Where is Nathan Leacock?

[LaserRocketArm]

We need to get rid of Heupel, period.

I just don’t understand why we pay him $7M/yr when we clearly have more knowledgeable people on VN forums.

 

[volfan2491]

If we get up on an opponent like UConn yes put them in. There’s a reason the people mentioned are not playing. What that is idk.

hell, i think we should just start them in this game. go ahead and give our starters a break esp after the october gauntlet they're going to go through.

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

Hyatt and Tillman wasn’t dropping a ton of wide open passes under Pruitt either, they were just handcuffed by play calling and quarterback play.

Hyatt actually did drop a ton of passes his freshman year. Spent the entire summer working with jug machine and worked hard and got better. How quickly people forget. GBO

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Hyatt actually did drop a ton of passes his freshman year. Spent the entire summer working with jug machine and worked hard and got better. How quickly people forget. GBO

You are correct. I do wonder if the change in offensive coordinator and a new WR coach has something to do with the problems our offense is having.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

I’ve given up on this guy. Did you see that tip pass castle caught, well it was off a pass that bounced off this guy’s chest, and it wasn’t an uncatchable pass.

Too early to give up on him. None of the WRs seem to be playing lights out. I do know the combination of our QB and WRs is not working as well as I and most of us expected.

 

[mitzustu]

Probably sitting in History class

 

[tennesseepride84]

Hyatt actually did drop a ton of passes his freshman year. Spent the entire summer working with jug machine and worked hard and got better. How quickly people forget. GBO

Listen to what you just said. Hyatt was a freshman, but Thorton is not. But here’s to hoping he balls out the red of the year and I’ll come back and eat crow.

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

Listen to what you just said. Hyatt was a freshman, but Thorton is not. But here’s to hoping he balls out the red of the year and I’ll come back and eat crow.

I was just talking about Hyatt, I agree Thornton has been a disappointment to this point. A few of our other proven receivers need to step up as well. Keyton needs too get back on track. Nimrod is making strides. Webb has had a few flashes. Squirrel and our Tight end Warren have been our most dependable overall thus far. But I have confidence we will get to clicking at some point. GBO

 

[jarnol32]

Listen to what you just said. Hyatt was a freshman, but Thorton is not. But here’s to hoping he balls out the red of the year and I’ll come back and eat crow.

Actually it was Hyatts sophomore year that he dropped all the passes. He had a better freshman year than sophomore year statistically. He struggled with drops in his 1st season in Heupels system, I recall watching a podcast talking about how Jim Cheney taylored plays specifically to get Hyatt the ball, and that in Heupels offense didn’t really design plays for a specific person. Either way he put in the work and was great his junior season.

 

[LWSVOL]

Ramel Keyton has handicapped this offense with drops on throws that either move the chains or would’ve been easy touchdowns. Keyton struggles to track the ball in the air, and he along with the rest of the receiving corp struggle to get separation from defenders.
With that being said why not put the blue chip freshman in and see what he can do? He would be hard pressed to perform any worse than Keyton has to this point, and would be getting valuable experience.

Not ready. Behind nimrod and webb who would be there before leacock. But just like with Milton don't expect Heupel to sit keyton.

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

Thornton isn’t gonna bull anyone. He’s charmin soft. He needs to be the deep threat over the top. He’s similar to Hyatt, neither like contact.

Similar to Hyatt? I wish.

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

I said he has the size to bully CBs - he is actually bigger than Tillman. At 6’5” he should be able to make life difficult for the average CB. You may be right that he needs a more aggressive attitude.

As for Hyatt, he has a knack for creating separation either with speed or route running…something we are really missing this year.

He’s taller but he’s rail thin and likely nowhere near as strong as Ced.

 

[37620VOL]

He didn't seem to have a problem with it last year. Made spectacular catches while filling in for Tillman and then Hyatt in the Orange Bowl

That's his problem. He makes a couple catches that make you ooh and ahh, but generally does not get open enough and drops crucial easy catches.

 

[Volfan574]

I have faith that Keyton will make up for his Texas A&M drop when we play Bammer.

 

[Vol865]

There's a reason Heupel prefers recruiting and developing over the transfer portal. We ask our WRs to do more than most schools. Efficiency in that usually comes with experience, something true freshmen don't typically have.

 

[Carp]

Deonte Thorton is still waitng to be unleashed to...or maybe not...? maybe SEC football is too tough for him to compete in...

He's dropped about half the passes sent his way. Huge disappointment so far.

We need someone to step up in front of these guys and push Keyton and Thornton down the depth chart. Maybe the competition will motivate them push themselves to reach their potential. It certainly did for Hyatt.

 

[Carp]

There's a reason Heupel prefers recruiting and developing over the transfer portal. We ask our WRs to do more than most schools. Efficiency in that usually comes with experience, something true freshmen don't typically have.

I don't think that is true. He brought in JaVonta Payton year 1 and made him an immediate starter. Then last year he brought in Bru McCoy and did the same (well after he got NCAA clearance). We landed Thornton after missing out out on Dominic Lovett and RaRa Thomas. Thrornton looks to be a bust unless he can get focused and turn it around.

 

[jarnol32]

Similar to Hyatt? I wish.

Do you remember Hyatt’s sophomore year? He was very similar to Thornton so far this season.

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

Do you remember Hyatt’s sophomore year? It was very similar to Throton so far this season.

You didn’t say similar to Hyatt’s sophomore season. You said similar to Hyatt, which would imply present day, and repeated the tired, false narrative that Hyatt doesn’t like contact.

Don’t compare a guy who’s been a dud so far to one who had the best year a receiver has had for UT since Robert Meachem or Peerless Price.

 

[jarnol32]

You didn’t say similar to Hyatt’s sophomore season. You said similar to Hyatt, which would imply present day, and repeated the tired, false narrative that Hyatt doesn’t like contact.

Jesus Christ, you can go back and watch Hyatt dropping the ball and shying away from contact throughout his sophomore year. Did he get better last year? Of course… Has Thornton had the same issues this season? I would answer yes. He has a similar build compared to Hyatt, they’re built for speed not contact. That being said maybe Thornton can add muscle, and improve to go from a disappointing season this year to a stellar one next season… just like Hyatt did.

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

Jesus Christ, you can go back and watch Hyatt dropping the ball and shying away from contact throughout his sophomore year. Did he get better last year? Of course… Has Thornton had the same issues this season? I would answer yes. He has a similar build compared to Hyatt, they’re built for speed not contact. That being said maybe Thornton can add muscle, and improve to go from a disappointing season this year to a stellar one next season… just like Hyatt did.

All you had to do was make it clear you were comparing him to 2021 Hyatt. Tense matters. As it was it seemed like you were subtly shading Hyatt present day, and I took exception. All good. Hopefully Thornton does add muscle and figure things out. If he can even approach Hyatt’s work ethic, he likely will.

 

[sjt18]

Ramel Keyton has handicapped this offense with drops on throws that either move the chains or would’ve been easy touchdowns. Keyton struggles to track the ball in the air,

Does he? So just suddenly he's an awful WR after being really good last year? Interesting.

and he along with the rest of the receiving corp struggle to get separation from defenders.

Or... Milton makes his decisions/reads too slow. He tries to throw to open receivers rather than throwing receivers open. Milton HAS done this well in the past at times. He's not doing it well this year. Because he's trying to hit guys after they break open, he has to drill it in. Between the velocity and the closing coverage, he makes it harder for the receivers to make plays.

With that being said why not put the blue chip freshman in and see what he can do? He would be hard pressed to perform any worse than Keyton has to this point, and would be getting valuable experience.

Well, no. Keyton and the WRs are heavily involved in the run game. A WR makes more plays blocking than catching the ball. A WR that cannot be counted on to read the coverage and option to the right route can create plays that lose games. Those are just two reasons young WRs have to develop before playing. Nimrod and Webb are just now really becoming good enough to be trusted.

The coaches have a pretty good idea of what Leacock is prepared to do... and I'm not sure where you guys get the idea that they have to show fans in games to prove it.

 

[pimo1]

Ramel Keyton has handicapped this offense with drops on throws that either move the chains or would’ve been easy touchdowns. Keyton struggles to track the ball in the air, and he along with the rest of the receiving corp struggle to get separation from defenders.
With that being said why not put the blue chip freshman in and see what he can do? He would be hard pressed to perform any worse than Keyton has to this point, and would be getting valuable experience.

Ramel Keyton is the victim of more missed PI calls than any WR I have ever seen.

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

Actually it was Hyatts sophomore year that he dropped all the passes. He had a better freshman year than sophomore year statistically. He struggled with drops in his 1st season in Heupels system, I recall watching a podcast talking about how Jim Cheney taylored plays specifically to get Hyatt the ball, and that in Heupels offense didn’t really design plays for a specific person. Either way he put in the work and was great his junior season.

You sir are correct, it was his Sophmore year. Just shows football players can fall into slumps just like baseball players.

 

[Volfan1000]

Deonte Thorton is still waitng to be unleashed to...or maybe not...? maybe SEC football is too tough for him to compete in...

I think that Thornton will have a break out season in 2024.