Top 35 Plays of 2015: #35 - Berry’s Pick Six

The 2015 season was a very important step for the Tennessee Volunteers. The season wasn’t without heartbreak. Tennessee suffered four tough losses; all coming after the Vols had a chance to win in the fourth quarter. But despite the disappointment, the Vols season was their best in a long, long time. Butch Jones and company took the next step, going from an up-and-coming team to a team primed to compete for a championship in 2016.

As we enter an offseason without football, I thought it would be fun to go through a series of posts reflecting on the Vols’ 2015 season. Starting today, we are going to be counting down the top 35 plays of the 2015 season.

Continue reading “Top 35 Plays of 2015: #35 - Berry’s Pick Six”

Bob Shoop and the Tennessee Defense - Quarters Coverage

Last week we had a chance to take a look at the base philosophy of new Tennessee defensive coordinator Bob Shoop. That post (link here) detailed Shoop’s 4-3 Over front, and his attacking 1 gap scheme. What we did not look at much was how Shoop’s teams defend the pass. This post will examine the base coverage scheme in Shoop’s playbook.

Continue reading “Bob Shoop and the Tennessee Defense - Quarters Coverage”

Bob Shoop and the Tennessee Defense - Philosophy

Butch Jones got his new defensive coordinator. Just three days after defensive coordinator John Jancek was let go, Jones announced the hiring of Penn State defensive coordinator Bob Shoop. There is no doubt that Shoop was Jones’ number one target in this coaching search. Jones and Vol fans alike have a lot to be excited about. Shoop brings with him an exciting, aggressive approach that has been very successful at Penn State and in the SEC at Vanderbilt.

Continue reading “Bob Shoop and the Tennessee Defense - Philosophy”

An Inside Look at the Gators New-Look Offense

It has been 11 years since the University of Tennessee has defeated the University of Florida in football. Ever since James Wilhoit’s 50 yard game winning field goal in 2004, the Volunteers have come up short every single time. There have been some close matches, including one point games in 2006 and 2014, but for the most part Florida has controlled the series in recent years.

If there was ever a time for the Vols to beat Florida, this is it. Tennessee is on the rise and has what looks to be by far the best team since head coach Butch Jones has been here. Florida is in a state of rebuilding, as new head coach Jim McElwain is trying to fix what Will Muschamp couldn’t.  McElwain, the former Alabama offensive coordinator, is an offensive minded coach who has done a lot of work to get this offense back on track. Since many Tennessee fans may not be familiar with what McElwain is doing with the Gators’ offense, this post will examine in-depth what the Vols can expect to see on Saturday and how they might attack Florida’s offense. Continue reading “An Inside Look at the Gators New-Look Offense”

Almost Football Time: Preview of the Bowling Green Offense

It’s almost Football Time in Tennessee. The folks on Rocky Top are anxious with anticipation as the Volunteers are preparing to open their season in a matter of days in Nashville against the Bowling Green Falcons. Hailing from the Mid-American Conference, Bowling Green is not a team to be taken lightly. The Falcons are coming off a 8-5 season and will provide the Vols plenty of challenges. Bowling Green has a dynamic offensive scheme and this post aims to break it down so that fans will know what to expect from the Falcons on Saturday. Continue reading “Almost Football Time: Preview of the Bowling Green Offense”

2015 Defensive Preview: Tennessee Volunteers – Defensive Ends

In this series, we are taking a look at the talent on the Tennessee Volunteers’ roster headed into the 2015 season. The Volunteers are poised to be one of the more improved teams in the country this year, and their success or failure will be largely determined by their defense. The unit saw a lot of improvement last year, but must be even better in 2015. This post will conclude the series as we examine the Vols’ defensive ends.

Continue reading “2015 Defensive Preview: Tennessee Volunteers – Defensive Ends”

2015 Defensive Preview: Tennessee Volunteers – Defensive Tackles

In this series, we are taking a look at the talent on the Tennessee Volunteers’ roster headed into the 2015 season. The Volunteers are poised to be one of the more improved teams in the country this year, and their success or failure will be largely determined by their defense. The unit saw a lot of improvement last year, but must be even better in 2015. This post will examine the Vols’ defensive tackles, and the series will conclude with a look at the defensive ends later this week.

You can read the defensive backs preview here and the linebackers preview here. and more about the defensive scheme here and here.

Continue reading “2015 Defensive Preview: Tennessee Volunteers – Defensive Tackles”