DB Depth Chart

#26
#26
25vol said:
Man it’s hard enough to be confident in this secondary as it is. I just keep having to remind myself that the ball should never get that far with our DL and LB blocking the way.
I really hope that this group has heard all the negativity and vitriol thrown their way over the past year and they play with their hair on fire and shut everybody up. GBO
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Perhaps the transfer Andre Stewart - former Kentucky Wildcat that we recruited - can provide some valuable special teams minutes so that other starters can be more fresh during defensive snaps.

Jakobe Thomas at STAR makes the most sense if you ask me, but I'm confident they will figure it out.

I was looking at the DB of 2017 with Gaulden, Warrior, Abernethy, and Martin. They actually were decent, but I still wouldn't take that group over this 2024 group...
 
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#27
#27
LittleVol said:
Perhaps the transfer Andre Stewart - former Kentucky Wildcat that we recruited - can provide some valuable special teams minutes so that other starters can be more fresh during defensive snaps.

Jakobe Thomas at STAR makes the most sense if you ask me, but I'm confident they will figure it out.

I was looking at the DB of 2017 with Gaulden, Warrior, Abernethy, and Martin. They actually were decent, but I still wouldn't take that group over this 2024 group...
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Jakobe does make a lot of sense there.

I think we want Boo to take it though.
 
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#34
#34
Ya know, if 3star Cam Sutton can START at corner as a true freshman, then I don't think it's expecting too much that Beasley could be our #5 CB, after Gibson, McCoy, McMurray and Matthews. Hopefully he will at least get a few reps in our 1st 3 games, and maybe more than that if special teams guy.
 
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#36
#36
LittleVol said:
Nice.
What about the 2nd team?
And 3rd team?

The 2nd team is just as important as the 1st.
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Probably something like

Field Corner: McMurray
Boundary: McCoy/Matthews
STAR: Charles/Harrison
FS:Charles/Farooq
SS:Harrison/Will Wright
 
#39
#39
MontyPython said:
It's no secret that our secondary seems to be our biggest weakness this season.
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I don't think that's quite accurate.

Our secondary is certainly our biggest unknown. Huge changeout in the roster.

But unknown doesn't necessarily == weakness.

I don't know that we have a real weakness at this point. One may emerge, but I'm not seeing a clear one yet. Just a few unknowns.

Go Vols!
 
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#40
#40
Well this is not ideal but if you want to find a silver lining it’s good that it happened at the very beginning of camp so the replacements can get ample time to prepare.
 
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#42
#42
VFL-82-JP said:
I don't think that's quite accurate.

Our secondary is certainly our biggest unknown. Huge changeout in the roster.

But unknown doesn't necessarily == weakness.

I don't know that we have a real weakness at this point. One may emerge, but I'm not seeing a clear one yet. Just a few unknowns.

Go Vols!
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Christ, dude. Take off the rose colored glasses.

Answer this: Which other Vol unit is potentially weaker than our secondary?

Go.

FOOTBALL 24/7:

12. Tennessee Volunteers: Defensive Backfield — Not a single starter returns from last year's Tennessee secondary. The pass rush will be elite, but can the back end hold up its end of the bargain? It will be a young, transfer-heavy group.

PFF:

BIGGEST WEAKNESS: WILL JAMES PEARCE JR. BE ENOUGH FOR THE DEFENSE?​

While Tennessee’s defense features the nation’s best pass-rusher in James Pearce Jr., many questions remain on that side of the ball. The biggest of which are at the second and third levels. Of the nine Volunteer linebackers/cornerbacks/safeties that played 300 snaps last year, only one returned.

Knoxville News Sentinal:

You know a couple of things about coach Josh Heupel and Tennessee football. If they have the right quarterback, the Vols will score a bunch of points; unless their secondary improves, they will give up a lot of points to the best quarterbacks on their schedule.

Secondary issues have been a consistent theme in Heupel’s first three seasons at UT.

ESPN:

15. Tennessee Volunteers​

Question mark: Defense

Tennessee's secondary made tremendous strides last season, improving from 127th in the FBS in pass defense (289.5) in 2022 to 64th (221.5) in 2023. But the Volunteers will have to replace each of their five starters and six top defensive backs heading into this season.
 
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#43
#43
MontyPython said:
Christ, dude. Take off the rose colored glasses.

Answer this: Which other Vol unit is potentially weaker than our secondary?

Go.

FOOTBALL 24/7:

12. Tennessee Volunteers: Defensive Backfield — Not a single starter returns from last year's Tennessee secondary. The pass rush will be elite, but can the back end hold up its end of the bargain? It will be a young, transfer-heavy group.

PFF:

BIGGEST WEAKNESS: WILL JAMES PEARCE JR. BE ENOUGH FOR THE DEFENSE?​

While Tennessee’s defense features the nation’s best pass-rusher in James Pearce Jr., many questions remain on that side of the ball. The biggest of which are at the second and third levels. Of the nine Volunteer linebackers/cornerbacks/safeties that played 300 snaps last year, only one returned.

Knoxville News Sentinal:

You know a couple of things about coach Josh Heupel and Tennessee football. If they have the right quarterback, the Vols will score a bunch of points; unless their secondary improves, they will give up a lot of points to the best quarterbacks on their schedule.

Secondary issues have been a consistent theme in Heupel’s first three seasons at UT.

ESPN:

15. Tennessee Volunteers​

Question mark: Defense

Tennessee's secondary made tremendous strides last season, improving from 127th in the FBS in pass defense (289.5) in 2022 to 64th (221.5) in 2023. But the Volunteers will have to replace each of their five starters and six top defensive backs heading into this season.
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Ya missed a few fruit loops right there beside the spoon. Can ya work up another sprinkle?
 
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#44
#44
MontyPython said:
Christ, dude. Take off the rose colored glasses.

FOOTBALL 24/7:

12. Tennessee Volunteers: Defensive Backfield — Not a single starter returns from last year's Tennessee secondary. The pass rush will be elite, but can the back end hold up its end of the bargain? It will be a young, transfer-heavy group.

PFF:

BIGGEST WEAKNESS: WILL JAMES PEARCE JR. BE ENOUGH FOR THE DEFENSE?​

While Tennessee’s defense features the nation’s best pass-rusher in James Pearce Jr., many questions remain on that side of the ball. The biggest of which are at the second and third levels. Of the nine Volunteer linebackers/cornerbacks/safeties that played 300 snaps last year, only one returned.

Knoxville News Sentinal:

You know a couple of things about coach Josh Heupel and Tennessee football. If they have the right quarterback, the Vols will score a bunch of points; unless their secondary improves, they will give up a lot of points to the best quarterbacks on their schedule.

Secondary issues have been a consistent theme in Heupel’s first three seasons at UT.

ESPN:

15. Tennessee Volunteers​

Question mark: Defense

Tennessee's secondary made tremendous strides last season, improving from 127th in the FBS in pass defense (289.5) in 2022 to 64th (221.5) in 2023. But the Volunteers will have to replace each of their five starters and six top defensive backs heading into this season. Coach Josh Heupel picked up a couple of key cornerbacks from the transfer portal -- Oregon State's Jermod McCoy and Temple's Jalen McMurray -- to help reload the back end of the defense. After the spring, Middle Tennessee transfer Jakobe Thomas is in line to start at free safety after the spring, and freshman Boo Carter is the No. 1 strong safety. -- Schlabach
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Dude,
You’re completely ignoring what everyone is saying!

They either graduated OR WERE SUGGESTED TO MOVE ON.

That’s why Deniko, Walker, and McDonald are gone!

Gibson, Turrentine starting in the Bowl game was the beginning of that.
Then they went and got a Freshman All American in McMurray and McCoy fresh PaC 12 game starter in McCoy.
Move Charles from CB back to safety/Star and
Add Boo Carter with some talented freshman depth and yes! This is a much more capable secondary.
 
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#46
#46
LittleVol said:
Dude,
You’re completely what everyone is saying!

They either graduated OR WERE SUGGESTED TO MOVE ON.

That’s why Deniko, Walker, and McDonald are gone!

Gibson, Turrentine starting in the Bowl game was the beginning of that.
Then they went and got a Freshman All American in McMurray and McCoy fresh PaC 12 game starter in McCoy.
Move Charles from CB back to safety/Star and
Add Boo Carter with some talented freshman depth and yes! This is a much more capable secondary.
Click to expand...
OK.

Again...

Which other Vol unit is potentially weaker than our secondary?
 
#50
#50
KeyVol14 said:
They just need experience
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And that's why it's a weakness. Experience matters. This is CFB at the absolute highest level, if you have an entire position group cutting their teeth, it's not ideal. It's okay to acknowledge weakness.

But go on, I'm sure you and many others will be the first ones calling to fahr CJH the first time the secondary is exposed.
 
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