Drew Richmond potential?

#1
JohnD13

JohnD13

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#1
He's just a RS Freshman. He looked it in his time playing this year. I get that and that's why I'm asking.

Can someone with some actual knowledge give an opinion on his potential to get better? Does he look like he can improve or is he going to be like Dontavious Blair?
 
#2
#2
JohnD13 said:
He's just a RS Freshman. He looked it in his time playing this year. I get that and that's why I'm asking.

Can someone with some actual knowledge give an opinion on his potential to get better? Does he look like he can improve or is he going to be like Dontavious Blair?
Click to expand...

Can go either way. Olinemen are so hard to gauge. He can turn into Orlando Pace next year, or make Blair look good.
 
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#3
#3
JohnD13 said:
He's just a RS Freshman. He looked it in his time playing this year. I get that and that's why I'm asking.

Can someone with some actual knowledge give an opinion on his potential to get better? Does he look like he can improve or is he going to be like Dontavious Blair?
Click to expand...

On another thread or TOS, someone posted a pic of him and Preston Williams supposedly "pouting and not participating" in post Gator celebration...."supposedly" because of reduced playing time upset feelings.
There has been no actual confirmation of such feelings.
 
#4
#4
I don't think it's a good sign that he can't heat out Bret Kendrick.

Yeah, he's a redshirt freshman but he's been in the program long enough to know what to do.

My worry is that we will never know if he eventually becomes an elite tackle here, because my feeling is that he will transfer after this year.
 
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#5
#5
JohnD13 said:
He's just a RS Freshman. He looked it in his time playing this year. I get that and that's why I'm asking.

Can someone with some actual knowledge give an opinion on his potential to get better? Does he look like he can improve or is he going to be like Dontavious Blair?
Click to expand...

He's a RS freshman who has a high ceiling. He'll be a good one - and competition should fuel his fire. Hardest transition in football is from high school to college because you get so used to living off of raw talent in high school that you get by with poor technique at times. That's correctable and Drew is on the trajectory to have it corrected.
 
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#7
#7
If I were those two I would work on my game.P Will is always hurt and Richmond needs better footwork. At the end of the day everything is on them. Quit pouting and suck it up.
 
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#8
#8
JohnD13 said:
He's just a RS Freshman. He looked it in his time playing this year. I get that and that's why I'm asking.

Can someone with some actual knowledge give an opinion on his potential to get better? Does he look like he can improve or is he going to be like Dontavious Blair?
Click to expand...

Richmond is definitely not Dontavius Blair. Blair never even cracked the 2-deep as a Senior. Richmond is starting as a RS Freshman. It's a very far-fetched comparison.

I'm no O-line expert, but I do know it takes years to develop these guys and there's a big advantage to be a Senior versus being a Freshman at the Tackle position. Also, from a pure body maturity standpoint, there's a difference between being a 19 year old and being a 22 year old. I'm no beefy Offensive Lineman, but I know I was significantly stronger at 22 than at 19, and the same is true for these guys as well.

There are very few OL that are even capable of starting as Freshmen or Sophomores, so the fact that Richmond has progressed this much this soon is actually a good sign, but he's still very young.
 
#9
#9
I think he still has a high ceiling. Definitely needs improvement in his footwork. Another year in the weight room. I rarely say this about a OL, but he might actually be better off by gaining another 15-20 pounds. Needs to be muscle; not fat.

For now, Kendrick is playing better. But Richmond needs to be ready. Injuries happen so as Butch says...it is "next man in'.
 
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#10
#10
During one of the games Weeks 1-3, tv showed J Dobbs trying to talk to and encourage DR on the bench after a drive / trying to get DR to look him in the eyes, and DR seemed unwilling to pay attention to the CEO's encouragement / seemed unappreciative of the qb's leadership role (in that particular situation).
 
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#11
#11
I think he'll be alright. He lost out to a senior. Next year he'll start and be fine IMO.
 
#12
#12
Long season and as the past couple of years have shown, UT's OL will have a few injuries. DR needs to continue to work on his craft and get himself mentally ready to play again this year.
 
#13
#13
Vfl2407 said:
On another thread or TOS, someone posted a pic of him and Preston Williams supposedly "pouting and not participating" in post Gator celebration...."supposedly" because of reduced playing time upset feelings.
There has been no actual confirmation of such feelings.
Click to expand...

post the pic?
 
#14
#14
Richmond will be back out there this year.

Kendrick hasn't really out played him. Hurd continues to be a great asset in pass protection.

Chemistry was good on the line last game, but if you watched Kendrick, you will still see the same struggles.

Just win.
 
#15
#15
LittleVol said:
Richmond will be back out there this year.

Kendrick hasn't really out played him. Hurd continues to be a great asset in pass protection.

Chemistry was good on the line last game, but if you watched Kendrick, you will still see the same struggles.

Just win.
Click to expand...

I'm calling BS on this...Kendrick absolutely performed better than Richmond at LT and against much better competition.
 
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#16
#16
Saw DR on his back more than a few times, that's a balance/agility issue and footwork related which is fixable. He will be fine.
 
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#17
#17
WillisWG said:
Saw DR on his back more than a few times, that's a balance/agility issue and footwork related which fixable. He will be fine.
Click to expand...

Yes, his pad level is too high IMO. He is playing tall. The DE's are getting their left shoulder under him and somewhat able to toss him to his right and backwards.

Kendrick is carrying more weight and has a lower center of gravity. They cant toss him aside like they can DR. Plus, Kendrick seems to be playing with a meaner streak about him than DR.

Drew will be ok. Just needs to keep working hard.
 
#18
#18
Maybe Preston is still hurt from getting hit so hard in the face mask last week, letting a pass go right through his hands... I really hope these kids aren't pouting, especially Williams, they need to improve their game, and the reps and passes will come...
 
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#19
#19
Jax_Vol said:
Yes, his pad level is too high IMO. He is playing tall. The DE's are getting their left shoulder under him and somewhat able to toss him to his right and backwards.

Kendrick is carrying more weight and has a lower center of gravity. They cant toss him aside like they can DR. Plus, Kendrick seems to be playing with a meaner streak about him than DR.

Drew will be ok. Just needs to keep working hard.
Click to expand...

Good observation. Saw that happen to him a couple times in VT game.
 
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#20
#20
If Trey Smith comes to Tennessee, which looks more likely with each visit, Drew will have major competition for playing time.

Go Vols!
 
#21
#21
We rush to make a judgement on these guys too fast. I wont comment on the alleged pouting, I havent seen proof of that... But if they keep working hard theyre both super talented.

Give them time, theyll figure it out. It is a long season... odds are we need both of them to produce at a high level before the season ends.
 
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#22
#22
There was a time when you didn't see sophomores and freshmen all over the field for us. There's a reason for that. Both of these kids have the talent, they just need more time to hone their techniques. I hope each of them has the level head to see it, and I'm sure they do. Sometimes it just takes longer for the light to come on. For example see: Malone, Josh. His technique and skill has finally caught up with his raw talent and we are reaping the rewards. Richmond and Williams will be just fine.
 
#23
#23
WillisWG said:
Good observation. Saw that happen to him a couple times in VT game.
Click to expand...

Yes, that is the game I am thinking of. Once it happened a couple of times, he seemed to lose his confidence.

He slides fairly well in pass protection. Needs to work on his technique. IMO, right before he makes contact, needs a bit more knee bend and get his weight going forward to initiate the hit. Right now, he is absorbing the hit rather than delivering the first blow.

I thought Kendrick played pretty good on Saturday.
 
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#24
#24
Vfl2407 said:
On another thread or TOS, someone posted a pic of him and Preston Williams supposedly "pouting and not participating" in post Gator celebration...."supposedly" because of reduced playing time upset feelings.
There has been no actual confirmation of such feelings.
Click to expand...

that was me, and looking back i shouldn't have posted it without any ACTUAL information. it was all observational, but if you watch the replay and see what im talking about with the first win against the gators in 11 tries the team and stadium is going nuts and then you see Drew and Preston standing on there own not doing much of anything. like i said in the thread it was probably nothing but reading body language it stood out.
 
#25
#25
and this was the picture i posted, sorry i cant get it to rotate from my phone.
 

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