Recruiting Forum Football Talk VI

[Ten_Titans]

Kind of crazy to me with all the bad corner play, Dee Williams never really got a chance to try his hand out there.

Hopefully with a healthy Spring and Fall he can contribute. He'd hate to finish his career at UT as the "got tackled by the punter" guy.

 

[SoilVol]

The secondary is the reason you went 10-2 and not 11-1. You survived some games (Florida for example) despite them. The season was a great season. I'm excited to watch some replays again this summer. It's the off-season so let's try to get better in our biggest weak link. As a fans, it's fun for us to hope, speculate and discuss.

The coaches can make those decisions and they will. All I am saying is they own the secondary issues entirely. No more lacking talent comments from us, them or anyone else. That's all I'm saying. Idk why that's so arguable.

I guess because nobody has made an excuse that, if the secondary struggles next year it's because it lacks talent. That was true this year, but nobody has said that about next year, yet. I guess I personally just don't understand why that's being prematurely broughy up. Depth and talent has improved regardless of if a portal DB is added. Current players have improved. We will be more talented next season. If things don't improve then it's a serious staff change discussion - that's regardless of if we bring in a transfer or not. I don't think improvement hinges on portalling a starting DB.

So it's just kinda confusing (and in total honesty, annoying) that we are still arguing about something that hasn't happened yet.

They know they own the struggles of EVERY position group. They haven't made excuses like our previous head coaches have. If there's one thing Heupel has done from day one it's say the failures are on him and his staff and the success is on the players. Everyone knows the failure is on them IF they fail.

Last season everyone complained about 3rd and long and mobile QBs. Iirc, many said, "If Banks doesn't fix this then Heupel needs to move on from him." We didn't bring in a new portal player to fix that problem, the current players got better at defending it and coaches scheming it. "Great success!" - Borat

We lost Alontae and Theo and that greatly exposed our depth and talent disparity on the back end. That was worsened by injuries that you can't predict. That was the glaring weakness this year and the team navigated those struggles to 11-2. They know what needs to be improved. They targeted the defensive backfield in recruiting. They're willing to take the right portal guy if available, but they don't feel desperate like so many fans do. They fixed the issue last offseason, I believe they'll fix the new issue this offseason.

It just seems so much simpler to leave off the stipulations and demands for a transfer DB and just say, "We have to have better play from the secondary. Whether that be from improvement of current players, incoming star freshman, or transfers. If it doesn't improve then it's reasonable to question Martinez's position."

And I think you're very right on the importance of improved secondary play. I wouldn't be shocked if the offense took a small step back in production next year just due to chemistry. New QB, new targets, new line, new OC etc. We will need improved defensive play to keep us in tough games. Moreso than this year imo.

 

[volinokc]

Do you think the secondary is in good shape next year?

I suspect we will run our defense without a secondary next year. The coaches likely see futility in trying since they aren’t getting portal players.

 

[volbeast33]

$7,750,000 is fair I think based off of this year, and still leaves room for incentives to continue winning 10+ games, the division, the conference, and making the playoff.

However, the market dictates his value and this SEC coaching market is really dumb. I think $9M would be understandable and fair, based on the other guys in the $8-9M range. I'd rather not give him that if we don't have to.

I’d give him 20,000,000 a year if we can keep his buyout low if things go sideways and add a huge buyout that we get if he decides to leave.

 

[SoilVol]

Do you think the secondary is in good shape next year?

I think it's got the pieces to be solid. Much improved. It's just unproven atm. It's also reassuring that we've heard great reports of the freshmen EEs and that the staff isn't scouring the portal and begging DBs to come take a starting spot.

I'm still more worried about quality depth at LB. And I'm not sure what to think about all the emphasis on DL transfers. Makes me concerned we are going to lose some guys or that some guys aren't what we thought they were.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

I think we will have better talent in the secondary next year, but less experience. Having some of the Freshmen as EEs will help and by mid season, the newbies should be playing well. I expect the defense to be better overall’.

 

[BigSteve09]

I’d give him 20,000,000 a year if we can keep his buyout low if things go sideways and add a huge buyout that we get if he decides to leave.

we are really good at contracts, i'm going to copy paste some of these ideas in an email to danny white

 

[NMVol]

LOL !!!! You win ......
View attachment 529483

I would like to commend my fellow thread members for staying on topic.

 

[drvenner]

This is truly inspiring. I have not had the best couple of weeks (though the Orange Bowl and running MSU out of the gym were awesome) and just watching this recovery unfold before our eyes is incredibly uplifting.

 

[drvenner]

.

?

 

[TheRain]

 

[JT3]

VN brethren, I need some help resolving a fantasy football dilemma. After the no contest for the Bengals-Bills, ESPN erased the stats from the game to that point. Our commish who was up 4 at the time is now down 3. He had Burrow, Chase, and Mixon playing who average a combined 59 points a game. Other guy had no one left. The other guy is now claiming victory. This is a decade long league with some decent money on the line.

I was the league creator, and judgement has been passed to me as commish is in a conflict of interest. It's unprecedented and imo it's clear commish should be the champ. Thoughts?

So I'm currently going thru the same dilemma with my league. We have a modified PPR scoring league and I was up 69 points going into that game. I also had Chase playing. My opponent had Burrow and Tee Higgins.

I'm suggesting swapping out our affected players with players from our bench OR using all affected players projected scoring to determine a winner.

My opponent wants to split the pot and call it co-champs. I'm telling him to kick rocks. The likelihood I was going to lose was slim to none if the game was completed. Like less than 1%. I've offered doubling his 2nd place payout as a fair offer bc using benched players or projected scoring, I'll still win regardless.

In your scenario the other guy was definitely going to lose and didn't have no one affected by the game. He had already lost by the time the game stopped halfway through the 1st Q.

Best option may be to split the pot. Both sides have an argument that they actually won. You would think the current winner would be okay with that bc he definitely was taking a L and had a 0% chance of winning if the game was completed.

Tough spot, good luck.

 

[TrippieRedd]

If we don't get a portal DB, then please for the love of god just play the younger guys.

Matthews and Gibson at Corner
Turrentine and D. Slaughter at Safety

 

[Smyrna ATL Vol]

Tank plays because he makes most of the defensive calls on the backend. On offense, you have two people making calls and adjustments (QB and C). The same for defense (LB and S). If he couldn't make all the calls at safety (his natural position) that would keep him from starting. He was moved to CB out of necessity. He has better cover skills than our other corners, but his speed is still a liability at that position. I still think he makes the permanent move to CB this off season though.

I am sure they can get someone else to make the calls other than one player. That’s an excuse and even more an indictment on coaching if you only have a couple safeties who can make the calls.

 

[drvenner]

I am ready for spring practice. This will be a long 2 months with the same discussion.

Oh, never fear. It will continue long after Spring practice is over.

 

[Smyrna ATL Vol]

The players themselves disagree with that take.

Ok Willie!

 

[OrangenSC]

Do *you* see how that works? Do *you* see where very talented coaches believe they need the most help?

This isn't my argument, but in somewhat following it, one problem I see is that fans are making judgements and criticizing based on what someone else is saying will or will not happen. Someone else who may or may not know. Tale as old as time.

 

[TrippieRedd]

Tank could've been Reeves-Maybin 2.0. Make him put on 10-15 pounds and put his ass at LB.

 

[drvenner]

Guess we can roll with this…

I am reasonably sure that is actually true. I remember when it was changed from 423. We had been 615 forever before that.

 

[thistime]

 

[OGbabyaviVol]

The real problem is Kelly, Fisher, Kiffin, and Stoops are overpaid. (Well, they're all overpaid IMO, but based on results, those 4 are really overpaid.) So that skews what is "fair". I'd put him at about $7.5mil based on current pay scale of college coaches. Then, as success continues, you move him past those undeserving coaches I spoke of.

Yeah I can’t believe UK is paying Stoops 8.2 million for mediocrity and an occasional 9-10 win season. Talk about low expectations.

 

[Weezer]

I think it's got the pieces to be solid. Much improved. It's just unproven atm. It's also reassuring that we've heard great reports of the freshmen EEs and that the staff isn't scouring the portal and begging DBs to come take a starting spot.

I'm still more worried about quality depth at LB. And I'm not sure what to think about all the emphasis on DL transfers. Makes me concerned we are going to lose some guys or that some guys aren't what we thought they were.

If you consider the freshmen DBs quality depth, then why not the freshmen LBs? All 3 are also EEs.

 

[Christian Lowe]

SIAP

 

[drvenner]

And?

 

[Weezer]

Tank could've been Reeves-Maybin 2.0. Make him put on 10-15 pounds and put his ass at LB.

I honestly think that would have been best for him.

Just an opinion.