Bama Thoughts

If I were to make a list of the worst defensive efforts in Tennessee history, this game would top the list. As of right now (4:00 left in the game), Tennessee has not forced a punt the entire game. This is the same defense that dominated Georgia? I don't know how to comprehend the performance, other than to conclude that the defense just isn't any good and Georgia's offense is worse.

The numbers in this game are horrible. John Parker Wilson has over 300 yards passing.

Let me type that again in bold letters for greater impact:

John Parker Wilson has over 300 yards passing.

D.J. Hall has just under 200 yards receiving. He is setting Alabama receiving records today. Alabama has kept the ball for nearly 2/3 of the game. They have over 500 yards of offense. Their running back just went over 100 yards. Alabama has 41 points without a defensive or special teams score.

Wait...we have an Alabama punt. 2:14 left in the game.

I have no problem with the offense because it is predicated on running the football. UT couldn't run it in the 2nd half because the defense kept letting Alabama score. Yes, there were no points in the 2nd half. Yes, Ainge's interception hurt. However, Foster was running the ball beautifully, but the Vols had to abandon it. Ainge was playing well other than the one pick (which was inches from being a touchdown). I can live with the offense, but the D...

Here is what I really don't understand - what did they do that surprised us? Throwing it to D.J. Hall? Play-action? I don't know what Chavis was trying to do at the outset, but it wasn't working. I don't know what adjustments he tried to make at the half, but those didn't work either. Maybe he just doesn't have anything to work with, but it sure felt like Applewhite's play-calling was 2 or 3 steps ahead of Chavis all game long.

Let's give Chavis the benefit of the doubt - let's say the plan was to force John Parker Wilson to beat us and take away the run. Let's say the plan was to use the defensive line to get pressure rather than blitzing because our corners are both freshmen and not good enough to cover Hall and Co.. Let's say Tennessee was willing to give up the dinks and dumps because it figured Wilson would make a mistake sooner or later and we wouldn't get beat deep.

Okay, fine. It isn't the worst plan in the world, is it? So why didn't it work?

Let's turn our attention from the oft-blamed coaches and look at the guys on the field. Alabama was starting two back-up o-linemen and, yet, our defensive line could not get to Wilson. Ever. I cannot remember the last time a defensive end got a sack for the Vols. It might have been Reggie White. No, Shaun Ellis. It wasn't anybody on the field today. I thought Xavier Mitchell and Demonte Boldin had turned the corner inside, but today was a giant step backwards for those guys.

What about the linebackers? We can't blitz if the linebackers don't get there. And they never do! Chavis calls a blitz, the linebackers are either too slow to get there or get blocked, our green secondary cannot cover man-to-man and we have another Alabama completion. This must be one of the worst front seven the Vols have ever had.

The secondary is not good right now, but we knew that coming into the season. With Morley getting booted off the team and Gaines getting hurt, it makes sense that the secondary is this bad. Berry and Vinson are both true freshmen - we are going to struggle with true freshmen starting at any position, but especially in the secondary when there is no pass rush up front.

Finally, where was the passion on defense today? This was the Vol team we have all come to hate that looks like it is sleep-walking through rivalry games. This was NOT the same team that came out to whip Georgia. There was no fire in anyone's belly today. There was frustration after a while, but where was the excitement and energy from the start?

So what do you do when there is no pass rush, no ability to blitz, no chance of covering superior wide receivers and no passion or energy from anybody playing defense?

You lose 41-17 to Alabama.