Heupel's Monday Presser

[volfeeva]

Portal's full of players that couldn't win the job somewhere else. It's not the end all. It's bargain bin shopping. Consider that 3 of the starters we have on the O line are portal guys with a walk on and a 5th year guy that's just now getting playing time. Vols are hurting at this position for sure, but transfer portal isn't the route to take imo.

To drive home that point just look at how the Notre Dame QB transfer to Bama played Saturday.

 

[Jaxon_Vol2017]

I don’t think we’re ever going to get to the bottom of exactly why certain players didn’t play. Heupel doesn’t owe us explanations. He owes us his best effort and I believe we are getting it. Things don’t make sense, but I think we would be best served by trusting that he’s doing his best for UT. The man didn’t forget magically forget what he was doing

How does he not owe us any explanations? If we contribute money to this program he 100% owes us explanations. His beating around the bush about stuff that he could just honest about is on my last nerve.

 

[JohnWardForever]

Well, let’s just go ahead and make it 2-10 while we’re at it and burn down the stadium….

I see no circumstances where he is fired this year or next.

Oh, you don't eh? Go 5-7 and show no upward movement towards 2025? White would have no choice, or he'd be out too. The NIL thing and Portal has changed everything, WIN NOW.

 

[Vfl2407]

He couldn’t put the weed down

Not an excuse anymore. It’s basically legal in most states or cops look the other way now.

 

[JohnWardForever]

To drive home that point just look at how the Notre Dame QB transfer to Bama played Saturday.

To drive that home just look at how the Wake Forest QB is playing at ND. You have to know who in the Portal can help you.

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

Heard on Basilio….coaches don’t trust Sampson’s blocking. He is upset with lack of playing time. Stop me if you’ve heard this before ad nauseam.

 

[TNHopeful505]

I can't get over that exchange:

Reporter: Was Sampson available?

Heupel: He was. Had plans of having him in the rotation. Both sides of the football, rotation, word salad, coach speak, etc.

He's been one of our most dynamic players. What kind of game is he playing with that?

There was something else going on and he is trying to protect the kid. Thats the only explanation that makes any sense whatsoever.

 

[bpalmer28]

When you lose to that Florida team, in that manner, then yes you must beat this Alabama team, this year.

Or what?

 

[EZE]

Oh, you don't eh? Go 5-7 and show no upward movement towards 2025? White would have no choice, or he'd be out too. The NIL thing and Portal has changed everything, WIN NOW.

Let’s just wait and see.

White has done an utterly fantastic job across all sports. He is not getting fired anytime soon. He likely has more goodwill than anyone in the entire University.

Heupel is coming off the best football season in forever. He had to replace his QB and a lot of other NFL players. He has quite a bit of goodwill, too.

Successful people don’t make overly emotional, kneejerk decisions.

 

[OptimisticFan]

Based on these last 2 games, they are NOT headed in the right direction. "Sunbelt Billy" proved that.

That is exactly your problem. You are focusing on two games, not the length of Coach Heupel's tenure or UT's recruiting success under CJH. When Heupel has the right Jimmys and Joes, we will be successful. Fans that were expecting this team to be 9-3 or better this year were sniffing gas. It was never going to be that way - Joe Milton has never and will never be a good decision maker on the field. We still have major work to do on our secondary, but that seems to be more of a coaching problem than a talent problem. If Martinez has a job in Knoxville next year, 100% of the blame rests on CJH's shoulders.

 

[Volfan1000]

This thread has gone off the rails. Everybody should maybe consider letting the season play out and see where we’re at after 7 or 8 games

IMO, the South Carolina game will be the game that defines this season.

If Tennessee plays as poorly at home as they did in the Swamp, they will be lucky to get a minor bowl bid at the end of this season.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

How does he not owe us any explanations? If we contribute money to this program he 100% owes us explanations. His beating around the bush about stuff that he could just honest about is on my last nerve.

So what if you get an explanation? What are you going to do, call Pawwwwl and say you don't like what coach is doing?

You're either in or not. Johnny Majors owed you nothing and would tell you in hot minute that you couldn't run a Pop Warner football team and he's not going to tell you why he runs his like he does.

Your entitlement to answers is exactly:

 

[Memphisvol87]

Heard on Basilio….coaches don’t trust Sampson’s blocking. He is upset with lack of playing time. Stop me if you’ve heard this before ad nauseam.

They should have him play in the slot or have him coming out of the backfield with another back or TE. He’s too good in space with the ball to leave him out.

 

[Nationdom]

Or what?

Or I will question whether Josh is the right coach to get a natty.

 

[UTFanHades]

What? Pili was brought in for LB and Campbell and Kuric were brought in for OL.... it's unfortunate Pili is our for the remainder of the year and that Cooper hasn't started a game yet but to say he didn't address it is false.

Also not to mention they got a cornerback transfer from BYU Gabe Jeudy-Lally as well in which he played Saturday night.

Yeah-I’m well aware that those guys were picked up but that’s a case of too little and too late. What if any of those guys were a bust? The need is for more than one player at each position and you have to assume you’re either going to have a bust or that somebody is getting hurt (especially when Pili is 26).

 

[VolFreakJosh]

Not an excuse anymore. It’s basically legal in most states or cops look the other way now.

That’s not the point.

He should have been more focused on the upcoming game instead of getting high.

 

[EZE]

Oh wow. He is pissed.

He is thoroughly pissed!

 

[UTFanHades]

Portal's full of players that couldn't win the job somewhere else. It's not the end all. It's bargain bin shopping. Consider that 3 of the starters we have on the O line are portal guys with a walk on and a 5th year guy that's just now getting playing time. Vols are hurting at this position for sure, but transfer portal isn't the route to take imo.

There’s lots of examples of good portal talent out there as well. Notably, Colorado and FSU used the portal to vastly improve on their rosters in big ways. Lastly, you don’t have to take what’s simply in the portal if you assess quickly enough, you can poach guys. I know this technically isn’t supposed to happen but it’s clear it does.

 

[DC_Vol]

I just watched this and saw nothing more than a coach who was disappointed and pissed off in the effort. Pretty much what I expected to see. A lot of people projecting their feelings onto his image and words.

 

[sami]

Portal's full of players that couldn't win the job somewhere else. It's not the end all. It's bargain bin shopping. Consider that 3 of the starters we have on the O line are portal guys with a walk on and a 5th year guy that's just now getting playing time. Vols are hurting at this position for sure, but transfer portal isn't the route to take imo.

Absolutely right. Just like in the NFL where you build through the draft and add depth with free agency, in the college game now you build through recruiting and add depth with the portal. Any coach that is depending on the portal to get his difference makers is not going to be long for that job.

 

[EZE]

I just watched this and saw nothing more than a coach who was disappointed and pissed off in the effort. Pretty much what I expected to see. A lot of people projecting their feelings onto his image and words.

I’m glad his “displeasure” showed through.

The big question…is this group of players capable of more?

 

[sami]

I just watched this and saw nothing more than a coach who was disappointed and pissed off in the effort. Pretty much what I expected to see. A lot of people projecting their feelings onto his image and words.

That seems to be more the rule than exception here after losses - everyone is suddenly an armchair psychologist. He's disappointed and knows there's work to be done, and the PC is a necessary evil he just wants to get finished, but for whatever reason people expect the coach to bare his soul and divulge the deepest, darkest secrets.

 

[EZE]

Absolutely right. Just like in the NFL where you build through the draft and add depth with free agency, in the college game now you build through recruiting and add depth with the portal. Any coach that is depending on the portal to get his difference makers is not going to be long for that job.

Correct. Every now and then you might find that Diamond in the rough like Hooker. But for the most part, you’re lucky if you can find a few contributors.

 

[RavinDave]

It's pretty absurd. Maybe be a little more transparent and people wouldn't be hounding you and going straight up your nose looking for answers.

The fact that our D could not get Florida off the field and allowed the Gators to chew up a lot of clock in the first half may have had something to do with upsetting the rotations. But CJH did not care to throw the D under the bus which he needs to do.

 

[Tnphil]

Most transfers want to go where they can play....Deon at Colorado has around 60 percent of his team as transfers. Recruiting high school players is just a part of the process now.