Recruiting Football Talk VII

[Ulysees E. McGill]

I agree with Christian Lowe somewhat. It does take a lot of excitement out of the regular season. Except for the rare year like this one, having a loss has proven meaningless for brand name teams, especially SEC and B1G teams. When we were in the hunt post-BAMA, we knew we could drop the UGA game and it wouldn't matter and when it happened no one was upset (well, dawg fans were upset because they knew it didnd't matter). And that was with just 4 teams in the invitational.**

When the invitational expands to 16, the regular season isn't going to mean what it used to mean. And given realignment, a genuine invitational that invites the best teams is going to have 3 and 4 loss SEC and B1G teams if they're picking the best teams.

**The college system is def. an invitational rather than a playoff given that eye tests, brand name, tv market, player injuries, coach popularity etc. all matter more than scheduling and on the field results.

I have always...my whole sports following life...hated the college system with a passion.

I don't care about other teams, unless somebody I feel neutral about is playing someone I really hate...all I really care about is Tennessee, so every time we were out of it in Sept-Oct because of losing the Florida or sone other game game sucked to me.

Of course I still get excited for every Tennessee game because I am a Vol...when we beat the living out of some nobody by 60 points I sm still jumping up and down every time we score, and every time we lose it hurts no matter how bad our record is.

The point is..I don't care about the "sanctity" of CFBs regular season....all I care about is Tennessee, and under this system Tennessee has more of a chance to play for a title.

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

She's a pretty one!

She is a love sponge too..lol.

 

[GiggerVol]

McCoy is committed

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

View attachment 603492

Just look away Wile E.

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

McCoy is committed

Bewm

 

[butchna]

This year a team that did everything right got cast aside despite being a relatively big name school in a big name conference. But typically a team with FSU's qualifications will get in. I'm not sure if we're in disagreement.

There's no doubt that an expanded playoff means SEC teams are going to get mulligans and teams like BAMA will be able to drop 2 maybe even 3 games. They've gotten them several times when there were fewer spots. And they've bumped teams like FSU. Those mulligans do mean that the regular season is a bit less exciting. Winning TSIO matters less if we can drop it, make the playoffs, and win a championship. That devalues the regular season a ton compared to in the past when you needed a perfect season or one that was near perfect.

It happened in the “good old days” with Auburn. Beat everybody they were supposed to (including us TWICE) and still didn’t get to compete for the NC…because two other undefeated teams were considered prettier earlier. Yet LSU won a NC under Miles where they had two losses. There’s never been a CONSISTENCY when humans determine WHICH regular season games matters more than another. If you’re not excited by regular season games like we viewed this season, then it’s a determined mindset.

 

[StoVol]

 

[Outofmyvolcanmind]

Succession plan

 

[VolGee4]

McCoy: “Tennessee checked all the boxes…The coaches were straightforward with me and my family.”

Hmmmm…imagine that… kids that like people shooting straight with them.

 

[Billy Antrim]

BOOM!!!!!!!

 

[Vols4us]

Proud dad pt 2 - my daughter was accepted to UT!! This is such an exciting season. She’s worked so hard. So proud of her.

Congrats. You deserve to be proud.

 

[Vols4us]

A coach to keep an eye on for the future.

 

[RikidyBones]

Lol

 

[Enki_Amenra]

Ouch that one hurts I hate missing by one leg I do it to often

I like that 1-leg parlay insurance though. . . if you can get it.

 

[DarthVol1]

And the people who can't see the problems we're having in recruiting are probably the same people who believed in Dooley, Butch, and Pruitt until their bitter ends. Acknowledging the problem, and there is a problem, does not mean calling for Heupel's head. I support Josh Heupel, but he needs to adjust his strategy, and he may need to adjust his staff.

Why is it so hard to acknowledge we're struggling in recruiting? First step to fixing a problem is admitting there's a problem.

And why is it so hard to admit this is the best class we have had in 2 decades?

 

[Glitch]

Wow that’s not as much action as I expected. And surprised Osu hasn’t jumped on Murphy or Nelson.

 

[Orange_Crush]

And why is it so hard to admit this is the best class we have had in 2 decades?

...with NCAA sanctions and the investigation just now having closed.

 

[peaygolf]

December 20, 1971

If freshmen could play in 1971, Tennessee football may have won a national championship. The Vols were in a transition year, waiting for Condredge Holloway, and Bill Battle’s second team still went 9-2 in the regular season. Ranked No. 9 overall, they were set to meet the No. 18 ranked Arkansas Razorbacks in the Liberty Bowl.

In what was a defensive slugfest, Arkansas had the ball up 13-7 late. They seemingly nailed a third field goal to go up 16-7. However, there was a holding penalty on the attempt, which rarely if ever happens. Because of that, it was waived off. The Hogs then fumbled the ball and appeared to fall on it, but somehow possession was awarded to UT.

Finally, UT was able to cash in on an Arkansas turnover, as the Razorbacks had been torching the Vols with turnovers all game. They drove down the field off that fumble and scored a touchdown to go up 14-13. When Arkansas got the ball back, they threw an interception, securing Battle’s team a victory and a 10-2 record.

The fumble, the controversial calls, and the fact that a field goal to put the game out of reach was waived off all contributed to this being an incredibly fortunate win for the Vols. Arkansas had owned the fourth quarter with two other field goals before that point, so Rocky Top was beyond lucky to pull that one out.

 

[knoxvol52]

So today is the day, most individuals sit around biting their nails and wring their hands waiting on high school seniors to sign their LOI?

 

[Glitch]

So today is the day, most individuals sit around biting their nails and wring their hands waiting on high school seniors to sign their LOI?

 

[Vols4us]

Class ranking has never been the way to view recruiting IMO. Player ranking by position versus roster needs is the way. Now that the 12 team playoff is arriving with free agency in play, this becomes even more important. I think the recruiting has gone very well for our current situation.

Example - it does no good to use a huge chunk of NIL funds to sign the highest rated o-lineman in America if he is a big mauler who cannot or will not be willing to go uptempo and block with the techniques this system uses. Better to find the right fit of the best available that are able and willing. Better use of NIL money and coaching staff development efforts.

This applies in every position group. Most years the player rankings are skewed to the systems that do things different ways like what UGA, Bama, OSU, etc. run. The system that Heup runs has already been proven to be elite and hard to defend. That is indisputable. This season was easier to defend than most will be because of the QB and injuries to key players. The roster had not yet turned over fully to Heup's guys, the depth of his type and developed players is not yet finished. We are now a class closer. As we continue to do better on the field and strengthen as a program, there will be more success with recruiting higher rated players that fit the system. Crawl, walk, jog, run. We are nearing the run stage.

At some point B-Ham will be forced to deal with the facts on the ground and back off their corruption in favor of a select few. The expanded playoffs was like NIL, the transfer portal and resolving the NCAA issues. They are all keys that unlock doors to better days for Vol football.

Coaching staff development is the great equalizer over time and ends up attracting serious athletes who are not playing the NIL money game that have the potential to be in the NFL. That is what I have my focus on that needs improvement IMO - staff. I could care less what the Rivals, 247s, etc. think about the abilities of recruited players. My eyes and their offer lists are all I need for that. I only pay attention to who they indicate is interested, committing and signing.

Back to the regularly scheduled recruiting day programming...

 

[peaygolf]

ESD is always fun..................but 60% of these kids will be in the portal in two yrs.

 

[knoxvol52]

Class ranking has never been the way to view recruiting IMO. Player ranking by position versus roster needs is the way. Now that the 12 team playoff is arriving with free agency in play, this becomes even more important. I think the recruiting has gone very well for our current situation.

Example - it does no good to use a huge chunk of NIL funds to sign the highest rated o-lineman in America if he is a big mauler who cannot or will not be willing to go uptempo and block with the techniques this system uses. Better to find the right fit of the best available that are able and willing. Better use of NIL money and coaching staff development efforts.

This applies in every position group. Most years the player rankings are skewed to the systems that do things different ways like what UGA, Bama, OSU, etc. run. The system that Heup runs has already been proven to be elite and hard to defend. That is indisputable. This season was easier to defend than most will be because of the QB and injuries to key players. The roster had not yet turned over fully to Heup's guys, the depth of his type and developed players is not yet finished. We are now a class closer. As we continue to do better on the field and strengthen as a program, there will be more success with recruiting higher rated players that fit the system. Crawl, walk, jog, run. We are nearing the run stage.

At some point B-Ham will be forced to deal with the facts on the ground and back off their corruption in favor of a select few. The expanded playoffs was like NIL, the transfer portal and resolving the NCAA issues. They are all keys that unlock doors to better days for Vol football.

Coaching staff development is the great equalizer over time and ends up attracting serious athletes who are not playing the NIL money game that have the potential to be in the NFL. That is what I have my focus on that needs improvement IMO - staff. I could care less what the Rivals, 247s, etc. think about the abilities of recruited players. My eyes and their offer lists are all I need for that. I only pay attention to who they indicate is interested, committing and signing.

Back to the regularly scheduled recruiting day programming...

Nature of the Beast now, but I agree I can't see giving high school kids a big NIL when they haven't done anything in college...

But I'm a commie who thinks a free education should be enough payment...

 

[CNeagleVolFan]

I’m loving the potential of our edge rushers out of this class. Ross, Lindstom, and Gentle are all talk quick guys who can become nasty edge rushers under Rodney Garner.

 

[Outofmyvolcanmind]

I love that all of our highest rated players have either signed or enrolled. In the meantime, you have Florida, Florida State, and Ohio State just desperately trying to hold on.