this is what we are losing, do we have the horses coming in?

#26
#26
triadvolfan said:
Lots of contributors, not many draft picks. Maybe 4 (Fulton, McCullers, Stone, James). A few more might sneak in like Miller/Neal/Sapp.
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Raijon Neal imho is far better than Arian Foster was when he was senior. I can see Neal on someone team on Sunday.
 
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#27
#27
Problem is the junior and sophomore classes depth. Dooley did alright his first year recruiting if you consider that Bray and Hunter were also in it. It's his last two that is causing all these freshman to play. He built a solid foundation, especially on the oline, but never added to it. We get a good LB here or Dlineman there but never any depth other then WR.
 
#28
#28
SlyStone said:
Raijon Neal imho is far better than Arian Foster was when he was senior. I can see Neal on someone team on Sunday.
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Idk, I'm far from a Foster supporter, but Neal is more of a third down RB in the NFL. He really struggles with his ball carrier vision sometimes and misses holes. He's got a lot of heart, and I hope he makes it as a passing situation RB in the NFl, but I just don't know.
 
#29
#29
I think we will dearly miss our O-Line but that's not to say that they can't be replaced. We will have Lane next year as the starter and he's good so that shouldn't be much of a problem. Palardy is playing great this year, hope Bullock can replace him easily enough. Smith, Hood, Couch, and Walls will also be hard to replace.
 
#31
#31
Better everywhere except in the trenches next year. Two more years!!
 
#32
#32
This has been covered pretty well, but I want to add this. All these Freshmen we playing are going to be soph next year. Often 2nd year players make a big leap in productivity. If most of them do, then I think this will balance the losses.

#2 As far as Neal/ Foster, I'll pass. I would have bet my house that AF would never make an NFL roster av few years back. Not ready for GM role just yet.
 
#34
#34
What juniors leave early? I can only think Tiny and AJ leave, not anyone else right?
 
#35
#35
Not saying that the OLine will be better, but this group learned under 3 OL coaches. Next year's group basically can start fresh, and I think they will be better than some think.

Let's look at it the other way. On defense, we gain TK Jr., McDowell, Moseley, Gaulden, and Payne on the backend with Randolph, McNeil, Sutton, and Coleman. Then add Bates, Weatherd, and Mouhon to probably Maggitt and AJ, and then Henderson, Lambert, and maybe Hendrix to Vereen and Williams.

That is a fast defense.
 
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#37
#37
UT_Tix79 said:
AJ is as good as gone
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I'm not sure why so many folks are sure of this. He seems to have quite a few things he could use another year to work on. His tackling technique is far from sound. The "shoulder pad sling" isn't exactly a form tackle, and his coverage skills are constantly picked on.

Don't get me wrong, I think he's a great player, but is he really leave-his-junior-year good yet?
 
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#39
#39
UTC Vol Fan said:
Palardy - Will be replaced by Aaron Medley in both the punting and kicking games, he has a strong leg and Wilhoit as a mentor, but it's a big time leap from kicking at Marshall County to kicking in huge stadiums with 100,000 fans watching.

Brewer/Sapp - I think with an off season JRM will be able to step up at one of the OLB positions and hopefully we get Maggit back as well. Sapp has been playing extremely well and will be hard to replace. I think Weatherd will get a look on the outside as well. Hopefully AJ stays his senior year and our LB's should be a pretty solid group.

Neal - I really think Lane is going to have a big year when he is considered the man. Plus he isn't going to want one of the incoming freshmen come in and take over his spot.

Smith/Miller/Walls - these guys have been pretty inconsistent throughout their career, but Miller has been playing much better lately and Walls and Smith make play periodically. We have Vereen who looks like our next great DE, lets hope that continues and Jordan Williams will have to step in on the other side.

McCullers/Couch - We have basically been down Couch all year anyway. McCullers has been solid, but Saulsberry was looking really solid before going down and I think O'Brien and Carr are going to be good players as well and we have Lambert coming in too.

Stone/James/Fulton/Bullard - This will be the most important to replace and is the difference of taking a step forward or taking one backwards in year two of the Coach Jones era. I think Marcus Jackson will provide a boost in the running game as it has been said he is the strongest or one of the strongest lineman and Wiesman was getting rave reviews during camp. Mack is more of a true center then Stone, but is a smaller guy, James is tough to replace as he has started every game since he has been on campus. We have guys that have been in the system so it won't be like Dooley's first year when he had a first year freshmen out there. Hopefully Kerbyson can come in and play remotely close to James's level at RT or we can recruit a JUCO guy. Hopefully Tiny stays for his senior year because we have no one else coming back that is a true SEC caliber LT on the team.

The rest of the guys not listed above have provided special teams and some back-up roles, but I like our current class and think that we can fill some of those with better athletes so probably not much of a drop off, but I think Byron Moore has some leadership ability and he has helped recruiting as well so he will be missed.

Basically I think replacing the OL is the biggest issue that we face and the other seniors will most likely be replaced by someone equally as good. With those guys becoming starters we will have to find some depth behind those guys and that's what I'm not sure we have especially at DE. The good news on the OL assuming everyone comes back and Jackson continues to redshirt is that Tiny will be the only senior starter next year and then we will return an experienced line for Coach Jones year 3 when he better be winning or his seat will be warming up.
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agree but BMoore is a liability at safety...maybe a recruiting asset but all the newbies have got some of that too...they even have their own twitter to recruit kids.
 
#40
#40
I saw one mock draft that has Tiny going latish in the first round. He's probably early 2nd round worst case scenario, unless his tape from this year is bad and he has a weak combine. He'll surely leave. As for AJ, my guess is that he would not go before the 3rd round, but of course that is just a silly guess.
 
#41
#41
I don't think AJ or Tiny will go. They have a lot to stay for and can only up their draft positions.

only reason to go is if you are a solid first rounder and the risk of injury by staying another year is greater than your chances of upping your draft position.

both have a lot to prove before they are considered solid first rounders and both have a lot to stay for. a bowl appearance and a decent season will get them looks but 2014 should be a much better year. and with all the instability with coaching changes I think some continuity will help them grow.


Hunter went because of injury risk and coaching change. CP left because he probably could not have gotten any higher in the draft plus his grades would have made him ineligible. Bray left because all his targets were gone and there was a coaching change. Most would say Hunter and CP made good choices. Bray on the other hand....

also to the poster that said CP is not VFL.... him and Hunter tweet about the games all the time and CP didn't have to come back... he wanted to. You could see how these guys could be soured having to deal with coaching difficulties, especially Hunter and Bray.... but they aren't. they were there in the dark dooley days and still VFL. :peace2:
 
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#42
#42
According to the scouts, AJ's only lack is his speed, and that won't get any better another year of college. He'll just run the risk of injury.

Tiny and AJ are as good as gone IMO, and they both should leave
 
#43
#43
QVOL81 said:
There's not too much WOW in that group. A lot of the names pose the question.."Who?"
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Shouldn't be any question about who the starting offensive line, starting RB, and kicker/punter is.

There is no way we can completely replace the experience being lost on the O Line.
 
#44
#44
This will sound way more damning than the intention, but...

this is the "losing-est" senior class in modern UT football history.

Realistically speaking, we will probably thrive starting next year, given the new culture in the program, and with the infusion of new talent. We will not only survive but improve.

Like other posters have mentioned, but the OL experience will be tough to lose, but odd as it is to admit, the greatest obstacle to overcome will be replacing Palardy's effectiveness.
 
#45
#45
I rode the elevator with Gregg King the night before the WKU game. Guy is huge, but too bad he hasn't been a big factor. He did make the comment, when I asked, "How's it going to go tomorrow?" That we were going to kill 'em. He was right.

Just FYI btw, but the UT Vols team and staff stay at the Crowne Plaza in Knoxville on the nights before the game, on floors 5 and 10 I believe.

You'll see them around the lobby or in the elevator, and it's nice to chat with them about the upcoming game.
 
#46
#46
UT_Tix79 said:
According to the scouts, AJ's only lack is his speed, and that won't get any better another year of college. He'll just run the risk of injury.

Tiny and AJ are as good as gone IMO, and they both should leave
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Which scouts?

Johnson is probably a mid-rounder. Very little incentive for him to leave early.
 
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#48
#48
We are losing some good players that have accumulated 2 SEC wins in 2 years, sad indeed, in many ways
 
#49
#49
Catbone said:
Better everywhere except in the trenches next year. Two more years!!
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They'll know the system better. The OL loses talent but they don't have bad players stepping in. Depth will become a concern along with LT assuming Tiny does leave.

DL is probably the worst loss at this point. Saulsberry is good but overall UT loses 6 of their 2 deep on the DL iirc. Not good at all.... and especially if they're breaking in 4 or 5 new LB's behind them.

LB won't be better... at least not yet. Those guys are playing well. Depth will not be much better if any also.

Secondary will be the same guys so they SHOULD be better and may get some Fr help.

Palardy is a loss. He's playing great.

Neal is another that you'd by wise not to underestimate.

Experience and overall depth go backward just a tad.
 
#50
#50
A top 5 recruiting class, Berrys, Bates, Hurd, TJ2, Creamer 4* talent with great coaches. We will lose experience but the talent coming in will be top notch. GBO!!!
 
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