Bret Smith

#76
#76
Simply, Bret Smith is a playmaker. He has made plays his whole career. First catch was a 57 yarder against Florida (in Florida) as a freshman, sophomore year he lead the team in TD's as a receiver, even returned an onside kick for a TD (how often does that happen), made big TD catches last yr during a down offensive year (also tied for the most TD catches last year), and he is coming on strong this year. The stats that he has put up over his whole career speaks for itself. No knock against Meachem and Swain, but Bret has been making big plays his whole career, not just this year. In my opinion, he is just as talented as Swain and Meachem. And if he was "out played" by the younger receivers in the spring, then they would start before him. Don't believe everything you hear or read. Trooper said a lot of what he said to motivate the older guys. Obviously, it worked. Trooper said that the best wrs would be on the field and I haven't seen the guys who so called outplayed Smith on the field before him. Trooper also said that he likes toughness and Bret played a whole scrimmage with a dislocated finger. Not as talented as the top two, maybe. A playmaker, DEFINITELY, and playmakers play at the next level.
 
#77
#77
Brokensilence said:
Simply, Bret Smith is a playmaker. He has made plays his whole career. First catch was a 57 yarder against Florida (in Florida) as a freshman, sophomore year he lead the team in TD's as a receiver, even returned an onside kick for a TD (how often does that happen), made big TD catches last yr during a down offensive year (also tied for the most TD catches last year), and he is coming on strong this year. The stats that he has put up over his whole career speaks for itself. No knock against Meachem and Swain, but Bret has been making big plays his whole career, not just this year. In my opinion, he is just as talented as Swain and Meachem. And if he was "out played" by the younger receivers in the spring, then they would start before him. Don't believe everything you hear or read. Trooper said a lot of what he said to motivate the older guys. Obviously, it worked. Trooper said that the best wrs would be on the field and I haven't seen the guys who so called outplayed Smith on the field before him. Trooper also said that he likes toughness and Bret played a whole scrimmage with a dislocated finger. Not as talented as the top two, maybe. A playmaker, DEFINITELY, and playmakers play at the next level.
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well said....TRUE THAT!
 
#78
#78
Big Orange Diesel said:
Your right. Chris Brown is only threat at TE. The Cottams are a joke, from drop balls to missed blocks in the run game they have been a disappointment. And the FBs, oh brother what a dissappointment!
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This is not even a fair assessment....
First of all I don't think the FB's have played much since the Marshall game. Secondly if you pay any attention to the offensive formations now, they don't even entail a FB anymore, they are more of passing formations now, except during goaline situations...So layoff the FB's and criticize other positions, or better yet criticize the coaches who are responsible for developing the FB's, like promised, when they came to there homes during the recruiting process..."I will take care of and develop your kid." "I promise, he will be a better person and player when he leaves the University of Tennessee."
 
#79
#79
Brokensilence said:
Simply, Bret Smith is a playmaker. He has made plays his whole career. First catch was a 57 yarder against Florida (in Florida) as a freshman, sophomore year he lead the team in TD's as a receiver, even returned an onside kick for a TD (how often does that happen), made big TD catches last yr during a down offensive year (also tied for the most TD catches last year), and he is coming on strong this year. The stats that he has put up over his whole career speaks for itself. No knock against Meachem and Swain, but Bret has been making big plays his whole career, not just this year. In my opinion, he is just as talented as Swain and Meachem. And if he was "out played" by the younger receivers in the spring, then they would start before him. Don't believe everything you hear or read. Trooper said a lot of what he said to motivate the older guys. Obviously, it worked. Trooper said that the best wrs would be on the field and I haven't seen the guys who so called outplayed Smith on the field before him. Trooper also said that he likes toughness and Bret played a whole scrimmage with a dislocated finger. Not as talented as the top two, maybe. A playmaker, DEFINITELY, and playmakers play at the next level.
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Swain is the only receiver we have right now that has been consistently good over his entire Volunteer career. Not Smith. Meachem led the Vols in TDs his freshman year. The reason Smith was getting called out in practice was because he was dropping passes. That's happened a few time during games this year, as well.
 
#80
#80
First of all we've have never physical specimens at the WR position like Swain and Meach. These two guys can take a short pass,break a tackle and take it the distance. Smith is good, but he is not nearly as physical as those two. I read the other day that Troop said that Slick Shelly had the best hands on the team. I know he played in the U.S. Army AA game. What is going on with him? Is he too slender or what?
 
#81
#81
BACKDOC said:
First of all we've have never physical specimens at the WR position like Swain and Meach. These two guys can take a short pass,break a tackle and take it the distance. Smith is good, but he is not nearly as physical as those two. I read the other day that Troop said that Slick Shelly had the best hands on the team. I know he played in the U.S. Army AA game. What is going on with him? Is he too slender or what?
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bret did a good job of breaking a tackle and running with it yesterday.....for about 40 yards....he is improving every game....and UT has needed him this year in key games and he's shown up for them.....i think all three of the guys are good and i am glad they are having a good year.....i hope they continue to do so....
 
#82
#82
acj1908 said:
bret did a good job of breaking a tackle and running with it yesterday.....for about 40 yards....he is improving every game....and UT has needed him this year in key games and he's shown up for them.....i think all three of the guys are good and i am glad they are having a good year.....i hope they continue to do so....
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The real test for Bret Smith will be against LSU. He will be playing against an oustanding defense. Swain will likely be limited, meaning that Smith is our #2 receiver. That will be a tremendous test. We'll see what he can do.
 
#83
#83
I hope the people on this thread with all the negative comments or "opinions" are not Vol fans. At this stage of the season, we need to be pulling together instead of running down our players. We need to bring forth positive comments! Positive energy! We have some serious games ahead of us.

Bret is definitely not the only one who has dropped passes. There have been dropped passes, missed tackles, missed assignments, interceptions, intentional grounding, punt returns for touchdowns.....you name it. So, I really don't see any purpose behind singling out one individual player and being critical with your opinions.

So, let's not run down ANY of our players. Let's encourage them. They need all the positive vibes we have available to get through these next games. While we are getting W's, let's be happy. Let's not be critical. Let's enjoy one game at a time. Let's pull our Vols through the next games.
 
#84
#84
Like others have said, we have lots of talent at wr. The question (problem) is...who is going to step up after Bret? Briscoe, I think, has the most talent and potential. Clearly, though, he's not ready to play a whole game. His miscues yesterday reminded me of last year's uga game. I think Lucas Taylor is a little overated, but the coaches love him and they see him in practice while I dont. Here's another vote to see Slick Shelley...someone with a name that cool has to be good.
 
#85
#85
TravisHenryCBlockedMe said:
Like others have said, we have lots of talent at wr. The question (problem) is...who is going to step up after Bret? Briscoe, I think, has the most talent and potential. Clearly, though, he's not ready to play a whole game. His miscues yesterday reminded me of last year's uga game. I think Lucas Taylor is a little overated, but the coaches love him and they see him in practice while I dont. Here's another vote to see Slick Shelley...someone with a name that cool has to be good.
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i agree.....wonder why he has not played....
 
#86
#86
kptvol said:
Swain is the only receiver we have right now that has been consistently good over his entire Volunteer career. Not Smith. Meachem led the Vols in TDs his freshman year. The reason Smith was getting called out in practice was because he was dropping passes. That's happened a few time during games this year, as well.
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As long as he doesn't drop touchdowns or first downs, what does it matter. A lot of receivers dropped passes this year. Bret wasn't the only one who has dropped a pass this year. You can't keep using that as your point. Receivers drop passes, just like qbs throw ints and LBs miss tackles. It happens. If the coaches didn't think Bret was as good as Swain or Meachem, then they would have put someone else in his place. For every drop he has, he has made a huge play. He is not the only receiver who dropped passes. I never said that Smith was the most consistent over his vol career. I said he has consistently made big plays. Big difference. All Bret does is score TDs. We know that he can break one and take it to the house just as easily as Meachem and Swain can. But his role is to make the tough catches over the middle. He does that extremely well. I don't care what you say or what you think, but a first down is just as important as a touchdown. Bret has proven that he can be counted on for both. A complete receiver in my opinion. I'm not trying to make this a competition of who the best is, because as long as we win, I don't care if Sideshow Bob is the best receiver. But please don't try to call out a player who is playing the best ball of his career when we need him the most. If inconsistency was his problem, he must've fixed it because in two games IN A ROW he has had over 90 plus receiving yards. Granted teams are doubling Meachem and Swain so Bret is getting a lot of looks. But its one thing to be open and another thing to catch the ball consistently when your open, and Bret has done that well. Meachem is also benefitting from Bret being open just as much as Bret is benefiting from Meachem. Its a team. Lets be happy that its working and we have a trio of great receivers to give D. Coordinators fits.
 
#87
#87
Brokensilence said:
As long as he doesn't drop touchdowns or first downs, what does it matter. A lot of receivers dropped passes this year. Bret wasn't the only one who has dropped a pass this year. You can't keep using that as your point. Receivers drop passes, just like qbs throw ints and LBs miss tackles. It happens. If the coaches didn't think Bret was as good as Swain or Meachem, then they would have put someone else in his place. For every drop he has, he has made a huge play. He is not the only receiver who dropped passes. I never said that Smith was the most consistent over his vol career. I said he has consistently made big plays. Big difference. All Bret does is score TDs. We know that he can break one and take it to the house just as easily as Meachem and Swain can. But his role is to make the tough catches over the middle. He does that extremely well. I don't care what you say or what you think, but a first down is just as important as a touchdown. Bret has proven that he can be counted on for both. A complete receiver in my opinion. I'm not trying to make this a competition of who the best is, because as long as we win, I don't care if Sideshow Bob is the best receiver. But please don't try to call out a player who is playing the best ball of his career when we need him the most. If inconsistency was his problem, he must've fixed it because in two games IN A ROW he has had over 90 plus receiving yards. Granted teams are doubling Meachem and Swain so Bret is getting a lot of looks. But its one thing to be open and another thing to catch the ball consistently when your open, and Bret has done that well. Meachem is also benefitting from Bret being open just as much as Bret is benefiting from Meachem. Its a team. Lets be happy that its working and we have a trio of great receivers to give D. Coordinators fits.
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I never "called out" Bret Smith. I said he wasn't on the same level as Swain and Meachem. Swain and Meachem have accounted for almost all of UT's receiving TDs. A first down is not as important as a touchdown. Meachem is not benefitting from Bret. Bret is benefitting from the double and triple teams Meachem is receiving. I'm not saying Smith is a bad receiver. He isn't as good as Swain and Meachem. Neither are 95% of the receivers playing college football. If Smith were on par with Meachem, Ainge wouldn't try and force the ball to Meachem while he is in triple coverage.
 
#88
#88
kptvol said:
Swain and Meachem have accounted for almost all of UT's receiving TDs. A first down is not as important as a touchdown. Meachem is not benefitting from Bret. Bret is benefitting from the double and triple teams Meachem is receiving. I'm not saying Smith is a bad receiver. He isn't as good as Swain and Meachem. Neither are 95% of the receivers playing college football. If Smith were on par with Meachem, Ainge wouldn't try and force the ball to Meachem while he is in triple coverage.
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ummm...first downs keep drives alive so you can score touchdowns. with the exception of Cal, not every pass has gone for a TD. if Smith is the go to guy on 3rd down, he is just as valuable as Meach is being the go to guy in the red zone.
 
#89
#89
doozer said:
ummm...first downs keep drives alive so you can score touchdowns. with the exception of Cal, not every pass has gone for a TD. if Smith is the go to guy on 3rd down, he is just as valuable as Meach is being the go to guy in the red zone.
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We had about 600 first downs the first half against Bama. How many points did that get us? Touchdowns are more important than first downs. First downs are important, but not as important as 6 points.

Arizona got way more first downs than the Bears did. How did that work out for them?
 
#91
#91
OWB said:
I'm pretty sure it was only 8 or 9..
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Hundred? I suppose that was a bad example. It's still a valid point. A team with 5 first downs can beat a team with 20 first downs. Winning the first down battle is good, but it doesn't necessarily win you the game.
 
#92
#92
i never said touchdowns weren't important. if you're not getting first downs you're punting or kicking field goals. therefore, a guy who is clutch on 3rd down catching the ball is just as important as the guy who is catching clutch TDs.
 
#93
#93
doozer said:
i'm never said touchdowns weren't important. if you're not getting first downs you're punting or kicking field goals. therefore, a guy who is clutch on 3rd down catching the ball is just as important as the guy who is cluth catching TDs.
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Well the next time Meachem catches a 5 yard hitch for a first down, I'll be sure to point out that it was equally as important as any TD that Bret Smith has caught. Meachem is more clutch than any WR we have in any situation. If we are throwing to a receiver other than Swain or Meachem, it is because they are extremely well covered. All those guys catch first down passes. The difference is that Swain and Meachem keep going and score TDs much more frequently than just about any WR in the country. I'll repeat this. Swain and Meachem are two of the best WRs in the entire nation. Smith not being as good as those guys doesn't mean he is bad.
 
#95
#95
doozer said:
i think you're missing my point.
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That seems to be the theme of this thread.

Here's my point: Meachem, Swain > Smith

Smith does a lot of things well. The other two guys do them better. It doesn't matter if you're talking about catching first downs, touchdowns, breaking tackles, or blocking.
 
#96
#96
kptvol said:
I never "called out" Bret Smith. I said he wasn't on the same level as Swain and Meachem. Swain and Meachem have accounted for almost all of UT's receiving TDs. A first down is not as important as a touchdown. Meachem is not benefitting from Bret. Bret is benefitting from the double and triple teams Meachem is receiving. I'm not saying Smith is a bad receiver. He isn't as good as Swain and Meachem. Neither are 95% of the receivers playing college football. If Smith were on par with Meachem, Ainge wouldn't try and force the ball to Meachem while he is in triple coverage.
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Basically, you did "call out" Bret by saying the coaches were getting on to him about dropping passes. So I guess Swain and Meachem have never been yelled at in practice? Do me a favor. If you can, go back and look at the TD that Meachem caught against Georgia. He was wide open right? Yes he was. The reason he was wide open was because the safety and corner doubled Bret which left Meachem wide open. Is that not Meachem benefitting from Bret? What about the hustle block Bret gave Meachem against Memphis on the long TD run where Bret blocked two guys. Is that not Meachem benefitting from Bret? Bret takes the pressure off of Meachem just as Meachem takes the pressure off of Bret. Plain and simple. They all need each other, and Bret is just as good as Swain and Meachem which is evident the past two games AND by the coaching staff. You never hear them mention Meachem and Swain without mentioning Smith. During spring and fall practice you never heard Trooper or Fulmer mention only two of them. They always mentioned all three. If Bret wasn't on the same level as Meachem and Swain then they would've only said those two. By the end of the season you will see it.
 
#97
#97
kptvol said:
I never "called out" Bret Smith. I said he wasn't on the same level as Swain and Meachem. Swain and Meachem have accounted for almost all of UT's receiving TDs. A first down is not as important as a touchdown. Meachem is not benefitting from Bret. Bret is benefitting from the double and triple teams Meachem is receiving. I'm not saying Smith is a bad receiver. He isn't as good as Swain and Meachem. Neither are 95% of the receivers playing college football. If Smith were on par with Meachem, Ainge wouldn't try and force the ball to Meachem while he is in triple coverage.
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Why are you harping on Smith? Since you must be critical at a time when we don't need to be, then harp on Ainge for throwing into triple coverage. Harp on the return team allowing two touchdowns in the GA game. My God, you sound like you are definitely NOT a vol fan.
 
#98
#98
kptvol said:
Smith is still inconsistent. He is OK as a number 3. He clearly isn't as good as Swain or Meachem. What worries me is that the guys below Smith don't even seem to be on the same level. What's the deal with Austin Rogers? Is he hurt? He's the only other guy I would want to have in the ball game outside our top 3.
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I think Smith is a great WR. He is a different type of WR than RM and JS, he is more of a posession guy. He has very, very good hands but is not quite as fast as the other 2.
 
#99
#99
kptvol said:
Well the next time Meachem catches a 5 yard hitch for a first down, I'll be sure to point out that it was equally as important as any TD that Bret Smith has caught. Meachem is more clutch than any WR we have in any situation. If we are throwing to a receiver other than Swain or Meachem, it is because they are extremely well covered. All those guys catch first down passes. The difference is that Swain and Meachem keep going and score TDs much more frequently than just about any WR in the country. I'll repeat this. Swain and Meachem are two of the best WRs in the entire nation. Smith not being as good as those guys doesn't mean he is bad.
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Then why even discuss this? When Smith scores a touchdown, it is for UT, when Swain scores a touchdown it is for UT, when Mereach scores a touchdown, it is for UT. That is all that matters. So, why discuss all of this nonsense that will get us nowhere? It time for this thread to go. They are all friends, they pull for each other, they don't care who is better or not. They just want to win. And, that's what I want. Kill this thread. It makes no sense. We don't even want to talk about why Ainge throws into triple coverage. We don't want to go there!
 
#100
#100
One thing I really like about our trio of receivers is that they all seem to be humble guys as well as great players. They're a special group and without one, the others suffer. They are all playing their roles well this year.
 
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