No Great Players This Year???

#26
#26
Some of the players were just duds period, ala Brandon Jefferies. Heath Benedict, though, could have been AA for us.
 
#27
#27
rexvol said:
soooooo what you're saying is that we have done a poor job of developing o-lineman? if that's what you're saying then I agree 100%, which is even more distressing when you consider our head coach's background. I honestly think that Jimmy Ray killed us in that area.
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I think you are on to something here rex. We can all agree that UTK gets the "talent" according to the recruiting services. I can only think of three possible reasons why the talent does not translate to on the field success:

1. Certain other teams are so much more talented than UTK that the team really can't compete. I do not buy this for a second although at the rate UF has been going it could be true vs. the Gators in the not to distant future;
2. The talent isn't really as good as advertised. While I do believe that the services can and do miss the mark each year by overrating some kids and underrating others, the coaches should have enough of an eye for what they need/want that highly rated busts should be few and far between on any given team. This kind of begs the question whether some coaches will take an overrated kid knowing that they are probably getting a bust but figuring that the boost to fan enthusiasm over higher recruiting rankings is worth having a few duds on the roster. IMO this would be particulalry tempting for a highly paid coach who can't seem to deliver championships but who is revered as a master recruiter (no names, of course); and/or
3. The talent is simply not being developed, which is a coaching problem through and through.
 
#28
#28
rexvol said:
soooooo what you're saying is that we have done a poor job of developing o-lineman? if that's what you're saying then I agree 100%, which is even more distressing when you consider our head coach's background. I honestly think that Jimmy Ray killed us in that area.
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In context of the previous concerns what I was saying is that stars in front of names are less significant in front of D and O line than they are with skill positions. Mostly because I would prefer for most highschool ends to become tackles and most highschool d lineman to become O lineman. The exceptions are the beasts with 4.9 speed.

The offensive line has been offensive, but last years defensive line was somewhat of an anomoly. It has been a while since our guys up front have flat out had their asses handed to them like that.
 
#29
#29
wait 'til this year Lex. The OL should be a bit better from what I am hearing but the DL is going to require mucho assistance from the LBs which means we are probably going to see most decent backs averaging at least 4-5 ypc against the Vols.
 
#30
#30
VolunteerHillbilly said:
wait 'til this year Lex. The OL should be a bit better from what I am hearing but the DL is going to require mucho assistance from the LBs which means we are probably going to see most decent backs averaging at least 4-5 ypc against the Vols.
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That is by far the biggest concern in Knoxville right now.
 
#31
#31
karvassal said:
skill positions don't make a class sexy. you want to know who has a sexy class? try OSU with 5* brewster (beastly OL), 4* mike adams (dominating OL from Orlando), 4* JB shurgarts (OL from Tx), 4* Stoneburner (extremely fast and athletic TE), 4* Sweat (a top LB), and 4* Nate Williams (DE from OH). these are some big nasties, but man.... talk about quality. OSU's OL is fearsome, and the LB/DE combo of Sweat/Williams is very nice.

USC is looking good too, they have 5* OL matt kalil AND 5* OL tyron smith (one of the most versatile and dominant OL in quite some time), 4* OL dan campbell from aldine TX, 4* OL Matt meyer, 4* TE blake ayles (#3 TE overall), and 4* DE wes horton from sherman oaks (dayne crist's school). Big uglies... great rankings. beautifully talented class.

ND has also been stocking big uglies. one of the OLs in the land in Lane Clelland (4*), 2 of the top 3 centers in Mike Golic (underrated b/c of his weak Connecticut competition) and Braxston Cave, Omar Hunter (incredibly quick and dominant 4* DT from Georgia), 4* Ethan Johnson (#3 DE in the nation), 4* DE Darius Fleming from Chicago (who projects as a DE/OLB hybrid... or straight OLB in ND's new 34), 4* Sean Cwynar from Illinois (one of the nastiest pass rushers in the nation), Brandon Newman (3* DT from KY who fits their 34 NG position perfectly), and vastly underrated Hafis Williams. Not to mention the #1 TE in the country in kyle rudolph (who UT was after...), and a mountain of a man in Joe Fauria (4* TE), with 2 4* LBs (Anthony McDonald - from Dayne Crist's school, and #2 MLB in the nation, Steve Filer). i've heard rumors that 4* LB etienne sabino, who is visiting ND this weekend, is a strong lean to the irish. AND ND is looking at grabbing Trevor Robinson (incredible 4* OL) who originally committed to Nebraska but renegged.





these 3 schools are stocking up on big boys, but all 3 classes are just insanely talented. these birds got out early and got their worms.
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Not to mention that Deion Walker visited ND this past weekend and came away, in his words, "exremely impressed". It is rumored that he has an offer, plus Mike Floyd a 5* reciever is a heavy ND lean. I possed the question a couple of weeks maybe a month ago "Are we falling behind in recruiting?" I know there is plenty time left but there isn't that many big time linemen showing intrest in us.
 
#32
#32
Like I said, rankings mean nothing when recruiting linemen for the most part. We had a monstrous class last year, ND had a mediocre class. Now all of a sudden, the tables could be switched and we are falling behind?

O, and, imo, our DL will be a pleasant surprise this year.
 
#33
#33
hvwarrior58 said:
Like I said, rankings mean nothing when recruiting linemen for the most part. We had a monstrous class last year, ND had a mediocre class. Now all of a sudden, the tables could be switched and we are falling behind?

O, and, imo, our DL will be a pleasant surprise this year.
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This is the first year that I have followed recruiting and that is why I posted my thread. I was trying to get opinions, info, whatever from the people that followed recruiting.
 
#34
#34
Well, for most teams, recruiting is like the stock market. There are ups and downs. Very few teams knock it out of the park every year. If we have a good year, we will probably have a pretty good class, though it may be small. We don't have any huge needs in this class. OL and S are probably the two biggest. DL is the next, and the rest are strictly depth.
 
#35
#35
hvwarrior58 said:
Well, for most teams, recruiting is like the stock market. There are ups and downs. Very few teams knock it out of the park every year. If we have a good year, we will probably have a pretty good class, though it may be small. We don't have any huge needs in this class. OL and S are probably the two biggest. DL is the next, and the rest are strictly depth.
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Thanks
 
#36
#36
UT has to find a Juco DT in this class plus one or two more solid DT's to develop.

You guys are right concerning OL's. Very few of those guys will ever line up across from a player much less a whole defense that approximates the caliber they'll face in college. It is easy to be a 300 lb'er pushing 240 lb tackles around. It is alot harder when they other guy weighs 300 too and you are also expected to block the 260 lb guy next to him that runs a 4.6.
 
#37
#37
DT isn't a huge need. We have Brimfield, Langley, Thomas, Williams, Fisher, Nelson, and Bolden all returning for next year. We will sign 2-3. And we are always looking for quality JUCO bigs for both sides.
 
#38
#38
I agree, I think Safety is a very pressing need in this class. Any big-time S prospects out there we are high on? I know Darrell Simmons from College Park is highly rated and has offers from lots of schools... we got a chance with him?
 
#39
#39
Well, Wilkes can play safety, as can Bell and Sommer. We have Floyd committed too. There are a few names we are chasing but nothing concrete right now. Of course, I'd never even of Nevin McKenzie at this point last year so lots can happen. If worse comes to worse, we can look to JUCO again or just move some athletes around since we have so many on roster.
 
#40
#40
hvwarrior58 said:
DT isn't a huge need. We have Brimfield, Langley, Thomas, Williams, Fisher, Nelson, and Bolden all returning for next year. We will sign 2-3. And we are always looking for quality JUCO bigs for both sides.
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almost every name you list is a completely unproven commodity. Brimfield and Langley may be world class, but we have not seen it yet. Who knows if Fisher can keep from being injured and if he's the same player now that he was before. As for Williams, well, he's an effort guy, but he's not gonna set the world on fire.
 
#41
#41
rexvol said:
almost every name you list is a completely unproven commodity. Brimfield and Langley may be world class, but we have not seen it yet. Who knows if Fisher can keep from being injured and if he's the same player now that he was before. As for Williams, well, he's an effort guy, but he's not gonna set the world on fire.
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And, every high school DT we recruit this year will be an unproven commodity as well. So we have a stockpile of talented "unproven" players already. How many more do we need to add to the roster at this point?
 
#43
#43
And anybody we bring in will be unproven. Why bring in more unproven guys? What about take the 7 you have and go from there. DT will be fine. We will have more depth there than we have had the last 3 or so years.

OL, DB, and then DL. Top it off from of those in-state athletes and we are good to go.
 
#44
#44
Vols are serious about 3-4

Veterans script practice with new players

By Drew Edwards (Contact)
Originally published 08:33 p.m., July 28, 2007
Updated 08:33 p.m., July 28, 2007


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HOOVER, Ala. — Tennessee spent about three days during spring practice working on a 3-4 defense.
The Vols might do a little more than that when fall camp begins Friday.
Based on Jerod Mayo’s conversations with UT coaches this offseason, the All-SEC linebacker says he thinks the Vols are serious about using a three-lineman, four-linebacker approach.
“I definitely do (think UT will run some 3-4), the way coaches are coming at me and talking to me about it,” Mayo said. “I think that’s still alive.”
Alive because it just might give Tennessee its best chance to put its best players on the field.
That was the reason given when UT coach Phillip Fulmer talked about the 3-4 look this spring.
Linebacker is certainly more of a strength than defensive tackle heading into two-a-days.
Ryan Karl returns as a starter at strongside linebacker, while Mayo is projected to move from weakside to middle linebacker.
Rico McCoy is ahead of Dorian Davis at the weakside spot heading into fall camp.
Should the Vols employ a 3-4, either Adam Myers-White or Ellix Wilson would likely move into the starting lineup.
Some of that could depend on how quickly Karl can be ready to play after suffering a compression fracture in his spine during a weight room accident this summer.
Karl is still expected to participate in fall camp, pending results of an evaluation.
At defensive tackle, J.T. Mapu and either Dan Williams or Demonté Bolden are the projected starts right now.
Behind those three, though, there’s little proven depth.
“At first I thought (the 3-4) was just a ploy to get the defensive tackles to step up, but they’re still talking about it,” Mayo said. “The coaches are going to put the best players on the field. Coaches been watching film on it, and I think they’re still watching film on it.”
 
#45
#45
Little is proven because of a lack of experience. That doesn't mean you sign 3-4 more players to a deep position. That just adds to inexperienced, unproven depth. We will sign 2-3 depending on the caliber.
 
#46
#46
Alright gang, ease up here...it's only July...signing date is about six months away...commitments at this point tend to jump around like a frog...so let's think Cal and get back to recruiting paranoia in about four or five months...
 
#47
#47
rexvol said:
Vols are serious about 3-4

Veterans script practice with new players

By Drew Edwards (Contact)
Originally published 08:33 p.m., July 28, 2007
Updated 08:33 p.m., July 28, 2007


STORY TOOLS

related_story.gif
More Football

Share and Enjoy [?]


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Want to use this article? Click here for options!



HOOVER, Ala. — Tennessee spent about three days during spring practice working on a 3-4 defense.
The Vols might do a little more than that when fall camp begins Friday.
Based on Jerod Mayo’s conversations with UT coaches this offseason, the All-SEC linebacker says he thinks the Vols are serious about using a three-lineman, four-linebacker approach.
“I definitely do (think UT will run some 3-4), the way coaches are coming at me and talking to me about it,” Mayo said. “I think that’s still alive.”
Alive because it just might give Tennessee its best chance to put its best players on the field.
That was the reason given when UT coach Phillip Fulmer talked about the 3-4 look this spring.
Linebacker is certainly more of a strength than defensive tackle heading into two-a-days.
Ryan Karl returns as a starter at strongside linebacker, while Mayo is projected to move from weakside to middle linebacker.
Rico McCoy is ahead of Dorian Davis at the weakside spot heading into fall camp.
Should the Vols employ a 3-4, either Adam Myers-White or Ellix Wilson would likely move into the starting lineup.
Some of that could depend on how quickly Karl can be ready to play after suffering a compression fracture in his spine during a weight room accident this summer.
Karl is still expected to participate in fall camp, pending results of an evaluation.
At defensive tackle, J.T. Mapu and either Dan Williams or Demonté Bolden are the projected starts right now.
Behind those three, though, there’s little proven depth.
“At first I thought (the 3-4) was just a ploy to get the defensive tackles to step up, but they’re still talking about it,” Mayo said. “The coaches are going to put the best players on the field. Coaches been watching film on it, and I think they’re still watching film on it.”
Click to expand...

I mentioned a LONG time ago that we would look at a 3-4. Although we dont have someone who is a true NT we have so much talent at linebacker that I would love to see the blitz schemes. Also, I would love to see Tebow get rocked by a blitzing LB about 6 times this year too.

That being said, I think we have a pretty good stock of DT that will be freshman this year. Hopefully a few will pan out.
 
#48
#48
here's the thing.......the players and coaches can talk and talk and talk about the 3-4, but I'll believe it when I see it. I think you hit the nail on the head for one thing when you said that we dont have NT, also, when's the last time the Vols did anything new?
 
#49
#49
rexvol said:
here's the thing.......the players and coaches can talk and talk and talk about the 3-4, but I'll believe it when I see it. I think you hit the nail on the head for one thing when you said that we dont have NT, also, when's the last time the Vols did anything new?
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well, a good NT doesn't necessarily HAVE to be 300+ pounds.... but it's preferable. I believe I read that ND is making a 3-4 switch with a 280 pound NG (they had a 340 pounder but apparently he didnt pan out?). so, it will be interesting to see if that guy can take on an interior OL double team.... if so, maybe UT can do the same since it has far superior DL talent.
 
#50
#50
JMiah said:
What is going on with the football recruiting this year? I keep looking on rivals and elsewhere, but we don't seem to be getting anyone worth a damn!

No top QB... no top HB... no top WR... What is up?

Does anyone have any good news concerning prospects??
Click to expand...

Way too early to be worried about recruiting. Vols generally land one of the nation's top classes. I can't believe there is a post on this so early. Need to research subject a little better
 
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