Hey everyone-
I am on a 8 hour train ride from DC to Charlotte. Given the Vols performance and the anxiety before the first game, I am sure lots of folks want to pick my brain. I have the time, you have the questions. Ask away (top priority will be given to KPC members.) I will answer ALL questions to the best of my ability- not just football.
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Last night - reason for hope or facade that's hiding the beast?
I personally thought both of their lines looked like poo, so I'm hopeful. Fools errand?
I am downloading the film now, and watched most of the first quarter this morning.
The Vols struggled with the linebackers overpursuing on fakes. As I noted in my review's of the Fuente offense, Memphis had the Ole Miss linebackers running out of position in a similar manner. In addition, Appy State's center had success blocking the one technique for the Vols one on one. Defensive tackle is an odd position for the Vols. They have two undistinguished veterans that start, and two elite sophomore talents that have struggled with injuries behind them. I think that the Vols are very vulnerable to the Fuente run game design provided that the VT players have rapidly picked up the scheme.
As for stopping the Vols offense, man it looked like the Vols would be vulnerable to a VT-Ohio State 2014 game plan. The small quick nose tackle absolutely tore the interior of the Vols line (which is supposed to be a strength) up last night. Dobbs hit one nice run and one big pass and otherwise was very careless with the football. I love the Vols RBs, but their receivers are not on par with that Ohio State squad. I feel much better right now about the game than I did yesterday.
That said, the Hokies have to protect the football and get a lead. They have to mitigate the Vols tremendous edge speed. And, they have to keep Dobbs contained. Hurd and Kamara will get yards. They can't get big plays.
Friendly tip... speaking from experience, App State people cringe when referred to as "Appy State". Pretty much the same as Hokies do upon hearing "Vah Tech".
Other than that, carry on with your brilliance,
Speaking from my own experience, those same fans will only be offended until they put on their baby blue when getting ready for the next UNC game
I guess you're trying to insinuate that App fans are fair weather?
I certainly can't speak to your experience, but the crew that I'm speaking of would fight you over them words. We have a patch of ground here in Western Carolina where Mountaineer football runs deep. Like, Appalachian Teacher College deep.
No I'm saying mostly everyone I know here in Raleigh who went to App is a huge UNC fan when App isn't playing
I concur, although I will add that i met plenty of App alums that rooted for NCSU or (sad) Wake Forest.
Overrated offense last night or just a bunch of bad circumstances that led them to lose their focus?
Poor interior offensive and defensive line play. Poor quarterback decision making. A very vanilla gameplan that refused to challenge the Neers deep (which isn't surprising- Dobbs had a very poor completion percentage on long throws last season.)
I think they exposed some weaknesses. Could Woody Baron do the same thing on the nose that the Appy kid did last night? Can the secondary avoid getting beaten over the top on a 50 50 ball like last night? Can they contain Dobbs and force the excellent Vols running game to grind it out? If they can- they will win the ball game.
I think App St exposed some weaknesses last night on both offense and defense. Which of those do you think might be relevant to the VT-Tenn matchup next weekend?
3 questions in and I'm sensing a theme here
Was it just me, or did Tennessee find more success once they opened up the deep ball last night than when they were focused on the run game and short passes?
They really only popped one deep ball all night, and it was poorly thrown. You hope our DBs can make the play. It would make sense that the Vols prepare to attack vertically, but last season, they really struggled to throw the ball down field.
How nice is your seat?
last time I was on a train I had a seat next to a guy with tourettes..made for an interesting ride
Coach on a sold out train. Not ideal and a long way from the hot dog car.
How do you take your dogs?
Options are limited here. Normally chili and slaw.
Vols struggled with jet sweep action last night. I don't want to make too broad of an assumption from this one small note, but this theoretically bodes well for our offense. Seemed to me like misdirection and motion was influencing Tennessee out of position and flat footed at times. Thoughts on this?
The Vols were over-pursuing and would get burnt inside, and then sit on dives and the jet sweep would pop outside. Given the Fuente game plan, especially against Ole Miss, the Hokies are tailor made to give the Vols linebackers problems. They struggled even with Reeves-Maybin still in the game.
http://www.thekeyplay.com/virginia-tech-football/2016/05/12077/analyzing...
That was going along with the question I had. How much would Vol defense improve with Reeves-Maybin in the whole game? Is he the linchpin?
My feeling is that Butch held back on play calling, but I'm not sure the Vols would have been successful last night with a more wide open approach.
Is there a specific reason why you had to take a train versus another mode of transportation? Not trying to get too personal.
Great player- but he has a tendency to overpursue. As I will show in my preview, he was as out of position as his replacements.
Appy State is a damn good team. 11-2 last year. While we have some talents that are probably better that Appy, we have to prove that we a re a better team. As for play calling- based on last year's Vols, that pretty much is what they are. Either Dobbs, Hurd, or Kamara get into the open, or they struggle to put drives together. The Florida game was brutal to watch.
Will VT's offensive line be able to mimic what Appalachian State did last night? From what I watched, App St. was able to move the ball at will at many points in the game.
With Teller? Yes. Without. Unsure.
What should I look for tomorrow that will give me hope in QB, HB, TB play?
Smooth mesh points and good reads in the option game. Look for defenders being caught way out of position. Liberty is going to play soft and force the Hokies to put together long drives, so I wouldn't expect big plays. I want lots of 5-7 yard chunk runs and no turnovers in the passing game.
Most prototypical turn of the century show?
I used to think it was Dawson's Creek, but my wife is neck deep in a Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathon right now, and man, that show seems to have absorbed every cheesy aspect of late 90s/early 2000s genre there is. For the record, I disqualify Friends, because its more a pure 90s show than turn of the century.
I am going to go off the board and say "Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place."
Good Lord that show was funny...and I believe Ryan Reynolds first exposure to the world. Almost the exact same instant I became forever irrelevant to the wife.
Reynolds comedic timing in that show was on point.
I must be getting old. "Turn of the century" had me immediately thinking of horses for transportation, silent film and Teddy Roosevelt. Maybe to answer your question Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show?
(I like Buffy)
What 1 game featuring opponents who don't play VT this season are you most interested in watching this weekend?
I hope it's the...
via GIPHY
That is terrifying
What is the KPC and how do I join? :)
How long do you think Teller will be on Fuente's Do-do list? I am guessing it is just a motivational tactic unless we are all missing some big scoop somewhere of some Marcus Vick level ill ish he did...
You are joined my man. That little key next to your name
Sorry, forgot the /s
Its all about the advertising haha
I have no idea. I have heard rumors as to why this is happening. I can't validate them, and even if I did, I don't think I would report it. Wyatt is a hell of a player. If he wants to have a future in the sport, he just needs to go out and be great in practice and his time will come.
and again, if what is rumored is true, it is nothing like what Marcus Vick did.
I'm not sure if it's good or bad that we can strike a large number of items off of the list based on that.
yes
Last year it seemed like Ford, Phillips, and Bucky were on the field for almost all of the offensive snaps. With the new offense being more high-tempo, do you think there is a max percentage of snaps those guys can play in this offense, and how do you think the offense will function with the other receivers in when they spell the big 3?
I think you will see two of the three on the field most of the time. One WR will be removed when Fuente brings a second tailback in to align in the slot. One will come off when they utilize a true tight end and an HBack. It depends mostly on rotations.
On passing downs, I expect to see Hodges, Ford, and Phillips on the field. Still unsure if they will use Rogers at tailback and Carroll in the slot, or move Phillips inside and play Deablo on the edge. McMillian is a threat in the passing game. There are a ton of options right now that we can't anticipate- but the good news is that other coaches can't anticipate it either.
Embedding is disallowed on the video, but the App State v Tennessee game is on youtube at the following link:
App State vs. Tennessee Game Film
Thank you.
yet i cannot find our spring game video
Why are you taking a train instead of flying?
Is this personal or business travel?
Personal. Flights were $800 round trip for the holiday weekend. And my MsSusieCue needed the family car for finishing back to school shopping.
Train huh? Oh yeah? Well...
Not really but I wish.
I might need a boat to get out of the yard here in SC.
Right there with you. Here in the OBX they are saying tonight into tomorrow we're looking at 5-8" with localized spots getting as much as 10" of rain
maybe half an inch in St Aug...we needed rain but the minimal amount probably reduced the debris issue by not soaking and adding weight to dead limbs and spanish moss
me too!
via GIPHY
One of my favorite "hip hop" songs...these guys get it.
Does the food car serve cake or pie?
I've commonly heard it said that teams improve the most from game 1 to game 2. TN obviously has some area they can improve a lot on, and I expect they will, but what is reasonable for them to correct in one game vs something that will take a long time to correct out of the issues:
Over pursuit by defense. Bad reads by LBs. QB making bad throws. O-line having trouble with small quick linemen. D-line not controlling gaps.
QB and OL to me will still be liabilities. The bad news about Appy State is they gave the best kind of scout look. Their O isn't a perfect match to Fuente, but they used many of the same concepts. The linebackers should be better (and they got better as the game went on.)
This is for everyone.
Did Dobbs break a rib on that TD/fumble run last night? Sure looked like he might be hurt.....
would be a shame if he did...I never like to see anybody get hurt. But, if he is hurt, who is behind him on the depth chart? Is Tenn. comfortable with their backup QB? Could we be going into a game blind next week and not knowing what we're getting from the QB spot for Tenn?
4 star redshirt freshman... will get more intell this weekend (hanging out with the most knowledgeable Vols fan I know.) Supposedly he is a better pocket passer than Dobbs, but not a great runner and "not a great fit for Jones offense."
I sure hope he isn't hurt, he isn't very good.
^ My thoughts after every big hit on LOLUVA's quarterback each year.
Ha, I was gonna ask this. But he didn't hurt himself, that App St helmet did. The way he went down, I'm thinking he got the wind knocked out of him and at least bruised ribs. But they were both moving at a good clip, I would not be surprised if he didn't crack some. Knowing the SEC, I'm sure Tenn'd still report it as bruised ribs, strap him up in an extra thick flak jacket and throw him out there next week. Kid ain't gonna want to miss a game like Bristol anyway.
The Kannibal has to be salivating, either way.
I would hope that the strategy is to hit Dobbs early and often to make him hesitant to run....kind of like we usually do with GT QB's. Especially on runs to the left, which puts his right side directly in the line of fire.
Do you think we'll see any RPO vs Liberty, or is this going to be the Spring Game game plan?
I think there will be RPO stuff. The run game won't vary much from the Vols game plan. Read the defender and make the right read and the O should be fine.
Passing game will be vanilla.
I took the train-Crescent line- down to New Orleans to see my beloved Hokies succumb to FSU in '99-but not before we scared the shikes outta some Seminole fans....the train ran out of alcohol just after Atlanta....too many Hokies on board.
But using that as context, do you see a run back to the top for VT as possible given the recent mega-changes in the program?
And if not, what is VT lacking for said run?
What quarter do the backups go in?
FINGERS CROSSED end of the 3rd
What is your experience with tropical storms/hurricanes and how they affect fishing through the fall? I'm fishing the Chesapeake and OBX and I've found the storms will blow redfish off the flats and if it is early enough, they will return that fall. Stripers will eventually come back, the amounts vary depending on the bait. I'm just pissed because this storm wrecked 4 straight days of stalking tailing and cruising redfish for me down in the OBX and I'm praying they return sooner than next year. On the bright side, I've found the redfish fishing to be excellent in the years following those with a big storm in the fall. This year has been good.
honestly, I have done very little of that type of red drum fishing. Last fall, a big offshore storm pushed the drum against the piers in Virginia Beach and in the south end of the Bay. If you could throw 10 n spot heads, you were catching a ton of citation drum.
Awesome. Chasing the big citations is next on the list
Best kind of BUTTS?
Your prediction for a name we don't know right now from the Hokies that will be a staple by the end of the season?
Would you rather be Mike London or Bronco Mendenhall?
Tie between donkey butts and pork butts.
According to the ESPN broadcast, Dobbs was 1-12 on throws of 30+ yards. That was worst among all Power 5 QBs.
That stat surprised (and pleased) me more than anything else I've read about the team. I've long thought we would bring something akin to the 2014 Ohio State gameplan into Bristol and that confirmed it for me. That said, do we know enough about Tennessee's receivers to say confidently our secondary can handle them one on one? Assuming Dobbs and the o-line ascend to basic competency can we shut down the passing game while stacking the box?
Wifi is a bit erratic. Apologizing for slow responses.
French, in the past you have stated that you are not a great fan of Cody Grimm's play, not him the player, but how he played. Does the fact that he is grooming Mook to be the next Deathbacker, worry, scare or excite you?
EDIT: This is a serious question. I was always a fan of Cody's but I wasn't necessarily looking at whether or not he was executing his assignments and playing how he should be, so curious on your take.
Grimm had an incredible knack for finding the football and getting turnovers. At the same time, there were other areas where he was a liability (especially if asked to cover someone.) Cam Martin HEALTHY was a better player and that is why Martin started over Grimm.
While they are calling Mook a whip, it really isn't the same thing. Mook will be out in the slot with much more coverage responsibility. They are grooming, and recruiting Mook with the intention of grooming, him to be the next Kyle Fuller.
Would you rather have the hiccups for the rest of your life, or always feel like you have to sneeze but not be able to?
Given that I am fighting off a sinus infection, the no sneezing thing sounds dreadful. I need to get this evil out of my face.
I sense a Marry, Fuck, Kill question coming from Alum07
Follow up question from 5_star:
What's more disgusting?:
Hiccuping and throwing up a little in your mouth, or farting hard and shitting a little in your pants?
The question assumes your are at home alone AND wearing underpants...
Is there anyone else home? What did I eat last? Am I wearing pants? Can I dispose of the underwear easily so no one sees it? Need more info.
Did the film download successfully?
it is loaded but plays in fits and starts.
What do you expect Peoples' role to be on special teams?
Probably personal protector on the punt team. Likely kickoff and kickoff return interior guy.
I'm looking for when Settle is on punt shield!!
I read this thread title as "I'm on a train thats on fire" and I thought, "that's not good, we need French."
good point!...Joe and other TKP gurus, can you arrange for fire departments to be on standby along the route of French's train, just in case? Hokiefireman should be able to help!
French, maybe you could plan more trips by train, so we can learn from your wisdom on a regular basis?
Which current or past player would you be the most afraid of in a fist fight.
Rougned Odor
Cupcake or Ice Cream Cake?