Nico is not ready

#101
#101
Nico looked absolutely lost tonight. But again, we got away from our identity and went really conservative over the last 2 games. It held Nico back from getting better and experiencing things. It’s hard to go from conservative to suddenly attacking again.
 
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#102
#102
ATLVols said:
Nico looked absolutely lost tonight. But again, we got away from our identity and went really conservative over the last 2 games. It held Nico back from getting better and experiencing things. It’s hard to go from conservative to suddenly attacking again.
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Yupp. Didn’t play with anticipation/timing/rhythm. QB is such a sixth sense position. If you can’t identify things pre/post snap you’re screwed. But the reality is every single QB has a bad game.

It’s what you do afterwards that matters. Nico needs to wake up. This loss isn’t all on him but he’s gotta be the conductor of the offense and not just a passenger. Time to 🔒 in for Florida. Nothing else matters but next weekend.
 
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#104
#104
Nico can be really, really good. Was he tonight, nopey. He was going to have a “deer in the headlights” game at some point. They all do. Some win in spite of it, but in today’s world that is quite difficult to do. I hope he learns, and I think he will. Unfortunately, some things are only learned the difficult way. Benching him would be stupid. Learn from his mistakes, tweak the offense to give him the best opportunity where he is at developmentally, and get him some help in the protection department. 2nd true road game (bowl was basically a home game in Florida). There is a lot of difference between playing high school ball, watching your team play college ball, and actually participating in the game with the outcome on your shoulders. From my life experiences, failing can be the best teacher and motivator there is.
 
#105
#105
What people fail to realize is Nico is looking like Hendon Hooker his first year in the offense. Coach probably needs to keep him in hurry up bc it doesn’t allow him to think as much. In SEC the windows will be much smaller. The defenses are better most teams have a least a few guys that are going to play on Sunday. Heupel didn’t call a single screen to Sampson today or shovel pass etc. He has got to be creative and give Nico easy plays.
 
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#106
#106
EaglesVols91 said:
He just turned 20 a month ago. He’s a redshirt freshman. Not his fault people hyped him up to being the 2nd coming of Jesus. It’s looking like he could be a 3-4 year QB for us instead of a 2 year and then pro. He’ll develop and we will be fine
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If he’s not good enough to go pro after next year there’s no way they keep running him out there 3 more years. They will recruit over him if it comes to that.
 
#107
#107
The_topis_Rocky89 said:
What people fail to realize is Nico is looking like Hendon Hooker his first year in the offense. Coach probably needs to keep him in hurry up bc it doesn’t allow him to think as much. In SEC the windows will be much smaller. The defenses are better most teams have a least a few guys that are going to play on Sunday. Heupel didn’t call a single screen to Sampson today or shovel pass etc. He has got to be creative and give Nico easy plays.
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Qb is one of the most cerebral positions not just in football, but any sport

If you have to coach around your qb’s brain, either you have the wrong guy in there or you failed him in development
 
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#109
#109
Our line is not blocking well enough for him. For some reason, we alway seem to
have one or two less blockers that defenders. It appears that we don't adjust
our blocking schemes based on their defense. Is this Nico calling or our OC calling blocking schemes?

We also have that same problem year in and year out - WR don't get separation. Overrated WR room.
 
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#111
#111
SGMVols said:
If he’s not good enough to go pro after next year there’s no way they keep running him out there 3 more years. They will recruit over him if it comes to that.
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Nico will be a first round pick on raw talent alone. It’s up to the coaching staff to get the most of him.
 
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#112
#112
Overhyped and overpaid. Just kidding. Whole team needs a wake up call. Plenty of seniors including Mays, Pili, Bru and defensive line need to kick younger guys in the butt and get ready to play winning football. Too much excellent play last night to lose with blocking whiffs, penalties, running into kicker and quarterback erratic play. If same mistakes persist then make personnel changes. A lot of football left in 2024.
 
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#114
#114
ATLVols said:
Nico looked absolutely lost tonight. But again, we got away from our identity and went really conservative over the last 2 games. It held Nico back from getting better and experiencing things. It’s hard to go from conservative to suddenly attacking again.
Click to expand...
Could Nico be here 4 years, doesn’t appear NFL ready at the moment.
 
#115
#115
deezvols said:
Nico needs to stay in and take his lumps, this season is about getting him experience now.
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Nah that was last season. We knew what Joe was , we knew we’d lose 3 or 4 , should have seen a lot more snaps and taken some lumps and been working on what he didn’t do well.
 
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#116
#116
StuckInBamaVol said:
He’s only played a handful of games against not so great competition. It’s still a process. He isn’t going to improve sitting on a bench watching.
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That you Allen Iverson???
You practice every day to improve, you improve enough you get good enough to play in games.
You don’t improve then you don’t have
What it takes
 
#117
#117
By all accounts, Nico is a fine young man and teammate. It's really not his fault that he had all the accolades thrown on him before he had ever done anything at this level. The reality is that he is an average college qb. He has a strong and accurate arm when he's given a clean pocket, but appears to have limited ability to escape trouble. He'll probably improve with experience, but a lot of that is merely instinct that some have and some don't. Unfortunately, it's going to be painful to watch at times.
 
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#118
#118
The_topis_Rocky89 said:
What people fail to realize is Nico is looking like Hendon Hooker his first year in the offense. Coach probably needs to keep him in hurry up bc it doesn’t allow him to think as much. In SEC the windows will be much smaller. The defenses are better most teams have a least a few guys that are going to play on Sunday. Heupel didn’t call a single screen to Sampson today or shovel pass etc. He has got to be creative and give Nico easy plays.
Click to expand...
Not even close. Maybe you meant Joe. Then yeah
 
#119
#119
The offensive line is, yet again, an under performing group. I can’t express how disappointed I am in their play.

Nearly every season since Derek Dooley failed to sign a single O-line recruit for an entire recruiting cycle, we’ve had to deal with mediocre to bad O-line play. It all starts there. Our guys looked confused and outmatched.

Oh, and the bone-headed penalties all over the place at terrible moments. That running into the kicker penalty was weak but if you give ‘em the chance to call it, they will. Heupel’s teams have a discipline problem when it comes to that stuff: it’s like their on-field IQ drops Several points when it’s a critical moment in the game.

Just a bad game all around. Now, we get to hear about how over-rated this team has been all season. Have to admit, this pi$$es away the good vibes gained from winning on the road in Norman. Although not a blow-out, this one also felt like the South Carolina game in 2022: coming in with the knowledge that you should win comfortably, some real momentum to gain from a win on the road, an opponent with a coach on the hot seat . . . and, of course, a terrible no-show by us. Oh, and throw in a dash of 2001 SEC Championship game flavor by helping to make the other team’s back-up QB a hero.

Not sure how the Florida game is going to go. We’ve seen this movie before.
 
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#120
#120
Took the Arkansas backup true freshman QB about 10 minutes to get up to SEC speed. Didn't seem to be much trouble for him and I bet he doesn't get 2 million dollars per year. Unacceptable performance.
 
#121
#121
There it is. The loudest, Volgod 2.0 people turning on him like rabid rats the moment Nico plays without his Superman suit. Toldya they would.
Told you before, 2-3 times, actually. Got pizzed on as a result. He's a frosh/soph kid, not experienced, and we'll see games that remind us of this reality. Guess what? The SEC schedule isn't done. Arkansas has shown that our man Heup's attack only needs you to penetrate enough to make the QB uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable. Our OL, good as it is, it isn't infallible. And has no truly proven backups this season. But cheer up, I do believe the Heup man will make adjustments for the better. You Volgod makers on the other hand, well, in my experience, such overzealous folks never really learn anything.
 
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#122
#122
StuckInBamaVol said:
Stupid take to bench him.
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It has to be considered if this continues.

Nobody has been higher in him than me. And there were plenty of other issues on offense with OL being one of them. I’d also like to see what kind of separation the receivers are getting.

But Nico looked lost out there against OU and now Arky. And if it continues, you have to consider a replacement for the good of the team and for his development.

Vols will not win many if any SEC games with an offense like we’ve seen the past two games.
 
#123
#123
Nico is young and hasn't looked comfortable, but I am not in favor of benching him. Still, I CANNOT BELIEVE EVEN A HIGH XHOOL QB WOULD RUN OUT OF BOUNDS WITHOUT THROWING THE BALL WITH NO TIME ON THE CLOCK. That is the play I took from his whole performance. It shows that his mindset is not calm and that he is operating wildly, not seeing the whole picture. He is under stress, and not just from the pass rush, but at all times during the game. I just hope he settles in.
 
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