'24 GA QB Jake Merklinger (Tennessee)

#326
#326
butchna said:
Doesn't have to be "bad" to beg for a response from those who disagree with it. You felt downplaying it as "good" but indicating not good enough to compete with the big boys was information...when it was an opinion. Feeling "ganged up on" from simple retorts is on you.
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Yes, well, being called a website nerd and rankings fetisher and trash for making an innocuous post about recruiting that did not once reference recruiting rankings would tend to make one feel like people are attacking them unfairly.
 
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#327
#327
TheMookieMonster said:
Yes, well, being called a website nerd and rankings fetisher and trash for making an innocuous post about recruiting that did not once reference recruiting rankings would tend to make one feel like people are attacking them unfairly.
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Ok…devil’s advocate. What exactly needs to “get better” for us to compete with Bama and UGA if their higher rated recruiting classes weren’t being referenced?
 
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#328
#328
butchna said:
Ok…devil’s advocate. What exactly needs to “get better” for us to compete with Bama and UGA if their higher rated recruiting classes wasn’t being referenced?
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Compete was likely the wrong word. I should have thought more carefully when I made the original post, but I was at work and I didn’t think what felt like a harmless post at the time was going to set off such a firestorm. In hindsight, it clearly was a mistake.

Obviously, we’re “competing” with people right now as we had a great 2022 season and we beat Alabama. However, the talent gap between us and Georgia and Alabama is still fairly wide, which was a commonly held opinion around here at one point, I guess that has changed. The only way to change that is over time that we continue to recruit at a high level, and we are clearly off to a good start there.

It’s a hard debate to have because if I try to use numbers at all which is the basis of how most evidence is presented then I’ll be called names or called a nerd or say all I care about rankings which is the furthest thing from the truth. I really like the 2023 class. So, I’ll just concede.
 
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#329
#329
TheMookieMonster said:
Yes, well, being called a website nerd and rankings fetisher and trash for making an innocuous post about recruiting that did not once reference recruiting rankings would tend to make one feel like people are attacking them unfairly.
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It’s the one guy that keeps bullying others then acts like a victim when someone dishes it back. Epitome of “can dish it out but can’t take it”
 
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#330
#330
TheMookieMonster said:
Yes, well, being called a website nerd and rankings fetisher and trash for making an innocuous post about recruiting that did not once reference recruiting rankings would tend to make one feel like people are attacking them unfairly.
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Again, my comment was a general response to Little. I wasn’t calling you a website nerd (that was reference to the website evaluators) or intending to attack you.
 
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#332
#332
TheMookieMonster said:
Compete was likely the wrong word. I should have thought more carefully when I made the original post, but I was at work and I didn’t think what felt like a harmless post at the time was going to set off such a firestorm. In hindsight, it clearly was a mistake.

Obviously, we’re “competing” with people right now as we had a great 2022 season and we beat Alabama. However, the talent gap between us and Georgia and Alabama is still fairly wide, which was a commonly held opinion around here at one point, I guess that has changed. The only way to change that is over time that we continue to recruit at a high level, and we are clearly off to a good start there.

It’s a hard debate to have because if I try to use numbers at all which is the basis of how most evidence is presented then I’ll be called names or called a nerd or say all I care about rankings which is the furthest thing from the truth. I really like the 2023 class. So, I’ll just concede.
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Seems like you’re just saying the roster needs to continue to evolve to give the team and coaches more room for error. Not going to hit on every prospect. Not going to hit on every play. Depth and talent add room for error.
 
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#333
#333
TheMookieMonster said:
LOL. My trash post? Because I said we had a GOOD 2023 recruiting class? You’re absolutely ridiculous.
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That was the best defensive class UT has signed in at least 15 years, if not 20. A great class, not a good one. Most of the classes I’ve seen UT sign were good. This one was great. But granted, not elite either on the level of Bama or UGA. But that takes time. UT has the capability to land classes like that as we did in the 90’s and a lot of the 00’s, but not without more winning and specifically, beating UGA.
 
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#335
#335
NeverWe'llSever said:
That was the best defensive class UT has signed in at least 15 years, if not 20. A great class, not a good one. Most of the classes I’ve seen UT sign were good. This one was great. But granted, not elite either on the level of Bama or UGA. But that takes time. UT has the capability to land classes like that as we did in the 90’s and a lot of the 00’s, but not without more winning and specifically, beating UGA.
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Time will tell. Landing a great QB can make a great class Elite if he pans out.
 
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#336
#336
Proud Army Wife said:
I’m excited we finally have a coach that knows what to do with the talent.
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They not only know what to do with it, but they can recognize it. Love Merklinger. His ON3 video shows why he's at or near the top of our QB board. That he might commit to UT with Nico already on the roster speaks volumes about his confidence and willingness to compete. Would be enormous to get a commitment from him today.
 
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#347
#347
TheMookieMonster said:
Obviously, we’re “competing” with people right now as we had a great 2022 season and we beat Alabama. However, the talent gap between us and Georgia and Alabama is still fairly wide, which was a commonly held opinion around here at one point, I guess that has changed. The only way to change that is over time that we continue to recruit at a high level, and we are clearly off to a good start there.
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To be fair, so long as UGA and Bama keep (1) winning, and (2) putting players in the Draft, I don't think we can recruit with them on a 1-for-1 basis. UGA has too much in-state top tier talent and Bama has dominated CFB the last decade and can recruit 5* talent coast-to-coast.

I think we can continue to sign Top 10 classes, but the difference when we win against those two programs is coaching, IMO.
 
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#349
#349
WellmadeOrneryArcticwolf-size_restricted.gif
 
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