Recruiting And The Team Effects...

[g8terh8ter_eric]

Its too often that we look at our recruiting classes and say WOW....I can't believe we got him....or.....man this guy is gonna be great.....but how often does over-recruiting actually help???? You know we all have been at it with others on this site with our QB situation....I mean come on when do you need 4 QB's that could start on most Div-1 teams....and our running backs.....man we got more guys to carry the rock back there than Fred Flintstone did in the Slate Quarry...LOL..anyways do you actually think that this can have a negative effect on Team Effort when you have more people than you need to at one time calling for the ball.... :twocents:

 

[OWB]

Just based on injuries alone, I think that it is a positive. Remember what happened in 2002 when everybody missed a game or two? I also think that it makes for healthy competition in practice. When there is good talent behind you, you tend to want to do your best to keep your spot. :twocents:

 

[milohimself]

But it also makes talented players want to go somewhere else.

 

[TNFanBornandRaised]

i think its fine.....rather have quality backups than bad ones......plus if cadillac and brown can share the same backfield imagine what we could do with all your talent......the formations and personell groups are endless

 

[milohimself]

You can juggle two players in one position. Three and four can't be done.

 

[vols2345]

well im happy were 4 deep in the qb position. wierd things always happen in football. i would rather be safe than sorry. and with our running back situation, we are so deep but you have to get running backs because thats the easiest postion to be a bust or star in.

 

[GVF]

We may be a little deeper than the norm at several positions. But, Manning got his shot when Colquitt had his freak injury his senior year. Casey got his based not on injury, but rather lack of immediate and consistent performance by the other solid backups we supposedly had at the time. Rick elevated his status due to double injuries. RB's are a major feast or famine area. Look at the dry spell we've had in our running game compared to the assumed talent we had back there. You never know how they will do once on teh field for whatever reasons. So, the end result is better too much than not enough. Those unhappy with the way the ball drops are free to move on and make way for more recruits. If we ever have a few really step up and own the position, we may cut our depth at those positions and concentrate on other needs.

 

[QBvol7]

I like having good depth everywhere. Think about it. We can play more players during the games and keep more guys fresh. Look at FSU. They are deep everywhere on defense and they sign bad ass classes every year. They play alot of people and thats why their defense is so good. In the 4th quarter, yor starters are rested and not worn down and not tired. They havent played as much as the other defenders on the other team. So its not really a bad thing.

As far as QB goes, I can see where it might look bad and one guy might leave but look at our situation this year and the previous years.

had we not had Rick Clausen this year, we might not have made it to Atlanta. We were lucky to go 3 deep at QB. Next year, we will go 4 deep, but the 4th will be a freshman and will redshirt. He doesnt expect to play and has said he doesnt mind redshirting. SO its not an issue this year.


Go back to 2002 when Clausen got hurt. We had to revert to CJ Leak and James Banks. Banks didnt doi to bad, but if we had been as deep then as were are now, I promise you we dont go 8-5 regardless of all the bickering that was going on.

Recruiting is like money, you can never have too much. The only thing you can have too much of is gay people......excluding lesbians.

 

[g8terh8ter_eric]

Here's the key guys and gals.....its called playmakers....and I am not talking about having three receivers that have 500 yards a piece.....I am talking about one receiver that has over 1000 yards receiving....see I covered this in another thread....if you have one or two players that defenses keep more than one eye on then you have that extra receiver get open or running back for instance.....but see we haven't had anyone step up and be a playmaker since Donte' Stallworth and really and trully since Peerless Price....In college football you have to score.....and if you don't have that playmaker that defenses to key on then why bring in all the recruits if you can't utilize them when that happens....ok we had two backs each run for over 1000 yards this year....but we are a RUN first PASS second team....so that doesn't suprise me.....what surprises me is with all the talent we have WE HAVE NO LEADER on offense.....Ok now we all know that football is a team game....but every Championship team has its stars....NAME OUR'S???.....I can't....you know why.....because none of these guys want to grab each game by the balls and win it.....look at Tom Brady.....I don't like him.....but he has that leadership that commands respect.....WHO HAS THAT ON THE VOLS....NO ONE....cause they are afraid of what Ole' Phil might say.....LEADERSHIP is more important than just pure skill.....because if you command respect out of your players then they will respond....you know its sad to say but Tee Martin did it better than Peyton Manning.....so we can have every recruit in America come here....but if we don't have a LEADER on the field.....then you aren't going to win a National Championship I don't care who you are Tennessee or USC or Georgia or whoever.....I WANT LEADERS NOT SOME HOT SHOT FROM HS THAT THINKS I GOT 5 STARS BESIDE MY NAME I AM GONNA GO TO THE NFL.....sorry ya'll....that's just how Championships are won....and it is done with LEADERS!!!!!! :beer: :beer: :beer: :gun: :gun:

 

[OWB]

Originally posted by g8terh8ter_eric@Feb 10, 2005 5:18 PM
but every Championship team has its stars....NAME OUR'S???.....I can't....you know why.....because none of these guys want to grab each game by the balls and win it.....look at Tom Brady.....I don't like him.....but he has that leadership that commands respect.....WHO HAS THAT ON THE VOLS....NO ONE....cause they are afraid of what Ole' Phil might say.....LEADERSHIP is more important than just pure skill

Peyton was a great leader but didn't take us to a NC game. The next year everyone played like a team and got there. I think that when you have a "star" and you depend on him, then you are setting the team up for failure if that one person has a bad game. If we could get all of our WR's up to that star status you talk about and throw in Ainge and Riggs and our whole defense, we will roll!

 

[g8terh8ter_eric]

If it wasn't for Tee Martin, Travis Henry, Peerless Price, and our WHOLE DEFENSE.....then we wouldn't have won that NC......but see if you go back and look when one of our stars didn't play up to expectation THEN someone else stepped up.....this past year we didn't have anyone step up every game.....every game we had to wait till each Saturday and then guess who was going to have a big game.....and see that is where all the talent in the world won't help.....WE HAVE NO ONE ON OUR TEAM THAT ANOTHER TEAM IS SCARED OF.....so they don't key on any particular player.....now if you go back and look at stats.....granted in 1998 Jermaine Copeland didn't have many touchdowns but he got some of the TOUGHEST yards I ever saw while watching UT Football....who do we have now that does that on a consistant basis like that when it is 3rd and 7???? That is what I am talking about......Leader turn players into what they are supposed to be.....In football....you have your big play makers, you have your everyday players that show up consistantly and contribute ave. days....and then you have your warriors that get the tough plays thrown their way....like 3rd and 7 for instance....Remember Troy Fleming??? He didn't have a spectacular rushing career but I can think of many times he caught screen passes and made first downs for us when we needed it.....I just at this time don't see any of those characteristics on our team.....I hope they prove me wrong this year..... :beer: ...if not I am gonna need this button more than I should :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer:

 

[OWB]

Originally posted by g8terh8ter_eric@Feb 10, 2005 6:16 PM
this past year we didn't have anyone step up every game.....every game we had to wait till each Saturday and then guess who was going to have a big game.....and see that is where all the talent in the world won't help.....WE HAVE NO ONE ON OUR TEAM THAT ANOTHER TEAM IS SCARED OF.....so they don't key on any particular player

I think that all of the depth we had a WR was a big threat last year. We just couldn't execute because they were young and trying to catch passes thrown from a freshman. I see what you are saying and agree that we didn't have anyone big last year to go to. I think that we will see a big difference this season just because Ainge and the WR's are going to be on the same page for the most part.

Not to mention, our defense should be much better allowing the offense to get more chances to score and make big plays.

 

[milohimself]

All we needed last year was a competent defense. But our secondary made Jay Cutler look like Peyton. Hopefully we will be better this year; We really flexed our offensive strength this last year, now if we can just manage to keep all the teams we play under 20 points, we will kill.

 

[g8terh8ter_eric]

Our defense is always in flex..... :bash: :bash: :bash:

 

[JohnsonCityVol]

Originally posted by GVF@Feb 10, 2005 1:45 PM
Casey got his based not on injury, but rather lack of immediate and consistent performance by the other solid backups we supposedly had at the time.

Actually, Casey was the #1 QB and would have started as a true freshman had he not been injured in practice. When he healed up, he returned as the starter.

 

[GAVol]

Originally posted by JohnsonCityVol+Feb 10, 2005 10:37 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (JohnsonCityVol @ Feb 10, 2005 10:37 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-GVF@Feb 10, 2005 1:45 PM
Casey got his based not on injury, but rather lack of immediate and consistent performance by the other solid backups we supposedly had at the time.

Actually, Casey was the #1 QB and would have started as a true freshman had he not been injured in practice. When he healed up, he returned as the starter. [/quote]
That&#39;s right. Casey overdid it in preseason practice and hurt his shoulder or he would have been the starter from day 1. Joey Matthews and AJ Suggs would have never seen the field.

 

[g8terh8ter_eric]

So is this all I can get out of the Nation on this topic???