When would have been the best decision to pull Milton in retrospect? No fans saying we should just stick with what we know in this thread.

[Checker_the_Shire]

What irreversible damage could be done to Nico by him playing that is somehow only possible with him being on the field? I know you’re not naive enough to say there is some danger to him that isn’t present with anyone who steps on the field to play…

Nico is destined to be a failure if he is treated like some fragile head case than he has to be teed up for cupcakes before any actual competition.

If the fear is a career ending injury, why even play the game….

You answered your own question here. We have a QB who’s grown as the season has progressed. Is he a superstar? No. But is he doing just enough to win games? Sure. So why risk that career ending injury on a true freshman when the 6-year senior is working and up until last night, we were still in the hunt for Atlanta?

 

[Hank Bukowski]

Hello Vol fans.

I like Heupel as a coach. But some decisions he makes are just so….weird.

Like vol coaches before him…instead of what was doing best for the program—they ride a losing QB to the point of diminishing returns.

It was obvious Milton wasn’t the guy years ago. Michigan cut bait. For some reason—we hang on to these guys and let them put us in the position to lose games we should have won with a competent QB.

Obviously we’d be better off getting reps for Nico. When would have been the time to do it?

No one that is going to obliviously say nonsense like “the coaches obviously know what’s best” “Milton was the best choice” or any other pointless, zombie like thinking welcome here. Only people willing to constructively criticize the decision to ride with a guy who makes the team around him worse off.

Milton is a good guy. Bad QB. Makes everyone else around him worse. Bad reads on run options. Overthrows. No consistency. Just a bad QB.

We should just stick with what we know at this point. It was Heupel’s choice. I trusted him and his knowledge of both Joe and of Nico. I believed he believed Nico was simply not ready.
Maybe I was wrong about the guy who led us to an 11-2 record last year.

I trust him now to learn from this season and grow from it as a head coach. For me, I believe it’s time for him to make some coaching changes. If he doesn’t do that before spring practice, then I will have some concerns. Because next year could easily be worse than this season. For now, he’s my coach and I’m riding with him.

But, honestly, we should just stick with what we know at this point.

 

[JMSqb11]

You answered your own question here. We have a QB who’s grown as the season has progressed. Is he a superstar? No. But is he doing just enough to win games? Sure. So why risk that career ending injury on a true freshman when the 6-year senior is working and up until last night, we were still in the hunt for Atlanta?

The season is over. We aren’t playing for a NY6 game, we aren’t playing for Atlanta…. There is no difference in the taxslayer or music city bowl. Finishing 9-4/8-5 with Milton is much more underwhelming than 9-4/8-5 with Nico as the latter means we aren’t going into 2024 rawdogging the QB position.

Also, if you are worried about Nico suffering a career ending injury but aren’t worried about Joe risking any NFL career by getting an injury, you’re exposing yourself. The fact you only speak about injury risk for the future starter and not the graduating current starter is absurd.

You can’t find one valid reason that can support any reason to NOT turn the page on 2023 and start getting ready for the 2024 season with the guy who’s gonna be the starter.


If a massive injury risk is so apparent, we shouldn’t be playing Joe or Nico vs Georgia….

 

[Checker_the_Shire]

The season is over. We aren’t playing for a NY6 game, we aren’t playing for Atlanta…. There is no difference in the taxslayer or music city bowl. Finishing 9-4/8-5 with Milton is much more underwhelming than 9-4/8-5 with Nico as the latter means we aren’t going into 2024 rawdogging the QB position.

Also, if you are worried about Nico suffering a career ending injury but aren’t worried about Joe risking any NFL career by getting an injury, you’re exposing yourself. The fact you only speak about injury risk for the future starter and not the graduating current starter is absurd.

You can’t find one valid reason that can support any reason to NOT turn the page on 2023 and start getting ready for the 2024 season with the guy who’s gonna be the starter.


If a massive injury risk is so apparent, we shouldn’t be playing Joe or Nico vs Georgia….

Exposing myself for what, exactly? Sorry if I think it’s mind blowingly stupid to start a true freshman against the juggernaut that is UGA all because people think the season is over. Man I hate to think what happens when people face adversity in their life. Joe is QB1 till he ain’t. Get over it.

 

[BleedingOrangeInChatt]

Hello Vol fans.

I like Heupel as a coach. But some decisions he makes are just so….weird.

Like vol coaches before him…instead of what was doing best for the program—they ride a losing QB to the point of diminishing returns.

It was obvious Milton wasn’t the guy years ago. Michigan cut bait. For some reason—we hang on to these guys and let them put us in the position to lose games we should have won with a competent QB.

Obviously we’d be better off getting reps for Nico. When would have been the time to do it?

No one that is going to obliviously say nonsense like “the coaches obviously know what’s best” “Milton was the best choice” or any other pointless, zombie like thinking welcome here. Only people willing to constructively criticize the decision to ride with a guy who makes the team around him worse off.

Milton is a good guy. Bad QB. Makes everyone else around him worse. Bad reads on run options. Overthrows. No consistency. Just a bad QB.

Joe isn't a losing quarterback. I had no issue with him starting as I felt that was what was best for the team. I think it's nico time now but they will wait so they can redshirt him. Smartest play imo

 

[JMSqb11]

Exposing myself for what, exactly? Sorry if I think it’s mind blowingly stupid to start a true freshman against the juggernaut that is UGA all because people think the season is over. Man I hate to think what happens when people face adversity in their life. Joe is QB1 till he ain’t. Get over it.

We are at home so the environment issues that young QB’s often have trouble with are non existent.

We have won 14 straight at home so our team overall is better at home than on the road

The line this year is better equipped to handle tough SEC teams than next year’s.

Nico is gonna start against these types teams sooner or later. The fact your trying to deny the inevitable because of “risk of injury” is stupid.

If you are gonna clamor the point about injury risk for the future, but not for Joe and his personal future, it’s clownish.

 

[JMSqb11]

Joe isn't a losing quarterback. I had no issue with him starting as I felt that was what was best for the team. I think it's nico time now but they will wait so they can redshirt him. Smartest play imo

A redshirt is meaningless. If Nico is even half as good as advertised, he ain’t staying a full 4 years. He’s gone as soon as the 25 season concludes.

 

[Checker_the_Shire]

We are at home so the environment issues that young QB’s often have trouble with are non existent.

We have won 14 straight at home so our team overall is better at home than on the road

The line this year is better equipped to handle tough SEC teams than next year’s.

Nico is gonna start against these types teams sooner or later. The fact your trying to deny the inevitable because of “risk of injury” is stupid.

If you are gonna clamor the point about injury risk for the future, but not for Joe and his personal future, it’s clownish.

The fact you think just because it’s at home he’ll magically not have to deal with issues true freshmen deal with is arguably the most stupid thing I’ve seen. Enjoy your evening. Go Vols. Beat UGA. Milton till it ain’t!

 

[JMSqb11]

The fact you think just because it’s at home he’ll magically not have to deal with issues true freshmen deal with is arguably the most stupid thing I’ve seen. Enjoy your evening. Go Vols. Beat UGA. Milton till it ain’t!

If you think playing in Neyland is somehow comparable to playing in Athens and how it affects a QB, you’re being clownish. I’m sure the tens of thousands of Georgia fans in Neyland are going to make us have to use a silent count on offense the entire game because there is no way our team will be able to hear over all the noise.

But I’m sure with no experience next year besides cupcakes at home in Neyland will be the better way for Nico to prepare for playing Georgia and OU on the road…. Because that is what you’re saying.


You can’t actually find a reason beside this apparent risk only to Nico’s health that makes sense why he shouldn’t start. Who knew that only Nico is at risk for injury at the QB position. Not Joe, Not Gaston, not Schuler. Just Nico!

 

[Adam Sandler]

Milton not the problem. is he hooker? No. But he has most of the tools. I do think his football (and regular) iq is not super high, evidenced by sometimes throwing a ball based on a pre-play read that turned out to be wrong and end up right in the hands of a defender. You could argue his awareness is not all that great, and I wouldn’t argue with that either.

But the OL hasn’t helped him at all, and plenty of times neither have the WRs, and the defense! Takes all 22 doing their job to take a good team and make them a great team. If the OL unit plays poorly, everyone on offense has a bad day, and the defense doesn’t stand a chance to play 4 quarters of their best ball. If the WRs play portly, teams can focus on the run, making it way easier to stop us, again putting pressure on the defense when we should be moving the chains and putting points on the board. It’s all tied together. We just are not consistently good across the board, which sucks considering how many seniors we are playing with. Ideally we keep enough of the well playing seniors, aided by roster growth off season and transfer portal additions (that can assume a starting position) to make a big jump next year in our talent level/consistency, and put us over the bar on the recruiting front (dying for a top 5 class).

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Dave Hooker is stupid. He thinks we have leaders on this team. I see none. Hooker knows nothing about football

I have heard him complain about no leadership in this team multiple times. I don’t know what you are talking about. Regardless he does know some inside things.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Milton not the problem. is he hooker? No. But he has most of the tools. I do think his football (and regular) iq is not super high, evidenced by sometimes throwing a ball based on a pre-play read that turned out to be wrong and end up right in the hands of a defender. You could argue his awareness is not all that great, and I wouldn’t argue with that either.

But the OL hasn’t helped him at all, and plenty of times neither have the WRs, and the defense! Takes all 22 doing their job to take a good team and make them a great team. If the OL unit plays poorly, everyone on offense has a bad day, and the defense doesn’t stand a chance to play 4 quarters of their best ball. If the WRs play portly, teams can focus on the run, making it way easier to stop us, again putting pressure on the defense when we should be moving the chains and putting points on the board. It’s all tied together. We just are not consistently good across the board, which sucks considering how many seniors we are playing with. Ideally we keep enough of the well playing seniors, aided by roster growth off season and transfer portal additions (that can assume a starting position) to make a big jump next year in our talent level/consistency, and put us over the bar on the recruiting front (dying for a top 5 class).

Milton is one of the biggest problems.

 

[Rocky Top T]

I have heard him complain about no leadership in this team multiple times. I don’t know what you are talking about. Regardless he does know some inside things.

Every time he has Cooper and Jacob on his show, he talks about their leadership and others who are leaders

 

[TennBama]

Hello Vol fans.

I like Heupel as a coach. But some decisions he makes are just so….weird.

Like vol coaches before him…instead of what was doing best for the program—they ride a losing QB to the point of diminishing returns.

It was obvious Milton wasn’t the guy years ago. Michigan cut bait. For some reason—we hang on to these guys and let them put us in the position to lose games we should have won with a competent QB.

Obviously we’d be better off getting reps for Nico. When would have been the time to do it?

No one that is going to obliviously say nonsense like “the coaches obviously know what’s best” “Milton was the best choice” or any other pointless, zombie like thinking welcome here. Only people willing to constructively criticize the decision to ride with a guy who makes the team around him worse off.

Milton is a good guy. Bad QB. Makes everyone else around him worse. Bad reads on run options. Overthrows. No consistency. Just a bad QB.

Florida.
Weak performance in the weak prior and dismal showing at Florida would have warranted an open qb race like Texas loss did at Bama.

We stick with lovers to often because they are VFL's.

It's nothing personal, just business. Jalen Hurts may have benefitted more from being benched at Bama than if he'd lost the Natty that year.

Open up the reps we need then for next year.