'20 FL WR Malachi Wideman (Tennessee signee)

[Sleegro]

Glad to see GFW’s emoji, but dang folks look at CAT! Our man Catbone going 50/50, heck that is SUPER POSITIVE for Cat. Based on Cat’s 50/50, kid must be a VOL LOCK.

Hope we get this kid. Seems like he would be a really good late PU at a position of need.

Valid point is valid.

 

[drvenner]

Yes!

 

[SugarCC]

Sounds like Kiffin gets the last shot. Got that RG/Aub feelin' on this one.

Sure, if you're thinking about the Jay Hardy's of the world, and not the Omari Thomas's.

 

[LittleVol]

Yes until we are consistently in top 10 we will need to get better

Not necessarily.

 

[GojiraVol17]

Not necessarily.

Quality over quantity. Most get hung up on the fact that Clemson seems to consistently pull the top class. How’d that fair for them this season? It got them to the title game, yes but they still lost.

 

[GojiraVol17]

Plus, development is a big deal. Look at Nigel Warrior. Or Kivon Bennett. Hell even Middleton was starting to look like a force towards the end of the season. Our staff are known developers of talent.

 

[LittleVol]

Quality over quantity. Most get hung up on the fact that Clemson seems to consistently pull the top class. How’d that fair for them this season? It got them to the title game, yes but they still lost.

Lol

You need to read my post "2020 Decade: Vols return to Dominance" or something like that.
Anyway, it highlights how Clemson built themselves from an above average ACC team into a national powerhouse from 2009 - 2015
With an average class ranking of "20th"...

These super classes they are signing didn't start till last year...2019 class.

 

[GojiraVol17]

Lol

You need to read my post "2020 Decade: Vols return to Dominance" or something like that.
Anyway, it highlights how Clemson built themselves from an above average ACC team into a national powerhouse from 2009 - 2015
With an average class ranking of "20th"...

These super classes they are signing didn't start till last year...2019 class.

Oh yeah. That was a good read. I really like what you said and the stats you showcased. I’ve been trying to tell people that myself. It’s just the negativity and hopelessness surrounding our fan base and program has become quite the disease. I’m not one of these negavols. I’m legitimately optimistic and I feel there’s good reason to be. The momentum is definitely there and it’s tangible. Everybody just needs to take a deep breath and PUT ON MORE STEAM. MOAR STEAM

 

[LittleVol]

Oh yeah. That was a good read. I really like what you said and the stats you showcased. I’ve been trying to tell people that myself. It’s just the negativity and hopelessness surrounding our fan base and program has become quite the disease. I’m not one of these negavols. I’m legitimately optimistic and I feel there’s good reason to be. The momentum is definitely there and it’s tangible. Everybody just needs to take a deep breath and PUT ON MORE STEAM. MOAR STEAM

Even in the 1990s Many Vol fans were depressed....
It's a cultural thing.

Pruitt is really doing a fine job. In a little more than 2 years he has built a team that can challenge for a division title in 2020. From being 4-8 and winless in then SEC.

There is talent at every position on the field now! Talent that is upper half of the SEC at least.

 

[LittleVol]

Plus, development is a big deal. Look at Nigel Warrior. Or Kivon Bennett. Hell even Middleton was starting to look like a force towards the end of the season. Our staff are known developers of talent.

Nigel Warrior. Darrel Taylor are NFL players now because of the direction of Pruitt.
Kivon Bennett looks to be next.
And don't look now, but Bryce Thompson has quickly and somehow quietly become one of the better CBs in the SEC after never playing CB in high school...

Pruitt knows his stuff and knows how to teach it.

 

[volinbama256]

Yes. We do.

Who are some coaches then, that you would like to see that would be considered upgrades in coaching/recruiting to you?

 

[sjt18]

Who are some coaches then, that you would like to see that would be considered upgrades in coaching/recruiting to you?

You're feeding him....

I have no idea how this staff will end up. But there is a difference. Pruitt does his own evals and doesn't seem to pay much attention to the "rankings". Jones seemed to always be "peeking" to get reassurance. He signed a higher than average number of over rated players.

Guys like Big Gucci will look at "stars" and declare Pruitt isn't getting it done. We'll have to wait and see but I really like some of the 3* guys UT signed. I read an article not long ago claiming D Bailey was one of the most underrated players in the country... as a 4* ranked 217 in the composite.

At this point, I choose to believe that Pruitt knows more about what a good football player who he can coach looks like than sports writers.

I'm not saying this out of dislike for any of these guys but here are the 8 top ranked players from Jones' 2015 class. How many became impact players?

McKenzie*
Phillips**
Kamara *****
Preston Williams*
Shy Tuttle***
Drew Richmond**
Jack Jones ***
Darrin Kirkland***

Would you rate any of those 4/5* recruits higher than I did as players? Were any besides Kamara worth the high rankings in the end?

 

[butchna]

Quality over quantity. Most get hung up on the fact that Clemson seems to consistently pull the top class. How’d that fair for them this season? It got them to the title game, yes but they still lost.

This is the first season that Clemson will be near the top class.

 

[sjt18]

This is the first season that Clemson will be near the top class.

True. I think the classes the comprised this year's roster averaged around 11th.

 

[dcm3w]

You're feeding him....

I have no idea how this staff will end up. But there is a difference. Pruitt does his own evals and doesn't seem to pay much attention to the "rankings". Jones seemed to always be "peeking" to get reassurance. He signed a higher than average number of over rated players.

Guys like Big Gucci will look at "stars" and declare Pruitt isn't getting it done. We'll have to wait and see but I really like some of the 3* guys UT signed. I read an article not long ago claiming D Bailey was one of the most underrated players in the country... as a 4* ranked 217 in the composite.

At this point, I choose to believe that Pruitt knows more about what a good football player who he can coach looks like than sports writers.

I'm not saying this out of dislike for any of these guys but here are the 8 top ranked players from Jones' 2015 class. How many became impact players?

McKenzie*
Phillips**
Kamara *****
Preston Williams*
Shy Tuttle***
Drew Richmond**
Jack Jones ***
Darrin Kirkland***

Would you rate any of those 4/5* recruits higher than I did as players? Were any besides Kamara worth the high rankings in the end?

Williams didn't pan out here but that's not really his fault. Did fairly well at CSU. I would also give Richmond only one *

 

[Devo182]

You're feeding him....

I have no idea how this staff will end up. But there is a difference. Pruitt does his own evals and doesn't seem to pay much attention to the "rankings". Jones seemed to always be "peeking" to get reassurance. He signed a higher than average number of over rated players.

Guys like Big Gucci will look at "stars" and declare Pruitt isn't getting it done. We'll have to wait and see but I really like some of the 3* guys UT signed. I read an article not long ago claiming D Bailey was one of the most underrated players in the country... as a 4* ranked 217 in the composite.

At this point, I choose to believe that Pruitt knows more about what a good football player who he can coach looks like than sports writers.

I'm not saying this out of dislike for any of these guys but here are the 8 top ranked players from Jones' 2015 class. How many became impact players?

McKenzie*
Phillips**
Kamara *****
Preston Williams*
Shy Tuttle***
Drew Richmond**
Jack Jones ***
Darrin Kirkland***

Would you rate any of those 4/5* recruits higher than I did as players? Were any besides Kamara worth the high rankings in the end?

Almost all those players had recurring injuries, garbage s&c, and terrible developmental staff. I don't remember any of them considered out of place when they stepped on campus and iirc most all them were tough fights vs other sec programs.

It's hard to dileneate "paper stars" vs many other factors during a kid's career. I'd say the one key thing you could consider is a kid (at least outside of the trenches/ol especially) that comes in really highly ranked and barely scratches anything but STs for 2 years. Prime example being Maleik Gray. JJP is getting there too.

5s and 4s bust at every school. The only accurate methodology would be to evaluate one school, over a reasonable period of time, versus the averages.

Fwiw, now Mckenzie, Tuttle, Phillips (I think), Preston, Kamara all play in the nfl. 5/8 is a very good, above average, rate actually. JJ of course had a career ending injury, as did DKJ. Richmond...well...yeah.

 

[OH-Vol]

Glad to see GFW’s emoji, but dang folks look at CAT! Our man Catbone going 50/50, heck that is SUPER POSITIVE for Cat. Based on Cat’s 50/50, kid must be a VOL LOCK.

Hope we get this kid. Seems like he would be a really good late PU at a position of need.

If he signs with UT, Wideman may start classes in the Department of Redundancy Department

 

[volinbama256]

You're feeding him....

I have no idea how this staff will end up. But there is a difference. Pruitt does his own evals and doesn't seem to pay much attention to the "rankings". Jones seemed to always be "peeking" to get reassurance. He signed a higher than average number of over rated players.

Guys like Big Gucci will look at "stars" and declare Pruitt isn't getting it done. We'll have to wait and see but I really like some of the 3* guys UT signed. I read an article not long ago claiming D Bailey was one of the most underrated players in the country... as a 4* ranked 217 in the composite.

At this point, I choose to believe that Pruitt knows more about what a good football player who he can coach looks like than sports writers.

I'm not saying this out of dislike for any of these guys but here are the 8 top ranked players from Jones' 2015 class. How many became impact players?

McKenzie*
Phillips**
Kamara *****
Preston Williams*
Shy Tuttle***
Drew Richmond**
Jack Jones ***
Darrin Kirkland***

Would you rate any of those 4/5* recruits higher than I did as players? Were any besides Kamara worth the high rankings in the end?

I agree and was simply trying to make him give some examples instead of just spouting off his disdain...
I will say the one kid here that you looked over is Pwilly for long term... he would have thrived under Pruitt's culture and you see he is straight killing it on the Dolphins as a rookie... man, no telling what some of these kids could have become under this staff's guidance... Moseley for the 49ers anyone? I am guilty of cussing this kid getting burned almost every series, never turning his head to track the ball... no telling what this staff could have done ...

 

[sjt18]

I agree and was simply trying to make him give some examples instead of just spouting off his disdain...
I will say the one kid here that you looked over is Pwilly for long term... he would have thrived under Pruitt's culture and you see he is straight killing it on the Dolphins as a rookie... man, no telling what some of these kids could have become under this staff's guidance... Moseley for the 49ers anyone? I am guilty of cussing this kid getting burned almost every series, never turning his head to track the ball... no telling what this staff could have done ...

There is more to winning than "coaching". But as far as actually teaching the game to develop players... IMO this is the best staff UT has had since I began to follow them about 30 years ago. I would probably take Cut over Chaney but just because I think Cut is one of the elite OC's of the last 30 years.

 

[volsagain]

There is more to winning than "coaching". But as far as actually teaching the game to develop players... IMO this is the best staff UT has had since I began to follow them about 30 years ago. I would probably take Cut over Chaney but just because I think Cut is one of the elite OC's of the last 30 years.

QB Coach not to much different in play calling but never got pass happy.

 

[butchna]

There is more to winning than "coaching". But as far as actually teaching the game to develop players... IMO this is the best staff UT has had since I began to follow them about 30 years ago. I would probably take Cut over Chaney but just because I think Cut is one of the elite OC's of the last 30 years.

Cut got even better after he discovered the TE position.

 

[ShreveportVol]

Almost all those players had recurring injuries, garbage s&c, and terrible developmental staff. I don't remember any of them considered out of place when they stepped on campus and iirc most all them were tough fights vs other sec programs.

It's hard to dileneate "paper stars" vs many other factors during a kid's career. I'd say the one key thing you could consider is a kid (at least outside of the trenches/ol especially) that comes in really highly ranked and barely scratches anything but STs for 2 years. Prime example being Maleik Gray. JJP is getting there too.

5s and 4s bust at every school. The only accurate methodology would be to evaluate one school, over a reasonable period of time, versus the averages.

Fwiw, now Mckenzie, Tuttle, Phillips (I think), Preston, Kamara all play in the nfl. 5/8 is a very good, above average, rate actually. JJ of course had a career ending injury, as did DKJ. Richmond...well...yeah.

Agreed. McKenzie, Tuttle, Jack Jones, and Kirkland were all very promising players that were ruined by injury and bad development. Preston Williams is far from a bust personally, he just transferred and did very well for himself elsewhere. These were not cases of media overrating players.

 

[ptclaus98]

Lol

You need to read my post "2020 Decade: Vols return to Dominance" or something like that.
Anyway, it highlights how Clemson built themselves from an above average ACC team into a national powerhouse from 2009 - 2015
With an average class ranking of "20th"...

These super classes they are signing didn't start till last year...2019 class.

It's amazing what they've done when you consider how much they undersign. That staff is really good at evaluations and not letting outside noise affect their strategy. They've oversigned maybe twice in the last 10 years, and it wasn't even enough to get their scholly count to 85.


Also really eye opening to see how criminally underwhelming UGA has been considering the state of the East and their roster. More 4 stars than LSU and twice the 5 stars and look what it got them. If they don't win anything this year it has to start crumbling for them.

 

[bigl3327]

It's amazing what they've done when you consider how much they undersign. That staff is really good at evaluations and not letting outside noise affect their strategy. They've oversigned maybe twice in the last 10 years, and it wasn't even enough to get their scholly count to 85.


Also really eye opening to see how criminally underwhelming UGA has been considering the state of the East and their roster. More 4 stars than LSU and twice the 5 stars and look what it got them. If they don't win anything this year it has to start crumbling for them.

UGA fired Richt because he couldn't win the big game. Kirby inherited the most talented roster in the East, and has recruited at a higher level, yet he still can't win the big game. So far, has he taken the program to a much higher level than the previous coach? I think he's managed to get much of the same results with far more talent at his disposal.

 

[Devo182]

It's amazing what they've done when you consider how much they undersign. That staff is really good at evaluations and not letting outside noise affect their strategy. They've oversigned maybe twice in the last 10 years, and it wasn't even enough to get their scholly count to 85.


Also really eye opening to see how criminally underwhelming UGA has been considering the state of the East and their roster. More 4 stars than LSU and twice the 5 stars and look what it got them. If they don't win anything this year it has to start crumbling for them.

They don't offer many either. They seem to have really narrowed down on what they want in prospects and can focus in on a handful of guys.