'20 TN DT Omari Thomas (UT SIGNEE)

[Memphisvol87]

Rocker has taken the least experienced group of no name DL and turned them into the best unit on the team. I’d prefer he gets and extension.

I respectfully disagree. The d line is benefiting from Bituli and To’oto’o having great years. The d line couldn’t line up correctly for 4 games and routinely ran into each other and fell down.

 

[Smyrna ATL Vol]

Rocker has taken the least experienced group of no name DL and turned them into the best unit on the team. I’d prefer he gets and extension.

I agree they are playing well. He deserves a ton of credit for that. But we need some elite DL to compete for championships. Just hoping we land Baron, Big O, and Ox to develop them and unleash them on our rivals.

 

[Volfan76]

Rocker has taken the least experienced group of no name DL and turned them into the best unit on the team. I’d prefer he gets and extension.

That's why you are the recruiting forum nazi and not on the coaching staff.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

I respectfully disagree. The d line is benefiting from Bituli and To’oto’o having great years. The d line couldn’t line up correctly for 4 games and routinely ran into each other and fell down.

But the DL has improved dramatically since those first 4 games. So who gets credit for that?

 

[scvolfan7]

Has to be a medium somewhere. I love the job Rocker is doing. But recruiting at some positions is seriously lacking. We need to add recruiters as well

Good coaching leads to winning which leads to better recruiting. Look at coach Barnes. He just signed the best class in UT history because he found diamonds in the rough, developed them, and won.

I like our 2020 class right now and I’m confident we will add 7-8 other good players. 2021 is going to be a very good class I think. Pruitt has a chance to catapult us back to the top next season. We will have elite depth on the lines of scrimmage and a senior QB

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

Good coaching leads to winning which leads to better recruiting. Look at coach Barnes. He just signed the best class in UT history because he found diamonds in the rough, developed them, and won.

I like our 2020 class right now and I’m confident we will add 7-8 other good players. 2021 is going to be a very good class I think. Pruitt has a chance to catapult us back to the top next season. We will have elite depth on the lines of scrimmage and a senior QB

Agree, but we can’t be losing top 100 priorities from Chattanooga to mediocre AU

 

[Memphisvol87]

But the DL has improved dramatically since those first 4 games. So who gets credit for that?

You have a point and I agree the coach should. My point is that improving from middle school football isn’t that hard. They are playing well enough to win sec games so I should probably not complain. My gripe is we just need some elite dline guys to keep progressing.

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

Rocker has taken the least experienced group of no name DL and turned them into the best unit on the team. I’d prefer he gets and extension.

Agreed.

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

Coaching>>>>recruiting. Rocker needs to stay

Agreed..

 

[xtremevolfan]

I respectfully disagree. The d line is benefiting from Bituli and To’oto’o having great years. The d line couldn’t line up correctly for 4 games and routinely ran into each other and fell down.

You realize Bituli and To’oto’o wouldn’t be having the seasons they are without the dline occupying blocks and getting penetration. They go hand in hand.

 

[VolGee4]

That's why you are the recruiting forum nazi and not on the coaching staff.

Really? Ron just brings positivity when many try to bring us down.

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

Really? Ron just brings positivity when many try to bring us down.

I agree, but he does get a little too gung ho sometimes.

 

[901LookAlive]

I respectfully disagree. The d line is benefiting from Bituli and To’oto’o having great years. The d line couldn’t line up correctly for 4 games and routinely ran into each other and fell down.

The d-line is playing at a real high level. If you can't see that then you don't really know football. Emerson and Middleton are currently playing at a all SEC level. Solomon, Butler, Bumphus and the rest of those guys are really playing high level ball. Rocker is a high level d-line coach, just a sh*t recruiter.

 

[Ron Swanson]

That's why you are the recruiting forum nazi and not on the coaching staff.

 

[JacketVol]

You probably remember the backlash from the Auburn fans when Chizik was hired. Rumor was that Chizik was one of the few available coaches that was willing to "play the game" that Auburn wanted.

Then Gus became Chizik's OC .. so Gus learned how to "play the game" while on the job.

Bowden wouldn’t play the game. Cut it off. They said fine. As long as you win we don’t care. Then, first slip and he was @Big Gucci Sosa , he gone

 

[Ron Swanson]

I agree, but he does get a little too gung ho sometimes.

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

Respect that..me too.

 

[SugarCC]

I would assume so as he is the d line coach. If not, it is because they have better recruiters on them which is still not a good sign. IMO of course.

Dont you just love people who make bold statements, not knowing what the hell they're talking about?

 

[JacketVol]

If people have info on the Auburn system then why not expose it? Quit complaining about a “system” if it is not illegal.
I have often said that UT needs to determine why so many of these star recruits do not want to come here. It was especially troubling to me when earlier in this recruiting season when a recruit announced he was going to visit Knoxville and another star recruit asked why would you want to visit there?

Bama and auburn have books on each other. They know how to do it but have been caught a few times when NCAA really cared. Now, NCAA just isn’t as big a bully as it used to be and money is rolling. All play the game some are just more willing to play it bigger

 

[Crazy Ivan]

I respectfully disagree. The d line is benefiting from Bituli and To’oto’o having great years. The d line couldn’t line up correctly for 4 games and routinely ran into each other and fell down.

I would argue it is the opposite. The D line is playing well enough to keep opposing OLmen from getting to the 2nd level and getting blocks on Bituli and Henry T. I do agree that early on the DLs were struggling, but they had relatively little experience playing together as a unit.

 

[barrylee]

Just double checked my calendar, not even Dec 19th yet much less Feb so we really don't know who we missed on yet.. There will be plenty of time to fret later if necessary.

 

[BearCat204]

I respectfully disagree. The d line is benefiting from Bituli and To’oto’o having great years. The d line couldn’t line up correctly for 4 games and routinely ran into each other and fell down.

This defensive line has been playing incredible and has allowed our linebackers to make plays. They dont make those plays without the dline controlling the los.

 

[butchna]

I respectfully disagree. The d line is benefiting from Bituli and To’oto’o having great years. The d line couldn’t line up correctly for 4 games and routinely ran into each other and fell down.

Bituli and Toto didn’t have remarkable seasons until the line started gelling...respectfully remembering.

 

[bignewt]

Agree, but we can’t be losing top 100 priorities from Chattanooga to mediocre AU

mediocre AU is a better team right now.

 

[kemotoe]

I imagine this is Rodney Garner on the phone with recruits.