Recruiting Forum Football Talk II

[Jwbvol]

The one good thing about us looking so crap this year is that we should have almost the whole team return next year because no one on the team can even sniff the NFL.

 

[OGbabyaviVol]

OG you led the charge last year! 1 in 100 calling us to win out. That was awesome.

Man, it was fun. After winning first 2 this year, especially the way we dominated Mizzou like we should have finally, I really thought we had arrived back on the scene, even with #2 at QB. That Mizzou win seems like months ago. Ugh! Losing sucks, especially the way we are doing it. 3 losses in a row in which we didn’t quit and the games were very close would be easier to swallow, even with one of those being Kentucky. However, I feel like I’m at that point of empathy when Butch and Dooley were here, knowing that they were not the ones who would bring us back. I don’t like that Pruitt is a Bama boy, but I REALLY hope the 3rd time is the charm when feeling this way, and I’m wrong about him. We need him to be the one that at least can get us to 9-10 win seasons, or I might be retired before we ever climb out of this hole, if we ever climb out.

 

[vols 30]

Two whole 4 stars? List some of the 14 three stars. We have more three stars than Bama, UGA, and LSU combined.

And then he can't figure out why we get embarrassed by UK. Sad

 

[OGbabyaviVol]

I have a few questions for the board:
Is Tennessee a well coached team?
Are we a smart, prepared football team?
have the players across the board markedly improved since Pruit got here?
How many games do you think a good game day coach is worth in wins?
What games have you sat back and said, ‘wow coach Pruitt and staff have called an exceptional game’?

NO

 

[tennvols77]

We were only beating bama on our best, and their worst day.

We need to get our proverbial s*** together and go play the next game like it is the last and only one.

Bye week and buckle up.

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

I've reached the point where what's happened has happened. It's all bout what happens the rest of the season now. Sure, the KY loss shouldn't have happened, but Bama was always expected to be a loss this year. It is what it is. Now we move on. Hopefully some things get fixed and we finish the season strong. If we're lucky, maybe we'll land a couple more big names in recruiting. Who really knows with how fickle these kids are nowadays? But it's no use wallowing in self-pity and misery. Life goes on.

I was always concerned that the Kentucky game was going to be a very bad trap that could go sideways and negatively effect the whole season...which is exactly what happened..

Now...if I could only get these gut feelings to work on the lottery..

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

He wins us a NC and I'll forgive a lot. I forgave Phil for that Memphis loss with Peyton as our QB.

That game..smh...

How...I mean..HOW do you lose to Tiger High with that QB and that team? That ranks as the all time worst loss to me...and it still makes zero sense.

 

[HankHill]

Palmer. Handicapped just like Chaney is by QB play. In a passing heavy offense with even an above average QB he’d be one of the better receivers in the SEC if not the country. Not to mention he was being covered by Surtain, one of the best corners in the country

The play surtain made on his ball in the end zone was text book.

 

[Tennessee Golfer]

The one good thing about us looking so crap this year is that we should have almost the whole team return next year because no one on the team can even sniff the NFL.

Having a whole team return from a crappy season isn’t a good thing.

 

[Smyrna ATL Vol]

Maurer consistently makes the wrong read with the rpo

How in the world did you come up with this conclusion? He was only called one throw and seven run plays. We hand off as if it is a RPO but none of those were RPOs. We were running the clock out.

 

[Smyrna ATL Vol]

It's really concerning to me the defense is so worried about who the QB is or isn't. Focus on fixing your side of the ball because it's a mess too

They are worried because we have the lowest TOP and it is keeping them on the field all the time. Anyone would start to give up hope when you know your QB can’t win you games and outs you in bad positions. I actually think we have a really good defense. They play with a lack of effort now because they know our offense can’t help them with JG.

 

[Smyrna ATL Vol]

You know we're struggling when all the miserable people start showing back up. Start winning and they'll go away again.

I guess it’s ok to get blown out three weeks in a row? And everyone will still be around. Some just don’t like to pretend everything is all sunshine and rainbows when things are going bad.

 

[GojiraVol17]

who's Viola?

Sounds foreign

 

[reVOLution33]

The one good thing about us looking so crap this year is that we should have almost the whole team return next year because no one on the team can even sniff the NFL.

I'm not so sure thats a positive...

 

[rekinhavoc]

They are worried because we have the lowest TOP and it is keeping them on the field all the time. Anyone would start to give up hope when you know your QB can’t win you games and outs you in bad positions. I actually think we have a really good defense. They play with a lack of effort now because they know our offense can’t help them with JG.

Second half of Georgia game they got gassed. 1st half of Kentucky game they slap gave up.

Name another skill position player with six turnovers over that span that would see the football in his hands again.

 

[Jackcrevol]

Sounds foreign

she plays you, like a fiddle.

 

[rekinhavoc]

who's Viola?

Misspelled . Corrected.

 

[JCP201]

Jeremy Pruitt's reasoning for not playing young players is a good sign for Vols

So Pruitt's saying there are bigger stronger and faster players on our team, but he won't play them because they haven't earned it.

 

[Volsdeep4]

8 years! I heard cussing that Johnny didn’t have it up until 85. How long does Les have at Kansas riding his BCS horse?

Do you think Les Miles would ever get fired from Kansas?

 

[Vols4us]

Man, it was fun. After winning first 2 this year, especially the way we dominated Mizzou like we should have finally, I really thought we had arrived back on the scene, even with #2 at QB. That Mizzou win seems like months ago. Ugh! Losing sucks, especially the way we are doing it. 3 losses in a row in which we didn’t quit and the games were very close would be easier to swallow, even with one of those being Kentucky. However, I feel like I’m at that point of empathy when Butch and Dooley were here, knowing that they were not the ones who would bring us back. I don’t like that Pruitt is a Bama boy, but I REALLY hope the 3rd time is the charm when feeling this way, and I’m wrong about him. We need him to be the one that at least can get us to 9-10 win seasons, or I might be retired before we ever climb out of this hole, if we ever climb out.

Feel your pain. Need to vent a bit.

Could you see that Connor Bazelak was legit at QB for Mizzou when he took the first snap against us? He just had a QB rating of 126 with 70% completion rate and 201 yards against the same UK team that #2 and the rest of the team laid a huge egg against. He was 29/34 for over 400 yards against LSU the week after us in his first start. He's a RS Freshman. Does anybody on here believe we would beat Mizzou today and that #2 would play better than a first year starter in his 3rd game as a starter? Of course not. Does anybody on here believe Mizzou has more team talent than our guys? Of course not.

Jeremy is in his third year as a HC and has worked for some of the elite HC's in CFB for a lot of years before campaigning for and taking the job at UT. I've had enough with the excuses. The youth movement should have started in 2018 - some of us on here begged for it. There are what, like 2 or 3 of Botch's guys that would be starters at other elite SEC programs after 3 years with Jeremy? Three years of development for just a couple guys to prove themselves, while most of the other Botch guys get starting roles and extensive playing time to do what exactly? Lose? Look like doofuses on the field? Why, because Jeremy says they practice well? To produce a .500 W/L record in his time here with losses to Georgia State, BYU and now UK? To get blown out of games twice as much as Dools and Botch? To be embarrassed and humiliated time after time?

Everybody talks about how he just needs time to get more talent. Two more classes ought to do it they say. Don't all programs say that when they make changes from a losing HC? Didn't we say that with Dools and Botch and even as Phil cratered? The days of out-recruiting other programs to be able to win are dead and gone. The others that try it pay more and risk the AA hammer or are buds with the good old boys. We are amateurs at it. So that leaves recruiting the best kids you can find who bleed orange and can be developed well by a better coaching staff than we have seen on the hill for the past decade. Most of knew Lane Kiffin could have been that guy. It didn't work out. But you don't stop trying to hire "that" guy who can do it because Lane blew it. That was the right move to make then and now - find an innovative guy that can recruit the right players that knows how to motivate, develop, and win on game day. Look at what Pittman has done at Arky. The coaching world knew Odom is elite as a DC - we knew it from having to play against his guys and schemes. Everybody knew Briles was innovative and a future star on a P-5 level at OC. Nearly everybody on here laughed at the Pittman HC hire, which was dumb considering Phil was similar to Pittman in backgrounds. Player love playing for Pittman just like they did for Phil. Duh.

As far as I'm concerned Jeremy has 5 games left for a 180 degree turn in how he approaches his job. If I see #2 starting a game, I will immediately know that he isn't serious about his job or he is just plain dumb as dirt.

 

[Z06VolinWV]

Jeremy Pruitt's reasoning for not playing young players is a good sign for Vols

So Pruitt's saying there are bigger stronger and faster players on our team, but he won't play them because they haven't earned it.

I can see it both ways. If younger guys that are bigger and faster can’t scheme correctly and repeatedly miss assignments, then yea, he has a point. If not, then it’s an issue.
The one clear message it sends is early playing for recruits isn’t a given which has been a strong point of Tennessee’s recruiting pitch the last few years.

 

[WebbCobb]

Yep but I'll be surprised if anyone but JG plays. He had just enough big throws down field that they will stroll him out there again.

But, it takes so much bad offence to set up those deep throws

 

[Jackcrevol]

But, it takes so much bad offence to set up those deep throws

it is absolutely ridiculous that all we do is throw deep and run up gut. our OC makes $1.15.

 

[WebbCobb]

I can see it both ways. If younger guys that are bigger and faster can’t scheme correctly and repeatedly miss assignments, then yea, he has a point. If not, then it’s an issue.
The one clear message it sends is early playing for recruits isn’t a given which has been a strong point of Tennessee’s recruiting pitch the last few years.

I get where he is coming from. Withholding game time is a good way to enforce a standard for preparation. However, there needs to be a standard for game-day execution as well, and when that is not met, somebody’s back end needs to meet the bench.

 

[InVOLuntary]

Feel your pain. Need to vent a bit.

Could you see that Connor Bazelak was legit at QB for Mizzou when he took the first snap against us? He just had a QB rating of 126 with 70% completion rate and 201 yards against the same UK team that #2 and the rest of the team laid a huge egg against. He was 29/34 for over 400 yards against LSU the week after us in his first start. He's a RS Freshman. Does anybody on here believe we would beat Mizzou today and that #2 would play better than a first year starter in his 3rd game as a starter? Of course not. Does anybody on here believe Mizzou has more team talent than our guys? Of course not.

Jeremy is in his third year as a HC and has worked for some of the elite HC's in CFB for a lot of years before campaigning for and taking the job at UT. I've had enough with the excuses. The youth movement should have started in 2018 - some of us on here begged for it. There are what, like 2 or 3 of Botch's guys that would be starters at other elite SEC programs after 3 years with Jeremy? Three years of development for just a couple guys to prove themselves, while most of the other Botch guys get starting roles and extensive playing time to do what exactly? Lose? Look like doofuses on the field? Why, because Jeremy says they practice well? To produce a .500 W/L record in his time here with losses to Georgia State, BYU and now UK? To get blown out of games twice as much as Dools and Botch? To be embarrassed and humiliated time after time?

Everybody talks about how he just needs time to get more talent. Two more classes ought to do it they say. Don't all programs say that when they make changes from a losing HC? Didn't we say that with Dools and Botch and even as Phil cratered? The days of out-recruiting other programs to be able to win are dead and gone. The others that try it pay more and risk the AA hammer or are buds with the good old boys. We are amateurs at it. So that leaves recruiting the best kids you can find who bleed orange and can be developed well by a better coaching staff than we have seen on the hill for the past decade. Most of knew Lane Kiffin could have been that guy. It didn't work out. But you don't stop trying to hire "that" guy who can do it because Lane blew it. That was the right move to make then and now - find an innovative guy that can recruit the right players that knows how to motivate, develop, and win on game day. Look at what Pittman has done at Arky. The coaching world knew Odom is elite as a DC - we knew it from having to play against his guys and schemes. Everybody knew Briles was innovative and a future star on a P-5 level at OC. Nearly everybody on here laughed at the Pittman HC hire, which was dumb considering Phil was similar to Pittman in backgrounds. Player love playing for Pittman just like they did for Phil. Duh.

As far as I'm concerned Jeremy has 5 games left for a 180 degree turn in how he approaches his job. If I see #2 starting a game, I will immediately know that he isn't serious about his job or he is just plain dumb as dirt.

I've come to the conclusion he's looking at this year totally different than us fans. He's willing to sacrifice this year to continue to instill his philosophy for next year and beyond. He is making his players earn it through their work ethic Sunday-Friday. I really don't think he gives a dam about this year. This is a 10 game scrimmage for him. You could tell it by the game plan against Alabama.