Is Tennessee's WR Room Deep Enough

#1
dduncan4163

dduncan4163

Have at it Hoss
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#1


Very good breakdown. The WR room may make or break our season. I love the talent. The lack of experience is a little concerning, but the depth or lack thereof terrifies me. We are a few injuries away from catastrophe.

Hopefully I'm just jumping at shadows
 
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#2
#2
My concern is, we went through something similar last fall except not as severe depth-wise and we saw the mixed results for most of the season. Although Nico was a brand new starter, he had at least been in the program for over a year. Unfortunately the WRs couldn't stay healthy into fall camp which made building chemistry between the QB/WR all that more difficult.

This year we're potentially starting someone at QB who only got here a couple months ago and the WR group consists of some backups from last year and brand new guys to the system. Unfortunately the WRs haven't been able to stay healthy into fall camp...
 
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#5
#5
sammy80 said:
I think we will see more TE sets-loaded group there-with very young and talented wr room.
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Last year it was by necessity to protect nico due to the OTs. This year I could see needing more protection against Georgia but there's some great weapons at TE so I'm thinking heavy TE may be by design than necessity. Either way, get a TD and I'm all about it.
 
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#6
#6
Maybe heupel is conceding a little on this year, allowing the incoming 5*s at WR to fill the role (including the 2 FR he already has) while he relies on a really good TE room this year. If he pays guys to come in this year, he'll either have to continue to play lesser talent or let them walk (like Nimrod and the other guy). I just hope injuries don't pile up and the walk on is playing.
 
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#7
#7
If it got to a critical level in terms of numbers, I wonder if they would give Poteat a look at WR? Haven't heard much about him in camp but he played every position on the field in HS.
 
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#8
#8
Deep at TE and we have versatile backs. Freshman Duane Morris can be used as a receiver out of the backfield.

Walk ons Trey Weary has been in the system 3 years. Tommy Winton is in his second year here, made plays at ETSU and is a former 3 star. Probably don’t want either to start but both can fill in.

Ultimately our WR configuration is not ideal, but I also don’t think it’s as tragic as it’s being made out to be.

Im hoping the former Oklahoma OC can provide some creative input. Plus I trust in Heupel to make adjustments.
 
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#9
#9
Four out of the seven scholarship WRs need to produce consistently. Last year the wideout group was underwhelming. Thornton was really the only one that had a good year while Bru never returned to the player he was in 2022. I think squirrel was an overrated player during his time here. Can’t really recall a game he took over. The group this year has to stay healthy and younger guys must make plays.
 
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#16
#16
Probably not deep enough, but who knows? 2021 didn’t look deep enough until Tillman and Velus emerged. Good health and a couple guys emerging would mean we are deep enough. If we don’t have both of those things, then we aren’t.
 
#17
#17
Rhetorical? Come now. Heupel either felt as if what he had on the roster was better than what was in the portal or he didn't want to risk having players on the roster hitting the portal to run from competition. Either way, the die is cast. We'll sink or swim with his decision. Given the situation at QB, I'm not sure it really matters.
 
#18
#18
I have a feeling we may see Brame or Davis slide out to the WR spot every now and then. We have bodies but are they quality? What happens if Matthews, Staley or Brazzell go down?
 
#19
#19
They are a couple injuries away from starting a walk on. In Weary’s defense he has been practicing well, but is he SEC quality? Only time will tell.

I do agree one way to limit being exposed is to use the TE room as an advantage. Motioning kitselman, davis, brahme and/or van der slayer out from a tight formation could be the type of wrinkle that gets someone open.
 
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#20
#20
VOLfrombama said:
They are a couple injuries away from starting a walk on. In Weary’s defense he has been practicing well, but is he SEC quality? Only time will tell.

I do agree one way to limit being exposed is to use the TE room as an advantage. Motioning kitselman, davis, brahme and/or van der slayer out from a tight formation could be the type of wrinkle that gets someone open.
Click to expand...
And who's responsible for that? Yeah, we all know.
 
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#22
#22
VOLfrombama said:
They are a couple injuries away from starting a walk on. In Weary’s defense he has been practicing well, but is he SEC quality? Only time will tell.

I do agree one way to limit being exposed is to use the TE room as an advantage. Motioning kitselman, davis, brahme and/or van der slayer out from a tight formation could be the type of wrinkle that gets someone open.
Click to expand...
We started a former Walk-On at safety last season.
We’re starting a former Walk- On at RB this season.

The preferred walk-on program we have is top notch. Weary and Winton III aren’t pushovers.

Most of the time we will just be running 2 WRs anyhow I think.
 
#23
#23
I see it the same as any other Heupel year.The same amount will get playing time.the only difference at the end of the season there will be no butt hurt bench riders to hit the portal because of no playing time.
 
#25
#25
There are three, plus Jefferson, plus the WRs in the 2025 class. My expectation is that the three very talented freshmen WRs will earn playing time this season. One cannot really know how new players will perform in games, but I have confidence in all three and look forward to seeing them play. That would be a total of seven. Add Boo Carter. Not too shabby.
 
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