Six to 10?

[WriterVol]

Not much. He was their back up. He has to be more ready than that.

I sympathize... but others have had tough situations too.

It's football. Tough breaks happen all the time. But I gotta think getting down to your fourth guy has to be a pretty rare occurrence.

 

[WriterVol]

Can we please burst this "Kiffin fixed Crompton" myth?

Crompton was named the starter straight-away by Kiffin in the Spring. He and Chaney had all kinds of time to work with Crompton.

Crompdaddy was lost as last year's Easter Egg again for half the season.

The game finally slowed down for the 5th year 5* senior who had a googolplex of offensive coordinators.

Do we need a reminder of how little coaching Bray received? Chaney and co took a first round talent and coached him down to unsigned free agent.

Cut, on the other hand, did fix Ainge and would have made Bray a winner.

Cutcliffe has done it time and time again. Manning, Martin, Manning, Ainge, etc. After Barkley left, USC's QBs looked pretty terrible from the little I saw.

 

[WriterVol]

He has said from the beginning the O will come around and that the D was his primary concern.

To his defense I do not think he is as critical of the staff as some on here and has been labeled a nega by bringing up some legitimate points. I share some of his same concerns but am choosing to give them the time I did not give Dooley.

I think when questioned the right way, he's not that much of a different opinion than most other people. He's just got a funny way of putting it.

 

[oregonvol]

Out of curiosity, how many took over programs with losing records?

5 of the last 23 championships were won by coaches who took over programs with losing records, so over twice as many as those won (2) by coaches who had a losing record in their first year.

 

[Grizzly Vol]

Once the draft comes and goes, this will be revisited. Giving more evidence that CBJ couldn't beat Vandy with X amount of draftees.

Watching the debate unfold then will be as entertaining as it is now.

 

[SayNoToJorts]

There is a difference between talent and depth. Also, if your NFL caliber linemen have spent the last 3 years pretending to lift weights, there is a small chance they might underachieve

 

[volfan411]

Once the draft comes and goes, this will be revisited. Giving more evidence that CBJ couldn't beat Vandy with X amount of draftees.

Watching the debate unfold then will be as entertaining as it is now.

What will be funny is if Vandy has more players drafted than UT.

 

[Grizzly Vol]

What will be funny is if Vandy has more players drafted than UT.

Oh no don't say that. Who knows what would happen if they were to have more draft picks than us.

However, more humor for me.

 

[daj2576]

I guess I get a little confused when people start making statements like UT goes bargain shopping for coaches. I think you're letting your hatred of Dooley, and his recruitment here, cloud your judgment.

We certainly aren't paying the most for a coach, but it appears we are currently paying in the top 10% of NCAA coaches and top 4 in SEC (presuming this data is correct).


Salaries & Contracts

 

[Grizzly Vol]

I guess I get a little confused when people start making statements like UT goes bargain shopping for coaches. I think you're letting your hatred of Dooley, and his recruitment here, cloud your judgment.

We certainly aren't paying the most for a coach, but it appears we are currently paying in the top 10% of NCAA coaches.


Salaries & Contracts

Negativity abound amongst some here on VN.

 

[daj2576]

Negativity abound amongst some here on VN.

It's not the negativity that bothers me.

What bothers me the most is the blatant disregard for reality, or data, that occurs if it conflicts with an already formed conclusion. More than that, it is the nationwide phenomenon (a great study could be made here) that has led people to believe that thought and feelings are synonyms. So many here create conclusions based on feelings and then latch on to "data", no matter how questionable, that affirms their conclusion.

See: Smith, Shannon, Gruden, et al.

 

[volfan411]

I guess I get a little confused when people start making statements like UT goes bargain shopping for coaches. I think you're letting your hatred of Dooley, and his recruitment here, cloud your judgment.

We certainly aren't paying the most for a coach, but it appears we are currently paying in the top 10% of NCAA coaches.


Salaries & Contracts

To clarify my statement I think the work that has to go into recruiting hinders UT more than the money. As I said earlier this is not a job where a coach is going to be able to be home every night he is going to have to spend more nights on the recruiting trail than say a coach at UF or LSU where they have talent in their back yard.

 

[daj2576]

To clarify my statement I think the work that has to go into recruiting hinders UT more than the money. As I said earlier this is not a job where a coach is going to be able to be home every night he is going to have to spend more nights on the recruiting trail than say a coach at UF or LSU where they have talent in their back yard.

I wasn't addressing that at any one person, just the collective that is VN.

Sorry for the confusion.

Good news for you Sir, as TN continues to grow so shall it's prospects of solid HS athletes. A rising tide in TN will raise our fortunes. Butch is making recruiting look very easy. In fact, compared to what he had to do at CMU and Cincy, it probably is easy here. The talent within a couple hundred miles of campus is good enough that recruiting (while difficult due to the other schools who overlap that territory) shouldn't be as hard as Dooley and Fulmer ' s last year's made it look.

 

[sjt18]

Maybe I'm under the impression that you seem to think it all has to do with coaching. Me I seem to think that coaching has a part in it, execution has a part in it, talent has a part in it, and some times even luck has a part in it.

I say that... then people attack the part about coaching and ignore the rest.

If you are the coach, you can control the coaching part and recruit the talent part which is what's happening now, but the execution part comes down to the players doesn't it?

Yes and no. I would point to the stark difference in offensive execution from 2005 to 2006 when UT went from Sanders to Cut. Likewise, some of the same guys who were "too slow" in '12 and '13 executed much better under Wilcox.

I was looking for a much bigger difference in execution and especially because Jones preaches it so hard. Again, I saw some evidence of change on O... very little on D.

The players on D didn't get the job done either.

Agreed but I would have a problem with the playcalling as well.

I may be wrong in a couple of years, but I think Jancek will be fine as a DC once he has the talent. and I think Bajakan will be fine as well at OC. Kudos too for finally giving this staff some credit!

Honestly I have all along. People don't react to that. They only react to the criticisms so that's what I end up talking the most about.

 

[volfan411]

I wasn't addressing that at any one person, just the collective that is VN.

Sorry for the confusion.

Good news for you Sir, as TN continues to grow so shall it's prospects of solid HS athletes. A rising tide in TN will raise our fortunes. Butch is making recruiting look very easy. In fact, compared to what he had to do at CMU and Cincy, it probably is easy here. The talent within a couple hundred miles of campus is good enough that recruiting (while difficult due to the other schools who overlap that territory) shouldn't be as hard as Dooley and Fulmer ' s last year's made it look.

Yeah the instate talent should help us in every aspect of the program in the future. I for one am glad and believe we need kids who love the program and all the traditions that go with it.

 

[sjt18]

I wasn't addressing that at any one person, just the collective that is VN.

Sorry for the confusion.

Good news for you Sir, as TN continues to grow so shall it's prospects of solid HS athletes. A rising tide in TN will raise our fortunes. Butch is making recruiting look very easy. In fact, compared to what he had to do at CMU and Cincy, it probably is easy here. The talent within a couple hundred miles of campus is good enough that recruiting (while difficult due to the other schools who overlap that territory) shouldn't be as hard as Dooley and Fulmer ' s last year's made it look.

It is VERY important where that growth occurs. Growth in the Memphis area won't help much. Growth from about Kentucky Lake and east will help a good bit. Memphis has not been a great area for UT... and even the highly rated players from there seem to bust at a high rate.

 

[daj2576]

Yeah the instate talent should help us in every aspect of the program in the future. I for one am glad and believe we need kids who love the program and all the traditions that go with it.

I have read through several different sources that something like 80% of recruits will end up going to a school that is roughly a half days drive from where they live. For UT, that means that Charlotte, Atlanta, and Nashville are prime targets for UT recruiting (our back yard). Those places all have good to great talent. When you look at the rise of quality players in smaller markets (Chattanooga, Knoxville, Murfreesboro, etc) there really are very positive signs that a solid recruiter, like Jones, can amass great talent at UT.

Jones inherited, in my view, a team of players with a relatively solid roster of starters. The damage to him, and our season, came with the issue of quality back-ups. Next year should be a much more solid two-deep, although the team will trend younger. That isn't a positive thing necessarily, but the team will be far more talented overall than we have seen in several years.

 

[daj2576]

It is VERY important where that growth occurs. Growth in the Memphis area won't help much. Growth from about Kentucky Lake and east will help a good bit. Memphis has not been a great area for UT... and even the highly rated players from there seem to bust at a high rate.

For the first time since about the Missouri game, I can say that we absolutely agree.

 

[Grizzly Vol]

It's not the negativity that bothers me.

What bothers me the most is the blatant disregard for reality, or data, that occurs. More than that, it is the nationwide phenomenon (a great study could be made here) that has led people to believe that thought and feelings are synonyms. So many here create conclusions based on feelings and then latch on to "data", no matter how questionable, that affirms their conclusion.

See: Smith, Shannon, Gruden, et al.

Data can only go so far in sports with some. Their opinions are set in stone regardless of evidence to the contrary. This doesn't go for everyone but some of the people I've met, especially at my job (work in a sports store) my statement holds true

 

[DC Vol]

I have read through several different sources that something like 80% of recruits will end up going to a school that is roughly a half days drive from where they live. For UT, that means that Charlotte, Atlanta, and Nashville are prime targets for UT recruiting (our back yard). Those places all have good to great talent. When you look at the rise of quality players in smaller markets (Chattanooga, Knoxville, Murfreesboro, etc) there really are very positive signs that a solid recruiter, like Jones, can amass great talent at UT.

Jones inherited, in my view, a team of players with a relatively solid roster of starters. The damage to him, and our season, came with the issue of quality back-ups. Next year should be a much more solid two-deep, although the team will trend younger. That isn't a positive thing necessarily, but the team will be far more talented overall than we have seen in several years.

As a metro area goes, I'd put ATL only behind Miami in terms of talent produced. Dallas/Houston/LA area kids just don't seem to be as consistently good as Miami/ATL area guys. Just my novice opinion.

But, as you were saying, within a 200-250 mile radius UT has Charlotte, Atlanta and Nashville. Those aren't the best but they are getting to be very quality areas.

If you push that mile radius to 350 miles (still a 4-4.5 hour drive, about half a day for most) UT has a huge amount of talent. This includes Central Georgia to Central Ohio. Central NC to West Tennessee. Most of South Carolina and Central Virginia are also covered.

Central Alabama is in there as well but that is going to be impossible to encroach on with Bama/Auburn being how they are.

Are there better areas to be? Yeah. UGA sits in the middle of an extremely good area. So does UT-Austin and TAMU. The problem with a lot of coastal colleges (USC, Florida schools) is the Atlantic ocean and Gulf don't produce players so you're limited in the directions you can go and the radius of players you can fit within the 200-350 mile radius.

 

[volinSmyrna]

Why are we so hung up on this 6-10 number. Since we are counting Palardy that is 23 positions on the team. The better number to look at is overall number of draftees on the entire roster. I will wager that that number is not that much higher than the 6-10 just this year.

For comparisons sake, take a look at the 1997 roster. We had 28 guys drafted off that roster!!!

Off the 2013 roster we "MIGHT" have half that. If we could just have 1-on-1 matchups with our 5 best vs other people's 5 best, we might have a shot, but it takes 23 plus depth....which we do NOT have!

 

[sjt18]

Why are we so hung up on this 6-10 number. Since we are counting Palardy that is 23 positions on the team. The better number to look at is overall number of draftees on the entire roster. I will wager that that number is not that much higher than the 6-10 just this year.

For comparisons sake, take a look at the 1997 roster. We had 28 guys drafted off that roster!!!

Off the 2013 roster we "MIGHT" have half that. If we could just have 1-on-1 matchups with our 5 best vs other people's 5 best, we might have a shot, but it takes 23 plus depth....which we do NOT have!

Disagree... if I understand you correctly. I think two of the current WR's at least will get a shot at the NFL by the time they are done. If Saulsberry stays healthy, he will along with other DL's that were development only this year will get a shot. Maggitt is almost certain. I'd put money on JRM. Sutton is likely and either or both of the S's if they are coached up.

I will be surprised if two or 3 of the remaining OL's do not develop into NFL prospects.


To daj's point earlier. There was a big ol' ugly gap in Dooley's recruiting that DID hurt depth a good bit. The first year was pretty good. The 2nd year was OK. The third year wasn't very good.... then he set Jones up to fail in '12.

 

[volinSmyrna]

Disagree... if I understand you correctly. I think two of the current WR's at least will get a shot at the NFL by the time they are done. If Saulsberry stays healthy, he will along with other DL's that were development only this year will get a shot. Maggitt is almost certain. I'd put money on JRM. Sutton is likely and either or both of the S's if they are coached up.

I will be surprised if two or 3 of the remaining OL's do not develop into NFL prospects.


To daj's point earlier. There was a big ol' ugly gap in Dooley's recruiting that DID hurt depth a good bit. The first year was pretty good. The 2nd year was OK. The third year wasn't very good.... then he set Jones up to fail in '12.

Didn't say get a shot, we are talking drafted. If you are adding in free agents the 97 roster would be approaching 40. No other WR besides North is an NFL player. Agree with Maggitt and Sutton. I'd put money on JRM too, maybe Randolph. Lets just say 2 of the OL are and that is 7 more. Still not enough talent to be very competitive.

There is no way that there are 20 draftable players off this roster. If there are that will be the biggest sign that this coaching staff is doing work, because the talent is not evident at all right now.

 

[ZoSo0789]

No other WR besides North is an NFL player. Agree with Maggitt and Sutton.

If you think Pig isn't headed for a late round pick, you're delusional. You really think that if these WRs picked up from DivIII schools facing nobody running 4.5 forty times get good shots, then Pig won't get a shot? Pig is fast, tough, and great after the catch. I'd draft him all day long if I'm a GM

 

[volinSmyrna]

If you think Pig isn't headed for a late round pick, you're delusional. You really think that if these WRs picked up from DivIII schools facing nobody running 4.5 forty times get good shots, then Pig won't get a shot? Pig is fast, tough, and great after the catch. I'd draft him all day long if I'm a GM

Call it a brain cramp...i was only thinking about the outside guys. However, personally, I wouldn't put any of my own money down on Pig getting drafted. I think he probably can, but isn't a lock in my opinion.

The reason I say that is because 5'8 receivers usually only get drafted under 2 situations. 1) They can absolutely FLY (see Tavon Austin) or 2)They are a technician with their routes (see Wes Welker). I love Pig and glad he's a Vol, but I don't see either of those 2 out of him right now.