Closing the recruiting gap

[Orange Studs]

AGreed. he's leaving the biggest shoes to fill. and it's kind of scary because he's made what he's done this year look so EASY....and it's just not. QB will take a step back even if Milton is really good next year. Hendon is having a VERY special year....and it isn't something that can just be duplicated. a lot of people won't realize that and will be easily disappointed next year when it's not.

I for one do understand and do expect more of a 8-4 or 9-3 year because of our QB situation for next year. Unless of course Milton shows something that none of have seen yet. lol But I am also waiting to see how we do in the portal which could change things.

 

[swampfoxfan]

We had two bigtime commitments the week after Bama game. Both for 2024.

Our 2023 class is very solid.

People will continue to look at class rankings in a vaccum VS what a team actually needs.

This 2023 class provides a program changing QB, and bunch of great depth along with some future studs.
It's one of the best secondary hauls we've had in a long time.

This class absolutely closes the gap. It's not about stars on website.
It's about getting the players you need WHEN you need them. And to execute at a high level with them

Nailed it

 

[jasonvol18]

Keyton is likely to use his super senior year.

You're right, I keep forgetting about that. I really hope Hyatt doesn't leave early, but he would be crazy not to leave. He's worked himself into a 1st Rounder and as we've seen with Tillman that can also hurt you if you get injured. Tillman could technically return, but highly doubt he will unless this injury just killed his draft status.

 

[cobbwebb0710]

You're right, I keep forgetting about that. I really hope Hyatt doesn't leave early, but he would be crazy not to leave. He's worked himself into a 1st Rounder and as we've seen with Tillman that can also hurt you if you get injured. Tillman could technically return, but highly doubt he will unless this injury just killed his draft status.

Everything I’m reading has Hyatt going late 2nd and Tillman late 2nd, early 3rd.
I have see Hyatt projected to the Chiefs...that would be fun.

 

[Mccage]

So why why with the success Heupel is having are we not making a move from 10 to 12th range up to top 5 or 6 at least? What are recruits waiting for? Why aren’t players flocking to be part of this and developed by what is now a demonstrably capable coaching staff? What will it take to crack the top 5v

Money

 

[Ned Ray McWorkher]

I for one do understand and do expect more of a 8-4 or 9-3 year because of our QB situation for next year. Unless of course Milton shows something that none of have seen yet.

That's what I thought this year...

 

[sjt18]

If you trust the evals done by your coaches then it matters quite a bit when a player was offered and their commitment accepted. Several of UT's 3* that many seem to think are drags on the quality of the class... we offered and committed a long time ago. I don't know how good they are, or are not. I do trust that Heupel and his staff understand that the players they sign have a direct bearing on program success.

UT isn't going to get into the top 5 in '23 without dumping guys like Luttrell, Slaughter, Spillman, Slaughter, and Telander.... and the coaches seem to believe in those guys.

 

[swampfoxfan]

If you trust the evals done by your coaches then it matters quite a bit when a player was offered and their commitment accepted. Several of UT's 3* that many seem to think are drags on the quality of the class... we offered and committed a long time ago. I don't know how good they are, or are not. I do trust that Heupel and his staff understand that the players they sign have a direct bearing on program success.

UT isn't going to get into the top 5 in '23 without dumping guys like Luttrell, Slaughter, Spillman, Slaughter, and Telander.... and the coaches seem to believe in those guys.

Dumping those along with withdrawing Kieth offer would help the average. But wouldn't do much for our image.
I probably (meaning do) give to much credit to star ranking. But this coaching staff is unbelievable at getting guys SEC ready, I'm going to trust them and heck with where we finish in team recruiting.

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

It helps that we have beaten UGA for multiple players this year and we will recruit better going forward

 

[vol_sec]

What is crazy to me, looking at the '23 commitment dates on the main volnation page, the last '23 commit was Leacock on 7/22/22 if I am reading that correct, which is before the season started. Because with the outstanding season that no one expected, I am guessing there are several '23 recruits interested now that might not have been before the season started.

 

[sjt18]

Dumping those along with withdrawing Kieth offer would help the average. But wouldn't do much for our image.

Image? Winning = Image. If these guys can't help you win and someone else can... you have no choice but to cut them loose. But that's not what the staff thought when they offered then accepted their commitment. Guys are told all the time that they'll have to wait. When these commitments were accepted, a lot of higher rated guys were still available. The Vol coaches believe these guys have the talent and head to win in the SEC.

I probably (meaning do) give to much credit to star ranking. But this coaching staff is unbelievable at getting guys SEC ready, I'm going to trust them and heck with where we finish in team recruiting.

I do not put as much faith as many in the star rankings... but that's going a little too far for me.

The rankings don't mean everything but they mean something. IMO, their ability to "generally" predict roster talent is better than their ability to specifically evaluate one player. According to 247's composite, UT has a top 20 roster right now. Bama and UGA are 1 and 2. A&M is top 5. UF and LSU are both ranked higher than UT.

This staff has shown how much development and coaching can make a difference if the talent is close enough. But rankings provide a "relative" talent level- #19 probably has a better shot at beating #5 than #45 does. Coaching can make up a lot more of the gap between #20 and #2 than between #40 and #2 if that makes sense?

To pull all that together, I think you can apply about a plus or minus 10 to the composite talent ranking. A team averaging #11 might very well be #1... or #21 in reality. There is a component though when the top 5 or so teams... are pretty likely to have elite talent that can only be squandered by bad coaching- See Texas A&M, OU, ND, Miami, etc.

UT is #19 in the composite. To provide just a little context, the Vols peaked at #12 in 2015 which was the first year 247 did the ranking. Anyway, this year the Vols have beaten #1, #8, and #12 in the composite ranking and lost to #2. So to me that says if you are top 20 you have a shot with good coaching to beat anyone.

 

[Adam Sandler]

If you had told me in January that we would finish the reg season 11-1, first of all I would have called bs, but secondly I would have put big money on a top 3 recruiting class in that scenario. tbh, I’m shocked our class is where it’s at right now compared to where it could be. It’s seemingly unchanged since the start of the season. The results on field hasn’t translated to the recruiting landscape except in the 24 and 25 classes and I really thought this would sway some our way in this class that otherwise wouldn’t have been in it.

@KingNico any big time 23s we should keep an eye on that haven’t been discussed adnaseum?

 

[MarcoVol]

If you had told me in January that we would finish the reg season 11-1, first of all I would have called bs, but secondly I would have put big money on a top 3 recruiting class in that scenario. tbh, I’m shocked our class is where it’s at right now compared to where it could be. It’s seemingly unchanged since the start of the season. The results on field hasn’t translated to the recruiting landscape except in the 24 and 25 classes and I really thought this would sway some our way in this class that otherwise wouldn’t have been in it.

@KingNico any big time 23s we should keep an eye on that haven’t been discussed adnaseum?

Tennessee hasn’t been relevant like this at any point during these recruits lives. One season wasn’t gonna do it for recruiting.

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

If you had told me in January that we would finish the reg season 11-1, first of all I would have called bs, but secondly I would have put big money on a top 3 recruiting class in that scenario. tbh, I’m shocked our class is where it’s at right now compared to where it could be. It’s seemingly unchanged since the start of the season. The results on field hasn’t translated to the recruiting landscape except in the 24 and 25 classes and I really thought this would sway some our way in this class that otherwise wouldn’t have been in it.

@KingNico any big time 23s we should keep an eye on that haven’t been discussed adnaseum?

Well we're about to land a 5 star DL and flip a top 250 OT that we lost before the season. So I'd say that the season has helped. Top 3 was unrealistic. I highly doubt you actually thought that. One season and suddenly we out recruit Bama, GA, OSU, and big money spenders like Texas A&M and Texas? LOL ok.

 

[BucVol98]

Well we're about to land a 5 star DL and flip a top 250 OT that we lost before the season. So I'd say that the season has helped. Top 3 was unrealistic. I highly doubt you actually thought that. One season and suddenly we out recruit Bama, GA, OSU, and big money spenders like Texas A&M and Texas? LOL ok.

Hobbs and then who are you talking about at OT?

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

Hobbs and then who are you talking about at OT?

Stanton Ramil

 

[peaygolf]

Tennessee hasn’t been relevant like this at any point during these recruits lives. One season wasn’t gonna do it for recruiting.

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

Another thing I've noticed too. The points this year are crazy. We're going to finish somewhere around 286-290 points in the 247 composite. That would have been good for top 5-7 last year. This year that may not make the top 10. Nuts.

 

[OrangeTsar]

Well we're about to land a 5 star DL and flip a top 250 OT that we lost before the season. So I'd say that the season has helped. Top 3 was unrealistic. I highly doubt you actually thought that. One season and suddenly we out recruit Bama, GA, OSU, and big money spenders like Texas A&M and Texas? LOL ok.

Didn’t expect instant top 3 but did. hope for at least top 5 to 7

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

Didn’t expect instant top 3 but did. hope for at least top 5 to 7

I definitely thought we'd be in the top 10. And we may be. We have a couple guys who may get bumps, we're going to finish strong. But as I said in the post above yours, the points are really crazy this year too. Our final point total would have been top 6-7 in every year in recent history except this one.

 

[bigl3327]

Tennessee hasn’t been relevant like this at any point during these recruits lives. One season wasn’t gonna do it for recruiting.

It was a gamble. We missed on a bunch of higher rated kids in the summer. You either take other kids that you really liked, or pin your hopes on gaining momentum during the season, and risk not even getting those recruits. I really like our current class, and think the coaches played it the right way.

 

[voltn21]

Another thing I've noticed too. The points this year are crazy. We're going to finish somewhere around 286-290 points in the 247 composite. That would have been good for top 5-7 last year. This year that may not make the top 10. Nuts.

Do you think that is NIL evening everything out? I mean in years past all the talent went to like 4 or 5 teams so I could see this years point total being around 6 or 7. Just something to ponder…

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

Do you think that is NIL evening everything out? I mean in years past all the talent went to like 4 or 5 teams so I could see this years point total being around 6 or 7. Just something to ponder…

Might be right. Ga and Bama still on top but not separating like normal

 

[VolNash17]

Might be right. Ga and Bama still on top but not separating like normal

I’ve noticed more teams getting to the 90.00 mark average on their classes this year. It isn’t as lopsided as it’s been previously

 

[voltn21]

I’ve noticed more teams getting to the 90.00 mark average on their classes this year. It isn’t as lopsided as it’s been previously

Yes that’s a good thing too. I hated it when this select few teams got all the talent because they were always in the playoffs.