My Thoughts on the Citrus Bowl, After Sleeping On It

[NighthawkVol]

...as well as my thoughts on Tennessee's 2024 outlook.

That was a great way to finish the season. No, Iowa isn't great, but they did play in the B1G championship game and they do have an outstanding defense. I expected a win, but not one that dominant. Nobody did to Iowa what Tennessee did yesterday (including #1 Michigan)...and that was with Milton, Wright, Small, Spraggins, Campbell, Bru, Thornton, Hadden, Slaughter, etc. all out.

Thoughts:

-As most have said, Nico looked good. He was in control the whole game. He managed the game exceptionally well for a freshman in his first start against a top 5 defense. There were times he held the ball too long, but that's to be expected from a freshman in his first start. He'll correct that. It will also help that he'll have much better WRs in 2024. Bru, Brazzell, Thornton, and probably Matthews will figure heavily into the 2024 plans...none were on the field yesterday. WRs didn't get good separation. Obviously, Keyton's issues have been discussed. That position will be an upgrade in 2024.
-Loved to see the running QB element back. Nico can really scoot. That element will do wonders for our offense in 2024. So will going fast again, which was also nice to see.
-The offensive line left a lot to be desired. The good news is, Spraggins and Campbell were out, so that was a big part of it. But the OTs didn't play well in pass protection. Davis particularly got whipped a lot, but Mincey got beat a couple times as well. Hopefully, that was because he's banged up some. Oline is the biggest area that needs to develop in the offseason. Three of the starting positions are in really good shape: Campbell, Mays, and Spraggins. I really hope Karic can add weight and strength to get better. I really hope Mincey can put it together to reach his ceiling (which is high). And I hope guys like Umarov, Grant, Lang, and Reddick can take the next step to provide depth. Random thought: I wonder if Davis might be the answer at LG? His biggest weakness is his feet, which aren't quick enough to be an SEC OT, but would be just fine as a Guard. He has the strength and run blocking ability that Karic doesn't yet.
-Dylan Sampson ran well, but the other parts of his game need work. He has to get better in pass protection. He dropped a shovel pass that would've been a huge gain and was a great call. But he's so dynamic as a runner. He gets yards that aren't there, squeezes through the tiniest of holes, and has more power than one would expect.
-I also liked what I saw from Seldon. He still runs a little high at times, but an offseason with Jerry Mack will really improve him. Look how much better Jaylen Wright became after his freshman year. If Seldon makes a similar jump, he'll be a stud.
-Tyre West showed out. He'll be better than Baron next year. And he's bigger, so he gives us a better DE against the run...more of an every down SDE.
-James Pearce might be an All American next year. If he stay healthy and focused, it'll be his last at UT. Day 1 pick. I can't wait to see what kind of player he becomes.
-I'm actually excited about our 2024 defense. The DLine will be stacked. Pili coming back, Carter, and Telander making a 2nd year jump, and a much more athletic back end means Banks can run the defense he wants to run.
-Perhaps my biggest criticism is the lack of PT for freshman DBs. When it was 28-0 and GJL is still in there, Jaylen McCollough is still in there, I was a little ticked. Conyer and Matthews should have played the whole 4th quarter. I hope Heupel addresses this with Banks and Martinez.
-Jourdon Thomas is going to be a stud next year. He'll be the best Star we've had under Banks. Better than Theo. Wonder if that bumps Boo to Safety.

Here's my depth chart going into spring. I have most of the freshmen (not all) at or near the bottom until they earn their way up some, so take that with a grain of salt. Some will. Also, you'll notice GJL is still on here as CB. I've left guys on the chart who haven't announced (or opted out of the bowl game). I'm assuming they're Vols until they ain't (even though I think GJL is likely gone):

QB- Nico Iamaleava (RSFr.), Jake Merklinger (Fr.), Gaston Moore (RSSr.)*

RB- Dylan Sampson (Jr.), Cameron Seldon (So.), Peyton Lewis (Fr.), Khalifa Keith (RSFr.), DeSean Bishop (RSFr.)*

WR- Chris Brazzell (RSSo.), Dont’e Thornton (Sr.), Kaleb Webb (RSSo.)

WR- Bru McCoy (RSSr.), Mike Matthews (Fr.), Nathan Leacock (RSFr.)

WR- Squirrel White (Jr.), Chas Nimrod (RSSo.), Braylon Staley (Fr.), Nate Spillman (RSFr.)

TE- Holden Staes (Jr.), Ethan Davis (RSFr.), Cole Harrison (Fr.), Emmanuel Okoye (RSFr.)

RT- Gerald Mincey (RSSr.), Shamurad Umarov (RSFr.), Dayne Davis (RSSr.), Larry Johnson, III (RSJr.)

RG- Javontez Spraggins (Sr.), Ayden Bussell (RSFr.), Gage Ginther (Fr.)

C- Cooper Mays (Sr.), Vysen Lang (RSFr.), William Satterwhite (Fr.)

LG- Andrej Karic (Sr.), Jackson Lampley (RSSr.), Masai Reddick (RSSo.), Max Anderson (Fr.)

LT- John Campbell (RSSr.), Brian Grant (RSSo.), Bennett Warren (Fr.), Jesse Perry (Fr.)


SDE- Tyre West (Jr.), Dominic Bailey (RSSr.), Tyree Weathersby (RSFr.), Carson Gentle (Fr.), Kellen Lindstrom (Fr.)

DT- Omar Norman-Lott (Sr.), Bryson Eason (RSSr.), Daevin Hobbs (So.), Trevor Duncan (RSFr.), Jamal Wallace (Jr.)

DT- Omari Thomas (Sr.), Elijah Simmons (RSSr.), Jayson Jenkins (RSSo.), Nathan Robinson (RSFr.), Jeremias Heard (Fr.)

LEO- James Pearce (Jr.), Joshua Josephs (Jr.), Caleb Herring (RSFr.), Chandavian Bradley (RSFr.), Jordan Ross (Fr.)

MIKE- Keenan Pili (RSSr.), Jeremiah Telendar (So.), Edwin Spillman (Fr.)

WLB- Arion Carter (So.), Elijah Herring (Jr.), Kaleb Perry (Jr.), Jalen Smith (RSFr.), Jordan Burns (Fr.)

LCB- Jermod McCoy (So.), Kaleb Beasley (Fr.), Marcus Goree (Fr.)

RCB- Rickey Gibson (RSFr.), Jordan Matthews (RSFr.), Chrsitian Harrison (RSSo.)

NB- Jourdan Thomas (Jr.), Boo Carter (Fr.), Christian Conyer (RSFr.)

S- Jakobe Thomas (Jr.), John Slaughter (RSFr.)

S- Andre Turrentine (RSJr.), Christian Charles (RSJr.), Edrees Farooq (Fr.)


K- JT Carver (RSJr.) *

P- Jackson Ross (RSSo.)


*non-scholarship player

81 on scholarship

 

[njvols]

Agree w/ your points. That's a pretty salty 2 deep lineup....starting to get where we need to be on depth. Think our RS frosh/sophs talent, if they continue to step up can be a big difference for us. On paper, WR looks good, but just wonder if we don't grab a high quality guy from the portal...same on OL and DB.

 

[McDad]

A lot of Seniors in key positions next year. Looks promising.

 

[bpalmer28]

Good post. I'm with on the lack of playing time for Conyer and Matthews. We aren't going to take the next step on defense without them reaching their potential. Add John Slaughter to the list as well.

 

[b_gann]

...as well as my thoughts on Tennessee's 2024 outlook.

That was a great way to finish the season. No, Iowa isn't great, but they did play in the B1G championship game and they do have an outstanding defense. I expected a win, but not one that dominant. Nobody did to Iowa what Tennessee did yesterday (including #1 Michigan)...and that was with Milton, Wright, Small, Spraggins, Campbell, Bru, Thornton, Hadden, Slaughter, etc. all out.

Thoughts:

-As most have said, Nico looked good. He was in control the whole game. He managed the game exceptionally well for a freshman in his first start against a top 5 defense. There were times he held the ball too long, but that's to be expected from a freshman in his first start. He'll correct that. It will also help that he'll have much better WRs in 2024. Bru, Brazzell, Thornton, and probably Matthews will figure heavily into the 2024 plans...none were on the field yesterday. WRs didn't get good separation. Obviously, Keyton's issues have been discussed. That position will be an upgrade in 2024.
-Loved to see the running QB element back. Nico can really scoot. That element will do wonders for our offense in 2024. So will going fast again, which was also nice to see.
-The offensive line left a lot to be desired. The good news is, Spraggins and Campbell were out, so that was a big part of it. But the OTs didn't play well in pass protection. Davis particularly got whipped a lot, but Mincey got beat a couple times as well. Hopefully, that was because he's banged up some. Oline is the biggest area that needs to develop in the offseason. Three of the starting positions are in really good shape: Campbell, Mays, and Spraggins. I really hope Karic can add weight and strength to get better. I really hope Mincey can put it together to reach his ceiling (which is high). And I hope guys like Umarov, Grant, Lang, and Reddick can take the next step to provide depth. Random thought: I wonder if Davis might be the answer at LG? His biggest weakness is his feet, which aren't quick enough to be an SEC OT, but would be just fine as a Guard. He has the strength and run blocking ability that Karic doesn't yet.
-Dylan Sampson ran well, but the other parts of his game need work. He has to get better in pass protection. He dropped a shovel pass that would've been a huge gain and was a great call. But he's so dynamic as a runner. He gets yards that aren't there, squeezes through the tiniest of holes, and has more power than one would expect.
-I also liked what I saw from Seldon. He still runs a little high at times, but an offseason with Jerry Mack will really improve him. Look how much better Jaylen Wright became after his freshman year. If Seldon makes a similar jump, he'll be a stud.
-Tyre West showed out. He'll be better than Baron next year. And he's bigger, so he gives us a better DE against the run...more of an every down SDE.
-James Pearce might be an All American next year. If he stay healthy and focused, it'll be his last at UT. Day 1 pick. I can't wait to see what kind of player he becomes.
-I'm actually excited about our 2024 defense. The DLine will be stacked. Pili coming back, Carter, and Telander making a 2nd year jump, and a much more athletic back end means Banks can run the defense he wants to run.
-Perhaps my biggest criticism is the lack of PT for freshman DBs. When it was 28-0 and GJL is still in there, Jaylen McCollough is still in there, I was a little ticked. Conyer and Matthews should have played the whole 4th quarter. I hope Heupel addresses this with Banks and Martinez.
-Jourdon Thomas is going to be a stud next year. He'll be the best Star we've had under Banks. Better than Theo. Wonder if that bumps Boo to Safety.

Here's my depth chart going into spring. I have most of the freshmen (not all) at or near the bottom until they earn their way up some, so take that with a grain of salt. Some will. Also, you'll notice GJL is still on here as CB. I've left guys on the chart who haven't announced (or opted out of the bowl game). I'm assuming they're Vols until they ain't (even though I think GJL is likely gone):

QB- Nico Iamaleava (RSFr.), Jake Merklinger (Fr.), Gaston Moore (RSSr.)*

RB- Dylan Sampson (Jr.), Cameron Seldon (So.), Peyton Lewis (Fr.), Khalifa Keith (RSFr.), DeSean Bishop (RSFr.)*

WR- Chris Brazzell (RSSo.), Dont’e Thornton (Sr.), Kaleb Webb (RSSo.)

WR- Bru McCoy (RSSr.), Mike Matthews (Fr.), Nathan Leacock (RSFr.)

WR- Squirrel White (Jr.), Chas Nimrod (RSSo.), Braylon Staley (Fr.), Nate Spillman (RSFr.)

TE- Holden Staes (Jr.), Ethan Davis (RSFr.), Cole Harrison (Fr.), Emmanuel Okoye (RSFr.)

RT- Gerald Mincey (RSSr.), Shamurad Umarov (RSFr.), Dayne Davis (RSSr.), Larry Johnson, III (RSJr.)

RG- Javontez Spraggins (Sr.), Ayden Bussell (RSFr.), Gage Ginther (Fr.)

C- Cooper Mays (Sr.), Vysen Lang (RSFr.), William Satterwhite (Fr.)

LG- Andrej Karic (Sr.), Jackson Lampley (RSSr.), Masai Reddick (RSSo.), Max Anderson (Fr.)

LT- John Campbell (RSSr.), Brian Grant (RSSo.), Bennett Warren (Fr.), Jesse Perry (Fr.)


SDE- Tyre West (Jr.), Dominic Bailey (RSSr.), Tyree Weathersby (RSFr.), Carson Gentle (Fr.), Kellen Lindstrom (Fr.)

DT- Omar Norman-Lott (Sr.), Bryson Eason (RSSr.), Daevin Hobbs (So.), Trevor Duncan (RSFr.), Jamal Wallace (Jr.)

DT- Omari Thomas (Sr.), Elijah Simmons (RSSr.), Jayson Jenkins (RSSo.), Nathan Robinson (RSFr.), Jeremias Heard (Fr.)

LEO- James Pearce (Jr.), Joshua Josephs (Jr.), Caleb Herring (RSFr.), Chandavian Bradley (RSFr.), Jordan Ross (Fr.)

MIKE- Keenan Pili (RSSr.), Jeremiah Telendar (So.), Edwin Spillman (Fr.)

WLB- Arion Carter (So.), Elijah Herring (Jr.), Kaleb Perry (Jr.), Jalen Smith (RSFr.), Jordan Burns (Fr.)

LCB- Gabe Jeudy-Lally (RSSr.), Jermod McCoy (So.), Kaleb Beasley (Fr.), Marcus Goree (Fr.)

RCB- Rickey Gibson (RSFr.), Jordan Matthews (RSFr.), Chrsitian Harrison (RSSo.)

NB- Jourdan Thomas (Jr.), Boo Carter (Fr.), Christian Conyer (RSFr.)

S- Jakobe Thomas (Jr.), John Slaughter (RSFr.)

S- Andre Turrentine (RSJr.), Christian Charles (RSJr.), Edrees Farooq (Fr.)


K- JT Carver (RSJr.) *

P- Jackson Ross (RSSo.)


*non-scholarship player

82 on scholarship

Agree with pretty much everything you said. I've wondered the same about Dayne as well. I bet he'd make a nice G. He's solid in the run game.

 

[VolDaddy61]

Nico reminds Me of Mariotta at Oregon. I remember Him being talked about the same way Nico is....his character...how his teammates love Him....comes from a great Family....etc. I could easily see Nico and Tennessee being on a similar trajectory as Oregon was during Marcus' years there.

 

[njvols]

A lot of Seniors in key positions next year. Looks promising.

Great point. To me, MIZ was successful this year because they had 8 SRs on D and 6 on offense. Outside of a Bama/UGA who truly reloads every season w/ 2 deep 5* talent, many of the special seasons come from "OLD" teams...especially in the trenches.

 

[Sarms58]

Coaches have good talent to work with - they will have to tweak the positions to maximize our strengths. We have elite level talent stacked up in the same position (LEO)...coaches will have to figure out how to play the best players. Good coaches maximize their talent.

 

[Wezcoast]

Nico reminds Me of Mariotta at Oregon. I remember Him being talked about the same way Nico is....his character...how his teammates love Him....comes from a great Family....etc. I could easily see Nico and Tennessee being on a similar trajectory as Oregon was during Marcus' years there.

Hrmm... Darron Thomas ->Marcus Mariotta = Hendon Hooker->Nico Iamaleava ? quite possible /goosebumps

 

[London Vol]

...as well as my thoughts on Tennessee's 2024 outlook.

That was a great way to finish the season. No, Iowa isn't great, but they did play in the B1G championship game and they do have an outstanding defense. I expected a win, but not one that dominant. Nobody did to Iowa what Tennessee did yesterday (including #1 Michigan)...and that was with Milton, Wright, Small, Spraggins, Campbell, Bru, Thornton, Hadden, Slaughter, etc. all out.

Thoughts:

-As most have said, Nico looked good. He was in control the whole game. He managed the game exceptionally well for a freshman in his first start against a top 5 defense. There were times he held the ball too long, but that's to be expected from a freshman in his first start. He'll correct that. It will also help that he'll have much better WRs in 2024. Bru, Brazzell, Thornton, and probably Matthews will figure heavily into the 2024 plans...none were on the field yesterday. WRs didn't get good separation. Obviously, Keyton's issues have been discussed. That position will be an upgrade in 2024.
-Loved to see the running QB element back. Nico can really scoot. That element will do wonders for our offense in 2024. So will going fast again, which was also nice to see.
-The offensive line left a lot to be desired. The good news is, Spraggins and Campbell were out, so that was a big part of it. But the OTs didn't play well in pass protection. Davis particularly got whipped a lot, but Mincey got beat a couple times as well. Hopefully, that was because he's banged up some. Oline is the biggest area that needs to develop in the offseason. Three of the starting positions are in really good shape: Campbell, Mays, and Spraggins. I really hope Karic can add weight and strength to get better. I really hope Mincey can put it together to reach his ceiling (which is high). And I hope guys like Umarov, Grant, Lang, and Reddick can take the next step to provide depth. Random thought: I wonder if Davis might be the answer at LG? His biggest weakness is his feet, which aren't quick enough to be an SEC OT, but would be just fine as a Guard. He has the strength and run blocking ability that Karic doesn't yet.
-Dylan Sampson ran well, but the other parts of his game need work. He has to get better in pass protection. He dropped a shovel pass that would've been a huge gain and was a great call. But he's so dynamic as a runner. He gets yards that aren't there, squeezes through the tiniest of holes, and has more power than one would expect.
-I also liked what I saw from Seldon. He still runs a little high at times, but an offseason with Jerry Mack will really improve him. Look how much better Jaylen Wright became after his freshman year. If Seldon makes a similar jump, he'll be a stud.
-Tyre West showed out. He'll be better than Baron next year. And he's bigger, so he gives us a better DE against the run...more of an every down SDE.
-James Pearce might be an All American next year. If he stay healthy and focused, it'll be his last at UT. Day 1 pick. I can't wait to see what kind of player he becomes.
-I'm actually excited about our 2024 defense. The DLine will be stacked. Pili coming back, Carter, and Telander making a 2nd year jump, and a much more athletic back end means Banks can run the defense he wants to run.
-Perhaps my biggest criticism is the lack of PT for freshman DBs. When it was 28-0 and GJL is still in there, Jaylen McCollough is still in there, I was a little ticked. Conyer and Matthews should have played the whole 4th quarter. I hope Heupel addresses this with Banks and Martinez.
-Jourdon Thomas is going to be a stud next year. He'll be the best Star we've had under Banks. Better than Theo. Wonder if that bumps Boo to Safety.

Here's my depth chart going into spring. I have most of the freshmen (not all) at or near the bottom until they earn their way up some, so take that with a grain of salt. Some will. Also, you'll notice GJL is still on here as CB. I've left guys on the chart who haven't announced (or opted out of the bowl game). I'm assuming they're Vols until they ain't (even though I think GJL is likely gone):

QB- Nico Iamaleava (RSFr.), Jake Merklinger (Fr.), Gaston Moore (RSSr.)*

RB- Dylan Sampson (Jr.), Cameron Seldon (So.), Peyton Lewis (Fr.), Khalifa Keith (RSFr.), DeSean Bishop (RSFr.)*

WR- Chris Brazzell (RSSo.), Dont’e Thornton (Sr.), Kaleb Webb (RSSo.)

WR- Bru McCoy (RSSr.), Mike Matthews (Fr.), Nathan Leacock (RSFr.)

WR- Squirrel White (Jr.), Chas Nimrod (RSSo.), Braylon Staley (Fr.), Nate Spillman (RSFr.)

TE- Holden Staes (Jr.), Ethan Davis (RSFr.), Cole Harrison (Fr.), Emmanuel Okoye (RSFr.)

RT- Gerald Mincey (RSSr.), Shamurad Umarov (RSFr.), Dayne Davis (RSSr.), Larry Johnson, III (RSJr.)

RG- Javontez Spraggins (Sr.), Ayden Bussell (RSFr.), Gage Ginther (Fr.)

C- Cooper Mays (Sr.), Vysen Lang (RSFr.), William Satterwhite (Fr.)

LG- Andrej Karic (Sr.), Jackson Lampley (RSSr.), Masai Reddick (RSSo.), Max Anderson (Fr.)

LT- John Campbell (RSSr.), Brian Grant (RSSo.), Bennett Warren (Fr.), Jesse Perry (Fr.)


SDE- Tyre West (Jr.), Dominic Bailey (RSSr.), Tyree Weathersby (RSFr.), Carson Gentle (Fr.), Kellen Lindstrom (Fr.)

DT- Omar Norman-Lott (Sr.), Bryson Eason (RSSr.), Daevin Hobbs (So.), Trevor Duncan (RSFr.), Jamal Wallace (Jr.)

DT- Omari Thomas (Sr.), Elijah Simmons (RSSr.), Jayson Jenkins (RSSo.), Nathan Robinson (RSFr.), Jeremias Heard (Fr.)

LEO- James Pearce (Jr.), Joshua Josephs (Jr.), Caleb Herring (RSFr.), Chandavian Bradley (RSFr.), Jordan Ross (Fr.)

MIKE- Keenan Pili (RSSr.), Jeremiah Telendar (So.), Edwin Spillman (Fr.)

WLB- Arion Carter (So.), Elijah Herring (Jr.), Kaleb Perry (Jr.), Jalen Smith (RSFr.), Jordan Burns (Fr.)

LCB- Gabe Jeudy-Lally (RSSr.), Jermod McCoy (So.), Kaleb Beasley (Fr.), Marcus Goree (Fr.)

RCB- Rickey Gibson (RSFr.), Jordan Matthews (RSFr.), Chrsitian Harrison (RSSo.)

NB- Jourdan Thomas (Jr.), Boo Carter (Fr.), Christian Conyer (RSFr.)

S- Jakobe Thomas (Jr.), John Slaughter (RSFr.)

S- Andre Turrentine (RSJr.), Christian Charles (RSJr.), Edrees Farooq (Fr.)


K- JT Carver (RSJr.) *

P- Jackson Ross (RSSo.)


*non-scholarship player

82 on scholarship

great write up NighthawkVol, congratulations

 

[Volosaurus rex]

Nico reminds Me of Mariotta at Oregon. I remember Him being talked about the same way Nico is....his character...how his teammates love Him....comes from a great Family....etc. I could easily see Nico and Tennessee being on a similar trajectory as Oregon was during Marcus' years there.

If memory serves me correctly, one member of the broadcast crew also drew the initial comparison to Marcus Mariota. Of course, Mariota is also of Polynesian descent on his father's side.

 

[volstudent26]

After watching the film and 2 different people on YouTube breaking down Nico's performance I feel really good about the future for him. A few things with timing and some windows he was not so sure about. But he did everything you could ask of a true freshman and more I am super impressed.

The offensive line should be better when it gets its starters back but I do not think it will be perfect however Nico's mobility may mean it does not have to be as perfect as it would need to be for someone like joe although Nico's frame likely makes him more vulnerable to hits than joe.

at WR I really am not loving the way Chas Nimrod and Kaleb Webb are playing I just am not impressed with their athleticism, separation, or contested catch ability. I hope they make some significant leaps before their true time comes as I do not expect them to start next season with the guys that where ahead of them coming back and getting healthy. Really hoping to see DT , brazzell and leacock compete and make some strides too. I think later in the year if injury's hit the WR corps we may get a heavy dose of mike Matthews and Staley. but I expect them to really get more playing time as RS-freshman or sophmores.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Really, really good rundown, Nighthawk. Thanks for it.

Just wondering: are you a high school coach? You seem to come at your analysis from a coach's perspective.

Go Vols!

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Nico reminds Me of Mariotta at Oregon. I remember Him being talked about the same way Nico is....his character...how his teammates love Him....comes from a great Family....etc. I could easily see Nico and Tennessee being on a similar trajectory as Oregon was during Marcus' years there.

Winning a championship of course.

 

[Panthro]

Looking at that 2-deep lineup makes me want to kickoff the season on Saturday! Let’s all take a moment appreciate this roster compared to some we’ve seen over the past decade.

 

[EastTNVol6240]

Great assessment. West and Pearce are going to be elite with another offseason under them. I also was disappointed with not playing our future players more. Where I do disagree with you- Heupel doesn’t need to address playing time with anyone but himself. He is the leader. It falls on him. He answers for it all good or bad. HE should’ve made sure he got the reps in for the future. This has been a trend imo.

 

[KTrain]

Did Gabe Jeudy Lally change his mind you have him penciled as a starter but I thought he declared, maybe I'm thinking of someone else.

 

[Evet Vols]

Did Gabe Jeudy Lally change his mind you have him penciled as a starter but I thought he declared, maybe I'm thinking of someone else.

He is on to NFL

 

[NighthawkVol]

Really, really good rundown, Nighthawk. Thanks for it.

Just wondering: are you a high school coach? You seem to come at your analysis from a coach's perspective.

Go Vols!

Thank you for your kind words.

I’m not a coach. I’m an attorney, but I have coaches in my family and I’ve spent a lot of time in discussion with them in our shared love of football/sports. But my opinions are just based on being a non-qualified observer like everyone else. I do tend to watch game film a lot, but not through any expert eyes. Maybe I’ve learned something by being obsessed enough to watch games over and over.

 

[NighthawkVol]

He is on to NFL

I posted this before he declared. I’ll edit.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Great assessment. West and Pearce are going to be elite with another offseason under them. I also was disappointed with not playing our future players more. Where I do disagree with you- Heupel doesn’t need to address playing time with anyone but himself. He is the leader. It falls on him. He answers for it all good or bad. HE should’ve made sure he got the reps in for the future. This has been a trend imo.

I believe position coaches and coordinators are responsible for making personnel decisions in-game. Having that discussion with his assistants IS being responsible for personal.

 

[VolDaddy61]

If memory serves me correctly, one member of the broadcast crew also drew the initial comparison to Marcus Mariota. Of course, Mariota is also of Polynesian descent on his father's side.

I've been in the PNW for over twenty years, so I've had a chance to follow the former PAC-10-12, for a while now....as I watched Him play, I just kept thinking that he reminded Me of someone. The level of calmness and efficiency.... the accuracy... the "surprising athleticism". It made sense to Me at that point. This Young Man is already special.

 

[EastTNVol6240]

I believe position coaches and coordinators are responsible for making personnel decisions in-game. Having that discussion with his assistants IS being responsible for personal.

No. Heupel is THE leader of that team. Buck stops with him. He has the say. That’s part of being at the top. Leadership 101. You think heupel should “discuss later” if he thinks bad decisions are being made on game day. I’d hope not. He’s responsible for that team. That’s why he’s here and that’s why he’s making the millions. He knows that. You should to. I’d bet you’ll never hear him blame a position coach for something going wrong in a game. He knows he’s the guy.

 

[NighthawkVol]

No. Heupel is THE leader of that team. Buck stops with him. He has the say. That’s part of being at the top. Leadership 101. You think heupel should “discuss later” if he thinks bad decisions are being made on game day. I’d hope not. He’s responsible for that team. That’s why he’s here and that’s why he’s making the millions. He knows that. You should to. I’d bet you’ll never hear him blame a position coach for something going wrong in a game. He knows he’s the guy.

Yes. He’s responsible. So he should discuss with them if he thinks bad decisions were made.

You’re saying he should micromanage during games. That’s not the same thing as being responsible. The head coach can’t make every decision during a game. Doesn’t work that way.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

No. Heupel is THE leader of that team. Buck stops with him. He has the say. That’s part of being at the top. Leadership 101. You think heupel should “discuss later” if he thinks bad decisions are being made on game day. I’d hope not. He’s responsible for that team. That’s why he’s here and that’s why he’s making the millions. He knows that. You should to. I’d bet you’ll never hear him blame a position coach for something going wrong in a game. He knows he’s the guy.

A football team may not be thousands of people, but it is still a complex organism.

The head coach has 10 assistant coaches, a half dozen other direct reports like the director of football operations and so on, plus dozens or scores of GAs, analysts, support personnel, strength & conditioning, nutrition, medical support, and on and on. On top of all that, he has 125 student athletes he's responsible for. Call it maybe 200-250 people, all totalled.

Command responsibility is one thing, direct responsibility is another. Want to know who to blame: command responsibility. Want to know what really happened? Dig into direct responsibility.

Josh heupel is the top leader, sure. But he's not the one making each and every decision in that organization. Tons of decisions are being made every day, by dozens of subordinate leaders. And Heupel is teaching them all how to lead better. Every day.

That's reality.

Go Vols!