count on it being wildly inconsistent. 

...that no Vol is taken in the NFL Draft?  When AJ Johnson's combine invitation was rescinded, it left Justin Coleman as our lone representative in Indy.  Coleman is 50/50 to be drafted at best, he'll go very late if it happens at all.  So unless somebody takes a chance on AJ, or maybe someone like Matt Darr in the late rounds, we're likely to be shut out.  

Of course this is a double edged sword, as it also means that we're not losing anyone.  But it is just another indicator of how low our talent level had gotten before Butch started recruiting again.  And starting next year and (especially) the year after, we figure to make our mark on future drafts in a big way.

Yep.  This is the very low point of the low times.  Basically the current class eligible for the draft was recruited in 2011, right after Doofus lost to UK.  That class and the next one were not the greatest, then when Dooley was let go in 2012 there was the usual amount of attrition from a coaching change.  Finally, Butch just benched a whole bunch of guys.  While I believe most of them should have been benched, he probably erred on the side of the younger players.  Why not?  He had a grace period of low expectations, why not bring in his own players and get them experience?

The result is that we had almost no upperclassmen starters this year. Tough to get drafted when you are not a starter.

I do think it was the best approach and one that has already paid dividends and those will only get even better.

Looks like we can still make the NIT assuming we don't win the SECT.  I hope so, I will be anxious to see how well they play.  It's better than nothing, and I am optimistic about next year assuming that Donnie gets to stay.

And i'm not sure what offended you so about the "rocket surgeon" term.  If you are offended by humor, then that's something I can't do much about.  

Not sure how you read me being offended by that. I am not.  I am just agreeing with you that it's not a deep intellectual thing we are talking about here. 

And again, there are quotes above and numerous articles .... some of which are posted above .... that state that what we had was a "hybrid" offense between the spread and the traditional Vol offense under Fulmer.  The idea was to transition gradually to the spread.

So we really are not disagreeing at all.  I agree that it wasn't a pure spread, but ....

a. It was an offense that was at least supposed to incorporate elements of the spread
b. It was a horrible idea.  Fulmer would have been better off sticking with a pro set guy...possibly DeBord

Your emphasis seems to be on whether Clawson was "fall guy no. 2" or not.  I am not claiming he should be.  Fulmer is the one that made the stupid decision, for which, by the way, he did pay the price. 

My point, which is in line with the original post on this thread, is that had Fulmer just stayed with what he knew he may well have lasted a few more years.  Clawson is a good coach, he was just a bad fit at UT in 2008 and should never have been hired.

And for the third time, Fulmer was not alone in his folly.  Tubberville tried almost the exact thing at Auburn with Franklin and it also cost him his job.

You don't just go to the spread in one year using players not recruited for that system.  Even Urban Meyer didn't do that at Florida, remember?  His first two years with Leak were a hybrid also.  In Urban's case, since he was the HC and knew the spread from having literally been one of the guys that invented it, it went much more smoothly.  A coach like Fulmer or Tuberville trying to change horses in midstream was just D-U-M-B.  IMNSHO.   

Bandit - admit it - reading comprehension isn't your strong suit, is it?

Yes.  Clawson ran a spread at Richmond.  

Did you notice the words "at UT" in my statement?

You could have saved yourself a lot of time and effort if you had.  

UT didn't run Clawson's offense.  It was Fulmer's offense, and it wasn't a spread.  

It wasn't a lot of time and effort, thus the crack about "not rocket surgery".

There are quotes above that it was to be a hybrid between the old offense and the 'Clawfense'.  Which suggests Fulmer wanted to ease into a spread type offense.  Why hire Clawson if not?

It was a stupid idea.  Auburn tried something similar and also failed. 

Again, I think we can agree on that.

Where I strongly disagree is that Clawson was running the old offense.  There are articles above that flatly contradict that.  I know how stubborn you are though, so I don't really expect you to admit that even when the facts are staring you right in the face, but if by some miracle you want to, go ahead.   

One question though...why do you hate Fulmer so much?  My guess is you have something personal against him.  He probably snubbed or insulted you at some point, or perhaps screwed your radio station in a business deal.  Because you are not objective about it at all.

[t is apparently a spready-type]

Okay one bonus track from 2008

http://www.rockytoptalk.com/2008/8/5/587003/the-clawfense-complicated


ints of what the Clawfense will look like are beginning to emerge. As I guessed as an EDSBS Visiting Lecturer, it is apparently a spready-type, West Coast-ish (emphasis on the "-ish") thing.

Spread?  Clawson wasn't running a spread offense at UT. 

And even if he were, was Fulmer recruiting players not capable of picking up an offense in a full off season? 

Don't buy it, Bandit.  It's football.  It's not rocket surgery. 

You are correct sir.  It's not rocket surgery.  It took me five minutes to fine dozens of articles stating that Clawson is a spread guy.   


Bottom line....Clawson is definitely a spread coach, and hiring him was UT moving to a spread offense.  Auburn did the same stupid shizzle and both (very accomplished) coaches paid with their jobs.

I would love to hear why you think the Vols were NOT going to a spread offense. I can assure you there is an article out there somewhere quoting Fulmer talking about moving to the spread. 

So again, my point is that it was a dumb idea.  I think we can both agree on that.

[e’s a better fit in Clawson’s spread offense]

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/08/11/fresh-take-wake-forest-names-true-freshman-as-starting-qb/

Wolford was given the nod in the quarterback competition, because he’s a better fit in Clawson’s spread offense than sophomore Tyler Cameron and junior Kevin Sousa.


http://www.si.com/college-football/2013/10/23/dave-clawson-bowling-green

Bowling Green reached a bowl in Clawson's first season, as he inherited 22 seniors from former coach Gregg Brandon, Urban Meyer's old offensive coordinator at the school. Clawson kept the principles of Brandon's spread offense and led the Falcons to a 7-6 record.

http://oldgoldandblack.com/?p=40960

Clawson wants to run a spread offense and the best fit for that offense is Wolford.  In the Aug. 10 scrimmage, Wolford also had a 12-yard touchdown run. He has natural running ability and has great quickness for the position.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/61200-dave-clawson-tony-franklin-at-crossroads-in-tennessee-auburn-matchup

Clawson was outside the Tennessee Family, where the same "vanilla" scheme had been run for the better part of the last three decades. Clawson promised to get the ball to the playmakers. And the words that've spread through the SEC like honey on our lips—the spread offense—began to be whispered in Knoxville.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1338083-is-tennessee-better-off-four-years-later-after-firing-phil-fulmer

After Offensive Coordinator David Cutcliffe left to take the Duke head coaching job in 2007, Fulmer finally caved to pressure and went out and hired a spread offense coordinator, Dave Clawson from Richmond.

Spread?  Clawson wasn't running a spread offense at UT. 

And even if he were, was Fulmer recruiting players not capable of picking up an offense in a full off season? 

Don't buy it, Bandit.  It's football.  It's not rocket surgery. 

Dude Clawson ran the spread.  I read like 500 articles on his time at Richmond.  Okay five.   

Got sent home from work 4 hours early on excused leave.  I ain't complainin'.   

No matter what the real story was, it comes down to the head coach being in charge. Therefore, I blame Fulmer. If Clawson or Sanders were screwing up it the HC 's job to identify and fix it. Fulmer didn't do that. He was rightly fired.

I don't have any issues with anyone saying Fulmer is ultimately responsible. I have often said the same myself.  My issue is with the idea that Sanders was "held back" by Fulmer.  Sanders may well have wanted to try some innovations in our stale offense, but no amount of innovation is going to help when you get called for delay of game 2-3 times a game, often jump offsides, snap the ball at the last possible second 7-8 times a game and then look unready to play, fail to execute, etc.

Again, the product that Sanders put on the field was simply shabby and sloppy IMHO.  That is ultimately the responsibility of the HC, but that does not happen because the HC is "holding back" the OC from calling certain plays.  In that case the OC could have been Bill Walsh resurrected from the dead, calling plays as a zombie and it still would not matter because the execution would suck.