Tennessee Vols defensive back explains tackling issues against Florida
One of the biggest reasons for the Tennessee Vols' loss to the Florida Gators last weekend was poor tackling. Tennessee missed numerous tackles that led to big plays for the Gators in the Vols' 29-16 loss. One such play involved redshirt senior cornerback Kamal Hadden and Florida sophomore running back Trevor Etienne. Hadden attempted to […]
One of the biggest reasons for the Tennessee Vols' loss to the Florida Gators last weekend was poor tackling.
Tennessee missed numerous tackles that led to big plays for the Gators in the Vols' 29-16 loss.
One such play involved redshirt senior cornerback Kamal Hadden and Florida sophomore running back Trevor Etienne.
Hadden attempted to bump Etienne with his shoulder on the running back's 62-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
The shoulder barely phased Etienne as he turned on the jets and easily outran Hadden and the rest of Tennessee's defense.
On Tuesday, Vols redshirt senior defensive back Gabe Jeudy-Lally, who previously played at Vanderbilt and BYU before transferring to Tennessee, met with reporters and he was asked about UT's tackling issues.
"We understand that fundamentals are the way we're going to win the game," said Jeudy-Lally. "We know we didn't play our best when it came to eye discipline, tackles, wrapping up and finishing through the ground. We understand that this week, every rep that we get is a tackling rep. Every rep we get is a game rep for us to be able to come out on Saturday and perform the way we want to perform. I think we are responding well. Today's practice was good and it showed that guys took what we saw in film to heart and in getting ready for this week."
"Eye discipline, wrapping up, taking people all the way through the ground," added Jeudy-Lally when asked specifically what caused Tennessee's tackling issues against Florida. "Sometimes we just threw shots at people and fundamentally you have to wrap, drive and take people to the ground. If we continue to do that like we did better in the second half, we will have the ability to be good this week. We just got to be able to focus on our fundamentals and the missed tackles will go away."
The tackling issues have to get fixed ASAP if the Vols are going to get their season back on track.
Florida played well on Saturday night. But Tennessee will face tougher challenges this season. And those challenges won't go well for the Vols if their tackling doesn't drastically improve starting this weekend against UTSA.
Tennessee Football made an inexcusable mistake against Florida
The Tennessee Vols football program made an inexcusable mistake against the Florida Gators
Featured image via Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
