A couple of things upon rewatching the game.
One, Alontae Taylor played well and had a couple of really big plays. His tackle for loss (4 yards) on the jet sweep on South Carolina’s second drive was a huge play with the defenses back to the wall.
If you rewatch that play, Taylor does a great job of not trying to side step the block, he physically plays through the block so he would have a good angle to make the play. Really aggressive physical play.
His blocks on Henry T’s interception return have been all over Twitter last night and today and that’s exactly what you are supposed to do.
I was impressed with Taylor’s play. He was aggressive and physical. He got away with an interference call late where he grabbed the receivers jersey but the officials let them play on the outside and Taylor took advantage using his size/strength to his advantage.
Now, the only downside to Taylor is he has to be careful about his emotions and jawing. He was close to getting a flag a couple of times. He has to be careful there, but for a guy who struggled a good bit last year he got off to a good start Saturday night.
Two, I like Chaney’s jumbo formation on offense. I think it can be really effective and I like their up tempo offense. I have never been a fan of the sprint out of the huddle to the line and run something fast there. Look everyone knows your going to line up and run it. You are trying to kill the clock and end the game. So I not sure what the advantage to it is. Now don’t misunderstand, the tempo they played with to open the second half I love, but the sprint out off the huddle run to the line and quick snap it I don’t. But that big boy package could be one that’s effective in short yardage or to end the game. It’s got some promise.
Three, speaking of promise, Jeremy Banks’ speed and instincts are promising. He played the underneath tunnel screens very well and had a tackle for loss off the edge. He wasn’t perfect. In fact he was far from it. He must keep his emotions in check. The helmet rip was just a bad play. Just not smart. He most control himself better, but I thought he was more active than Crouch, who had two tackles on the night. I bet Banks plays more snaps than Crouch again this week.
Four, it was a tough night for Slaughter but one he will certainly grow from. He did have a nice blitz for a sack, but too many times he was flat footed in coverage allowing Shi Smith across his face and separation on the slants and skinny posts over the middle. Slaughter is going to be a good player and this staff loves him. In fact I bet with Shamburger out he starts this week at the star position again. And he will be better. It was a tough learning lesson against a receiver who loves going against the Vols. In the last two games, Shi Smith has 21 receptions for 296 yards and 2 scores.
Five, I thought watching it live that Tyler Baron did some nice things. Up rewatch he did some really good things as a freshman getting his first college playing time against an SEC opponent. Baron showed really good quickness off the ball and played well in terms of using his hands to get off blocks. He’s a guy people on the program said had really been improving the back half of fall camp and he showed some nice things Saturday night. You definitely like his potential there.
Six, like the prospects of Tennessee’s return game. Going into the game I said that I wasn’t a huge fan of putting Eric Gray on punt returns but I like what I saw there. Gray was decisive on his returns and I liked the fact that he fielded he ball. I thought too many times last year Marquez Callaway allowed the punt to hit the ground when he could have fielded it. And Velus Jones was good in kickoff returns. I love that Tennessee let him be aggressive instead of fair catching everything and starting at the 25. Jones seems to have a good feel for where the blocking alley was going to be an he has speed that he obviously trust. He’s a nice addition.
Seven, looks like Trey Smith hurt his shoulder about mid-way through the second quarter. After a running play to Ty Chandler. Smith is holding his arm and in in some pain. As for the run game, Chaney tried to get it going in the second quarter and the offensive line just got no push. In the second quarter the Vols ran the ball 4 times and called 7 passes. The four runs went for 2, -3, 0, and 4. Plus, Guarantano was sacked. Tennessee’s 14 yards rushing on their first two snaps of the second half was more than they had the entire first half and in the second quarter South Carolina’s defensive front won the line of scrimmage big time.
Eight, JG wasn’t great but wasn’t as bad on rewatch as I thought. Guarantano in the second quarter on third down locked in on the left in a bad throw to no man’s land on third down. But other wise, his decision making was good. Ball wasn’t in harms way. He only held it too long a couple of times, but mentally he appeared to have a good command of it. He’s just got to be more accurate. Too many balls high, too many balls behind receivers. I think it’s easier for him to fix the physical, mechanical stuff than any mental stuff.
Nine, big ole Elijah Simmons had one tackle and missed a fumble recovery. So by the stat book he did very little. However in rewatch he did a pretty solid job holding his gap in the run game. South Carolina’s longest run from scrimmage was 13 yards and their success (89 yards on 35 carries) was on the perimeter out wide. Simmons isn’t going to be a star, but they want their nose to hold his ground and on rewatch the redshirt freshman did that pretty well in his first ever real playing time.
Ten, too many wasted chances. This team has found ways to win. Now they need to find ways to knock teams out. They had multiple chances to knock South Carolina out and end the game and just didn’t get it done offensively. Good offenses know how to close games out, which Tennessee couldn’t do and good offenses put teams away when they have the opportunity which the Vols didn’t do when they had great field position. Saturday, Tennessee is a heavy favorite against Missouri. Can they take control of a game early and finish it early?
One, Alontae Taylor played well and had a couple of really big plays. His tackle for loss (4 yards) on the jet sweep on South Carolina’s second drive was a huge play with the defenses back to the wall.
If you rewatch that play, Taylor does a great job of not trying to side step the block, he physically plays through the block so he would have a good angle to make the play. Really aggressive physical play.
His blocks on Henry T’s interception return have been all over Twitter last night and today and that’s exactly what you are supposed to do.
I was impressed with Taylor’s play. He was aggressive and physical. He got away with an interference call late where he grabbed the receivers jersey but the officials let them play on the outside and Taylor took advantage using his size/strength to his advantage.
Now, the only downside to Taylor is he has to be careful about his emotions and jawing. He was close to getting a flag a couple of times. He has to be careful there, but for a guy who struggled a good bit last year he got off to a good start Saturday night.
Two, I like Chaney’s jumbo formation on offense. I think it can be really effective and I like their up tempo offense. I have never been a fan of the sprint out of the huddle to the line and run something fast there. Look everyone knows your going to line up and run it. You are trying to kill the clock and end the game. So I not sure what the advantage to it is. Now don’t misunderstand, the tempo they played with to open the second half I love, but the sprint out off the huddle run to the line and quick snap it I don’t. But that big boy package could be one that’s effective in short yardage or to end the game. It’s got some promise.
Three, speaking of promise, Jeremy Banks’ speed and instincts are promising. He played the underneath tunnel screens very well and had a tackle for loss off the edge. He wasn’t perfect. In fact he was far from it. He must keep his emotions in check. The helmet rip was just a bad play. Just not smart. He most control himself better, but I thought he was more active than Crouch, who had two tackles on the night. I bet Banks plays more snaps than Crouch again this week.
Four, it was a tough night for Slaughter but one he will certainly grow from. He did have a nice blitz for a sack, but too many times he was flat footed in coverage allowing Shi Smith across his face and separation on the slants and skinny posts over the middle. Slaughter is going to be a good player and this staff loves him. In fact I bet with Shamburger out he starts this week at the star position again. And he will be better. It was a tough learning lesson against a receiver who loves going against the Vols. In the last two games, Shi Smith has 21 receptions for 296 yards and 2 scores.
Five, I thought watching it live that Tyler Baron did some nice things. Up rewatch he did some really good things as a freshman getting his first college playing time against an SEC opponent. Baron showed really good quickness off the ball and played well in terms of using his hands to get off blocks. He’s a guy people on the program said had really been improving the back half of fall camp and he showed some nice things Saturday night. You definitely like his potential there.
Six, like the prospects of Tennessee’s return game. Going into the game I said that I wasn’t a huge fan of putting Eric Gray on punt returns but I like what I saw there. Gray was decisive on his returns and I liked the fact that he fielded he ball. I thought too many times last year Marquez Callaway allowed the punt to hit the ground when he could have fielded it. And Velus Jones was good in kickoff returns. I love that Tennessee let him be aggressive instead of fair catching everything and starting at the 25. Jones seems to have a good feel for where the blocking alley was going to be an he has speed that he obviously trust. He’s a nice addition.
Seven, looks like Trey Smith hurt his shoulder about mid-way through the second quarter. After a running play to Ty Chandler. Smith is holding his arm and in in some pain. As for the run game, Chaney tried to get it going in the second quarter and the offensive line just got no push. In the second quarter the Vols ran the ball 4 times and called 7 passes. The four runs went for 2, -3, 0, and 4. Plus, Guarantano was sacked. Tennessee’s 14 yards rushing on their first two snaps of the second half was more than they had the entire first half and in the second quarter South Carolina’s defensive front won the line of scrimmage big time.
Eight, JG wasn’t great but wasn’t as bad on rewatch as I thought. Guarantano in the second quarter on third down locked in on the left in a bad throw to no man’s land on third down. But other wise, his decision making was good. Ball wasn’t in harms way. He only held it too long a couple of times, but mentally he appeared to have a good command of it. He’s just got to be more accurate. Too many balls high, too many balls behind receivers. I think it’s easier for him to fix the physical, mechanical stuff than any mental stuff.
Nine, big ole Elijah Simmons had one tackle and missed a fumble recovery. So by the stat book he did very little. However in rewatch he did a pretty solid job holding his gap in the run game. South Carolina’s longest run from scrimmage was 13 yards and their success (89 yards on 35 carries) was on the perimeter out wide. Simmons isn’t going to be a star, but they want their nose to hold his ground and on rewatch the redshirt freshman did that pretty well in his first ever real playing time.
Ten, too many wasted chances. This team has found ways to win. Now they need to find ways to knock teams out. They had multiple chances to knock South Carolina out and end the game and just didn’t get it done offensively. Good offenses know how to close games out, which Tennessee couldn’t do and good offenses put teams away when they have the opportunity which the Vols didn’t do when they had great field position. Saturday, Tennessee is a heavy favorite against Missouri. Can they take control of a game early and finish it early?
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