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Everyone who thought the Vols might try an onside kick

largemouth

All-American
Feb 3, 2004
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raise your hand.
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I was thinking they might try an onside kick. Then when they showed the side shot of our alignment of our front and second lines, i was really hoping they wouldn't. Something didn't look right with the alignment. I didn't expect ten guys up within 15 yards of the Ball, but I was hoping our front and second line would hold their positions until they were sure the ball was kicked beyond them.
On the other hand, you just don't say onside kick and have your kicker execute that kind of kick. Tennessee must have seen something on film showing them the weakest spot in our alignment.
 
I was thinking they might try an onside kick. Then when they showed the side shot of our alignment of our front and second lines, i was really hoping they wouldn't. Something didn't look right with the alignment. I didn't expect ten guys up within 15 yards of the Ball, but I was hoping our front and second line would hold their positions until they were sure the ball was kicked beyond them.
On the other hand, you just don't say onside kick and have your kicker execute that kind of kick. Tennessee must have seen something on film showing them the weakest spot in our alignment.

Apparently we need a game management decision coach. The head coach needs help. I would pay someone just to stand there and tell the head guy when to call timeouts, to watch for trick plays, etc. That was embarrassing for a coach getting 3.9 mil per year.
 
Inge sucks. When was the last time our Special Teams made a big play? We don’t block kicks. We don’t have big returns. We don’t cover very well. Our FG Unit seemed a little off the last few games. Wilson used to rip into Inge all the time when he was a defensive coach. Had Wilson not been fired, Inge wouldn’t be here.
 
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One thing that was not clear despite the two amazing vid boards...what were they trying to determine on the OSK replays? The vid was zoomed in very close and you could not see the field for perspective. Many in Crimson thought UT may have touched it early but it was not clear what was being reviewed.
 
One thing that was not clear despite the two amazing vid boards...what were they trying to determine on the OSK replays? Many in Crimson thought UT may have touched it early but it was not clear what was being reviewed.
Early touching was what they were looking for. But the UT player (Gray?) played it perfectly.
 
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From my perspective in section 240, the IU player (on the OSK) should have approached the ball to force the kicking team to touch it early. Instead, he was caught flat footed and waited too long to move at all; it was a very well executed OSK.
 
I was thinking they might try an onside kick. Then when they showed the side shot of our alignment of our front and second lines, i was really hoping they wouldn't. Something didn't look right with the alignment. I didn't expect ten guys up within 15 yards of the Ball, but I was hoping our front and second line would hold their positions until they were sure the ball was kicked beyond them.
On the other hand, you just don't say onside kick and have your kicker execute that kind of kick. Tennessee must have seen something on film showing them the weakest spot in our alignment.


It was there all year......I was really surprised Purdue didn't try it.

We should have been protecting against the onside kick and the pooch kick. Ellis should have been told to fair catch it if they kicked deep.
 
Inge sucks. When was the last time our Special Teams made a big play? We don’t block kicks. We don’t have big returns. We don’t cover very well. Our FG Unit seemed a little off the last few games. Wilson used to rip into Inge all the time when he was a defensive coach. Had Wilson not been fired, Inge wouldn’t be here.

Inge didn't make the call. Tom did. He told Fisch that he didn't think they'd onside kick at that point so didn't want to send the hands team out.
 
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From my perspective in section 240, the IU player (on the OSK) should have approached the ball to force the kicking team to touch it early. Instead, he was caught flat footed and waited too long to move at all; it was a very well executed OSK.

That's what happens when you put inexperienced players in those spots.
 
One thing that was not clear despite the two amazing vid boards...what were they trying to determine on the OSK replays? The vid was zoomed in very close and you could not see the field for perspective. Many in Crimson thought UT may have touched it early but it was not clear what was being reviewed.
They were looking at early touching. What made the play tough to review was the position of Gray's feet at the time of touching. His feet were short of the 10 yard mark, but they determined that his hands and ball were beyond 10 Yards at the time it was touched. It appeared that it was the correct call or at the very least that there wasn't sufficient evidence to overturn.
 
Not only did we not have enough guys near the line......the ones that were there were big and slow. Godawful.
You are right about the alignment but completely wrong about the player. The player closest to the ball was Gary Cooper a freshman tight end from Miami COLUMBUS who is an incredible athlete. I am sure he was told to watch for onside kick they should be told that before every KO. You are told not to leave until the ball goes beyond you. He did however freeze and not react very well to ball. But it going to blame him because yes the alignment was terrible. I am sure if we had been in a different alignment no way they try OSK. Three timeouts and 4:21 left on the clock and we had just gone 3 and out on last possession. Again dumb alignment.
 
You are right Palmbeach and I certainly DO NOT blame Cooper; the alignment IU had on the play put him on an island as the kick came toward him.
 
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I was thinking they might try an onside kick. Then when they showed the side shot of our alignment of our front and second lines, i was really hoping they wouldn't. Something didn't look right with the alignment. I didn't expect ten guys up within 15 yards of the Ball, but I was hoping our front and second line would hold their positions until they were sure the ball was kicked beyond them.
On the other hand, you just don't say onside kick and have your kicker execute that kind of kick. Tennessee must have seen something on film showing them the weakest spot in our alignment.
According to post game comments, the UT staff did see something on tape and prepared the team for it. Note that UT did not change their kick alignment or personnel.

I haven't reviewed the game yet (just got back from the game) but it was interesting to watch the IU front 4 in the stadium replays during the review - not consistent reaction across the front 4.
 
One thing that was not clear despite the two amazing vid boards...what were they trying to determine on the OSK replays? The vid was zoomed in very close and you could not see the field for perspective. Many in Crimson thought UT may have touched it early but it was not clear what was being reviewed.
There was one replay that showed Gray when he touched the ball and it was right on the line. The majority of the angles the view was blocked, primarily by Gray and the player to his right. There was at least one angle where it looked like he was early but you can't see his hands
 
My 10 year old son said now here comes the onside kick, I said yep, we get this at half field and make UT use the timeouts get a couple 1st downs, we win.

Then the TV showed the action and I yelled, Where is our hands team!? Then boom....UT ball....I sat in disbelief....my 10 year old said, why didn't we lineup for onside kick?
 
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raise your hand.
636276034845450820-USATSI-9781019.jpg
I did, and I'll tell you why. Remember in the first quarter Pruitt went for it on fourth down in his own half of the field? He didn't respect our D. As to the onsides kick, I think he thought even if IU recovers the kick, there were four minutes left and he had three TOs. If he kicked deep, and IU somehow got a couple of first downs, then that would be it. The game came down to the onsides kick, and the Vols got the better of it. Being bold and not playing cautiously is how you win games. I think it was a little SEC bravado there.
 
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From my perspective in section 240, the IU player (on the OSK) should have approached the ball to force the kicking team to touch it early. Instead, he was caught flat footed and waited too long to move at all; it was a very well executed OSK.
I agree, need to run forward when you see what is happening. At least give yourself a chance, but to not even contest it is agonizing.
 
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My 10 year old son said now here comes the onside kick, I said yep, we get this at half field and make UT use the timeouts get a couple 1st downs, we win.

Then the TV showed the action and I yelled, Where is our hands team!? Then boom....UT ball....I sat in disbelief....my 10 year old said, why didn't we lineup for onside kick?

Do you think you can get your son a waiver to the Child Labor law? We could use a real Special Teams Coach...
 
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