THE GOOD
1. Taquan is GOOD. Like REAL good. You're seeing an element we missed the last 4 seasons with JeT. The ability to run between the tackles. TM doesn't have the breakway speed of JeT, but he has the quickness and ability to create from nothing. He's not the passer JeT is (yet), but I think the inside running ability negates that. That said, I don't want him running the ball 40 times a game. He's going to break down halfway through the season if that keeps up...which I don't expect.
2. Kirvonte is GOOD. Same results as True Freshmen Mills, but breakaway ability if he gets the opportunity to get in the open field, which didn't happen against UT.
3. Our OL is GOOD. Good seeing Shamire out there and pulling. When he's on, he is probably one of the most dominant in our League. Keep it up big guy. Last play not withstanding, Parker also played a heck of a game.
4. Thought the DL played well the 1st half.
5. Austin20 is a playa!
6. That 2 OL counter lead play (or whatever is called) is devastating if you give TM the option to go outside or inside.
7. Going for 2 was the absolute correct call. Wished we would have played to the wide side to give Taquan more room to create...like we did most of the game.
8. That was one of the more dominant performances by our offense. If not for the 2 TOs, we're talking with a different tone right now.
THE BAD
1. Need to step on their throats when you have UT flailing. Tennessee looked mentally out of it in the 2nd Qtr, and in the 3rd Qtr their defense was looking around for mercy killing. Getting a FG miss and turn over on JJ Green gave them new life.
2. Not sure why CPJ didn't stay with the run on 3rd down if he was going to attempt to go for it on 4th down (which led to the missed FG). UT wasn't close to stopping us on any play on the ground at that point. Like I said in #1 above, gotta keep your foot on their neck when you have them down. Don't get cute.
3. Defense was the closest thing to dominant I've seen from us in a long time in the 1st half. Unfortunately, football is 4 quarters, not 2.
4. FG team needs to get it together quick. Kickoffs and FGs HURT us bad.
5. Corner plays is still fundamentally unsound. Not sure why Durham had his back turned to the QB when the WR was against the sideline. Our CBs play like they don't understand the sideline is basically your friend. Play with slight inside leverage to defend the slant, but keep your body between the LOS and the sideline. If Step would have done that, and kept his eyes on the QB, that's possibly an INT.
In conclusion, if we can clean some things up, we're looking like a contender for the Coastal. This can be a REALLY GOOD offense. Our defense has potential, but they just need to play aggressively the entire game.