Recruiting Football Talk VIII

#33,226
#33,226
I'm not sure how good we really are, NC State isn't the same team they were last year. Lost a lot and we were their first real test of the season. They really could have lost to both the other teams they've faced too.

And then obviously Chattanooga and Kent State aren't exactly good measuring sticks for us either.

We have 4 straight games though that'll show how good we really are at OU, BYE, at Arkansas, vs Florida and vs Bama. If we're undefeated going into Bama then we're a playoff team imo...if we're undefeated going into Athens then we're a legit National title team.
 
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#33,230
#33,230
engineerVOL said:
Read my mind, jake. Why I don’t think we hang 40 like everybody here expects is I don’t see a WR outside of Squirrel on the boundary on go routes that can just get separation. And Nico has been flirting with a pick on a comeback route. Heupel can scheme up someone open consistently but I do wonder if Nico has enough experience to process it.
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What is it with you guys and "separation"...it's like a smart sounding buzzword that you heard Chizzle say and took up the call.

There is nothing wrong with our WRs...the problem is teams dropping deep and refusing to leave one man on those go routes...they have all been extremely stubborn about it.

I don't blame them...nearly every time they do take a chance and leave one on one on the deep routes...he and the reciever burn it.
 
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#33,231
#33,231
DD4ME said:
The only comment i would add is it sounds like they typically like to stack the box. Their base tends to have 6+ near the LOS. 12 personell only plays to their strengths. I think the tight ends take a back seat. If we have them in for protection that probably means Venebles got his way schematically. We need Nico and passing to shine this week. WR need to make wise choices on their choice routes and Nico needs to make the pass.
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If they go with a heavier box this is going to be the Mike Matthews coming out party
 
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#33,233
#33,233
Ulysees E. McGill said:
The crowd always really messes with our OL, and that is the issue that causes all of our problems in these loud road games...hopefully we have found a solution to that.
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More worried about the players that haven’t had a true road game yet.

The more I think about it, not really worried about Nico anymore. I am worried about Ricky though.

I think they will pick on him all night, I hope he’s read for the test.

Other than that, I think we should handle business.
 
#33,236
#33,236
jave36 said:
Literally my only concern is that "road Tennessee" from the previous couple years shows up. We are better in every way than OU, the only way we lose is if we play well below our potential....which we've proven we can do on the road many times.
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We ain't losing this game. Out of all the games on the schedule, everyone on the team knows the importance of this game to CJH.
 
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#33,237
#33,237
TrippieRedd said:
More worried about the players that haven’t had a true road game yet.

The more I think about it, not really worried about Nico anymore. I am worried about Ricky though.

I think they will pick on him all night, I hope he’s read for the test.

Other than that, I think we should handle business.
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I'm with you.

Having leaders (elders) all along the OL, and some leaders (elders) on the DL and Pili. I think we have guys all over that will not be deterred. Squirrel will lead the WR room. Sampson won't be rattled. Even someone like Brooks can lead by example and demonstrate the impact you can have on the road starting hot (his LSU fumble recovery).

We have the talent all over. We seem to be venomous on offense and stout on defense. We have experience.

This game will tell us a lot about leadership.

It will tell us a lot about who Nico is. Big time players make big time plays in big time games. That's just the way it is. Like a lot of posters here, I think he's going to step up. I think he's ready to step up.

We've got guys on the roster that ate it on the road. We've got guys on the roster that excelled on the road. I don't think this game or environment will catch anyone by surprise. They've seen it all at this point. Nico seems to be very cool, very level-headed.

I can't wait to see what we're made of.
 
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#33,242
#33,242
OGbabyaviVol said:
Very fitting that this is the verse for today and these thoughts hit home very hard. I’ve been struggling with a lot of things in my career. Most of you know that the veterinary profession carries one of the highest suicide rates in the world. That is never an option for me, because my faith in God and his promises are too strong and great to lose them. I have been struggling immensely with a lot of things and, am considering walking away from the Equine profession that I have given over 23 years of my life too. My plan is to convert to small animal medicine. While equine medicine is my passion, I have reached the point that I can’t keep doing it the way that I currently do it, and my boss seems to be unwilling to make any changes for me that I need. I read this verse as I started reading a four page letter to him yesterday morning. Now I see it on here this morning with all the things I feel and struggle with. Thanks for this! I feel like it’s God telling me I’ve got you and I have your plans laid out for you… Just trust in Me, so I will as I always have tried to do. Sorry for getting off topic.
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I left my engineering job of 30+ years because of my boss, who was the office manager. I think it was a gift from God, because my wife and I started a very fulfilling and successful business growing coffee in Hawaii for ten years. Quitting our jobs in the oil patch seemed dumb at the time, but we wouldn't trade those ten years for anything, even though we could have made more money in the oil business.

Maybe your current situation is like mine was; it could be God telling you that you have something else to pursue. Look for something that brings you joy, and good luck! Sending my thoughts and prayers your way.
 
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#33,244
#33,244
screenthis said:
Good, thanks for asking. After a 'radial amputation'...yikes...finally made it back to Huntsville from Spokane. Wife is a nurse and works in Spokane so stayed there for about a month and a half. Now, please oh please, let the infection be vanquished. My main task now? Which Tennessee game should I attend this year and just how much of my bank account do I need to empty out?
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Glad to hear you're doing better. Those infections can be sneaky.

I'd probably have to go to the Bama game, if I could.
 
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#33,246
#33,246
MoCo_Vol said:
AJ Johnson might be one of the greatest LBs to ever play at Tennessee.

His talent was wasted here under Dooley then Butch neither of which knew a damn thing about player development.
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It is amazing how two people can have such drastically different views on the same player.

Last year AJ was a badass...no doubt about the that. He is a VFL so I will just leave it at that.
 
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#33,248
#33,248
DD4ME said:
Then they get to have all their hog mollies at the line of scrimmage, which is how they play. They have the largest d linemen in the conference. It would not be my strategy to play into their strength. Their DB'S on the other hand are SEC slow. One was a Georgia guy that went to Louisville. A Georgia guy with speed is not ending up in Norman or Louisville typically unless he is not fast enough.

Their secondary is the biggest mismatch we have. Their D line is their greatest strength.
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The thing about UT’s offense isn’t that the WRs are track-speed faster. They may be, but it’s not the point. As soon as somebody takes a slow step to think and process, he’s cooked and he’s so far out in space that help is not nearby. Defending this offense requires instant and insane commitment to doing your job.

If OK goes heavy in the box, it’s trying to make Nico beat them with his arm. I think he passes that test pretty comfortably. If OK goes light in the box—3 down and 2 LB, say—it will be daring UT to run and win blocks. I still think UT wins that matchup, but it might be closer. If I were OK, I’d be trying to force run reads and then get Nico to pull the ball and run. Is he willing to keep running on the road and take take hits? Or will UT’s coaches start pre-determining reads? I’ve seen Nico pass in the face of what look to me like run reads, and that means that he’s not really deciding or sometimes forcing passes.
 
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#33,249
#33,249
Ulysees E. McGill said:
It is amazing how two people can have such drastically different views on the same player.

Last year AJ was a badass...no doubt about the that. He is a VFL so I will just leave it at that.
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Which AJ are you talking about?

Cause AJ Johnson I'm referencing had his last year in 2014 cut short by false allegations and is 2nd all time in tackles at UT for a career.

4 years, 46 games, 424 total tackles, 32 TFLs, 3 sacks, 5 INTs, 3 FFs & FRs
 
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