About Nico

#153
#153
Well said.
bloodtype_orange said:
I’m not a D1 athlete but I did play college basketball at a small level and anyone who has ever competed in sports at any level will agree with what I have to say.

We were warming up shirtless. That is the first of many failures for whoever was responsible for that team. Warm ups you get your body and muscles as loose and warm as possible. Get your muscles firing. There is no man, caveman, high testosterone teenage that will thrive in a 16 degree windchill. Ohio State nor any professional would’ve done that.

We looked slow and disoriented as could be from the start. Act like you have been there before.

Where the hell was Sampson? We got our ass stomped, but we didn’t remotely look like the team that got us there. We had our ass whipped for most of the last 15 years but that was embarrassing. They far exceed our talent and a loss could be expected but that wasn’t what I expected our team to look like. You can blame Nico if you want to but he had enough time to look at 1-2 receivers and then he had to 1 protect himself and 2 try to get something. There wasn’t 1 screen pass, horizontal pass thrown other than the 2 that got batted down bc the pocket collapsed so quick.

Our OL has to keep going to the portal to get plug and hope you can play players. That’s OL coaching and development.

I’ve seen busted coverages by teams but it was like Ohio State was playing backyard football pitch and catch.

2 other things. I was a Pat Mcafee fan before this. That was a disgrace to all of football broadcasting and a slap in the face. He was horrible and one sided and a pompous annoying piece of **** all night. I can’t wait for him to step foot in the state of Tennessee again. I hope falls, chokes and dies on a cock that he said he loves on gameday.
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Well said.
 
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#154
#154
bent0224 said:
Open receivers? Did you watch the same game I did?
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Is it players or schemes ? Seems to me that GA shut this offense down with Hooker and two pro wide outs. His schemes need to change. Were is the underneath stuff ? Running backs on wheel routes ? An actual screen to a RB ? If you look at all of the stuff our defense can't cover we run none of it. I'm not talking about the deep balls the defense missed. We were not totally bad at those covers.
 
#156
#156
NIco is just not like Hooker or the Vandy QB who can just make something out of nothing to keep the O moving. Granted all the things said here about the O line - receivers did not give him any help but his inability to make plays on his own is just not there and maybe never will be. But we have to stop with the 'give him a pass' stuff because he is not a freshman now.

The O scheme needs changing or elite players all around him for him to succeed going forward.
 
#157
#157
Was Nico perfect? Of course not. But our O line and receivers were outclassed, that was the main issue. Which is unacceptable 4 years in.
 
#158
#158
FortSanders said:
Tennessee needs to spend more NIL funds to hire a backup QB. Nico missed throws and open receivers. He held the ball too long. He was too slow on his release. There needs to be another option.
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If think Nico was the problem last night, you don't know crap about football.
 
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#159
#159
guido4198 said:
In my opinion, Nico “gave his all for Tennessee “ last night. NO quarterback on a top tier team, which Tennessee is… should have to be the primary rushing back, and be responsible for the passing game. Nico had to run the ball waaayyy too much last night. Trying to play a quality opponent who came out “ hair on fire”, with a one-dimensional offense will never end well.
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When you refuse to throw the ball I guess you have no choice but to run.
 
#161
#161
GAVol said:
That’s not on the QB. That’s on OTs getting pushed all over the place. Campbell and Heard just didn’t pan
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McDad said:
It is an occasional weakness in his game. Seems to happen when the defense is getting pressure or when the defensive scheme is challenging.

We've also seen games where he quickly and consistently goes through his reads.
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Balls were knocked down by second level defenders. Linebackers and nickel db's. Defenders that weren't even pressuring
 
#164
#164
Go47 said:
Nico played hard, and ran the ball effectively. His oline was garbage and really had been all year. His WRs do not help him and in general do not get separation. The Oline and WRs have to be better for him.

He’s a tough player, and I think he could be a good QB going forward.

Having said all of that . . . We really don’t know what his ceiling is . . . But I think we will know by mid year next year. He could get much better at reading defenses and much better with throwing the deep ball . . . Or he may not.

We will probably see better QBs in the conference than him next year.
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Might be a little too bold, but it would be awesome if Nico himself went to CJH and asked for an upgrade at the WR coaching position, or something a la LeBron James. I wouldn't encourage it, but at some point his career is going to be effected by poor coaching testicular fortitude, and he needs to embrace the role of leader and "big baller". He commands a hefty NiL package, and as such could help his team out, and his coach, by being the one to step in and say, "that was interesting, but NOW we need to go in a different direction...", so to speak
 
#166
#166
My two largest fears are

1. Nico has fight but just doesn’t have it between the ears. I know he’s young, and he has a rocket arm and some wheels but his cerebral game play, true touch on the ball, and judgment overall are just poor for a kid so highly regarded.
2. I really really like CJH. That being said, his ability to adjust is just not there (really his ability to CEO the proactive game plan seems non-existent). Further, the team just plays soft as an enterprise. I’m scared to death we have Marc Richt on our hands. Consistent decent talent and product that will produce 9-10 wins EVERY YEAR but just soft and beneath the true big time coaches in the game for the day.
 
#168
#168
vol.E said:
My two largest fears are

1. Nico has fight but just doesn’t have it between the ears. I know he’s young, and he has a rocket arm and some wheels but his cerebral game play, true touch on the ball, and judgment overall are just poor for a kid so highly regarded.
2. I really really like CJH. That being said, his ability to adjust is just not there (really his ability to CEO the proactive game plan seems non-existent). Further, the team just plays soft as an enterprise. I’m scared to death we have Marc Richt on our hands. Consistent decent talent and product that will produce 9-10 wins EVERY YEAR but just soft and beneath the true big time coaches in the game for the day.
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Excellent post.

I think it’s a fair argument when people say this was a learning year for Nico. It’s also fair to point out his oline was subpar. But he did not show an ability to hit deep throws and he doesn’t have great touch at this point.

Will those things change? Will he get help on the oline and at WR? Also unknowns.

But I do think by the beginning of the year . . . If he still shows the tendencies he showed this year . . . We may be dealing with a conference average QB . . And not the 5 star we hoped for. Lagway looks better - maybe.

2. I think CJH is likely Richt without SEC titles. But only time will tell.
 
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#169
#169
NcVolfan24 said:
Nico was awful in the passing game tonight. Just awful. Everyone knows it. He knows it, and we all know that he will be working to make improvements. Receivers and line weren't exactly doing him any favors.

What I saw is a QB that grew up tonight. Ran very well (as many of us have been begging for all year) and got a glimpse of what next year will look like behind a lesser O-line and with likely less weapons. He showed some emotion and I think he was genuinely pissed. That motivation will be great for this offseason.

Nobody knows what next year will look like. Of course we all want the 2022 offense back with the explosive plays. Sure was a hell of a defense to watch in 2024 though, with tonight being an outlier.

We have a great class coming in and the portal is open. All is not lost. I, for one, stand behind Heupel and (most of) the staff.

An offensive coordinator with big game experience sure wouldn't disappoint as a present under the tree though...

Go
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C-south said:
When you abandon the pass even when you have all day it’s hard to say who was open or not. I know I saw guys streaking across the middle wide open a few times while Nico was looking lost and refused to throw the ball.
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Show us some video….I was there and must have missed it.
 
#170
#170
CNCVol88 said:
Dumb take. Nico was the only one trying.
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No one said he wasn’t trying. Right now he is not a good QB. People need to look at views of entire field. There were receivers open but he either didn’t see them or was afraid to release the ball. Also, how many 6 foot 6 inch QBs get at least 4 passes batted down. It’s because he stares down receivers.
 
#171
#171
FortSanders said:
Tennessee needs to spend more NIL funds to hire a backup QB. Nico missed throws and open receivers. He held the ball too long. He was too slow on his release. There needs to be another option.
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this type of stupidity really needs to stop! Nico was far from the problem last night!
 
#173
#173
FortSanders said:
His position is secure because of his NIL deal. No one will come in to compete with that. He is the current version of Guarantano.
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This will be an issue going forward anytime a huge amount is given to any player. They will refuse to bench that player because they are admitting they spent money by mis evaluating talent.
Great college QBs often do not become NFL QBs. Several excellent portal college QBs have been available for less money and had a bigger impact on their teams.
Would anyone prefer Nico vs Lagway. Saying Nico is only a RS Freshman is hiding the fact he has been through 3 bowl preps, one season of backup playing in blowouts, and has started 14 games, almost as many as Hooker. Unless something major clicks, he‘s here for 2-3 more years. When that becomes obvious there goes all of the current top prospects on the team and just signed.
 
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