'19 TN RB Eric Gray

[NighthawkVol]

I don’t see how he can come here if it “wasn’t his choice”.. obv means NCAA infractions. Not a great look to bring him back when we finally feel like we have some momentum. I’m comfortable with the talent we have at RB already.

EXACTLY. I can’t believe we’re even discussing this. Let’s just wave a red flag in front of the bull that is the NCAA right when it looks like things are going well…all for a kinda good RB.

 

[T Dog]

View attachment 442074

Went from hero to 0?

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

People loved him while he was here then he leave and everyone wanted him to fail or said “he was no good anyway”

Correct. What’s wrong with that? His stats say he isn’t very good.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Went from hero to 0?

Hero of what?

 

[orangelo]

Williams is an incredible back with a skill set that is unique and complementary to our other backs. I am honestly ready to see him more than any other freshman and I think he will see the field a little more as the season wears on

 

[Maxwell865]

Correct. What’s wrong with that? His stats say he isn’t very good.

He was arguably our best running back for his first 2 years and that was in Pruitt’s garbage offense (averaged over 5 yards a carry). He would kill it in Heupel’s system. Jabari Small went from 4:5 yards per carry to 5.7 yards per carry when switching from Pruitt to Heupel’s offense

 

[Mr French]

He was arguably our best running back for his first 2 years and that was in Pruitt’s garbage offense (averaged over 5 yards a carry). He would kill it in Heupel’s system. Jabari Small went from 4:5 yards per carry to 5.7 yards per carry when switching from Pruitt to Heupel’s offense

So with Williams, and Wright with Small there's no real reason for him... had small not missed games last year he'd have been knocking on a 1k season. Chandler was better suited for Heupel due to his ability to actually run routes and catch out of the backfield imo.

 

[OrangeMoundTNVol]

Williams is an incredible back with a skill set that is unique and complementary to our other backs. I am honestly ready to see him more than any other freshman and I think he will see the field a little more as the season wears on

Heup lit up talking about Williams competitive fire, not hard to see he gets carries game 1. Looks like he's already skipped Whitehead, who's a nice looking back as well.

 

[VolFreakJosh]

Heup lit up talking about Williams competitive fire, not hard to see he gets carries game 1. Looks like he's already skipped Whitehead, who's a nice looking back as well.

Whitehead is super slow.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

Fact: Staff pursued Zach Evans
Fact: Staff pursued Jahmir Gibbs
Fact: Staff pursued that Bentley kid.
Fact: Bears eat Beats.
Fact: Battlestar Galactica
Fact: There we’re a number of other backs we “evaluated” in the offseason. Jacobs from Maryland for example.

So while a lot of us (myself included) think we’re good at the position - the staff clearly thinks we need someone else.

You don’t want to make this (or any decision) off of scorned lover emotion. I know I personally was salty he left.

Strictly off logistics - the kid is a talented playmaker who can help us.





I would welcome Eric Gray back with open arms.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Fact: Staff pursued Zach Evans
Fact: Staff pursued Jahmir Gibbs
Fact: Staff pursued that Bentley kid.
Fact: Bears eat Beats.
Fact: Battlestar Galactica
Fact: There we’re a number of other backs we “evaluated” in the offseason. Jacobs from Maryland for example.

So while a lot of us (myself included) think we’re good at the position - the staff clearly thinks we need someone else.

You don’t want to make this (or any decision) off of scorned lover emotion. I know I personally was salty he left.

Strictly off logistics - the kid is a talented playmaker who can help us.





I would welcome Eric Gray back with open arms.

I love rational Hole

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

I love rational Hole

Rational is all I ever am.

 

[De La Cloobs]

Whitehead is super slow.

Whitehead should have never been a RB. Should have stayed at LB

 

[PoweredByTheT]

So with Williams, and Wright with Small there's no real reason for him... had small not missed games last year he'd have been knocking on a 1k season. Chandler was better suited for Heupel due to his ability to actually run routes and catch out of the backfield imo.

That's crazy talk... Eric Gray is a LOT better than any of those kids... the "they all do the same thing" philosophy gets thrown out when the person that does the same thing would instantly be on top of your depth chart

 

[allvolrecruiting]

I like the guy, I like all Memphis kids who choose UT over Ole Piss. I just think Small has better burst and wiggle on the third level. And I feel Wright has better frame and more top end speed. Truth be told it got frustrating watching Ty and Eric run straight to the safety and become an automatic tackle.

Small definitely does not have better burst and wiggle lol

 

[Jackcrevol]

Whitehead should have never been a RB. Should have stayed at LB

he did reasonably well last year.

granted it does appear he would excel at LB.

 

[bluegrasser]

Also, consider how often our backs were dinged up, playing with injuries, or completely on the bench. I’ll take all the proven, experienced RB’s we can get

 

[Jackcrevol]

Gray should play Safety.

 

[Carp]

So if he HAD to leave because of the money shenanigans, why would we bring him back? We’re going to push him out to appease the NCAA, then say, “just kidding!”

That makes zero sense.

The rumor going around I heard was that we were reportedly going to suspend all players involved in the Pruitt scheme for the entire season, as a way to self impose penalties and appease the NCAA (just like the reduced scholarships). Obviously, upper class-man with eyes on the 2022 draft would have had no intentions of missing the entire season, so they would have transferred out.

Also, it may have even been implied that it would be better for everyone involved to just move on so it doesn't tarnish the players name and it looks better for TN PR-wise. But that is purely speculation on my part.

I think the NIL has changed the game a bit on that front and the NCAA is unlikely to take action against individual players as a result.

 

[Jackcrevol]

The rumor going around I heard was that we were reportedly going to suspend all players involved in the Pruitt scheme for the entire season, as a way to self impose penalties and appease the NCAA (just like the reduced scholarships). Obviously, upper class-man with eyes on the 2022 draft would have had no intentions of missing the entire season, so they would have transferred out.

Also, it may have even been implied that it would be better for everyone involved to just move on so it doesn't tarnish the players name and it looks better for TN PR-wise. But that is purely speculation on my part.

I think the NIL has changed the game a bit on that front and the NCAA is unlikely to take action against individual players as a result.

I think the NCAA absolutely intends to do as a cat getting put into the bath, sink what little authority it has into flesh.

 

[NoogaVol96]

Eric Gray could walk back in here tomorrow like he never left and I wouldn’t complain one bit.

 

[Mr French]

That's crazy talk... Eric Gray is a LOT better than any of those kids... the "they all do the same thing" philosophy gets thrown out when the person that does the same thing would instantly be on top of your depth chart

No he's not. Gray wasn't Kamara and people act like he was. Gray was notoriously bad at pass pro, and consistent with never making defenders miss besides a walk on vandy team..

 

[OrangeMoundTNVol]

Small definitely does not have better burst and wiggle lol

I've never seen Gray make a play like Small did that safety in the UK game

 

[OrangeMoundTNVol]

No he's not. Gray wasn't Kamara and people act like he was. Gray was notoriously bad at pass pro, and consistent with never making defenders miss besides a walk on vandy team..

He takes too long to hit top end speed IMO, hits the hole almost like a bigger back. Takes a while to get the wheels rolling.

 

[allvolrecruiting]

I've never seen Gray make a play like Small did that safety in the UK game

That was more of the safety overcommitting than it was Small just being incredibly shifty. He foreshadowed his cut back 4 yards before he met the defender.