Let’s play Nico

[VolForLife83]

So you’re saying Heupel is wrong and forgot how to coach all the sudden?

I'm saying he's not perfect

 

[volfan102455]

LOL.

I arrived at this conclusion on my own, after about the 10th screen pass thrown .... against Austin Peay.

We were never so limited in pass play selection with Hooker in the game last year ... and certainly not against overmatched opponents.

Those passes were working to get first downs and yardage. Tennessee needed to move the ball. The coach adjusted the plays to what was working.

It is going to be a long year for some of you. This is a different team than last year - they need to find their own groove of what works and what doesn't.

Let the coach coach - that is what he is being paid for.

 

[volfan102455]

I'm saying he's not perfect

The last three games, including Clemson, has shown me that he knows how to coach and adjust to what is needed based on the talent on the field.

 

[TheVolsFrog]

Did Milton get a little banged-up in the game yesterday? I remember them showing Nico warming-up on the sideline at one point in the 3rd quarter, so I’m curious as to what all that was about.

He ran the ball, slid. AP hit him on the ground and of course no flag was thrown.
I think he was a little hurt and that's when CJH pretty much shut it down and went to the bubble screen and run game.
Do enough to get out of there

 

[volfan102455]

He ran the ball, slid. AP hit him on the ground and of course no flag was thrown.
I think he was a little hurt and that's when CJH pretty much shut it down and went to the bubble screen and run game.
Do enough to get out of there

I remember that - he got up very slowly. I'll be honest, I was wanting to see him take off but after that I was like please no.

 

[VolForLife83]

The last three games, including Clemson, has shown me that he knows how to coach and adjust to what is needed based on the talent on the field.

Clemson has won 1 of their last 4 games. With losses to SC, UT, and Duke.

 

[volfan102455]

Clemson has won 1 of their last 4 games. With losses to SC, UT, and Duke.

The coach was dealing with a late season injury to Hooker and players opting out of playing the bowl game. New dynamics offensively that he needed to adjust to.

I don't understand why some of you are always looking for something to complain about.

 

[Gary10ec1]

Vanilla game plan against overmatched opponent. Disappointing but workman like. Defense didn’t have to show much either with all the presnap motion. Humbling but necessary if this team wants to improve. Stick with Joe clear, snap and improve.

 

[Sarms58]

Hope NIco plays in the 4th quarter because we’re up big.

 

[KTrain]

Agree. The players not being ready to go left an awesome opportunity for Nico on the table. Very frustrating

They were saying Nico had a wrist injury and would not play.

 

[jasonvol18]

First start in the Swamp.

That worked out so well the last time.

Yea, because what has happened in the past with different players and different Coach's always repeats itself in the future.. And I'm not saying start him. If Joe is still struggling by Halftime then maybe. I really want Joe to do well and work his way up the draft boards. I guess if AR can be a top draft pick with his college stats, then the NFL looks at potential over stats.

 

[BigALWiLson]

Did Milton get a little banged-up in the game yesterday? I remember them showing Nico warming-up on the sideline at one point in the 3rd quarter, so I’m curious as to what all that was about.

Yes a blatant target by AP. Guess what no flag lol.

 

[BigALWiLson]

Clemson has won 1 of their last 4 games. With losses to SC, UT, and Duke.

2 of the last 4. They won the ACC champ game.

 

[mitzustu]

This board is going to be in full meltdown mode in the first half against UF.

 

[Go47]

The game in the swamp will tell the tale with Milton (in my opinion). If he has a decent game (doesn’t have to be an all star), and UT can run the ball, and Milton doesn’t turn it over . . . The Vols should win. A win over Florida can build toward a good season for him.

But if he stinks it up . . . It won’t be time to move on . . . But it likely is the beginning of eventually moving on from him.

This game is HUGE for him and for the season.

 

[OrangeInKy]

Let's take a breath here, my man

 

[sjt18]

Let’s commit to this kid. Let him learn as he goes. It can’t be any worse.

Unfortunately, yeah. It can. It can get a lot worse not to mention the potential damage to the team and Nico.

Milton is a good guy but he was cut by Michigan,

No he wasn't. He transferred and IIRC he had already earned a degree.

lost job to HH

Heisman candidate and now in the NFL. Shame on Milton...

and now he trying again with the same old issues.

Remains to be seen. He missed some passes. A couple of others would have been tough catches but the WRs could have bailed him out. And... what's to say they wouldn't have had drops with Nico too?

For every one good pass there are many misses.

No. Simply not true. I'm not saying that he might not develop a pattern and have to be replaced. He had a bad game. The WRs didn't help. He still completed 64% of his passes for over 200 yds with 2 TDs... and hasn't thrown a pick in forever. Freshmen turn the ball over. Turnovers lead to losses. I'm as hopeful as anyone that Nico becomes great... but it isn't even time for the rats to jump ship.

Look. I guarantee there are tons of guys on campus that can throw a football a country mile and throw it 90 MPH but they aren’t playing because they can’ t place it with consistency.

Really? You guarantee that? I can guarantee that there are virtually NONE on campus who can throw the ball like Milton... Nico... or even one of the walk ons. If they could they'd be on a roster somewhere.

Why HOPE for something that just isn’t going to happen.

Who says it isn't? You? Did God grant you the gift of prophetic foretelling?

I would rather put the ball in the kids hands knowing that we have him as our starter for the next few years hopefully. Although the scary part is the portal.

What's scary about the portal and Nico? The answer is nothing. He signed knowing he'd have a year behind a veteran to learn the O and develop. It was and is a smart plan for him.

I can only hope that the 1970 isn't your birth date or graduation date. Someone with that much life experience shouldn't be panicking like you are.

 

[OrangeInKy]

Sure. But now you probably won't forget, and I might have saved you from an embarrassing mistake someday.

That's why you're a doctor.

 

[sjt18]

The issue was not his completion percentage. The issue was the inability to throw the ball down the field and the threat of being able to sling the ball to all quadrants. You can’t be successful offensively playing within a 5-yard perimeter of the line of scrimmage. If this isn’t corrected, losses will happen.

Not defending his misfires but if ONLY the passes he threw on time and target and then dropped had been catches... we wouldn't be having this conversation. He threw several catchable balls that would have changed the entire complexion of the game.

Passes were dropped that have been caught by the same guys. Particularly Keyton and McCoy. Throws were missed that Milton has hit.

Two teams now have decided to let UT have those 5 yd passes and runs. They've decided that making UT patient was their best shot. UT could have and should have had over 50 vs APSU even with the way Milton played. He didn't cause Keyton to fumble. He didn't cause White, Thornton, or Small to drop easy catches that would have sustained drives or in Small's case possibly scored.

Milton threw 3 to 5 balls that were just wildly off target. Did similar vs UVA but didn't have as many drops.

 

[RavinDave]

Did Milton get a little banged-up in the game yesterday? I remember them showing Nico warming-up on the sideline at one point in the 3rd quarter, so I’m curious as to what all that was about.

I saw Nico warming up too. It I figured it was in anticipation of the Vols pulling away in the 3rd quarter.

 

[DrTNT]

Half of those were passes caught behind the LOS.

People used to defend JG with this same logic. Not saying they’re the same level, but his stats would get inflated for completion without any interceptions similarly.

You do realize they put 6 - 8 DBs on the field on almost every play, right?? Plus on routes down the field there weren’t many catches even when receivers were getting hands on the ball… have to do something the get everyone to settle in, then when started throwing downfield again, refs were ignoring PIs from AP defensive backs…

 

[DrTNT]

Didn't see the game,, followed the score watching the Miss State Arizona game. Was texted by
Someone who saw the game. Said defense
great ,, offense sucks. Jmo,,start Milton against
Florida. If he flops pull him and put Nico in.

Whoever was updating you didn’t give you a good picture of what was happening…

 

[DrTNT]

I saw Nico warming up too. It I figured it was in anticipation of the Vols pulling away in the 3rd quarter.

Milton was on the ground for a bit after one play that’s when they showed Nico warming up, but Joe hopped up & kept going

 

[DrTNT]

We have a guy NFL scouts are drooling over, we’re 2-0 out scoring opponents 79-26 and he hasn’t thrown a pic yet. Yes, let’s bench him going into Florida……..good grief

I’m convinced there are fans out there who wouldn’t be happy if he threw for 80% completions with 480 yards and 7 TDs; they’d say he shoulda had 500 + yards & completed 90% of his passes with 10 TDs in that game…

 

[DrTNT]

Thats because no one on offense or defense can catch his flaming passes.

They caught them just fine last year… most of Milton’s playing time he had Keyton and White, first TD in orange bowl he threw was to Bru… so they’ve caught them before.