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View Full Version : Sunday Morning QB With SVS- Being Invested Means It Hurts Edition



StarkVegasSteve
09-28-2025, 09:18 AM
Yesterday was a day of growth for us. We showed how much we have grown in a year but unfortunately were shown how much we still need to grow. We should have won that one and we just could not close it out.

1. Shapen is what he is. People saying he gave them 14 pts are not functioning in any sort of reality. You can say he played a big part in the loss, but he did not just hand them 14 pts on a platter. The INT, although behind Fluff a tad, was a tipped pass. The scoop and score was just backside pressure he never saw, watching it back it looked like it was an RPO and the LT thought it was run.. That is going to happen to QBs. He still needs to hang on there though. Saying all that, he missed Evans wide open in OT on 3rd down, underthrew Ayden on what would have been a TD and we had to settle for 3, honestly got lucky on the Evans throw to get us 1st and goal in OT, and he had some confusing tuck and runs where he got nothing. Maybe some of that is playcalling and Lebby telling him to do that but he is just not the difference maker we need at that position currently. He is a slightly more agile Will Rogers with a bigger arm.

2. I do not know that Kamario is any better at this moment, but I am willing to give it more of a go and see. Look, I am not saying just stock roll with Taylor because I know we will not do that. But get Kamario more involved other than just a running play here and there. Give him a series here and there. He is your future and the quicker we get him acclimated the less the learning curve is next year.

3. Fluff is RB1 moving forward. I like Booth and I still think he needs to have a place in the offense but there is a reason we targeted Fluff out of the portal and we are seeing it. We ran for 198 yds and should have run for 298. We did not run enough early to take advantage of the light boxes they were giving us. The holding penalty on the Booth TD showed us the holes were there and it never felt like we took full advantage of them.

4. Thompson going out is the exact scenario I feared when we could not find a WR3. Once he went out it was Evans and kind of just a guess. It was encouraging to see Traore, Moseley, and Ayden get some more run and gain some confidence but we still need one of them to really take that next step because we do not know how long Thompson is out.

5. Our OL needs to figure out pass blocking. They have mastered run blocking and now we need to take the next step and get pass blocking down. The Reese injury is very concerning and I do not really know how we will adjust moving forward.

6. Hutzler called a hell of a game defensively. Yes our D let us down on the last drive and in OT but they did more than enough to win that game. If you would have told anyone that Tennessee was only going to score 20 points offensively they would have emphatically said that we win. The D played their ass off.

7. DL continues to improve. Was extremely impressed by DJ Reed and Kalvin Dinkins today. I thought they both played great. Also though Trevion stepped up today.

8. We have watched Zakari Tillman mature before our eyes and are about to see him completely take off. I also thought Jalen Smith grew up some today.

9. Why in the hell were Jones and Brumfield not on the field late? I mean I am as high as anyone on Jett Jefferson and really like what I have seen from Jayven Williams but there is ZERO reason to not have Kelley Jones out there on the last drive, and he was not injured because he played in OT.

10. I thought Manning played out of his mind today, but dude GRAB THE BALL AND RUN on the Hail Mary. If he picks that we very well may win. Concerned about Issac and I hope that it is not anything long term.

11. Ferrie has to make the 47 yarder. As good as the 50+ yarder was, the 47 yard miss was far more costly and decisive. He has to make that. It ended up being a difference in the game. Still probably the best kicker since Westerfield though.

12. To the folks who sold your tickets to Tennessee fans or put them on the secondary market, 17 you. I get you want to make a buck and I cannot tell you what to do with your tickets that you paid the money for, but it is damn embarrassing to see a crowd IN OUR STADIUM that was 55:45 Tennessee fans.

13. Today was 09 LSU for Lebby. His game management cost him the game just like Mullen against LSU. Because despite the 2 defensive TDs we still should have won that one. We never should have tried to throw after the fake punt. We were up 4 and needed to start draining the clock. He also called a terrible drive in OT. We should have gone to Kamario once we got to goal to go.

14. Yes it sucks to lose and lose like we did, but damn it feels good to care and have hope again. I think it is very likely we find 2 more wins and do not think 8-4 is off the table.

Keep the fight, keep the faith, and HailState.

EdwardDrayton
09-28-2025, 09:28 AM
Well done Steve. HailState!

bulldawg28
09-28-2025, 09:31 AM
Agreed, great post. #9 Was a huge brain fart for the DC. I believe that was the reason the final drive was favorable for TN.

Bdawg
09-28-2025, 09:32 AM
In regards to 13, if Lebby trusted KT enough, that was the time to run him and then let him rpo on a roll out. Only throw it if he’s got a guy really open. You’ve e set that up there with all his runs. I agree, it was horrible calling 3 straight pass plays after the punt fake.

Pinto
09-28-2025, 09:34 AM
As far as #11, I?ll have to watch tape to be sure, but it looked like a high snap and rushed kick. Timing was just off.

TrapGame
09-28-2025, 10:17 AM
#10. Hutzler told the defense to knock the ball down and don't try for the interception. He didn't foresee the ball would be a little short of the end zone and a perfect setup for pick 6. Hutzler is a good DC and has proven his worth but he should have let his guys play to win.

#3. Fluff was wearing that D out in the second half. We went away from him in crucial moments to put in Booth for minimal gain if any.

#1. Shapen is Shapen but his OL let him down in some crucial downs. Also, Shapen slipped too many times. He had wide open grass on several rushes and slipped. He had the 3rd and goal in O. It was an open hole into the end zone and he slipped.

I thought the fake punt was a thing of beauty. Flawlessly executed. I understand Lebby wanted to put a dagger in the Vols with a deep pass. Well, Josh Heupel and his DC knew it too. Lebby was being to predictable in that moment. 8 times out of ten most coaches go for the deep pass. I think Lebby should have let Fluff gash the defense instead. Go against the grain. Catch he Vols defending the deep pass and Fluff probably gets 20+ yards on the carry.

StarkVegasSteve
09-28-2025, 10:54 AM
#10. Hutzler told the defense to knock the ball down and don't try for the interception. He didn't foresee the ball would be a little short of the end zone and a perfect setup for pick 6. Hutzler is a good DC and has proven his worth but he should have let his guys play to win.

#3. Fluff was wearing that D out in the second half. We went away from him in crucial moments to put in Booth for minimal gain if any.

#1. Shapen is Shapen but his OL let him down in some crucial downs. Also, Shapen slipped too many times. He had wide open grass on several rushes and slipped. He had the 3rd and goal in O. It was an open hole into the end zone and he slipped.

I thought the fake punt was a thing of beauty. Flawlessly executed. I understand Lebby wanted to put a dagger in the Vols with a deep pass. Well, Josh Heupel and his DC knew it too. Lebby was being to predictable in that moment. 8 times out of ten most coaches go for the deep pass. I think Lebby should have let Fluff gash the defense instead. Go against the grain. Catch he Vols defending the deep pass and Fluff probably gets 20+ yards on the carry.

Well and their D would have been dejected. We had just gotten a fake punt to put them back on the field and then to hit them with Fluff and his bruising style of running would have been a killer to them. Hindsight is 20/20 though and I understand Lebby going for the kill shot.

1bigdawg
09-28-2025, 11:24 AM
Coaches hoard their time outs too much for the end of the game. I believe a time out on the long Tennessee drive to give the defense some encouragement could have helped. No coach I know off does that kind of thing, though.

starkvegasdawg
09-28-2025, 11:25 AM
Well and their D would have been dejected. We had just gotten a fake punt to put them back on the field and then to hit them with Fluff and his bruising style of running would have been a killer to them. Hindsight is 20/20 though and I understand Lebby going for the kill shot.
It's just sometimes the kill shot is not a 50 BMG to the head.

WinningIsRelentless
09-28-2025, 11:38 AM
Well and their D would have been dejected. We had just gotten a fake punt to put them back on the field and then to hit them with Fluff and his bruising style of running would have been a killer to them. Hindsight is 20/20 though and I understand Lebby going for the kill shot.

Lebby didn?t call the kill shot. That?s Shapen in a rpo trying to be a hero. We had the perfect playcall right there but shapen tried to be the hero. Combo block on the nose to the will. Seal block on the end leaves fluff one on one against the mike in the open field. Rb wins that 75% of the time.

Go back and watch the play. LG combo blocked on the nose and you don?t combo block on pass plays.

Shapen between the 45?s on 1st and 10 95% of the time tries to take a hr shot. He did it against AZ St in the second half and it almost cost us the game.

He has to take the high % play in close games in the second half.

StarkVegasSteve
09-28-2025, 11:50 AM
Lebby didn?t call the kill shot. That?s Shapen in a rpo trying to be a hero. We had the perfect playcall right there but shapen tried to be the hero. Combo block on the nose to the will. Seal block on the end leaves fluff one on one against the mike in the open field. Rb wins that 75% of the time.

Go back and watch the play. LG combo blocked on the nose and you don?t combo block on pass plays.

Shapen between the 45?s on 1st and 10 95% of the time tries to take a hr shot. He did it against AZ St in the second half and it almost cost us the game.

He has to take the high % play in close games in the second half.

Oh I saw it live and went back and watched it this morning. That was without a doubt an RPO because the LT moved inside and started up to 2nd level before he realized it was a pass and it was too late to get back to the blitzing edge. I would have just straight run it there. Do not even give Shapen and RPO option there.

Todd4State
09-28-2025, 01:02 PM
Oh I saw it live and went back and watched it this morning. That was without a doubt an RPO because the LT moved inside and started up to 2nd level before he realized it was a pass and it was too late to get back to the blitzing edge. I would have just straight run it there. Do not even give Shapen and RPO option there.

Lot of teams are going away from RPO's. Now they could come back around at some point but they're fairly complicated IMO. It's like trying to run triple option football and WCO in the same play. You have to have everyone somewhat on the same page. A long read could lead to linemen down field and a penalty. Lot of thinking involved. And teams can bait the other team into making a read that favors the defense. Teams that run a lot of
RPO's only run them about 20% of the time.

parabrave
09-28-2025, 01:20 PM
3 & 5. We better see nothing but Fluff and Booth next week. TAM has one helluva defense pass defense and with the injuries on the Line Shapen will get killed back there.

Maverick91
09-28-2025, 03:22 PM
Good stuff SVS.

Honestly, you leave that saying "give me one more play coach" that game should and I pray give this team all the confidence to be able to walk into any field and beat any team we play. We not only went toe to toe but without a few mistakes honestly should have had that game wrapped up with about 7 minutes left. This is where coaching is going to have to do its thing. You fix just a few mistakes we are talking about a win like 38-24 ish. I mean they are right there.

I pray we aren't as hurt as we left the game. And that they roll into a$m and kick some tail.

Bdawg
09-28-2025, 03:33 PM
Lebby didn?t call the kill shot. That?s Shapen in a rpo trying to be a hero. We had the perfect playcall right there but shapen tried to be the hero. Combo block on the nose to the will. Seal block on the end leaves fluff one on one against the mike in the open field. Rb wins that 75% of the time.

Go back and watch the play. LG combo blocked on the nose and you don?t combo block on pass plays.

Shapen between the 45?s on 1st and 10 95% of the time tries to take a hr shot. He did it against AZ St in the second half and it almost cost us the game.

He has to take the high % play in close games in the second half.

Shapen should have taken the high percentage play on our last drive in regulation. On 2nd and 8, he threw a crap pass to the sideline for some reason. He could have had a pre snap read of the TN LB playing really deep and hit Fluff quickly out of the backfield right in the middle of the field. If he hits him quickly Fluff runs for the first imo and then we are off and going on that drive or at least get the first down and keep possession.

R2Dawg
09-28-2025, 04:24 PM
#10. Hutzler told the defense to knock the ball down and don't try for the interception. He didn't foresee the ball would be a little short of the end zone and a perfect setup for pick 6. Hutzler is a good DC and has proven his worth but he should have let his guys play to win.

#3. Fluff was wearing that D out in the second half. We went away from him in crucial moments to put in Booth for minimal gain if any.

#1. Shapen is Shapen but his OL let him down in some crucial downs. Also, Shapen slipped too many times. He had wide open grass on several rushes and slipped. He had the 3rd and goal in O. It was an open hole into the end zone and he slipped.

I thought the fake punt was a thing of beauty. Flawlessly executed. I understand Lebby wanted to put a dagger in the Vols with a deep pass. Well, Josh Heupel and his DC knew it too. Lebby was being to predictable in that moment. 8 times out of ten most coaches go for the deep pass. I think Lebby should have let Fluff gash the defense instead. Go against the grain. Catch he Vols defending the deep pass and Fluff probably gets 20+ yards on the carry.

#3 Fluff not getting another 15 touches in 2nd half perplexed me. He demoralized UT in first half. Been telling yall Fluff is the real deal; we got a steal getting him.

In OT, 1st and goal at 5. At least I'd give Fluff ball 4 times or put Taylor in on zone read with Fluff. Just no excuse in poor play calling in OT.

LC Dawg
09-28-2025, 06:29 PM
My biggest issue with play calling was after they tied it late. We had 1:55 left and threw three straight plays, with two incompletions, and had to punt. Our goal should have been to drive for a score and at the least use up a lot of clock or force TN to use timeouts. I think we could have run the ball down for a fg attempt but we ended up leaving them too much time and were lucky that Heupel mismanaged the clock on that drive.

R2Dawg
09-28-2025, 06:33 PM
My biggest issue with play calling was after they tied it late. We had 1:55 left and threw three straight plays, with two incompletions, and had to punt. Our goal should have been to drive for a score and at the least use up a lot of clock or force TN to use timeouts. I think we could have run the ball down for a fg attempt but we ended up leaving them too much time and were lucky that Heupal mismanaged the clock on that drive.

Agree our play calling and clock management at times made me scratch my head. I don't feel like we play to our strengths enough. We have great backs and can run the ball. There are times that is what you need to do even when the opponent knows it too.

Pancho
09-29-2025, 08:24 AM
But isn't that pretty much how Lebby believes his offense should work? I'm totally in on us needing to be more ball control on Offense but can a tiger change it's stripes? it simply goes against the grain of what Lebby is known for.

Coach34
09-29-2025, 08:49 AM
But isn't that pretty much how Lebby believes his offense should work? I'm totally in on us needing to be more ball control on Offense but can a tiger change it's stripes? it simply goes against the grain of what Lebby is known for.

Actually- we did go with ball control for the most part. We had 57 to 29 passes. However- this was a game in which we should have run it even more in the 1st half. They adjusted at half some and then we started getting injured and that hurt us in the run game