Athlon anonymous coach comments on Tennessee

#51
#51
Different processor equals quicker decisions. Different apps run better or worse than others, but the bottom line is they run effectively and efficiently. Plug and play. Fine tuning gets good results. Vols will get their points, writer sounds like he was mistaken and the question mark is the defense of which there is much improvement.
 
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#54
#54
Carp said:
We have one of the most productive WR cores in the nation at the moment between Bru, Squirrel, Brazzel, Thornton, Nimrod, and Webb. I don't think many teams are going find their 6th or 7th WRs with much, if any production. And obviously, that doesn't even mention highly talented guys like Matthews, Leacock, and Staley, all of which were top 100 overall players.
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I think the point was that NONE of those coming back proved they were elite, and we don't know anything about the new ones. As such it is a fair statement made by another coach in the league. The season may prove otherwise, or it may prove the point said.

An elite receiver doesn't just catch what hits them in stride or in the hands, an elite receiver catches passes that an average receiver would not catch.
 
#55
#55
volfan102455 said:
I think the point was that NONE of those coming back proved they were elite, and we don't know anything about the new ones. As such it is a fair statement made by another coach in the league. The season may prove otherwise, or it may prove the point said.

An elite receiver doesn't just catch what hits them in stride or in the hands, an elite receiver catches passes that an average receiver would not catch.
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False. Bru proved he was elite in 2022, but a lazy analyst only looking at 2023 would not see compelling numbers for that last (injured) season. A lazy, cursory, analyst would not have studied our offense this Spring and thus not be wowed like the rest of us by the likes of Matthews, Staley and Brazzel. Yet, if those last 3 don't get significant p.t., it would only be because Squirrel, Bru, Thornton, Webb are impressing more. Too bad the "secret coach" didn't even have the guts to put his name on his uninformed opinion.
 
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#56
#56
ptcarter said:
I just want to see our DB's look back towards the ball before plowing through someone. Still shaking my head at some of the P.I. calls last year.
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Most college DBs--all teams--are just not that good. And, yes, for reasons that are inexplicable they almost never learn to look back for the ball, which means that even if they've man covered a receiver tightly, which is rare, the reception will still be made because they don't see the ball arriving and thus cannot make a play on the ball. It's the age-old DB mystery.

As for Nico, not sure what to make of the comment that staff thinks he's the best they've had in the system. Kid seems to have a load of potential--but it will take some serious doing to equal what Hooker achieved two years ago. If he can even come close to matching Hooker's productivity, Vols will be in good shape.
 
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#57
#57
bpalmer28 said:
It's a fair comment. Our WRs were the worst unit on the team last year and it wasn't even close. They were terrible.

Some of the guys we've brought in have the potential to be really good, but they haven't proven anything.
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QB's make receivers many times. (Drew Brees, Manning, Tom Brady's receiving corps throughout their careers vs. what those receivers did after they went to other franchises.)
 
#58
#58
He's not wrong, no one has proven anything, yet. I'm confident we'll have some dudes stand out.
 
#59
#59
I guess all the people in the universe who thought Nico would excel even if no one were put around him got clapped back at in that alleged "quote."

Of course, there is no one in the world who ever thought that. 😂
 
#60
#60
Freak said:
Have any thoughts on the topic? I like the potential of this receiver group.
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That's the right word - potential. A lot of 'ifs' here, but if Bru is healthy, Thornton finds his sea legs in the system, Brazzell is what we all hope he can be, and Matthews develops quickly in the system, this could be a very special group.

Squirrel is kind of the wild card, a speed merchant whose primary strength was compromised by the lack of WR depth and Milton's inconsistency with the long ball last season. If we get the production we're hoping for from the other four, Squirrel will be freed up to be the 'take the top off the defense' guy he was always meant to be.

Another factor is how good the RB's are in the pass game. Solid screen and underneath threats out of the backfield will only help the downfield production. This could be an incredibly explosive offense if Nico is what we believe he is.
 
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#63
#63
Sounds eerily similar to this quote from the anonymous one in 2022: “They’re missing a really dynamic playmaker right now. Finding that at receiver with one of the signees could be huge for them.”
 
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#64
#64
Do we assume “anonymous coach” infers an SEC football coach and not some random middle school track coach?
 
#65
#65
Freak said:
Have any thoughts on the topic? I like the potential of this receiver group.
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JohnWardForever said:
Just catch the damn ball!
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JohnWardForever said:
What he said. Tennessee's receivers could have been very good last year if not for the DROPS. I think these guys will catch it; especially Brazzell, Squirrel, & Bru.
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We have almost 20 years of our roster having tons of unrealized potential. It has put us in the 2nd tier. Heupel gets the most from his talent pool of any coach in the SEC East, with the possible exception of UK. What Stoops and staff get from their talent pool is borderline extraordinary in some games.

Our receiver group has to make some elite catches and hold onto the ball. Sounds simple, but they dropped a LOT of catchable balls last season and left plenty of TDs off the scoreboard.
 
#67
#67
bpalmer28 said:
Brazzell had two 100-yard games last year and 5 TDs against bad competition - which is (as the anonymous coach described it) "decent".

Bru is my favorite Vol, but he's coming of a nasty injury. Wish him a speedy and full recovery.

Squirrel only scored 2 TDs last year, but I blame the QB. He's solid but he's small and not fast enough for his size to be "elite" - which was the coach's point... we don't have any elite targets.

People holding out hope for Thornton reminds me of when people were holding out hope for JJ Peterson. At some point y'all have to just look at the guy's production and take off the blinders. I suspect that he will be Brazzell's backup.

Matthews has boat load of potential. Can't wait to see him play. I wouldn't be shocked if he has one of the best freshman seasons of all-time, BUT, again, he's unproven.

Staes caught 15 passes last year. Not exactly Brock Bowers, but we don't need him to be. Staes will be solid, IMO, but I don't think anyone is expecting him to be "elite".
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Remember who our QB was last year. The QB position is improved by leaps over what we played last year. You/we will also see tremendous improvement in our WR production this Fall.. I believe that many do not realized how handicapped we were at the QB position last year.
 
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#71
#71
Squirrel and Bru are really the only people proven guys we have and I expect big things from Brazwell but he’s never played an SEC schedule. Considering how piss poor and uninspired the WRs played last year I’m not sure I feel bad for them getting dunked on. They need to prove that they can be playmakers.
 
#72
#72
Vol$_Deep_11_9 said:
Brazzell will excel in this system, he has the speed to and honestly, contrary to what a lot think, its a simple system for WRs.

I think Bru will be alright, depends on the role we use him in, Heupel has a way of putting guys in a position to succeed.

Blaming the QB for the last year is reasonable, but what was the reason for Keyton not having more TD passes, they all dropped balls last season, Keyton dropped at least two for sure TDs that were game changers. Joe was decent enough, had his faults for sure, but the WR did not do a lot to help him last year.

Thornton spent a lot of last season banged up. If he is healthy this year, he will see plenty of targets. Peterson was an overweight LB that the previous staff missed on. Thornton has the intangibles and will have a QB capable of getting the best out of him. I think we see a big jump out of him in year two of Heupel, look at Jalin Hyatt.

Matthews is raw, but I think dude has that dawg in him and is fully capable if being that dude. This staff evaluates talent really well, I think he will be as advertise.
A lot of schools wanted Holden Staes, Alabama wanted him before Saban said "I'm done", I think that speaks a lot for the kid's talent. Who will be elite in the TE room though? Who was the kid that got hurt last year in the O&W game on a pretty incredible catch and throw?

I don't disagree with what you're saying, however I do think Tennessee has a lot more depth at that WR spot than people want to give them credit for and as some has said, an elite QB can mask some of the weaknesses at that spot. Either way its going to be a fun year, we have a pretty favorable schedule, good enough talent to where not one single game on the schedule outside of UGA is a guaranteed loss and I really don't think that's as sold as some think, but if Heupel can get that road win at Oklahoma early in the year, that UGA game is massive and they can win that game.

Go Vols!
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My take on the whole thing is it really doesn't matter whom the WR's are as long as they catch the ball. I think it's a well known fact that Huepel knows how to get dudes open. We didn't have a certified WR 2years ago. Tillman got hurt. Hyatt went from being a 200 yard a season WR to a 200yards and 5TD's in a game WR. Yeah he was fast but he didn't all of a sudden become fast when Heupel got him. Heupel knew how to get him wide open and he caught the ball.
 
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#74
#74
Freak said:
Seemed like Thornton was starting to show flashes before the injury. Or maybe I'm just being swayed by the touchdown play when he was injured.

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I think you could definitely see him making strides and gaining confidence at that point. Our receiving group really had some tough breaks last year.
 
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