Football/NIL/Nico [split from BB forum]

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

"just spend the money" from message board posters is always funny. The money has to exist first. With NIL money, it has to be donated or given by someone. With football and basketball, I'm sure we're spending all we've got currently. Villanova and Louisville and Kentucky don't have football teams to fund or care about. "JUST SPEND THE MONEY" on basketball probably means an 8-4 level of football roster for us, which isn't going to happen.

We have an 8-4 level roster in football right now. We went out and got one proven guy in the portal at maybe the cheapest position. We are losing almost all of our difference makers from last year to the draft and graduation, and one of the very few we are returning, Jermod McCoy, tore up his knee. Every unit on the team looks like it has regressed from last year on paper, aside from quarterback where we return a bottom half of the conference starter there. So there should be some money somewhere, either that or Spyre is doing a horrible job of raising funds.

 

[BatteredVol44]

We have an 8-4 level roster in football right now. We went out and got one proven guy in the portal at maybe the cheapest position. We are losing almost all of our difference makers from last year to the draft and graduation, and one of the very few we are returning, Jermod McCoy, tore up his knee. Every unit on the team looks like it has regressed from last year on paper, aside from quarterback where we return a bottom half of the conference starter there. So there should be some money somewhere, either that or Spyre is doing a horrible job of raising funds.

This is incorrect. Vols by fiddy

 

[VolGee4]

We have an 8-4 level roster in football right now. We went out and got one proven guy in the portal at maybe the cheapest position. We are losing almost all of our difference makers from last year to the draft and graduation, and one of the very few we are returning, Jermod McCoy, tore up his knee. Every unit on the team looks like it has regressed from last year on paper, aside from quarterback where we return a bottom half of the conference starter there. So there should be some money somewhere, either that or Spyre is doing a horrible job of raising funds.

Don’t agree at all. We are paying higher for QB’s and edge rushers, which is what the NFL does. Our recent high school class is much better than what we were recruiting.

 

[VolGee4]

We are overpaying a mediocre QB, and we didn’t add any instant impact pass rushers. Our DL will take a step back, though I think it will still be the strength of the team. This past class was just more of the same that we have done for most of the past 20 years. Fringe top 10 class, nowhere near elite.

In any case, I guess we did have a little money to go land a basketball player. Now we need more.

Nico isn’t mediocre- still learning. We are recruiting high level pass rushers in high school, and guys like Jordan Ross and Caleb Herring are developing. We paid for a OT that will play right away.

If you look at recruiting rankings, the difference between like 4-10 are negligible. They are all close with players. Oregon and OSU are 4th and 5th. They had 3 five stars and 15 four stars. We are 11th with 2 five stars and 14 four stars. It’s all about stacking those type of classes and developing. We are paying Faizon Brandon for 2026. We are spending money.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

Nico isn’t mediocre- still learning. We are recruiting high level pass rushers in high school, and guys like Jordan Ross and Caleb Herring are developing. We paid for a OT that will play right away.

If you look at recruiting rankings, the difference between like 4-10 are negligible. They are all close with players. Oregon and OSU are 4th and 5th. They had 3 five stars and 15 four stars. We are 11th with 2 five stars and 14 four stars. It’s all about stacking those type of classes and developing. We are paying Faizon Brandon for 2026. We are spending money.

Just because someone is developing doesn’t mean they aren’t mediocre.

If you look at recruiting rankings, we always recruit about like this. We load up on 3 stars 10-12 months away from signing day and then add a few blue chip pieces, 3/4 of which never amount to much. Recruiting is no different than it has been. QB play is still JG and Milton levels. But we have a better head coach and are getting easier schedules than we had in the dark ages, so the overall results are better.

 

[walkenvol]

Nico isn’t mediocre- still learning. We are recruiting high level pass rushers in high school, and guys like Jordan Ross and Caleb Herring are developing. We paid for a OT that will play right away.

If you look at recruiting rankings, the difference between like 4-10 are negligible. They are all close with players. Oregon and OSU are 4th and 5th. They had 3 five stars and 15 four stars. We are 11th with 2 five stars and 14 four stars. It’s all about stacking those type of classes and developing. We are paying Faizon Brandon for 2026. We are spending money.

Why can’t folks accept that Nico’s production numbers are close to middle of the pack in the SEC starting QB ratings last season? We’re all hoping for big improvements, but the numbers are the numbers.

 

[VolGee4]

Just because someone is developing doesn’t mean they aren’t mediocre.

If you look at recruiting rankings, we always recruit about like this. We load up on 3 stars 10-12 months away from signing day and then add a few blue chip pieces, 3/4 of which never amount to much. Recruiting is no different than it has been. QB play is still JG and Milton levels. But we have a better head coach and are getting easier schedules than we had in the dark ages, so the overall results are better.

I just don’t agree. We had one more 3 star than OSU and Michigan. One less 3 star than Auburn, and two less 3 stars than UF. Those were all ranked ahead of us. All those numbers are out there.

QB is JG level? Ok, I will stop here because that’s ridiculous. No need to discuss anymore.

 

[VolGee4]

Why can’t folks accept that Nico’s production numbers are close to middle of the pack in the SEC starting QB ratings last season? We’re all hoping for big improvements, but the numbers are the numbers.

I really don’t care much about the numbers per se. I was a bit critical of him because he missed some reads all year. But our OL also was terrible against OU and Arky, and I believe he got skittish because of it.

But he was also a true sophomore with 1 start before the year. I expect him to get better.

 

[omghulkhands]

Why can’t folks accept that Nico’s production numbers are close to middle of the pack in the SEC starting QB ratings last season? We’re all hoping for big improvements, but the numbers are the numbers.

And the fact the coaches didn’t even trust him to throw the ball.

 

[Ttucke11]

Why can’t folks accept that Nico’s production numbers are close to middle of the pack in the SEC starting QB ratings last season? We’re all hoping for big improvements, but the numbers are the numbers.

Yea I'm not a Nico hater at all, but plenty of 2nd year QBs have looked way way better than him. Tbh plenty of true freshman have as well. He's pretty bang average for a SEC QB. And this season has no excuses for age or experience.

Also to not hijack the thread, what a great pickup in Gillespie. A good lead guard is necessary if we have any F4 hopes.

 

[BatteredVol44]

I really don’t care much about the numbers per se. I was a bit critical of him because he missed some reads all year. But our OL also was terrible against OU and Arky, and I believe he got skittish because of it.

But he was also a true sophomore with 1 start before the year. I expect him to get better.

Expect Nico to improve significantly this season. Watching him go through his progressions shows that he's going to be better at reading defenses and making plays for us this year. GBO

 

[MarcoVol]

We have an 8-4 level roster in football right now. We went out and got one proven guy in the portal at maybe the cheapest position. We are losing almost all of our difference makers from last year to the draft and graduation, and one of the very few we are returning, Jermod McCoy, tore up his knee. Every unit on the team looks like it has regressed from last year on paper, aside from quarterback where we return a bottom half of the conference starter there. So there should be some money somewhere, either that or Spyre is doing a horrible job of raising funds.

And yet we’ll likely go 10-2 while you continue to complain about the roster

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

I just don’t agree. We had one more 3 star than OSU and Michigan. One less 3 star than Auburn, and two less 3 stars than UF. Those were all ranked ahead of us. All those numbers are out there.

QB is JG level? Ok, I will stop here because that’s ridiculous. No need to discuss anymore.

Surely you aren’t mentioning OSU’s roster in the same breath as ours.

Also JG never went a whole month without scoring in the first half. Nico is the only QB we have had to do that in, Idk, ever? I know we hadn’t done it in back to back games in over 60 years, he went a whole calendar month without scoring in the first half. Imagine how bad Nico would have been if he had to play for Jeremy Pruitt instead of Heupel.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

And yet we’ll likely go 10-2 while you continue to complain about the roster

Highly doubt we go 10-2 this year. And going 10-2 while getting destroyed in the first round of the playoff wouldn’t exactly make the roster look great.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

Expect Nico to improve significantly this season. Watching him go through his progressions shows that he's going to be better at reading defenses and making plays for us this year. GBO

Are you citing “progressions” against air in spring practice?

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

Sure I suppose being one of the final 12 out of 136 teams to make the playoff means your roster sucks.

But if we go 10-2 (I highly doubt we don’t) and make the playoffs with an “8-4 roster” that’s pretty damn good, yes?

Last year we had an 8-4 roster but a 12-0 schedule.

 

[OrangeVolMan]

We have an 8-4 level roster in football right now. We went out and got one proven guy in the portal at maybe the cheapest position. We are losing almost all of our difference makers from last year to the draft and graduation, and one of the very few we are returning, Jermod McCoy, tore up his knee. Every unit on the team looks like it has regressed from last year on paper, aside from quarterback where we return a bottom half of the conference starter there. So there should be some money somewhere, either that or Spyre is doing a horrible job of raising funds.

While I’m not a big Nico fan I’m not sure you can say he is bottom half of SEC in 2025. Dart, Beck, Ewers, Milroe, Thorne and Cook are gone. Can you name 8 better QBs in 2025 based on prior performance. Please don’t say Pavia because if you do you lose all credibility.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

While I’m not a big Nico fan I’m not sure you can say he is bottom half of SEC in 2025. Dart, Beck, Ewers, Milroe, Thorne and Cook are gone. Can you name 8 better QBs in 2025 based on prior performance. Please don’t say Pavia because if you do you lose all credibility.

Diego did more statistically with much less around him, but any answer I give you would call for speculation that you would probably dismiss. Last year Nico was absolutely a bottom half guy. This year, we will see. But I think everything surrounding Nico has gotten worse, so he will have to improve drastically if he wants to be a top half of the SEC guy, even more so if he wants to even approach the hype that surrounded him until he ran out of bounds to end the Arkansas game.

 

[BigThunder]

Diego did more statistically with much less around him, but any answer I give you would call for speculation that you would probably dismiss. Last year Nico was absolutely a bottom half guy. This year, we will see. But I think everything surrounding Nico has gotten worse, so he will have to improve drastically if he wants to be a top half of the SEC guy, even more so if he wants to even approach the hype that surrounded him until he ran out of bounds to end the Arkansas game.

This statement won’t sit well with the “aww shucks, we played Ohio State.” crowd

 

[Ace]

We have an 8-4 level roster in football right now. We went out and got one proven guy in the portal at maybe the cheapest position. We are losing almost all of our difference makers from last year to the draft and graduation, and one of the very few we are returning, Jermod McCoy, tore up his knee. Every unit on the team looks like it has regressed from last year on paper, aside from quarterback where we return a bottom half of the conference starter there. So there should be some money somewhere, either that or Spyre is doing a horrible job of raising funds.

Yet, every book maker has us at 9.5

 

[oldaaucoach]

Last year we had an 8-4 roster but a 12-0 schedule.

Isn't there a football forum?

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

Isn't there a football forum?

All the world is a football forum, and the men and women are merely posters

 

[deatojl]

Diego did more statistically with much less around him, but any answer I give you would call for speculation that you would probably dismiss. Last year Nico was absolutely a bottom half guy. This year, we will see. But I think everything surrounding Nico has gotten worse, so he will have to improve drastically if he wants to be a top half of the SEC guy, even more so if he wants to even approach the hype that surrounded him until he ran out of bounds to end the Arkansas game.

I know you live to trash our players but please explain how Nico was a "bottom half" guy. He finished 8th in passing yards(5 of the 7 ahead of him are not returning), 7th in completion % among starters(4 of the 6 not returning), 8th in yards/attempt(5 of 7 not returning), 7th in passing TDs(4 of 6 not returning), 4th fewest Ints among starters(Cook not returning, Arnold transferred to Auburn and had more attempts than the three with fewer Ints), tied with Carson Beck for 7th in QBR(only Sellers and Lagway returning). Also, Nico finished ahead of Pavia in wins, passing yards, completion %, yds per attempt, and QBR.

 

[Delmar]

I know you live to trash our players but please explain how Nico was a "bottom half" guy. He finished 8th in passing yards(5 of the 7 ahead of him are not returning), 7th in completion % among starters(4 of the 6 not returning), 8th in yards/attempt(5 of 7 not returning), 7th in passing TDs(4 of 6 not returning), 4th fewest Ints among starters(Cook not returning, Arnold transferred to Auburn and had more attempts than the three with fewer Ints), tied with Carson Beck for 7th in QBR(only Sellers and Lagway returning). Also, Nico finished ahead of Pavia in wins, passing yards, completion %, yds per attempt, and QBR.

Can the mods or you guys get this conversation over to the football forum where it belongs and quit cluttering this one up? I’m sure there’s a Nico thread somewhere.

 

[BigALWiLson]

Diego did more statistically with much less around him, but any answer I give you would call for speculation that you would probably dismiss. Last year Nico was absolutely a bottom half guy. This year, we will see. But I think everything surrounding Nico has gotten worse, so he will have to improve drastically if he wants to be a top half of the SEC guy, even more so if he wants to even approach the hype that surrounded him until he ran out of bounds to end the Arkansas game.

Maybe he doesn't need the hype. The others didn't have that pressure and could just go play football. The HYPE was based on talent level. Nothing more. I also think he needs to run early and get contact. He seems to play better to me. He needs to be quicker with his reads and his wr's need to catch the ball. The most important factor is can his OL protect ? Beck was horrible until his OL protected him. All in all Nico was the only one who looked like they belonged at OSU. I agree with you to an extent that everyone on the team needs to get better and play calling needs to be better.