A Strong Finish?

[Southeastern VFL]

I don't really follow recruiting in depth like I know some of you do but my question is this. If we were to over achieve and finish better than the 6-6 prediction what the chance we could finish strong and possibly get a few recruits to look our way that not in the picture right now?

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Yes we would. Another reason we could finish fairly strong is that the investigation is coming to a likely end. Austin Price and Brent Hubbs alluded to the investigation possibly wrapping up next month. That will help us out significantly. In my opinion, the uncertainty revolving around the investigation is one of the main reasons we have been struggling in recruiting.

But winning solves a ton of recruiting issues. If we can maybe win 7, possibly 8, we could finish fairly strong. I don’t know if we will finish in the top 25 in recruiting this year. If we don’t, I am fine with that. Fulmer and Pruitt did their best to bury this program. Heupel has a humongous hole to dig out of. Surprise a team or two and win the games you should and we could see a better recruiting class than we think.

 

[Devo182]

4-8 - recruiting is dead

5-7 no change

6-6 small bump - don't get blown out too much

7-5 strong recruiting bump. Top 25 class should be had.

8-4 larger bump - who the wins are begin to matter. Did we upset 1 of the big 3? That'd be huge

9-3 huge bump!

10-2 FORGET RECRUITING, WE'RE GOING STREAKING THROUGH THE QUAD AND INTO THE GYMNASIUM!

 

[Coddlecreek1]

4-8 - recruiting is dead

5-7 no change
I am shooting for 9 wins......bout time for a few breaks

6-6 small bump - don't get blown out too much

7-5 strong recruiting bump. Top 25 class should be had.

8-4 larger bump - who the wins are begin to matter. Did we upset 1 of the big 3? That'd be huge

9-3 huge bump!

10-2 FORGET RECRUITING, WE'RE GOING STREAKING THROUGH THE QUAD AND INTO THE GYMNASIUM!

 

[Southeastern VFL]

4-8 - recruiting is dead

5-7 no change

6-6 small bump - don't get blown out too much

7-5 strong recruiting bump. Top 25 class should be had.

8-4 larger bump - who the wins are begin to matter. Did we upset 1 of the big 3? That'd be huge

9-3 huge bump!

10-2 FORGET RECRUITING, WE'RE GOING STREAKING THROUGH THE QUAD AND INTO THE GYMNASIUM!

Lol at that time of the year in Knoxville well that could be real bad frost bite in some nevermind going 10-2 would be worth I think lol.

 

[savannahfan]

Yes we would. Another reason we could finish fairly strong is that the investigation is coming to a likely end. Austin Price and Brent Hubbs alluded to the investigation possibly wrapping up next month. That will help us out significantly. In my opinion, the uncertainty revolving around the investigation is one of the main reasons we have been struggling in recruiting.

But winning solves a ton of recruiting issues. If we can maybe win 7, possibly 8, we could finish fairly strong. I don’t know if we will finish in the top 25 in recruiting this year. If we don’t, I am fine with that. Fulmer and Pruitt did their best to bury this program. Heupel has a humongous hole to dig out of. Surprise a team or two and win the games you should and we could see a better recruiting class than we think.

The only thing wrong with what you say is "is one" should say "is the"...

 

[sjt18]

I have previously said that the guy who turns UT around will find a lot of really good 3* players. That's true especially early before he establishes his credibility.

Saban's first class at Bama started by Shula was ranked 10th with 10 4* and 12 3* plus 3 2*. He already had a NC ring. That same year, UT signed a class that everyone though would relaunch the Vols into dominance. It was ranked 3rd in the nation and loaded with 4/5* players... like:

5*
Brent Vinson
Kenny O'Neal
Ben Martin
Christ Donald

4*
Ahmad Paige
Darris Sawtelle
BJ Coleman
Donald Langley
DeAngelo Willingham
Rolando Melancon
Lennon Creer
Rae Sykes

Out of the 16 supposed blue chip signees... it would be fair to call at least 11 outright busts. I don't know if Heupel is finding hidden 3* gems or not. But the "right" coach... may very well not look all that great in the recruiting rankings early on.

 

[LittleVol]

I have previously said that the guy who turns UT around will find a lot of really good 3* players. That's true especially early before he establishes his credibility.

Saban's first class at Bama started by Shula was ranked 10th with 10 4* and 12 3* plus 3 2*. He already had a NC ring. That same year, UT signed a class that everyone though would relaunch the Vols into dominance. It was ranked 3rd in the nation and loaded with 4/5* players... like:

5*
Brent Vinson
Kenny O'Neal
Ben Martin
Christ Donald

4*
Ahmad Paige
Darris Sawtelle
BJ Coleman
Donald Langley
DeAngelo Willingham
Rolando Melancon
Lennon Creer
Rae Sykes

Out of the 16 supposed blue chip signees... it would be fair to call at least 11 outright busts. I don't know if Heupel is finding hidden 3* gems or not. But the "right" coach... may very well not look all that great in the recruiting rankings early on.

Eric Berry and Denarius Moore were the only studs of that whole class....

Ridiculous.

 

[sjt18]

Eric Berry and Denarius Moore were the only studs of that whole class....

Ridiculous.

Yep. And Moore was the 3* that UT "had to take" to get Creer. McKenzie was a decent ST's and role player but not worth 4*. Ben Martin might have been great if not for injuries. Gerald Jones had a decent career but not a 4* career. Some of the 3* guys were good contributors- Rogan, Evans, Fleming, Anderson.

I hadn't really thought about it but that class had a lot to do with how UT originally fell on such hard times. They should have been the primary contributors in 2009 and 2010. Fulmer truly left the cupboards bare with that class. The DL busts were 7 for 7. Only 2 OL's signed and neither were great contributors.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

I have previously said that the guy who turns UT around will find a lot of really good 3* players. That's true especially early before he establishes his credibility.

Saban's first class at Bama started by Shula was ranked 10th with 10 4* and 12 3* plus 3 2*. He already had a NC ring. That same year, UT signed a class that everyone though would relaunch the Vols into dominance. It was ranked 3rd in the nation and loaded with 4/5* players... like:

5*
Brent Vinson
Kenny O'Neal
Ben Martin
Christ Donald

4*
Ahmad Paige
Darris Sawtelle
BJ Coleman
Donald Langley
DeAngelo Willingham
Rolando Melancon
Lennon Creer
Rae Sykes

Out of the 16 supposed blue chip signees... it would be fair to call at least 11 outright busts. I don't know if Heupel is finding hidden 3* gems or not. But the "right" coach... may very well not look all that great in the recruiting rankings early on.

Too many poor evaluations from Fulmer and his coaches.

 

[sjt18]

Too many poor evaluations from Fulmer and his coaches.

True. Jones ended up that way too but I think he followed "star" ratings more than most. His last couple of classes have hurt.

 

[Devo182]

Lol at that time of the year in Knoxville well that could be real bad frost bite in some nevermind going 10-2 would be worth I think lol.

Wouldn't be the first time I did it in The Fort!

/tmi

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

I have previously said that the guy who turns UT around will find a lot of really good 3* players. That's true especially early before he establishes his credibility.

Saban's first class at Bama started by Shula was ranked 10th with 10 4* and 12 3* plus 3 2*. He already had a NC ring. That same year, UT signed a class that everyone though would relaunch the Vols into dominance. It was ranked 3rd in the nation and loaded with 4/5* players... like:

5*
Brent Vinson
Kenny O'Neal
Ben Martin
Christ Donald

4*
Ahmad Paige
Darris Sawtelle
BJ Coleman
Donald Langley
DeAngelo Willingham
Rolando Melancon
Lennon Creer
Rae Sykes

Out of the 16 supposed blue chip signees... it would be fair to call at least 11 outright busts. I don't know if Heupel is finding hidden 3* gems or not. But the "right" coach... may very well not look all that great in the recruiting rankings early on.

I didn’t realize this. So Saban didn’t walk into quite as bad of a situation as previously thought.

 

[sjt18]

I didn’t realize this. So Saban didn’t walk into quite as bad of a situation as previously thought.

It was pretty bad but a lot of it had to do with some toxic attitudes in the team he was left. He ran several guys off who previously had significant roles.

 

[PA Vol]

I have previously said that the guy who turns UT around will find a lot of really good 3* players. That's true especially early before he establishes his credibility.

Saban's first class at Bama started by Shula was ranked 10th with 10 4* and 12 3* plus 3 2*. He already had a NC ring. That same year, UT signed a class that everyone though would relaunch the Vols into dominance. It was ranked 3rd in the nation and loaded with 4/5* players... like:

5*
Brent Vinson
Kenny O'Neal
Ben Martin
Christ Donald

4*
Ahmad Paige
Darris Sawtelle
BJ Coleman
Donald Langley
DeAngelo Willingham
Rolando Melancon
Lennon Creer
Rae Sykes

Out of the 16 supposed blue chip signees... it would be fair to call at least 11 outright busts. I don't know if Heupel is finding hidden 3* gems or not. But the "right" coach... may very well not look all that great in the recruiting rankings early on.

That class was also sandwiched between two incredibly below average classes, too. I was going to pile onto Fulmer but honestly if there’s anyone still left that can’t see the damage he did to the program in his final years and then as AD, I don’t know what to tell them.

 

[theutvolunteers]

I have previously said that the guy who turns UT around will find a lot of really good 3* players. That's true especially early before he establishes his credibility.

Saban's first class at Bama started by Shula was ranked 10th with 10 4* and 12 3* plus 3 2*. He already had a NC ring. That same year, UT signed a class that everyone though would relaunch the Vols into dominance. It was ranked 3rd in the nation and loaded with 4/5* players... like:

5*
Brent Vinson
Kenny O'Neal
Ben Martin
Christ Donald

4*
Ahmad Paige
Darris Sawtelle
BJ Coleman
Donald Langley
DeAngelo Willingham
Rolando Melancon
Lennon Creer
Rae Sykes

Out of the 16 supposed blue chip signees... it would be fair to call at least 11 outright busts. I don't know if Heupel is finding hidden 3* gems or not. But the "right" coach... may very well not look all that great in the recruiting rankings early on.

Man I was excited about that class.

 

[rekinhavoc]

4-8 - recruiting is dead

5-7 no change

6-6 small bump - don't get blown out too much

7-5 strong recruiting bump. Top 25 class should be had.

8-4 larger bump - who the wins are begin to matter. Did we upset 1 of the big 3? That'd be huge

9-3 huge bump!

10-2 FORGET RECRUITING, WE'RE GOING STREAKING THROUGH THE QUAD AND INTO THE GYMNASIUM!

I have a strong suspicion that we finally got one of those coaches that does more with less and basically is smarter than 90% of the opposing coaches he will face.


Put on your Sunday best kids we're going to Sears this season! WGWTFA!

 

[sjt18]

That class was also sandwiched between two incredibly below average classes, too. I was going to pile onto Fulmer but honestly if there’s anyone still left that can’t see the damage he did to the program in his final years and then as AD, I don’t know what to tell them.

Yes. I don't think it was intentional. I do think he loves UT... in a somewhat self-serving way at times though. I think we need to put Fulmer into perspective. He had a good run mostly due to stumbling into a staff of great coaches that worked well together. He didn't have the competence, leadership, or understanding of people to recreate it.