‘23 AL CB Rickey Gibson (Tennessee commit)

[Ned Ray McWorkher]

Turnage, Flowers, Turrentine were all 4 stars. Can’t remember what Slaughter and TMac were rated. Hadden and Dee Williams were both coveted in the portal

Regardless, we had a huge room and many teams with less talent were much better vs pass

I mean specifically looking at them on the field. Which (if any) would you build your SEC title defense around? Having seen them all play. Assess their ACTUAL level, in your opinion.

 

[VolSummitt44]

Tbf, there are plenty other teams that play this type defense

I understand that. However, it's not working for us. Changes to what were doing should've been made. Not really any excuses for nearly every team we played being able to exploit our poor pass defense. I know we were down some players but, to that I say our pass defense was bad all year long even when they were playing.

 

[VolSummitt44]

I mean specifically looking at them on the field. Which (if any) would you build your SEC title defense around? Having seen them all play. Assess their ACTUAL level, in your opinion.

The problem with that is we are not asking for a sec title defense. Just one that can get off the field on 3rd and 10 or more. Everyone knows with our offense the defense doesn't have to pitch shut outs.

 

[Ned Ray McWorkher]

Couldn't disagree more. We need to hold teams to as few points as possible. Particularly to win the SEC. And it is great to see the amount of defensive talent we are getting this year. Not where we need to be, but certainly headed in the right direction. Never mentioned anything about shutouts. I am talkn about big time talent. Playing defense for UT. Not the other damn teams.

 

[T2P_Priceless]

I mean specifically looking at them on the field. Which (if any) would you build your SEC title defense around? Having seen them all play. Assess their ACTUAL level, in your opinion.

Not great but it’s hard to assess when they’re often in terrible positions. Hadden, Charles, TMac, Slaughter, Wright and Turnage have all flashed and shown talent

I don’t know the answer. I just find it hard to believe they can’t do better than it’s been with a very big room

 

[volbeast33]

I understand that. However, it's not working for us. Changes to what were doing should've been made. Not really any excuses for nearly every team we played being able to exploit our poor pass defense. I know we were down some players but, to that I say our pass defense was bad all year long even when they were playing.

We have very limited talent…. Down some players…. Playing safeties at corner….using walk ons for depth…. We need a talent/depth infusion in the worst way.

 

[Ned Ray McWorkher]

A big room of 18 duds can't out compete a small room with 8 SEC level defensive backs in it. This past year, we couldn't play man, because of a lack of talent. In zone they get looked off and ran by because of the ineffective pass rush not getting home. A complete infusion of talent is needed. You can't coach a house cat into a leopard.

 

[bpalmer28]

Turnage, Flowers, Turrentine were all 4 stars. Can’t remember what Slaughter and TMac were rated. Hadden and Dee Williams were both coveted in the portal

Regardless, we had a huge room and many teams with less talent were much better vs pass

These guys are to a point in their careers where stars truly don't matter. If they were as good as people thought they were in HS; Turnage would still be at Bama, Turrentine would still be at Ohio State, and Hadden would still be at Auburn. They transferred because they didn't expect to get playing time. We've seen Flowers be a step too slow to make plays enough to know how much an upgrade in athleticism at the safety spot could help our defense. Slaughter is good enough to help us win big games, particularly against teams that like to run. I don't know who TMac is. Dee Williams seems to have the athletic ability, time will tell if he has the discipline and work ethic required to become a master of his craft.

 

[VolSummitt44]

Couldn't disagree more. We need to hold teams to as few points as possible. Particularly to win the SEC. And it is great to see the amount of defensive talent we are getting this year. Not where we need to be, but certainly headed in the right direction. Never mentioned anything about shutouts. I am talkn about big time talent. Playing defense for UT. Not the other damn teams.

For the long run, I agree. This season, with this defensive roster we have, we should've been better than last place in pass defense. In the spring and summer a lot of the reporters all thought we would have a serviceable secondary. The talent to be decent was there. We were no where close to decent. Our linebackers got better in pass coverage (not saying they were great just that they improved) and our secondary played bad all year.

 

[T2P_Priceless]

These guys are to a point in their careers where stars truly don't matter. If they were as good as people thought they were in HS; Turnage would still be at Bama, Turrentine would still be at Ohio State, and Hadden would still be at Auburn. They transferred because they didn't expect to get playing time. We've seen Flowers be a step too slow to make plays enough to know how much an upgrade in athleticism at the safety spot could help our defense. Slaughter is good enough to help us win big games, particularly against teams that like to run. I don't know who TMac is. Dee Williams seems to have the athletic ability, time will tell if he has the discipline and work ethic required to become a master of his craft.

Turnage and Turrentine were both behind deep rosters. Turrentine just this past Spring got a ton of reps and was valued heavily by the staff. They didn’t want to lose him. Hadden wasn’t even at Auburn last the Spring. Probably bounced because he saw the cesspool it was

TMac is Tamarion McDonald, our starting Star all year. I forgot to mention Wesley Walker who looked great at safety last game

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

It was known in the off-season that we were thin and banged up in the secondary. We lost 2 nfl guys from the secondary. Would you expect the secondary to improve the very next year after that?

Just like I thought. Nobody can provide any recent stats that backs up Martinez is a good coach. Thanks.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

I am under the impression that the previous staffs lack of quality DB recruiting plus all the transfers and NCAA investigation led to the situation we are in. I do feel the defense did an overall good job of hiding those deficiencies…. I have posted here several times stats that showed the time that Willie was here before was some of our best pass defense in years.

Ah blame it on the previous guy. Classic. Can you please explain why you and some others just do not want to put any blame on Martinez? Oh and since you brought up his time here before. Why does that matter? So I guess we should just let coaches skate in past accomplishments and not hold them accountable for the present?

The rest of the nation sees it. Why some on here cannot is baffling. I wonder what you will think at the end of this year and next when our pass defense ranks near the last in the nation? More excuses I would imagine.

 

[Memphisvol87]

Ah blame it on the previous guy. Classic. Can you please explain why you and some others just do not want to put any blame on Martinez? Oh and since you brought up his time here before. Why does that matter? So I guess we should just let coaches skate in past accomplishments and not hold them accountable for the present?

The rest of the nation sees it. Why some on here cannot is baffling. I wonder what you will think at the end of this year and next when our pass defense ranks near the last in the nation? More excuses I would imagine.

Fixing the defense is going to be the difference in this year being the standard again vs this type of year being the once in 20 exception.

 

[Allvols1996]

Who would you say in this current secondary is 'talented'? As in All-SEC, or NFL draft level talent. Height, length & speed wise.

So, more zero sum analytics? Either you’re all SEC or terrible? That’s not how football works. UT has had decades of success with guys who were good at maximizing their ability. Not everyone is going to be Deon Grant or Dale Carter.

 

[MarcoVol]

Just like I thought. Nobody can provide any recent stats that backs up Martinez is a good coach. Thanks.

Heupel seems to like him and disagree with your assessment of his coaching abilities.

So just to confirm, you think that you are a better evaluator of coaching talent than Josh Heupel, a HC at one of the most storied football programs in America, who just went 10-2 in his 2nd year and has an overall coaching record of 45-16?

Thanks.

 

[SweetasSoda]

Why do y’all keep arguing with him? Such a waste of time. You will always win though.

 

[VolsSince78]

Just like I thought. Nobody can provide any recent stats that backs up Martinez is a good coach. Thanks.

Are the two most recent NFL drafts recent enough?? Again, Martinez coached 5 DBs who were drafted in 2021-22. Those players’ stats are readily available.

Hopefully next year, 50+% of CBs won’t be injured like this year, and the new CBs and Safeties will bring more talent, speed and toughness. That will make all the Defensive coaches look more expert to armchair fans.

 

[KptVFL]

Heupel seems to like him and disagree with your assessment of his coaching abilities.

So just to confirm, you think that you are a better evaluator of coaching talent than Josh Heupel, a HC at one of the most storied football programs in America, who just went 10-2 in his 2nd year and has an overall coaching record of 45-16?

Thanks.

Martinez makes $450,000 a year to coach defensive backs. Volnation posters that make $0 dollars coaching football know more. Makes total sense.

Either he can coach or he is the best con artist in history.

 

[Leeleesteeth]

Reading posts when yall are arguing with some idiot from the Ignore List is awesome.

 

[RudyVol]

Who is carrying water for Martinez and/or Banks after this season?!

 

[bpalmer28]

Turnage and Turrentine were both behind deep rosters. Turrentine just this past Spring got a ton of reps and was valued heavily by the staff. They didn’t want to lose him. Hadden wasn’t even at Auburn last the Spring. Probably bounced because he saw the cesspool it was

TMac is Tamarion McDonald, our starting Star all year. I forgot to mention Wesley Walker who looked great at safety last game

Walker has looked decent at times for sure. And I actually like Turnage. I don't think he'd ever start at a place like Alabama or Georgia, but that is basically the same as saying he's not a day 1 draft pick. Pretty lofty standards. I think we can win with him at one of the corner spots but on the other side of the field we need one of those day 1 draft pick kind of guys. Most great defenses have one.

 

[butchna]

Why do y’all keep arguing with him? Such a waste of time. You will always win though.

 

[SweetasSoda]

View attachment 521864

 

[MemphisVol3]

I personally think Willie Martinez is a pretty good DB coach. I just think most of our issues were scheme related in an attempt to hide our deficiencies. We don't/didn't necessarily have any corners that could consistently play lock down man coverage so what we saw was mostly zone coverages in which we still weren't the greatest there. Then you have our starting safeties that weren't that good. They knew the scheme and where to be but just weren't athletic enough to make plays consistently. Our younger guys are def more athletic but may not have had the best grasp of the defense, idk. I think we see better secondary play next season though as more talent is infused at all 3 levels.

 

[T2P_Priceless]

Walker has looked decent at times for sure. And I actually like Turnage. I don't think he'd ever start at a place like Alabama or Georgia, but that is basically the same as saying he's not a day 1 draft pick. Pretty lofty standards. I think we can win with him at one of the corner spots but on the other side of the field we need one of those day 1 draft pick kind of guys. Most great defenses have one.

Bottom line in my argument is that we are not anywhere near the bottom of the Nation in DB talent but the bottom of the Nation in pass defense. I think part of that could be scheme and we still don’t get consistent pressure from the front 4. Banks is the common denominator. We’ll see.

For all you that argue that coaches and former players evaluate coaches better. That is true but they get it wrong all the time. It’s why we see firings ALL the time. Look at the rumor of the new USCe OC. Literally has the worst history of any OC in NFL history but looks like Beamer is hiring him and their prodigal son Conner Shaw is endorsing him on Twitter.

You see the same fans telling other fans “you think your know more”. No, but we can be critical and skeptical. I saw the same fans saying he endorsed some previous OC that sucked at USCe. Also, don’t forget that Peyton endorsed Butch, Pruitt and even Shiano,