'25 Portal Thread

[TheMookieMonster]

We had one of the best offenses in football history two years ago. Pretty crazy to say it’s not effective.

Like just about everything in football, it’s as effective as the players’ ability to execute it. Our WRs haven’t played nearly as well as in 2022 and neither have our QBs.

It’s not crazy at all to say his offensive scheme hasn’t been effective lately. Because it hasn’t been. That was 2 years ago, we’ve seen regression. Nothing is ever as simple as one thing being the issue. It’s fine to think that we aren’t executing it at a high level, but it’s not just an execution issue. Some reflection is necessary or the offense won’t improve. We can bury our head in the sand and say “we just don’t have the players to execute” it but I disagree that’s all this is.

If the scheme was as effective as it always has been, you shouldn’t be seeing a regression in Year 3 and Year 4 from Year 1 and Year 2. We have a more talented roster than we did in Year 1. So it can’t just be the players aren’t talented enough to pull it off.

 

[bpalmer28]

Maybe Heupel should just give all the fans and WRs the middle finger and announce we are switching to a triple option offense

 

[InVOLuntary]

Don’t shoot the messenger but I saw that Bama may be in play for squirrel white

Shouldn't have to worry about tackling him.

 

[Majors]

I would’ve like to see him in the slot.

The Bama game across the middle to setup the FG. He needs those one on one matchups of 15 yards and in. If he gets back we need him in that role.

 

[peaygolf]

@peaygolf

Peaynation

ooof..........more portal pain in FCS. It never ends

But we will gladly welcome you to the PeayPle

 

[lfvol]

He was hurt early on in the year.

Our offense is much different than what kids run in HS. They are having to read defenses and run their routes based off that. We’ve seen transfers struggle to pick up the offense

Yet starters can’t get open or make plays. After two years of mediocre WR play and opponents mocking our scheme, few want to read it is too complex when others with far better passing games can play freshmen and succeed.

 

[Vol8188]

He does blitz a good percentage most games. He did at GA. But his blitz packages are shockingly ineffective. Virtually all good teams easily handle it beyond an occasional corner blitz. Not much disguise.

Sounds like more of an issue of talent than scheme. Given our defense has been effective against everyone except Georgia and Ohio State

 

[deatojl]

He’s a #3 and best suited for one one one with a Top WR taking the double coverage. Frees him up for short passes to move the chains.

I've always felt like Bru's best attributes were lead blocking on WR screens and using his size/strength to make tough catches over the middle to move the chains. I don't remember much of either of those things from this season.

 

[Dadof2Vols]

You keep making this argument, but coaches are employees bound by contracts and performance. Players are freelancers paid for the simple use of their name, image, and likeness. They aren't employees. They aren't under or bound by any contract. They aren't held accountable for production or lack thereof.

It isn't an apples to apples comparison your making.

Coaches contracts don’t mean crap either. The coaches buyout numbers are a joke. Any school that wants them and any coach that wants to go, gladly pays the buyout and moves on.

The only difference is players are now on A 1 year contract and coaches/new school have a walk away fee to play.

Little difference.

 

[NighthawkVol]

The Bama game across the middle to setup the FG. He needs those one on one matchups of 15 yards and in. If he gets back we need him in that role.

Gets back? He’s out of eligibility. He’s playing in the senior bowl.

 

[lfvol]

Sounds like more of an issue of talent than scheme. Given our defense has been effective against everyone except Georgia and Ohio State

They both dominated us one on one at all three levels. Just pointing out that not blitzing wasn’t our biggest problem.

 

[volinexile17]

It’s not crazy at all to say his offensive scheme hasn’t been effective lately. Because it hasn’t been. That was 2 years ago, we’ve seen regression. Nothing is ever as simple as one thing being the issue. It’s fine to think that we aren’t executing it at a high level, but it’s not just an execution issue. Some reflection is necessary or the offense won’t improve. We can bury our head in the sand and say “we just don’t have the players to execute” it but I disagree that’s all this is.

If the scheme was as effective as it always has been, you shouldn’t be seeing a regression in Year 3 and Year 4 from Year 1 and Year 2. We have a more talented roster than we did in Year 1. So it can’t just be the players aren’t talented enough to pull it off.

We are not more talented at WR. Ced and Hyatt are NFL receivers. Hooker is an NFL qb who’d already played for 3 years when he got to UT.

Joe was obviously limited as a QB in a number of respects we don’t need to rehash. Nico is a talented true sophomore learning the position and offense. Knock the staff all you want on the WR evals and development, but those guys are not nearly as good as ‘22.

That is how and why you have regression. No program’s trajectory is always up. Doesn’t mean the scheme is ineffective.

 

[bpalmer28]

Buying a Brazzell jersey now

 

[Majors]

I've always felt like Bru's best attributes were lead blocking on WR screens and using his size/strength to make tough catches over the middle to move the chains. I don't remember much of either of those things from this season.

His best season was Hyatt taking the top off the defense.

 

[Tennessee Golfer]

Don’t shoot the messenger but I saw that Bama may be in play for squirrel white

That’s fantastic news!

 

[volsagain]

I'm not sure the upperclassmen knew which routes run.

That's what I've been wandering. If our coaches aren't teaching the young guys well enough to get them Some playing time the older guys probably not getting enough to learn the whole offense. Houston we Have A Problem.

 

[PlanetVolunteer]

I’m fairly certain the “insiders” reported this exactly to be the truth. I even recall On3 and 247 saying Nico had met with the staff to discuss all of this, which IMO, he definitely should be doing for his own benefit and ours.

Next year he’s draft eligible. It’s a big year for him and he needs to put up big numbers. Our current scheme does Nico no favors and isn’t effective. I know Heupel is stubborn, but I think he needs to completely re-tool his offense this off-season and evolve like good coaches are supposed to do. If Rick Barnes can completely change how his teams plays offense after he turned 68 years old, Heupel should be doing the same thing in his 40s. He’s too young to stay attached to any way of doing something.

Yeah but he did, with 12 personnel. Literally never did that before. The problem was moreso the players in my opinion, but his scheme is worse when the players can't execute.

We still had players wide open all over the place.

The odds that the university of Tennessee goes another year with a bad receiving core are slim. They were also hurt.

Improve o-line and WR's. That's all we have to do.

 

[TrippieRedd]

Concepcion committed to A&M

 

[smokeyz1]

Everyone has been trashing the WR room for two years now. Pope was receiving accolades when he coached up Tillman, Hyatt and Keyton in 2022. Hyatt and Keyton both made large improvements in 2022. We even had to give Pope a big raise to fend off other schools from hiring him away.

IMO Nico and Milton both throw a much harder ball to catch than Hooker. Plus neither of them make quick decisions like Hooker did. Keyton regressed and Bru was injured in 2023. Bru and Squirrel and Thornton were all injured in 2024. Although Thornton did improve from 2023 to 2024 despite his injuries. My biggest complaint with Pope/Heupel is they shouldn't have played squirrel after his shoulder injury. They should have played others in the slot more. I am hoping that Nico can improve in 2025 to make quicker decisions and throw a more catchable ball. He seemed to improve late in 2024.

It would be interesting to hear Bru's and Thornton's opinions on Pope. Doesn't surprise me that the players that weren't playing enough (in their opinion) didn't like him.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Yeah but he did, with 12 personnel. Literally never did that before. The problem was moreso the players in my opinion, but his scheme is worse when the players can't execute.

We still had players wide open all over the place.

The odds that the university of Tennessee goes another year with a bad receiving core are slim. They were also hurt.

Improve o-line and WR's. That's all we have to do.

I think we all had a lot of confidence going into the season this year that our WR corps was legit. Turned out to be wrong. I don’t think it’s going to be that simple to fulfill your last sentence either. There aren’t a ton of pieces in the portal to improve the WR play.

We’re going to be relying on a lot of young talent next year and we’ll need to hope they can make huge strides in development. And, call me a NegaVol if you want, but I have zero faith that Pope has the coaching acumen to develop the players we do have on staff. He’s had 2 years and I can’t say I can point to a single success story or clear point of growth from any of the WRs in that room.

 

[lfvol]

We are not more talented at WR. Ced and Hyatt are NFL receivers. Hooker is an NFL qb who’d already played for 3 years when he got to UT.

Joe was obviously limited as a QB in a number of respects we don’t need to rehash. Nico is a talented true sophomore learning the position and offense. Knock the staff all you want on the WR evals and development, but those guys are not nearly as good as ‘22.

That is how and why you have regression. No program’s trajectory is always up. Doesn’t mean the scheme is ineffective.

That is why recruiting matters. And not valuing WR highly like some others do shows when you play good talent. Or we can be happy playing in bowl games and occasionally having a cup of coffee in the playoffs.

 

[Enki_Amenra]

I’ve always loved NDSU’s indoor stadium.

Kind of a bucket list stadium to visit

I used to like ETSU's dome (hangar) stadium.

 

[HeuperDrive]

Concepcion committed to A&M

man I’m usually a pretty big optimist but this is getting bleak lol

this offense is gonna suck so hard next year. Defense is gonna have to carry us over the finish line every week yet again

 

[JT3]

Concepcion committed to A&M

Gotta see if we can get Branch to hold off doing anything until after the dead period so he can possibly visit.

 

[Majors]

Gets back? He’s out of eligibility. He’s playing in the senior bowl.

He’s appealing for another year. It’s not guaranteed he’ll get it but the option is it here.