Tennessee

First Impressions of Willis From Rookie Camp

Published

3 years ago

May 16, 2022

First Impressions of Willis From Rookie Camp

NASHVILLE – In relation to NFL rookies, few prospects draw as a lot quick consideration as extremely drafted quarterbacks.

Such was the case over the weekend for Malik Willis. Each snap, throw and scramble through the Tennessee Titans’ rookie orientation got here beneath scrutiny.

A 3rd-round choice out of Liberty College, Willis is the Titans’ highest-drafted quarterback because the group took Marcus Mariota with the second general choose in 2015.

The truth that circumstances make it appear potential — perhaps eve possible — Willis will probably be a starter in 2023 solely provides to the intrigue.

Listed below are 5 first-impression observations on Willis, who predictably had good and dangerous moments in his first style of the NFL.

“That was rather a lot higher than what I believed it was going to go like,” he stated. “You undergo one thing for the primary time, you don’t know what to anticipate. All people put their opinions on the market about what they suppose, however don’t no person know till you undergo it.

“I used to be simply actually, actually appreciative of (quarterbacks coach Pat O’Hara and offensive coordinator Todd Downing) in simply making ready us to get on the market and simply go have enjoyable, play the sport we like to play. I felt actually good about it.”

• Arm energy – What was thought of one among Willis’ best attributes did certainly stand out through the minicamp. It wasn’t essentially 60-yard throws downfield that I’m speaking about, as Willis actually didn’t throw plenty of deep passes. However the zip on his extra routine passes was spectacular.

Just a few particularly come to thoughts: One was a brief out path to fifth-round choose Kyle Philips, the sort of move that quarterbacks can’t miss to the within due to the likelihood a closing cornerback might snatch it for a pick-six. However Willis’ move was a rope — proper heading in the right direction, ensuring nobody however Philips had an opportunity to catch it.

One other throw Willis appeared particularly comfy with was the seam sample to the tight finish. He was on the cash with a couple of throws to speedy fourth-round choose Chig Okonkwo, providing a tempting glimpse of a future connection between the rookies.

Willis additionally smoked a couple of passes to targets over the center, hitting mid-range targets in a rush. One was to undrafted SMU receiver Reggie Roberson, who hauled in a Willis fastball for what would have been acquire.

• The mechanics query – Willis’ throwing movement takes somewhat little bit of getting used to. For starters, he doesn’t come excessive. It’s actually not a Phillip Rivers state of affairs, however in all probability extra of a three-quarters motion. Willis’ arm additionally seems to remain somewhat tighter to his physique than is typically seen. A variety of NFL quarterbacks have discovered success throwing from all types of various angles in recent times, so it’s actually not an enormous pink flag. But it surely’s value questioning if Willis might want to make any adjustments to the movement, contemplating he’s 6-foot-1.

One other factor that regarded a bit completely different was Willis’ behavior of selecting up his proper foot as he adopted via on his throws. One would suppose that may have an effect on the speed of his throws, nevertheless it actually didn’t seem to.

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Will probably be fascinating to see how a lot – if in any respect — the Titans attempt to change Willis’ base and throwing movement. He did, in any case, throw for a mixed 5,107 yards and 47 touchdowns over the past two seasons at Liberty utilizing his present mechanics.

• Accuracy – Willis was good, however not nice, on this division throughout group and seven-on-seven drills Friday and Saturday. As talked about, Willis’ arm energy made for some very spectacular darts delivered each to the sideline and over the center. There have been some off-target tosses as effectively, with a type of situations forcing Philips – open on a brief crossing route – to have to show and catch the ball behind his physique.

One factor that appeared shocking was that when Willis was working in particular person quarterback drills – merely standing nonetheless and throwing to trainers or managers – he missed a couple of stationary targets at medium vary, throwing excessive or broad. One potential clarification: Willis might need been utilizing these classes with O’Hara to work on changes to his base or mechanics, which might clearly have affected the throwing movement.

• Thickness – Willis carries his 219 kilos on a thickly muscled body. The rookie minicamp was non-contact (and quarterbacks wouldn’t be hit in observe anyway), so we don’t but know for certain what the highly effective construct will imply. However presumably, it ought to assist Willis deal with a few of the hits – whether or not on the run or within the pocket – that he’ll finally tackle the NFL stage.

Bear in mind, this can be a quarterback that broke extra tackles (89) than some other participant – together with working backs – on the FBS stage final season, per Professional Soccer Focus. He additionally performed all 13 Liberty video games final season regardless of getting sacked 51 occasions, most within the FBS. So he can each ship and soak up punishment.

“I simply acquired to present glory to God on that one,” Willis stated when requested about his energy. “Pray prefer it’s as much as God, work prefer it’s as much as you. I simply attempt to exit daily and attempt to get higher, whether or not it’s on the sector or within the weight room.”

• Perseverance and poise – There have been occasions throughout Friday’s preliminary minicamp session that Willis regarded somewhat frazzled. It wasn’t a lot his play through the group drills that was a problem, however extra what led as much as the performs. The offense made a number of pre-snap errors within the early going (some as a consequence of quarterback cadence), and Willis additionally had a tough time dealing with snaps beneath middle – after enjoying nearly completely beneath shotgun at Liberty.

However issues progressed for Willis and the offense on Friday, and regarded a lot smoother on Saturday, with noticeably fewer breakdowns and dangerous snaps.

Willis additionally didn’t come aside on the seams after a foul toss, such because the interception he threw to sixth-round defensive again Theo Jackson on Saturday.

“I feel it acquired higher,” Vrabel stated of Willis’ work on Friday. “It acquired higher in seven-on-seven, and that’s all we’re in search of is to make some enhancements and have a fantastic perspective and be coachable, be keen to be taught.”

Added Willis: “Hey, we acquired one p.c (higher) every day, that’s all we’re making an attempt to get. In 100 days, you’ll be one hundred pc higher. That’s what (Vrabel) advised me, so it’s all good, and (I’m) simply going to work daily.”

Willis additionally confirmed a poise and luxury stage in his first reside session with Titans media, easily coping with the Ryan Tannehill mentor remark that would have confirmed awkward.

“It was by no means something unfavourable,” Willis stated. “Ryan’s dude. Like I stated, he had us over to the home, man. Every little thing’s cool.”

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Tennessee

What Nico Iamaleava said after Tennessee football's loss at Ohio State

Published

25 minutes ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

What Nico Iamaleava said after Tennessee football’s loss at Ohio State

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Tennessee’s path to the College Football Playoff had been paved with cold-from-behind wins.

On Saturday night at Ohio Stadium, the Vols didn’t have another comeback effort in them.

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM

Hindered by an uncharacteristic performance from its typically reliable defense and injuries, No. 9 Tennessee fell behind three scores in the first half against No. 8 Ohio State and didn’t have the offense to make up for it, leading to a 42-17 defeat that ended its season.

The Vols (10-3) had been plagued by slow starts through the first half of the season, more often than not able to find enough life to win.

They did it against Florida, Alabama and Vanderbilt in the triumph that clinched their first-ever playoff berth.

But that kind of start proved costly vs. the Buckeyes (11-2), who posted more than 430 yards of total offense and never came close to giving up their lead.

If there was any positive that could have been gleaned from Tennessee’s performance, it was quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

Iamaleava, at times during those stagnant starts looked very much like a freshman quarterback trying to find his footing as a now full-time starter.

In the second half of the season, though Iamaleava was more poised and the Vols’ began flourish on that side of the ball.

Tennessee didn’t flourish in many areas on Saturday. What small doses of momentum they found almost always involved Iamaleava.

He ran the ball 20 times for 47 yards, extending drive and rushing for both of the Vols’ only touchdowns.

Here is everything Iamaleava said about the performance.

On if he expected to run the ball 20 times

“I mean, 20 (carries). No, I did not expect to run that many times. Some shots that were there, and overall as a team we didn’t just execute the whole game plan, so got to be better.”

On what disappointed him most about the performance

“Just started off slow. We were supposed to come in, had a great game plan to come in and fire first, and they hit us in the mouth first. We were just trying to recover that whole game. First half I thought we did a great job of that, and second half coming in I thought we could have played at a way higher level than we did.”

On what team can take away from loss

“I think just use it as motivation. We’ve been putting in work since January to get to this point, and it sucks to go out that way because that’s not who we are. love this team. I love the team we have. Just the way tonight went was not the way we wanted it to go, and we’ll use that as fuel and motivation during this off-season to really hit it.”

On what Tennessee needs to do to beat better teams on the road

“I think that all just comes to executing on the road. Like I said, our coaches gave us a great game plan, and us as players, as the team, we’re the ones out there on the field playing, and we’ve just got to hold ourselves to a higher standard and execute at a higher level.”

On Dylan Sampson and Dont’e Thornton Jr. dealing with injuries, how it effected the game

“Shoot, at the end of the day, man, whoever is out there, whether it’s a freshman or not, we’ve got to be able to execute the same way with those guys or not, and we didn’t do a good job of that tonight.“

On the difference between running an offense at home and on the road

“I would just say there’s a crowd noise that plays a factor in how we play. We can’t play as fast as we want to without tempo, and that’s really the biggest factor was crowd noise.”

On what personnel Tennessee can add to open up the offense

“Obviously in the off-season, me, Coach Joey, and Coach Heup are always have conversations about how we can excel this offense, and it’ll be that in the off-season, too.”

On large contingent of Tennessee fans that were at Ohio Stadium

“I love it. Man, I was so happy to see all the orange in the stands. It sucks the performance we gave out for them, but I hope they get home safe, man. I really appreciate their support.”

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Tennessee

Ohio State Shows Major Resolve in CFP Win Over Tennessee

Published

8 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Ohio State Shows Major Resolve in CFP Win Over Tennessee

The Ohio State Buckeyes’ loss to the Michigan Wolverines now feels like ages ago.

Ohio State went into its first-round College Football Playoff matchup against the Tennessee Volunteers with major question marks.

Will Howard was under fire. The play calling was in the crosshairs. Ryan Day’s job security had become a regular topic of discussion.

But then, the Buckeyes hammered Tennessee by a score of 42-17 to advance to the Rose Bowl for a chance for revenge against the Oregon Ducks.

Ohio State put together arguably its best performance of the season against a very tough Tennessee opponent. The Buckeyes scored 21 points in the first quarter, immediately sending a message to the Volunteers—and the country—that they meant business.

Howard, who looked like a deer in headlights in the regular-season finale against Michigan, stepped up with a significant performance. Yes, there was the red zone interception, but in the end, it was no harm, no foul (he probably shouldn’t do that against Oregon, though).

Jeremiah Smith looked every bit of the phenom we all thought he was heading into 2024. The defense was tremendous. Day? He coached a terrific game.

But the most impressive part of this showing by Ohio State was the resolve that it demonstrated, picking itself up off the mat after a soul-crushing defeat to the Wolverines earlier in the month.

I have to admit: I wasn’t sure if the Buckeyes had this in them. Not after they mustered just 10 points against a far inferior Michigan opponent, a game in which they were physically beaten up.

And considering that Tennessee’s defense was even stingier than Michigan’s this year, I certainly didn’t anticipate that Ohio State would drop 42 points.

Nevertheless, here we are.

A couple of weeks ago, it was beginning to look like the Buckeyes wouldn’t even have a chance against Oregon. Heck, there were some who felt that the Volunteers would beat them.

It wasn’t due to a lack of talent, either. It was more due to the thought that Ohio State lacked an identity and didn’t seem to have the mental fortitude required to win a national championship.

Remember: the Buckeyes also lost to the Ducks earlier in the season as a result of some mental erros and not being able to seal the deal.

So the concerns surrounding Ohio State heading into the College Football Playoff were legitimate.

But the Buckeyes appear to have flipped a switch, and it appears that their tenacity has finally matched their excessive talent.

Now, we’ll see if Ohio State can exact revenge on Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

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Tennessee-Ohio State live updates: How to watch, predictions, odds for CFP game

Published

16 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Tennessee-Ohio State live updates: How to watch, predictions, odds for CFP game

The first round of the College Football Playoff is nearly complete, with the final game of the slate featuring Ohio State vs. Tennessee in “The Shoe.”

Two of the most recognizable brands in college football, Tennessee and Ohio State arrive in the 12-team playoff with at-large bids, falling just short of reaching their respective conference championship games and snatching one of the top four byes in the bracket.

Tennessee will be making its first playoff after going 10-2, which included a win over Alabama that likely is the reason why the Volunteers are in the playoff. No strangers to the playoff, Ohio State arrives with a fan base that isn’t all too thrilled with head coach Ryan Day after losing a fourth consecutive year to Michigan. A national championship is still possible, but the pressure is on for Day to deliver a deep playoff run and possibly save his job. Will the Buckeyes get a much-needed win, or will Tennessee pull off the upset in front of more than 100,000 fans?

It’s the second time Tennessee and Ohio State have faced each other, and the winner of the first-round finale has a tough date ahead of them. The victor will head west to Pasadena to play No. 1 overall seed Oregon in the “Granddaddy of them all,” the Rose Bowl Game on New Year’s Day.

When is the College Football Playoff between Tennessee and Ohio State

The College Football Playoff first-round game between the No. 9-seed Tennessee Volunteers and the No. 8-seed Ohio State Buckeyes kicks off at 8 p.m. ET at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio

How to watch College Football Playoff between Tennessee and Ohio State

The College Football Playoff first-round game between the No. 9-seed Tennessee Volunteers and the No. 8-seed Ohio State Buckeyes will be televised nationally on ABC and ESPN.

Live streaming is also available on Fubo, which offers a free trial.

Catch Tennessee vs. Ohio State with a Fubo subscription which has a free trial

The Ohio State Buckeyes are the favorites to defeat the Tennessee Volunteers in this first-round College Football Playoff game, according to the BetMGM college football odds on Saturday.

Spread: Ohio State (-7)
Moneyline: Ohio State (-275); Tennessee (+220)
Over/under: 46.5

USA TODAY Sports: No. 8 Ohio State over No. 9 Tennessee

Paul Myerberg writes: “This is the premier pairing of the opening round and a nice barometer of how playoff games could unfold between the best of the best in the Big Ten and SEC. Given two evenly matched teams with similar traits, two factors will make the difference in Ohio State’s favor: homefield advantage and a more credible offense. Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard has more experience and better skill options. But another big game from Volunteers signal caller Nico Iamaleava could easily shift this game in the opposite direction.”

ESPN: Ohio State has 65% chance to win

According to ESPN’s Matchup Predictor, the Ohio State Buckeyes have a 65.5% chance to beat the Tennessee Volunteers in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

College Football Network: Ohio State 27, Tennessee 23

Will Helms writes: “To be clear, I think Ohio State’s offense is capable of moving the ball down the field through the air, but Tennessee’s defensive line could feast against a reshuffled Buckeyes O-line. But I also trust (offensive coordinator Chip) Kelly to find ways to scheme open elite playmakers like Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. If this becomes a close game, Ohio State’s experience can make a difference. However, I like the Volunteers as one of the best bets of the opening round. The Buckeyes’ experience and depth should help them close this out, but take the Volunteers to cover in a close one that ticks over.”

Sports Illustrated: Tennessee Volunteers

James Parks writes: “Tennessee +7.5 … We’re taking the Vols to win straight-up on the road given their outright advantage on a very dominant defensive front, which should overpower a Buckeyes offensive line down two key starters to injury, while Dylan Sampson and Tennessee’s gifted ground game do the rest.”

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