Please DON'T start Nico [Nico merged]

[Pride85]

Yay! Another "Let's get rid of the starting QB" thread. Nico may come in and set the world on fire, but what uf he doesn't? What if he overthrows a receiver, or (gasp) throws an interception?! Who will you get on your knees, throw your hands to the heavens and beg for then. How many different ways will this be expressed in the next 30 hours or so.

 

[Pride85]

We REALLY need to get those time/post limits set up. This thread was started by someone that signed up WEDNESDAY afternoon. Probably by someone who had already been bashed for this type of thread under their other handle.

 

[Pride85]

BS. Tyler Bray was a toothpick as a true freshman and never got injured.

You guys always say the same old tired BS rethoric because you are extremely risk adverse.

Offensive football has evolved. A lot of these freshmen QBs are way ahead of their times now coming out of highschool.

Nico could play and be another Harrison Bailey for all i know. Doesn't matter, we should still try. One or two quarters against UTSA won't hurt.

Truth is we will likely lose if we play like we did against AP and Florida. That AP performance was the worst I've seen us look since the Georgia State loss.

And there is no prayer of Milton beating South Carolina unless we get both starters on the line back by then maybe.

Our backup center has absolutely killed us this year. Him and Hadden.

Your very reply about the backup center is very telling. The online in general is not good this year. At the very least, Milton is large and strong enough to handle getting hit. Are you so sure Nico is? Who would you prefer to put at risk until the line is fixed, our not quite bulked up future superstar, or the one you claim is the worst QB we have ever had. Our last highly rated QB, deserved or otherwise, that came in to a team with a bad online and was thrown in as a freshman didn't turn out so well.

 

[Indianavfl]

The third year should be a big upgrade from the first. Defensive backfield has remained an albatross around this program’s neck. Technique is bad. We are not athletic enough. No competitive fire or confidence. We have to make a move with Martinez and if the defense can’t get back on track we must move on from Banks as well. I wouldn’t mind seeing another Offensive line coach either. There’s just no development going on there. Darnell Wright was a 5 star that just took time to develop. I don’t think that was a magical job by Ellarbe. But I think Heupel and Ellarbe are attached at the hip.

 

[MurphyVol]

If we want to make some across the board upgrades I think Sal Sunseri and Larry Scott are both available

 

[malinoisvol]

A weaker opposing d-line.

 

[Shirleyudontmeanthat]

The third year should be a big upgrade from the first. Defensive backfield has remained an albatross around this program’s neck. Technique is bad. We are not athletic enough. No competitive fire or confidence. We have to make a move with Martinez and if the defense can’t get back on track we must move on from Banks as well. I wouldn’t mind seeing another Offensive line coach either. There’s just no development going on there. Darnell Wright was a 5 star that just took time to develop. I don’t think that was a magical job by Ellarbe. But I think Heupel and Ellarbe are attached at the hip.

I don’t think it’s a much coaching as talent w the OL. If u are starting Lane , u are desperate

 

[camp_steveo]

Getting your starting center back from injury always helps.

 

[Vfl2407]

Nico beat out Gaston Moore for the #2 spot. GM is 3rd in depth chart. Only way he sees snaps this year is Milton or Nico get hurt.

I am well aware of that.
the reasons that Gaston would play right now ahead of Nico are these:
Nico is nursing a wrist injury on his non throwing hand.
Until Cooper gets back, our coaches are worried that a very thin Nico would get too much pressure from opposing dlines which would hurt him physically and mentally.
Gaston is older and physically stronger and healthier and could handle that pressure better right now.
in other words, Gaston would just be a stop gap in 2023.
Nico is our future.

 

[camp_steveo]

A freshmen qb is the answer? How many freshmen are good. We get him hurt and we are screwed.

I bet we air raid. I bet we launch 6 to 10 deep balls.

Maybe, but I would bet CJH sticks with the run game first. If UT can't run, then the offense isn't functioning correctly. The deep balls come secondary. They have to get the run game going or its going to be a long season.

 

[Vfl2407]

you are not gonna get anymore production out of Nico than you do Joe. Thats why he isnt starting. Hard for fans to grasp that. Glen E. needs to be put on the chopping block. Not having a true backup to Cooper Mays is inexcusable at this point.

I’ve read that Glen E is CJH best friend. Best man. Wives best friends.
You think he’s getting fired?

 

[Raebo]

I don’t get this silly argument to give up on this year and play for next year while we have a 2-1 record. What are you going to do, sit all the seniors out the rest of the year? Are you going to tell Danny White and administration you have given up already and playing for next year. (I don’t know, you might want to reread your contract.).
We still have a chance for a good bowl game. The coaching staff owe it to the players, University, and the fans to have as good of a season as possible.
The way to play for next year and beyond is to recruit, use the portal, AND to get fans to donate more to a NIL collective.

 

[Vfl2407]

Getting your starting center back from injury always helps.

Coopers loss was huge.
Pilis loss has also been big.
Plus, no secondary improvements. Opposing Off coordinators target #5 often. We all know why.
Martinez and Banks have about 15 players on the roster but they can’t develop 5 into a serviceable d backfield. Sigh.

 

[DaddyChad]

Have you tried laxatives?

Our defense has. Everything runs right through them.

 

[DaddyChad]

So Willie is teaching the DB’s not to turn around or cover? So all the players he had drafted, he taught them correctly, makes sense.

Just going to mention all those players he got drafted he still got fired from all this places bc of lackluster performance at his job.

Honestly though it’s time to stop with the half measures. If I’m White I would give Heupel a blank check to go get the best DC possible and tell that DC that he has an unlimited budget to build a staff. I trust Heupel to eventually rebuild the offense. This defensive staff ain’t it never will be.

 

[VOLnMiami]

Leave Joe alone...I'm gonna start posting that everytime someone posts he is the problem....He's not.

 

[cgbtn]

Milton won't run out of the pocket because he's afraid to get hit, so he stays in the pocket and takes bigger hits. Milton lies down in front of small DBs. Maybe Nico has a pair. Milton can get an overall good grade, while having 2 or 3 plays that are just unacceptable.

 

[kiddiedoc]

Milton will have a decent game this week but we are playing another glorified high school team that will probably make it interesting. I am not looking forward to the next games.

UTSA would smoke AP and UVA.

 

[Cartervol]

Best cure for a line not littered with 5 star players. A good QB and a couple of receivers that are on the same page. It's as if they thought Milton was going to step right in and do the same things that Hendon could do. Wrong, he can't and they've known this for 2 plus years now. I just don't get it. They knew his limitations and tried to fit the square peg in the round hole anyway. Coaches seem to do this repeatedly for some reason. Either they're delusional, stubborn or high, maybe a combination of all 3..

 

[VOLSBEERS1992]

He definitely is overreacting in saying we don’t have prayer. With that being said, I’m not sure what team you’ve been watching to be so confident. South Carolina has looked better than we have the last two games. The Neyland Effect may be enough to propel us to a win, but it is absolutely a toss up. Wouldn’t be shocked either way.

Have you watched us play in our last 3 road games regardless of QB? @UGA, @SCar, @UF? We've been absolutely awful from the start, doesn't mean the 2022 Tennessee team was horrible and also doesn't mean the 2023 team is either. Yes, SCAR is good enough team to beat us but I will be pretty surprised if they do. How we played last Saturday in the Swamp has nothing to do with how we are going to play at home vs a mediocre SCAR team and the "no prayer" dramatic BS stuff from everyone on this board is embarrassing.

 

[BlinghamptonVol]

UTSA would smoke AP and UVA.

Idk, they didn’t look good at home vs Army. They would probably beat AP and UVA, but I’m not sure they would smoke them. All three are bad football teams.

 

[aRmo]

And you know this how? You don’t. Erik Ainge was a thousand times the QB as a freshman that Milton is now - he could read defenses and go through progressions, and he was accurate. And he was only a four-star. He was also every bit as skinny as Nico is now.

Eric Ainge played behind an offensive line that blocked lol.

 

[calban]

The cure for this oline is one word. Mays. Can't just take a guard and stick him in the position. Center has to be able to see the field, read defenses and call out blocking assignments. Has to have a high FB IQ. You can see the lack of confidence in the entire line when Mays isn't on board. it was clear against FL, they didn't know what to do or who to block. If Mays returns and he and Milton can get on the same page the offense will function at a higher level.

 

[TnVols16]

Justin Wilcox hasn't done great at Cal, at least looking at the record since he's been there (32-37 overall ---- 17-32 in conference). If Cal decides to move on from him, I'd love to bring him back as the DC & let him make some staff changes on the defensive side of the ball.

 

[BreatheUT]

Is a mobile shifty QB who's not afraid to take off and try to win games by zny means possible.

Milton might as well be Peyton back there. He can fly when he wants to but he always ignores wide open lanes. It would really help open up our offense and running game.

I say try Nico this game. Before you tell me oh he's skinny... he's a freshman. Please just stop. Tyler Bray was scrawny as a true freshman and lit it up behind a poor line.

Dobbs came in against a monster of a Bama defense and instantly balled out.

You could clearly see both of their "it" factors as soon as a few plays happened. I've yet to ever see this in Milton.

And that performance against AP was one of the worst I've ever seen out of a starting QB for Tennessee. It sas easily up there with some of JG's eggs.

We have nothing to lose guys. Our offense desperately needs a spark.

The best cure is get folks healthy and not get suspended.

A couple of these guys were inherited. It you can't get immediate plug in play linemen and there are very few Trey Smith's out there then it takes 2 or 3 years in the strength and conditioning program.