Recruiting Football Talk VII

[Vols2DaWall]

Regardless of the reason or cause behind it, we are not doing the things we need to do both in HS recruiting or in the portal to be an elite team in the SEC.

It needs to change for us to have realistic shots at championships.

 

[Smyrna ATL Vol]

-VQ

Can WM please recruit and portal some damn real talent? Secondary has been bad for forever it feels like

 

[Nuctech777]

I’ll also add some perspective for everyone to consider that when all is said and done in Late Jan when you factor in player retention keeping young guys out of portal, bringing back older potential NFl draft players, HS recruiting class and high impact portal additions we will likely be one of the top 5 or so programs overall for this cycle.

So we are all complaining about an overall pretty high level job by everyone involved.

You mean to tell me that all is not lost bc we didn’t get 1 guy?!?! I’m not sure that makes any sense

 

[volbeast33]

I’ll also add some perspective for everyone to consider that when all is said and done in Late Jan when you factor in player retention keeping young guys out of portal, bringing back older potential NFl draft players, HS recruiting class and high impact portal additions we will likely be one of the top 5 or so programs overall for this cycle.

So we are all complaining about an overall pretty high level job by everyone involved.

Don’t lie…. you bought Mccullough a Happy Meal to get him to stay while driving around in a G-Wagon bought with Volunteer Club money.

 

[Ericvol2096]

You mean to tell me that all is not lost bc we didn’t get 1 guy?!?! I’m not sure that makes any sense

I’d say it’s understandable to be frustrated we didn’t land a few more elite HS guys. But I balance that frustration knowing that overall when you mix it all together in the new world over “GM” CFB roster management we have done an ~A level job.

I think we still have a great shot at having a CFP quality roster next year.

 

[Ericvol2096]

Don’t lie…. you bought Mccullough a Happy Meal to get him to stay while driving around in a G-Wagon bought with Volunteer Club money.

Need year 7 from ole TANK

 

[Smyrna ATL Vol]

I’m over Seaton. Dude lied, it is what it is.

Close out this class with what we have.

Crush the portal. They have to target top talent and land it. Don’t like the DBs we are targeting. We can do better.

 

[KptVFL]

Keepin it real tends to go wrong.

 

[knoxvol52]

Still think it's Blue Jays...

 

[JohnnyD1024]

Excuse my ignorance, but how does recruiting with N.I.L. money work? Do the coaches have to get approval from Spyre on how much they can offer a kid?

 

[vols4lfe]

Need year 7 from ole TANK

 

[Jackcrevol]

I’m over Seaton. Dude lied, it is what it is.

Close out this class with what we have.

Crush the portal. They have to target top talent and land it. Don’t like the DBs we are targeting. We can do better.

Coaches need to understand that you have to widen your net. There is no mold to cast the exact intangibles you covet.

This program in many ways recruits itself. There are too many 'tennessee is a great place, I could see myself there,' onto Oregon scenarios.

The status quo of inconsistent consistency isnt working. As Larry alluded, anytime we face a team with commensurate or more talent, we struggle . There is a talent issue on defense.

Are those deficiencies being adequately addressed? I dont believe they are. It is to some degree, but it isnt enough.

The bacon dont come to you, you go get the bacon.

 

[InstrumentalVol]

SIAP but Elijah Simmons and John Campbell went on a mini podcast to talk about their journey at UT and some highlights include:
1) John Campbell noting that Joe was a big reason he transferred to UT having that Orlando connection
2) Elijah Simmons talking about how improved the entire culture is around the team in his 5 year stint at UT
3) An ugly camo TN helmet

 

[mr.checkerboards]

I’ll also add some perspective for everyone to consider that when all is said and done in Late Jan when you factor in player retention keeping young guys out of portal, bringing back older potential NFl draft players, HS recruiting class and high impact portal additions we will likely be one of the top 5 or so programs overall for this cycle.

So we are all complaining about an overall pretty high level job by everyone involved.

Is it not a little early to say we landed top 5? I'm not saying you all aren't trying, there's just a long way to go in this roster turnover cycle.

 

[Outofmyvolcanmind]

I don't want to change the subject, but before giving money to any charity/organization, people need to ask "how much goes to the charity and how much is used for overhead". They'll be shocked at how much is kept within the organization. I ask and I've heard many times $.50 per dollar (or more) stays with the company. No way am I saying that is the case here, but for life in general, ask before giving.

Spyre says on their site that 90% goes to players, but I would feel better knowing for sure it does. Like an independent audit that represents the donors. No need to show every transaction, but makes sure the thing is on the up and up. Then I feel way more donors would get involved, myself included. With that said, I do realize and believe that the leaders of the club should be well compensated. We want talented and accountable people with connections running it. I have no issue with that at all.

 

[DD4ME]

Vol Twitter will be the death of us all!

Vol Twitter is like having Anakin Skywalker as your dad. He gives you life, but also cuts off your hand.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

Ohtani watch has gone full TN coaching search.

 

[Outofmyvolcanmind]

That’s just not how grading works. Hadden was the most heavily targeted player in the secondary but he shut everything down. Less than 4 YPA on his targets. He was performing like an elite SEC DB when he went down, and our defense never looked the same after.

Agreed. When you perform, go ahead and talk. I will listen to people that perform. The issue for Hadden was that he talked too much prior to showing out. I understand both the poster and Hadden. Hadden and Khalil are correct though in this instance. The toxic part of our fanbase needs to know when to take a timeout.

I am also a fired up person. I have apologized more than a few times on this board. But I am trying hard to work on that. I read a book "Emotional Intelligence 2.0." It was one of the most important pieces of literature for my career and my relationships. I encourage all to read it. I am not the author.

 

[BigSteve09]

I’ll also add some perspective for everyone to consider that when all is said and done in Late Jan when you factor in player retention keeping young guys out of portal, bringing back older potential NFl draft players, HS recruiting class and high impact portal additions we will likely be one of the top 5 or so programs overall for this cycle.

So we are all complaining about an overall pretty high level job by everyone involved.

It's honestly elementary thinking, unfortunately. And our fanbase was firing the 2-cent takes off in spades yesterday, to anyone that would listen.

"We did not get 5-star OL. Don't we have money to write a blank check to win these battles?" Not taking into account the factors that you're mentioning.

Also not taking into account that there are 10+ other comparable/competitive collectives out there, and 40-50+ dynamic coaches and staffs that are constantly making moves and creating chaos as well. We don't just get to put our offer together and that's all the recruit has to consider. Recruiting has always been static, and it is especially static now.

People looking for someone to blame because a 5-star didn't put on a Tennessee hat and it ruined their day. Probably the same people that would have spent the entire day online arguing with other fanbases and rubbing the recruiting win in everyone's face if he did choose Tennessee. "You robbed me of the opportunity to be an a-hole to everyone else, so now I'm going to be an a-hole to YOU." Turning in on the staff, the collective. It's pathetic.

Creating rumors, with no end goal in mind. Just "They're robbing from members and that's why we aren't winning the 5-star recruit!" Completely unsubstantiated. Just a conclusion based on "Well, if we have money like we say we have money, we should never lose a recruiting battle again!" What are we gonna do? Overthrow the leadership of the Vol Club so we can write one check that one guy can't refuse, and completely undermine every other player that has to be considered?

We have several insiders (on this site and other sites) saying we put together the most competitive package. We have outsiders that constantly verify the reputation of our collective and the people running it as an industry leader and a reputable org. Then we have a player going on TV and saying that race played a role. To me, it is obvious that the offers were CLOSE enough, or some PROMISES were made (that may or may not be kept), to pretty much bring the financial side neck-and-neck. Then add the race spin to make it seem more honorable to take their bag.

Furthermore, it's more obvious than ever that this was planned going back weeks. This kid didn't just decide to fly to LA on a whim, and then show up to the Fox studios the morning of his announcement and walk in on Skip and Key. "Hey guys, mind if I say something real quick?" He hopped on a plane to LA right after the Ohio St trip. He didn't inform other staffs, he didn't update his socials. Obviously someone else laid all of this out and he just followed what was set up for him.

This was all arranged, it was a PR move by Deion, the kid is a tool for him (again) to spread his brand. He also did what he had to do to win. Now Prime has to back up whatever promises were made, and they have to honor whatever concessions they made to win the battle.

We are still early in this era of NIL driving recruitments. The market is still being set. The reputations are still being established.

We lost this one. You can't win them all. Obviously the staff feels duped. Obviously the fans feel duped. Deion was a chaos agent, and that is going to happen sometimes. We don't have to burn down everything that we're doing.

 

[scienceteaching_vol]

I keep seeing these people say things like "Spyre is rated as one of the best if not the best NIL collectives in the game. We should be getting only the best players." If I'm not mistaken, those ratings are not based on how much money is in the pot but moreso how the collective is organized and operated. We don't have an unlimited amount of money to spend. Money from donations go to existing student athletes including other sports like, basketball, baseball, women's sports as well. When you add it all up it takes a tremendous amount of money. Probably 10's of millions of dollars.

Yeah I agree. I've thought about how taking pride in being an everything school is affecting the total amount allocated for football.

Stoops was complaining about nil earlier in the year but I bet the basketball team gets the majority of it in big blue country.

 

[volinexile17]

Article I read said we’re 12 scholarships between this season and the next two, and we can’t have fewer than two reduced at a time. Not sure how many we played with this season. But, if I were the coaches, I’d try to knock out as many as possible this season and next, and target being down only 2-3 for ‘25, which would mean not hitting the portal as aggressively as we may want and instead being extremely selective.

 

[Outofmyvolcanmind]

One of the most dominant athletes I have even seen. I spot the great ones by the level of hate I have when playing against them.

 

[knoxvol52]

Ohtani watch has gone full TN coaching search.

I said it a few days ago, Ohtani will go to Toronto...
Has been stated he loves hitting in that park...

 

[mrMet]

I’ll also add some perspective for everyone to consider that when all is said and done in Late Jan when you factor in player retention keeping young guys out of portal, bringing back older potential NFl draft players, HS recruiting class and high impact portal additions we will likely be one of the top 5 or so programs overall for this cycle.

So we are all complaining about an overall pretty high level job by everyone involved.

Holy moly it’s almost is if my little pea brain was right

 

[Jimmy Football]

Ohtani watch has gone full TN coaching search.

He own land in Ontario?