Recruiting Forum Football Talk IV

[Jimmy Football]

I understand the concern about defensive recruiting, because we desperately need help on that side of the ball.

What I don’t understand is why people are acting like everything is decided on Wednesday. We don’t even know how many spots the staff was looking to save for defensive transfers.

 

[Ron Swanson]

Practice observations…

Hooker, Tillman, Velus Jones and Golesh are scheduled to met the media post practice....



Tennessee was back inside on Tuesday as bowl preparations continue. For the Vol defense it was about leverage and tackling.

The safeties worked extensively on tackling drills as did linebackers.

On the defensive line, Trinity Bell, in a non-contact jersey, worked with the defensive line. The Alabama native redshirted this year as he recovered from a torn ACL. I don’t know how good Jordan Phillips is going to be but he bends pretty well and seemed fairly comfortable in the leverage drills.

After working a great deal on the side on Monday, Tyler Baron was back with the defensive line group going through all the drills. Andison Coby is a guy who looks quick, cuts well. He needs to catch the ball better, but athletically Coby moves as well as any receiver.

Both Hendon Hooker and Cedric Tillman look like they have been throwing together the last two weeks. Their timing was on point on Tuesday morning.

Cade Mays didn’t practice again on Tuesday and neither did Elijah Simmons. Jaylen Wright was in a non-contact jersey again on Tuesday.

Speaking of running backs, Jerry Mack had his unit working on running through contact as they hit some sleds on carries and worked on running through arm tackles.

Tennessee is off tomorrow. Thursday is their normal run-through/walk through game week Thursday practice. The Vols will practice through Wednesday morning before breaking for Christmas.

Players are scheduled to arrive in Nashville from where ever they are spending the holidays on Christmas night. Tennessee will practice the morning of the 26th with the game on Thursday the 30th.

- Hubbs

 

[GoBigOrangeVols]

Unfortunately there’s just not a sober or objective way of viewing the close of this early signing period…as currently anticipated/predicted…as anything less than a complete failure.

 

[csprig9]

Coby coming out party next year?
Hopefully

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

Our offensive haul is solid. Defense leaves much to be desired, which is why I do not think the investigation is playing a substantial role in this class. Our offensive philosophy (warp speed) is being utilized against us in defensive recruiting. If it were about the investigation it would affect both sides of the ball equally, I think. Who knows at this point.

I think the investigation hurt us early with several targets for sure. It isn't fair to say that it had no effect. Heck, even CJ Smith mentioned it in his interview the other day. It clearly affected him. But this close to the class has zilch to do with the investigation.

 

[cHiZzLeVOL]

Our offensive haul is solid. Defense leaves much to be desired, which is why I do not think the investigation is playing a substantial role in this class. Our offensive philosophy (warp speed) is being utilized against us in defensive recruiting. If it were about the investigation it would affect both sides of the ball equally, I think. Who knows at this point.

My thoughts on our defensive haul. We have a lot of defensive players coming back. Outside of obviously needing immediate help at LB and Safety, our DL has a ton of returning talent.

 

[bignewt]

Contrary to popular belief in here, you can still be a die hard Vol fan and have concerns about the way this coaching staff recruits. Both can be true.

You can love the Vols and even believe in Heupel and still be concerned that:

• The recruiting on the defensive side of the ball is struggling.
• Our recruiting class is ranked behind South Carolina, Kentucky and Missouri.
• We're coming in 2nd and losing tight recruiting battles to schools who don't even have a DC.

It's ok to admit you're concerned about these things. You don't have to turn in your fan card to do so.

May I ask a question? What purpose does it serve to come over here and complain about how bad this staff recruits? Does it make you feel better? Do you feel smarter than...? You are voicing your concern into an echo chamber you do realize that right? We are all equal on here, no one who reads your "concern" can actually address it.

Maybe if people came here before spring ball, after February's signing day and after we have taken who we are taking in the portal and they still think the staff just sucks at recruiting I think that would be a good time to have a conversation. Have a better perspective of what transpired.

Doing it on Dec 14th? You just sound like a captain obvious whiny B who wants attention.

namaste.

 

[Orange Studs]

Big fan of Hulu live so far. Got it first weekend of NFL season when my AT&T streaming service didn't have NFL Network.

I just hate it when you record you can't fast forward through all the commercials.

 

[orange parmejohn]

What’d he say?

Nothing we don’t see with our own eyes. It is just the resignation in all of their voices.

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

I understand the concern about defensive recruiting, because we desperately need help on that side of the ball.

What I don’t understand is why people are acting like everything is decided on Wednesday. We don’t even know how many spots the staff was looking to save for defensive transfers.

As Eric Cain said last night, transfers are a bandaid, not a long time solution. They certainly help us as Hooker and Velus have, and we should get the ones that we need. But you can't live and die off of transfers. 4 year players are still the way to go and always will be. A lot of transfers are 1 year players. You can't build a team with transfers.

 

[BubbaWms]

 

[MadWorld]

That means there's a 50% chance AP doesn't know wtf he's talking about.

There's a 72.9% chance that all statistics are made up.

 

[Smyrna ATL Vol]

Practice observations…



- Hubbs

Bell is perfect size for SDE.

 

[cHiZzLeVOL]

As Eric Cain said last night, transfers are a bandaid, not a long time solution. They certainly help us as Hooker and Velus have, and we should get the ones that we need. But you can't live and die off of transfers. 4 year players are still the way to go and always will be. A lot of transfers are 1 year players. You can't build a team with transfers.

Almost all the transfers we got were more than one year players so this isn’t necessarily true.

 

[KB5252]

Our offensive haul is solid. Defense leaves much to be desired, which is why I do not think the investigation is playing a substantial role in this class. Our offensive philosophy (warp speed) is being utilized against us in defensive recruiting. If it were about the investigation it would affect both sides of the ball equally, I think. Who knows at this point.

I think this is true to some extent, the offense is exciting, easier to get players excited for that.

 

[Jfoley89]

Honestly, if we end up with a Top 25 class, I'll be stunned with how well this turned out for Tennessee. Between my concerns about Heupel, the never ending investigation, and our one millionth coaching search in the last decade, it's a great place to start

 

[bignewt]

As Eric Cain said last night, transfers are a bandaid, not a long time solution. They certainly help us as Hooker and Velus have, and we should get the ones that we need. But you can't live and die off of transfers. 4 year players are still the way to go and always will be. A lot of transfers are 1 year players. You can't build a team with transfers.

Transfers fill immediate holes, which in turn gets you more wins, which in turn gets you better high school recruits., which in turn means you dont need as many transfers.

 

[Leeleesteeth]

May I ask a question? What purpose does it serve to come over here and complain about how bad this staff recruits? Does it make you feel better? Do you feel smarter than...? You are voicing your concern into an echo chamber you do realize that right? We are all equal on here, no one who reads your "concern" can actually address it.

Maybe if people came here before spring ball, after February's signing day and after we have taken who we are taking in the portal and they still think the staff just sucks at recruiting I think that would be a good time to have a conversation. Have a better perspective of what transpired.

Doing it on Dec 14th? You just sound like a captain obvious whiny B who wants attention.

namaste.

DEAD ON! Some just whine because it's mentally lazy and simple. Some have to try to pass themselves off as experts. The measuring stick is what the roster looks like after Spring Ball. Great Post.

 

[KB5252]

My thoughts on our defensive haul. We have a lot of defensive players coming back. Outside of obviously needing immediate help at LB and Safety, our DL has a ton of returning talent.

I think the defense is a few pieces away from being really good, we also need depth.

Hoping we close on a couple of the better defensive guys and we can fill in the portal. Best we can do at this point, run it back next year and see what happens.

 

[orange parmejohn]

Honestly, if we end up with a Top 25 class, I'll be stunned with how well this turned out for Tennessee. Between my concerns about Heupel, the never ending investigation, and our one millionth coaching search in the last decade, it's a great place to start

Our class is reflective of how Tennessee has half a**ed the NIL market, imo. I would guess they are trying to nickel and dime players while teams like Missouri are writing checks and taking names.

 

[VFLPastor]

 

[Jimmy Football]

As Eric Cain said last night, transfers are a bandaid, not a long time solution. They certainly help us as Hooker and Velus have, and we should get the ones that we need. But you can't live and die off of transfers. 4 year players are still the way to go and always will be. A lot of transfers are 1 year players. You can't build a team with transfers.

We don’t have a choice. We need help now, and we didn’t get enough in the high school ranks, even if we signed everyone we’re still in on (which isn’t going to happen).

 

[Smyrna ATL Vol]

As Eric Cain said last night, transfers are a bandaid, not a long time solution. They certainly help us as Hooker and Velus have, and we should get the ones that we need. But you can't live and die off of transfers. 4 year players are still the way to go and always will be. A lot of transfers are 1 year players. You can't build a team with transfers.

I disagree. Good players aren’t going to wait 3 years to play. Hell many don’t wait one. And the portal is an easy way to get playing time. I think college football is changing and you have to account for 25% or more of your classes to be portal players now. It’s free agency now and no rules to stop it. Ole Miss and Michigan state changed their team with portal players and JUCO. It’s the quickest way to winning.

 

[orange parmejohn]

May I ask a question? What purpose does it serve to come over here and complain about how bad this staff recruits? Does it make you feel better? Do you feel smarter than...? You are voicing your concern into an echo chamber you do realize that right? We are all equal on here, no one who reads your "concern" can actually address it.

Maybe if people came here before spring ball, after February's signing day and after we have taken who we are taking in the portal and they still think the staff just sucks at recruiting I think that would be a good time to have a conversation. Have a better perspective of what transpired.

Doing it on Dec 14th? You just sound like a captain obvious whiny B who wants attention.

namaste.

Recruiting is year round. Talking about recruiting is year round. That is why there is an entire forum for it. SMH

 

[Orange Studs]

As Eric Cain said last night, transfers are a bandaid, not a long time solution. They certainly help us as Hooker and Velus have, and we should get the ones that we need. But you can't live and die off of transfers. 4 year players are still the way to go and always will be. A lot of transfers are 1 year players. You can't build a team with transfers.

The position we are in right now we don't have much choice but to blend our recruiting class until kids see things are stable and see us winning. This staff is smart enough to know, get all the high school kids we can get to develop and fill holes with transfers until transfers become fewer and fewer.