Big Orange Roundtable XI: Florida looming large

I barely had time to enjoy our sloppy win on Saturday before it hit me that the countdown to Florida had begun.  Unless we improve a great deal this week, beating the Gators this weekend is going to take nothing short of a miracle.  I will be there, though, and I believe that it can be done.  I also believe that it can be done wtihout a complete coaching staff overhaul this afternoon, although I don’t like our chances.

Today’s Big Orange Roundtable is one of my favorite Vol Bloggers: Your Mother Slept With Wilt Chamberlain. And he doesn’t know this, but my fantasy basketball team last year was named in his honor (YourMomSleptWithWilt) because that’s one of the funniest blog names out there.  In an effort to make my head hurt on this Monday morning, he has decided to ask one big question with multiple sub-parts.

How would you grade the VOLS performance this past weekend?

Quarterbacks: I gave Jon Crompton a pass after the UCLA game because it was his first game (as the one, true starter), but he doesn’t skate this week. What in the hell? This was one of the most god-awful defenses in the country, and the kid threw two picks. We should have torched the Blazers, and we are in trouble offensively this week. The most aggravating mistake that I could see from Section K was a couldn’t-be-more-wide-open Brandon Warren streaking across the middle of the field right in front of me, and well … let’s just say that I could see it from forty rows up and that’s more than I can say for JC. If the coaches made a quarterback change this week, you wouldn’t hear any hemming and hawing from me.

GRADE: D-

Running Backs: Hot damn, we have some good running backs. Hardesty and Foster looked great, and I liked what Creer showed me, too. Tauren Poole had a great run, and we have more depth here than anywyhere else. I am ready to make this a “pound the rock” season, and I see no reason we shouldn’t be running for 200 yards a game.

GRADE: A+

Receivers: We really need to start catching the ball! I know a lot of these things are a quarterback’s fault, but our passing game needs a ton of work if we are going to win any conference games this year. Luke Stocker needs to be holding a clipboard – catch the ball, son!

GRADE: C-

Offensive Line: I don’t understand what happened to our offensive line in the off-season. Where is that great group from last year? I know Crompton isn’t Ainge and doesn’t get rid of the ball as quickly, but their protection has done a backslide since last year. They are still blocking well for the run, so they are saved from getting a really awful grade.

GRADE: C

Defensive Line: These guys are playing fairly well for a unit that I had questions about before the season. We still have a ways to go to play like a Tennessee Vols’ line, but they are showing some improvement. The problem is that Florida isn’t UCLA or UAB, and they better get ready to try and contain Tim Tebow.

GRADE: C+

Linebackers: For a group that is supposed to be our defensive coordinator’s forte, for some reason we aren’t making ‘em like we used to. This wasn’t an awful performance, but these guys are going to have to be the key to our defense next week. Tebow and Harvin are coming, and they will be coming hard and fast respectively. We are going to be bouncing off of Tebow if we don’t learn to wrap up.

GRADE: C-

Secondary: Solid, solid, solid. We knew our defensive backs would be good this year, but I like these kids more every day. I wish our linebackers would learn to deliver a hit as consistently and as bone-crushing as Eric Berry.

GRADE: A

Special Teams: Could be better, but it could be worse. Special teams wasn’t the difference in this one, thank goodness. We better be practicing returns and kicks at practice this week, and for pete’s sake, can we hire a separate special team’s coach? Surely Fulmer can afford to take a $120,000 paycut so we can bring in someone.

Coaching: Puke. Something’s wrong up there, and I am not sure you can really point to any one thing. I hope this game helped Clawson get the kinks out, and we are still freaking playing soft coverage. Chavis needs to get a clue.

GRADE: D

Overall:  I am glad we won the game and won it decisively.  At least we didn’t end 17-10 like we did against them a few years ago.  As far as the team goes, we have a couple really strong spots, and the rest is fairly weak.  If we don’t get improved quarterback and offensive line play, we are going to have trouble scoring many points at all on Saturday.  And against Florida: He who doth not score many touchdowns, shalt be slain by the Gators.  Does anyone else think that there’s no way that Florida scores less then 24 points against us?  Nobody?  Yeah, me either – remember, this is the team that had 550 yards of offense and scored FIFTY NINE FREAKING POINTS AGAINST US LAST YEAR.  If that happens again, I want John Chavis’ head on a spike on the top of the stadium as a warning to all future defensive coordinators for years to come.  THAT is not Tennessee football.  It’s an embarrassment.  So, hopefully we work hard this week and get it together for Saturday.  GO VOLS!

GRADE: C

Check out the rest of the Big Orange Roundtable:

* Loser With Socks
* 3rd Saturday in Blogtober
* Fulmer’s Belly
* YMSWWC
* Gate 21
* Rocky Top Talk
* SouthEastern Sports Blog
* Moondog Sports