Why the heck not?

[ConantheVolbarian]

I keep hearing everyone say that it would be foolish to start a true freshman in Tuscaloosa and my question is "Why?" He is a 5 Star and he is getting paid big money to deliver big performances like SEC road wins. The truth is we have no clue what he is capable of playing meaningful snaps with the starters. What would it hurt to roll the dice and start him the first drive and see what he can do? We know what we have with Joe. He is struggling. It is what it is. But Nico is still an intriguing mystery.

 

[RockyTop140]

You may be forgetting the heupel and co get to watch nico every day. So they know what we have and they must not believe he’s ready. If it starts getting out of hand that’s when we may see him to give us a spark.

 

[UT_Tix79]

Only way Nico plays is if Milton gets injured, or we’re ahead or down by 28

 

[onevol74]

I keep hearing everyone say that it would be foolish to start a true freshman in Tuscaloosa and my question is "Why?" He is a 5 Star and he is getting paid big money to deliver big performances like SEC road wins. The truth is we have no clue what he is capable of playing meaningful snaps with the starters. What would it hurt to roll the dice and start him the first drive and see what he can do? We know what we have with Joe. He is struggling. It is what it is. But Nico is still an intriguing mystery.

How long have you been cheering for Alabama?

Our $9mil coach is 5-1.

 

[ConantheVolbarian]

You may be forgetting the heupel and co get to watch nico every day. So they know what we have and they must not believe he’s ready. If it starts getting out of hand that’s when we may see him to give us a spark.

Umm do you not remember Dobbs? He was buried on the depth chart and probably would never have played if injuries didn't force him to play, and he ended up being great and key in our bowl seasons under Butch. My point is we have no clue what Nico has until he is given meaningful snaps with the starting offense. He hasn't been given that opportunity. My other point is those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it and that's what is happening now. I'm seeing shades of Peterman and Guarantano.

 

[Other_Guy]

Idk man they're 7-1 with Joe and they didn't lose to Florida because of him. They lost because of Mays out and the defense.

 

[TAF]

'Cause THIS is what it looked like LAST TIME!!!

 

[hardyemt_p]

Heuple won't bench Milton period. He's waited his turn again.That's the wrong message to QB recruits. Our receivers aren't helping at all.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Umm do you not remember Dobbs? He was buried on the depth chart and probably would never have played if injuries didn't force him to play, and he ended up being great and key in our bowl seasons under Butch. My point is we have no clue what Nico has until he is given meaningful snaps with the starting offense. He hasn't been given that opportunity. My other point is those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it and that's what is happening now. I'm seeing shades of Peterman and Guarantano.

Dang, I missed that Josh Heupel coached Dobbs. I could've sworn that was Butch Jones. And I must have been dreaming that it was Jeremy Pruitt who coached JG.

Why don't you just come out and say it: You don't think Coach Josh Heupel knows what he's doing. You think he's in the category of Butch and Pruitt.

That's what you're actually saying, so just be honest about it.

 

[BigALWiLson]

Umm do you not remember Dobbs? He was buried on the depth chart and probably would never have played if injuries didn't force him to play, and he ended up being great and key in our bowl seasons under Butch. My point is we have no clue what Nico has until he is given meaningful snaps with the starting offense. He hasn't been given that opportunity. My other point is those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it and that's what is happening now. I'm seeing shades of Peterman and Guarantano.

You don't give an opportunity. He has to earn it. That’s how it works. Unless there is an injury Nico will play when Heupel deems fit.

 

[OrangeTsar]

If you have any suspicions that Heupel wouldn’t play whatever player gave us the best chance to win, you don’t know the competitor that Heupel is. He is still that Heisman runner up NC QB at heart.

 

[GordonC]

If you have any suspicions that Heupel wouldn’t play whatever player gave us the best chance to win, you don’t know the competitor that Heupel is. He is still that Heisman runner up NC QB at heart.

Bingo
It really is such a stupid take

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

I keep hearing everyone say that it would be foolish to start a true freshman in Tuscaloosa and my question is "Why?" He is a 5 Star and he is getting paid big money to deliver big performances like SEC road wins. The truth is we have no clue what he is capable of playing meaningful snaps with the starters. What would it hurt to roll the dice and start him the first drive and see what he can do? We know what we have with Joe. He is struggling. It is what it is. But Nico is still an intriguing mystery.

We may not have a clue but im fairly certain the coaching staff does.

 

[OrangeTsar]

Sure….our 23 and 9 head coach doesn’t know what he is doing

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

Idk man they're 7-1 with Joe and they didn't lose to Florida because of him. They lost because of Mays out and the defense.

Agreed....it is simply ridiculous how this fanbase bitches after wins. Even with an excellent track record of knowing what he is doing, so many question CJH and his knowledge of qbs.

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

It's just not ideal. Sure it could work, but the odds are stacked. What if he comes out and looks like Peterman against UF. You don't come back from that. Not to mention a serious injury derails next season.

 

[OrangeTsar]

Not defending Joe anymore after the performance Saturday; but just because he is not getting it done doesn’t automatically mean that Nico would necessarily ball out. We are in a transitional window between the recruits Heupel had to work with in 2021 and the recruits he really wanted long term. We all knew that Milton was a high risk/high reward proposition. Unfortunately he hasn’t lived up to our high hopes, fortunately he had only one loss since taking over for Hendon. The three picks in the last two games are troubling but they haven’t cost us a game so far.
If we can get serviceable numbers from Joe (including some of the hard hitting runs he finally started uncorking in the second half) and continue a bruising ground attack, we should be able to finish a decent season and set the groundwork for the next era of Tennessee football

 

[OrangeTsar]

Agreed....it is simply ridiculous how this fanbase bitches after wins. Even with an excellent track record of knowing what he is doing, so many question CJH and his knowledge of qbs.

And they are bitching about a coach who, when everything he has ever done as a coach stopped working, turned on a dime and changed his whole identity to a run dominated, defensive beast of a game plan. It is a very rare coach indeed who can adapt like that mid season. In a way, what Heupel is doing to patch together wins without a high octane vertical passing game is just as impressive (if not more so) than what he did in 2022.
Folks, Heupel Just WON an SEC game against a top tier defense with 20 points and 100 passing yards. Just stop and let that sink in.

 

[OrangeTsar]

It's just not ideal. Sure it could work, but the odds are stacked. What if he comes out and looks like Peterman against UF. You don't come back from that. Not to mention a serious injury derails next season.

Like I said in an earlier thread, you don’t eat your seed corn.

 

[Delmar]

I keep hearing everyone say that it would be foolish to start a true freshman in Tuscaloosa and my question is "Why?" He is a 5 Star and he is getting paid big money to deliver big performances like SEC road wins. The truth is we have no clue what he is capable of playing meaningful snaps with the starters. What would it hurt to roll the dice and start him the first drive and see what he can do? We know what we have with Joe. He is struggling. It is what it is. But Nico is still an intriguing mystery.

It’s as simple as this. Coaches with a 5 and 1 team in the top 20 do not replace a starter with a raw freshman. If the team was 3 and 3 and going nowhere, maybe. But it ain’t happening right now. They watch Nico everyday in practice and I’m pretty sure that as good a judge and coach of quarterbacks as Josh will know when he’s ready.

Personally I think Josh has done a pretty good job adjusting to the talent we have. Just got back from Knoxville and saw it in person. We have a strong running game and the defense is much improved from last year. Thanks goodness we have Mays back but we will miss Mincey if he can’t go Saturday. We are thin on the O Line. Joe is NOT Hendon Hooker and won’t be but it is not all Joe. Our wide receivers are not as good as last year and now we no longer have Bru. Keyton has regressed and the rest so far can’t get separation on passes long or mid-range. If they can’t do it for Joe, I don’t expect them to be able to do it for Nico. At this point, I might put Squirrel and Dee Williams out there and try to get the ball in their hands by any means possible. But that’s just me since the passing game is struggling. I trust Josh to do what he needs to do.

 

[Delmar]

And they are bitching about a coach who, when everything he has ever done as a coach stopped working, turned on a dime and changed his whole identity to a run dominated, defensive beast of a game plan. It is a very rare coach indeed who can adapt like that mid season. In a way, what Heupel is doing to patch together wins without a high octane vertical passing game is just as impressive (if not more so) than what he did in 2022.
Folks, Heupel Just WON an SEC game against a top tier defense with 20 points and 100 passing yards. Just stop and let that sink in.

Great post. This is exactly what Heupel has done and it is pretty amazing to adjust like that. Again, he is taking advantage of the strengths on the team.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Not defending Joe anymore after the performance Saturday; but just because he is not getting it done doesn’t automatically mean that Nico would necessarily ball out. We are in a transitional window between the recruits Heupel had to work with in 2021 and the recruits he really wanted long term. We all knew that Milton was a high risk/high reward proposition. Unfortunately he hasn’t lived up to our high hopes, fortunately he had only one loss since taking over for Hendon. The three picks in the last two games are troubling but they haven’t cost us a game so far.
If we can get serviceable numbers from Joe (including some of the hard hitting runs he finally started uncorking in the second half) and continue a bruising ground attack, we should be able to finish a decent season and set the groundwork for the next era of Tennessee football

The end zone pick bothers me. A lot.

But I know Coach Heupel has probably thrown similar bad picks. He knows what happened better than most head coaches in the SEC when it comes to a mistake like that. He and Halzle and Joe can watch the film, talk about the decision, and move on beyond it.

I get the Battered Vol Syndrome here but as you said, Heupel is 23-6, has a proven ability to coach QBs (not just Hooker,) and STILL people here don't believe he can pick a QB.

 

[livefaith]

I keep hearing everyone say that it would be foolish to start a true freshman in Tuscaloosa and my question is "Why?" He is a 5 Star and he is getting paid big money to deliver big performances like SEC road wins. The truth is we have no clue what he is capable of playing meaningful snaps with the starters. What would it hurt to roll the dice and start him the first drive and see what he can do? We know what we have with Joe. He is struggling. It is what it is. But Nico is still an intriguing mystery.

I encourage you not to quit your day job.

 

[livefaith]

It's just not ideal. Sure it could work, but the odds are stacked. What if he comes out and looks like Peterman against UF. You don't come back from that. Not to mention a serious injury derails next season.

We most likely win that game with Justin Worley starting. Justin lit it up once taking over from the "you don't know until he gets meaningful snaps" candidate with the 0.1 QBR. Jones was out of his trumpet blowing mind.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

I keep hearing everyone say that it would be foolish to start a true freshman in Tuscaloosa and my question is "Why?" He is a 5 Star and he is getting paid big money to deliver big performances like SEC road wins. The truth is we have no clue what he is capable of playing meaningful snaps with the starters. What would it hurt to roll the dice and start him the first drive and see what he can do? We know what we have with Joe. He is struggling. It is what it is. But Nico is still an intriguing mystery.

Nobody knows what he is getting paid. Also, there are factors you and others obviously just don’t take into account in the QB situation. We are 5-1. Face the facts. Milton is the QB and will be unless he gets injured or starts costing us ballgames.