Its clear what this staff decided

#29
#29
My biggest concern is still the secondary. Unless I’ve missed something, have we targeted or gotten in notable transfers in that category? I’ve seen a few of our guys enter the portal, but none of them really made me think “we’re doomed”.
 
#30
#30
Looks to me like all that entered the portal either were not getting playing time or saw their time being reduced next season. I think the latter is true for the DB's. Its not lost on them the last 2 recruiting classes have several DB's in it.

The good news we have some highly rated new guys and Pili will be coming back. His presence will make the D better.
 
#31
#31
VOLSBEERS1992 said:
Get the OL and DL back. These covid upperclassmen DB's are not worth paying any money at all to stay. The young talent is ready and/or we can replace those DB's easily with comparable talent in the portal.

Getting back a full starting OL is massive
Campbell, Karic, Coop, Sprags, Mincey

Front 7 next year should be nasty.

Hate we missed/decided no on some of the portal guys and Seaton but we are bringing back a great situation for Nico to step into.
Click to expand...
Don’t get too worked up on the portal guys we did not push for until the second window closes. All kinds of potentials out there where the underground info has guys wanting to go bowling AND THEN jump in the portal who may well be as good or better and cultural fits to boot. Those guys are PROBABLY not being invited to leave like a big portion of the early window are.
 
#32
#32
GUNTERSVOL said:
Don’t get too worked up on the portal guys we did not push for until the second window closes. All kinds of potentials out there where the underground info has guys wanting to go bowling AND THEN jump in the portal who may well be as good or better and cultural fits to boot. Those guys are PROBABLY not being invited to leave like a big portion of the early window are.
Click to expand...
It is better to look for portal guys that have multiple years left. It is fairly rare for a first year player from the portal to be very successful with their new team. I didn't say impossible, but it is rare. It usually takes at least one season for the player to learn the new system.
 
#33
#33
It sounds like there will be no big bag NIL deals for portal players. There are concerns such a move would disrupt this team's chemistry.

It also sounds like the NIL deals to be made are for preserving the current roster, and then getting 1-2 TEs, 1-2 more WRs, and 1-2 more IOL from the portal without dropping a huge amount of the NIL coffers on them.

-VQ (loosely translated from this morning's podcast)
 
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#34
#34
aRmo said:
Seaton fell for the snake oil being sold in bolder. Deon will bolt from Bolder once his kids graduate.
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Or be fired once it becomes clear coaching football is just a reality tv show for a narcissist and nothing else.
 
#36
#36
VOLfrombama said:
It sounds like there will be no big bag NIL deals for portal players. There are concerns such a move would disrupt this team's chemistry.

It also sounds like the NIL deals to be made are for preserving the current roster, and then getting 1-2 TEs, 1-2 more WRs, and 1-2 more IOL from the portal without dropping a huge amount of the NIL coffers on them.

-VQ (loosely translated from this morning's podcast)
Click to expand...
Getting Pili, Bru, and Coop back would be a bigger deal for this squad than ANY three players we could get in the portal IMHO.
With the added benefit that you already know what you are getting plus they already know the playbook.
 
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#37
#37
Volhoops said:
Wait I don't understand the OL comments. "It's good to get them back", but this same board was flooded with comments this year saying you can't play Nico behind this line because it is not good enough. Wait until next year when we upgrade the OL. What changed in people's mind ?
Click to expand...
They’re people.
e85c7f8a890a9cd7f8d175890dcda6c9.gif
 
#39
#39
Clad in Big Orange said:
Already predictions of 9-3 to 11-1? Man, you guys are way more optimistic than I am!
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I was thinking 8-4, but that was before all of our OL decided to return. Assuming Dylan Sampson returns, our offense could be a lot better in 2024.

At QB Nico will be inexperienced, but I think it's reasonable to expect a 2nd year QB to handle business against less talented foes and we should have more talent that at least 9 of our opponents, maybe 10.

Our OL should be one of the best units in the country. We don't have dominant forces across the line, but they should be good enough to put our playmakers in position to beat anybody.

Wright was as good of a homerun threat as there is in college football, but Sampson is better in some ways. I think he and Seldon will be better at picking up tough yardage against elite defense.

I'm expecting our WRs to be significantly better. Keyton was serviceable but the Tulane kid might be better. Thornton came on strong down the stretch and should be much better in 2024. Squirrel is Squirrel and Matthews is the kind of talent that defenses have to scheme against. That's 4 potential playmakers. Most teams don't have that much. Nimrod, Webb, and Leacock should also be solid.

At TE, the guys we're looking at in the portal can do what Warren and Castles did. Ethan Davis has the tools to make plays that Warren and Castles didn't. He could (should?) emerge as a serious threat in the passing game.

I'd hate to be a DC in the SEC who has to defend all of that.

Defensively, our front 7 takes a back seat to no one, but I do wish we had a little more depth at LB. The real questions start to emerge when you look at the secondary... Will Hadden come back? How good is Ricky Gibson III and Jordan Matthews, really? Can we find a ball hawk at safety? There are reasons to be optimistic when considering each of those questions...
 
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#40
#40
VOLfrombama said:
It sounds like there will be no big bag NIL deals for portal players. There are concerns such a move would disrupt this team's chemistry.

It also sounds like the NIL deals to be made are for preserving the current roster, and then getting 1-2 TEs, 1-2 more WRs, and 1-2 more IOL from the portal without dropping a huge amount of the NIL coffers on them.

-VQ (loosely translated from this morning's podcast)
Click to expand...
I have no problem whatsoever with that strategy.
 
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#41
#41
VOLINVONORE said:
True, but we have some talented red shirt and incoming Freshmen who also want playing time and I think at least those who have redshirted, should be ready for some playing time. If not, we may see them hit the portal and we will lose all that talent at the time they are ready to produce. It's a tightrope situation which needs to handled with care.
Click to expand...
We have the #4 incoming OL in the nation (recruiting). Losing the big man to colorado hurt, but we still have a great class it appears.
 
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#42
#42
volfan_28 said:
I have no problem whatsoever with that strategy.
Click to expand...
I know the team chemistry thing is real, and assume they do not want it to boil over in the locker room like it supposedly did before. I also think that Saban and Smart are doing the same thing, so hopefully it pays off.

I do wish they would pay for some of the bigger gamebreakers. Wells could be a killer in the slot. Nolan could be an incredible piece in the middle of the DL. Unfortunately, it seems they both want the moon on their NIL deal and I don't see them getting it in Knoxville for reasons previously stated.
 
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#43
#43
aRmo said:
Seaton fell for the snake oil being sold in bolder. Deon will bolt from Bolder once his kids graduate.
Click to expand...
I have zero insight but I’m still not 100% convinced he actually signs for with CU. I hope he has a chance to reassess his commitment. I don’t have anything personally against Deion but it was sad hearing one of the former players “let go” by the new Colorado staff in an interview with Jason Whitlock. DS basically told him to hit the road and wouldn’t even shake his hand. I understand trying to upgrade talent level when doing a rebuild but it needs to be done with humility and Grace IMO.
 
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#45
#45
tennrich1 said:
I have zero insight but I’m still not 100% convinced he actually signs for with CU. I hope he has a chance to reassess his commitment. I don’t have anything personally against Deion but it was sad hearing one of the former players “let go” by the new Colorado staff in an interview with Jason Whitlock. DS basically told him to hit the road and wouldn’t even shake his hand. I understand trying to upgrade talent level when doing a rebuild but it needs to be done with humility and Grace IMO.
Click to expand...
I hope he does sign with Colorado. I heard someone close say they don’t believe Tennessee is a player anymore.
 
#46
#46
VOLfrombama said:
It sounds like there will be no big bag NIL deals for portal players. There are concerns such a move would disrupt this team's chemistry.

It also sounds like the NIL deals to be made are for preserving the current roster, and then getting 1-2 TEs, 1-2 more WRs, and 1-2 more IOL from the portal without dropping a huge amount of the NIL coffers on them.

-VQ (loosely translated from this morning's podcast)
Click to expand...
Not all portal players are upgrades to each teams rosters. Some act like just because a guy is in the portal and we don’t offer we missed. We are not going to offer a player just to take a body. Sometimes it is more important to secure what you do have and then go after who you think can truly help upgrade a position. Many folks in the portal actually move down where they can get more playing time. Picking up quality players in the portal is important but recruiting is still your primary source. At some point portal rules will be reigned in and windows will be moved and probably further shortened. GBO
 
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