The white balance seems off - all that burnt orange color - just kidding about the burnt orange but not about the white balance. What did you have your white balance on - the field is orange too.
Did you shoot in raw.?
IS your monitor calibrated?
Did you use the centre focus?
What was the ISO, some seem soft but likey motion blur. Sport shots should always be >1/500?
I would use a monipod to at least decrease some noise from shake.
First, it is better to post several images here rather than have us browse the collection. Also, leave Exef intact.
General comments, and I did not review all images
at the largest size many are soft (IMG_2158 for example). I don't know anything about the lens but you might try stopping down a bit to sharpen - I didn't see anything suggesting focus issues;
well saturated, maybe a little too 'hot' for my taste.
I got this notion in my head that I would do sports photography and discovered my 80-200 f2.8 won't reach beyond pitcher's mound and 1st or 3rd base depending on the sideline and it, too, is a tad soft wide open. Guys over on 'Sports Forum' say you need 300- to 400 mm to get 'tight' images with attention to eyes and face.
Don't know what your objectives are but to me seems like you have a good kit to shoot in stands and perhaps sidelines.
Confused me at first - 'UT' - Tennessee doesn't play until tomorrow night
understood, i will look into white balance. my laptop monitor is of course not calibrated, so i tried to do the white balance of elements which i knew were white, uniforms etc
honestly, i got a new lens, i was excited, and i wanted to have fun.
sitting in the stands, i tried to shoot as best as i could.
i think it will take me a few months to understand the lens more.
but to me, this was more of capturing the theme of the game, the feeling, the euphoria, than being technically correct.
so i guess i want you to judge me more on the composition rather than on the technique,
but your critique is much appreciated and understood. Of course you guys are right.
Personally, my whole purpose in capturing images is the same as yours - enjoy the moment and have fun - if I convey that in the image(s) so much the better. I've experienced the same situation you describe.
Along the way, I've become sensitive to common critiques on this forum: flat image, horizon not level, rule of thirds, too busy, focus on the eyes, no message, etc. that all contribute to better images. While I can sometimes produce a technically correct image, the 'art' generally still escapes me.
That all being said, if photography ever stops being an enjoyable experience, I'll put it aside and move along to other pursuits.
Keep shooting, enjoy it, and consider sharing the images with us.
"..this was more of capturing the theme of the game, the feeling, the euphoria..." which apparently meant lots of pictures of cheeleaders.
Looks like you did capture a good time - or at least as good of a time one can have while surrounded by horrible shades of orange (a failing of "UT" football no matter what state you are in)