Recruiting Football Talk VII

[Weezer]

Can we all just agree that "staff can't close" is a tired, worn out statement? I am not just talking about the nega vols, I am also talking about my fellow sunshine pumpers who post it every time we get a commit. So, we have the "realists" posting it when we miss and the "orange glasses wearers" posting it when we hit. How about we just quit posting it? TIA.

How about we be able to have honest conversations about recruiting without some posters seeing it as a personal attack on their Uncle Jimmy? We recruited very well at some positions, and not so well at others. But try and talk about it and people think you want Josh Heupel fired. Offense was recruited well. Yes, another big OT would have been great, but overall, offense hit all our needs. Defensively, I feel good with Edge, LB, and Safety. We could have used another CB and some big-time interior DL. We will lose a bunch of DL guys after next season, and we haven't reloaded. That's a concern, IMO.

 

[Big Orange#1]

Psst... to the haters and losers and concern trolls. This would've been a top 5-8 class over the last decade when the top 3 classes hogged all the talent. Now with NIL there is more parity in recruiting. The top 10 recruits are all signed to 10 different programs. More talent being diluted across CFB and I like it. Parity may actually be returning!!

 

[Jack Burton]

Can we all just agree that "staff can't close" is a tired, worn out statement? I am not just talking about the nega vols, I am also talking about my fellow sunshine pumpers who post it every time we get a commit. So, we have the "realists" posting it when we miss and the "orange glasses wearers" posting it when we hit. How about we just quit posting it? TIA.

Ryan Callahan was just on Basilio. To summarize this topic he said that Tennessee was in it until the end on some big names, and we sometimes offered significantly more money, but the recruit still chose another school at the altar. Reason being that we essentially don’t have an ace closer. We need someone to help get us across that finish line more often with the biggest fish.

Again this doesn’t mean we aren’t doing well but it means we could be doing better with some changes.

 

[Jimmy Football]

How about we be able to have honest conversations about recruiting without some posters seeing it as a personal attack on their Uncle Jimmy?

I won’t stand for personal attacks against me by my nephews.

 

[barrylee]

How about we be able to have honest conversations about recruiting without some posters seeing it as a personal attack on their Uncle Jimmy? We recruited very well at some positions, and not so well at others. But try and talk about it and people think you want Josh Heupel fired. Offense was recruited well. Yes, another big OT would have been great, but overall, offense hit all our needs. Defensively, I feel good with Edge, LB, and Safety. We could have used another CB and some big-time interior DL. We will lose a bunch of DL guys after next season, and we haven't reloaded. That's a concern, IMO.

Maybe if you said something different once in a while!

 

[Jimmy Football]

Ryan Callahan was just on Basilio. To summarize this topic he said that Tennessee was in it until the end on some big names, and we sometimes offered significantly more money, but the recruit still chose another school at the altar. Reason being that we essentially don’t have an ace closer. We need someone to help get us across that finish line more often with the biggest fish.

Again this doesn’t mean we aren’t doing well but it means we could be doing better with some changes.

Your ace closer almost always has to be your head coach.

I’m just not sure how you fix that if he just doesn’t have it in him. Maybe a high profile coordinator that’s a good recruiter?

 

[DD4ME]

Ryan Callahan was just on Basilio. To summarize this topic he said that Tennessee was in it until the end on some big names, and we sometimes offered significantly more money, but the recruit still chose another school at the altar. Reason being that we essentially don’t have an ace closer. We need someone to help get us across that finish line more often with the biggest fish.

Again this doesn’t mean we aren’t doing well but it means we could be doing better with some changes.

I could see it. We got two dudes learning on the job too which does not help.

 

[Weezer]

Your ace closer almost always has to be your head coach.

I’m just not sure how you fix that if he just doesn’t have it in him. Maybe a high profile coordinator that’s a good recruiter?

Doesn't even have to be a coordinator. Can be a position coach. When Trooper was here, he was known for closing on recruits. In his younger days, RG was a closer.

 

[Jack Burton]

Your ace closer almost always has to be your head coach.

I’m just not sure how you fix that if he just doesn’t have it in him. Maybe a high profile coordinator that’s a good recruiter?

Maybe Fulmer should be Heupel’s consultant on this. Teach a class on “How to wash dishes or compliment mama’s cooking to seal the deal.”

 

[Jimmy Football]

Doesn't even have to be a coordinator. Can be a position coach. When Trooper was here, he was known for closing on recruits. In his younger days, RG was a closer.

That was a Trooper/Fulmer deal. Fulmer was a notoriously good closer for years.

You’re right about RG, but apparently he doesn’t like NIL. That’s obviously gonna hurt in the modern era.

 

[DD4ME]

Your ace closer almost always has to be your head coach.

I’m just not sure how you fix that if he just doesn’t have it in him. Maybe a high profile coordinator that’s a good recruiter?

Every great recruiting team needs their Ed O on staff. Just not as head coach.

This is why this hire concerns me. Donte has been in on signing more 5 stars than just about any coach.

 

[Jackcrevol]

Ryan Callahan was just on Basilio. To summarize this topic he said that Tennessee was in it until the end on some big names, and we sometimes offered significantly more money, but the recruit still chose another school at the altar. Reason being that we essentially don’t have an ace closer. We need someone to help get us across that finish line more often with the biggest fish.

Again this doesn’t mean we aren’t doing well but it means we could be doing better with some changes.

 

[Enki_Amenra]

Two things can be true at the same time. A fan may see one as being more important than the other and that will color their opinion on the matter and likely make them stress that side more than the other.

1) We’re recruiting better than we have in a long time. True.

2) We’re not recruiting better than the elite programs we face each year. True.

So both can be true at the same time and discussing both is valid.

Do you think this is what people are discussing? It seems like some people are just in a lot of despair, claiming our recruiting is not good. I haven't noticed many saying, "We're doing better than we have in 2 decades, but we still need to do better."

It's mostly, "Holy Sh*+, we are behind UGA & Alabama, OSU, etc, we are never gonna win anything. . . I'm not saying fahr Heupel, but maybe fahr the staff and fahr Heupel next year.". . all while completely disregarding the recent NCAA issues and scholarship reductions and ignoring the absolutely incredible job of securing the return of our most important players.

 

[Orange_Crush]

Florida fans watching TN wrap up with no drama this morning:

TN fans are like, "Why can't I be more like that stripper with daddy issues?"

 

[Enki_Amenra]

Staff can’t lose

 

[Jimmy Football]

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

I’m all for all the Colorado disrespect.

 

[Smyrna ATL Vol]

Well this sucks

That really sucks. He is better than any of our linebackers and of course we didn’t reach out.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

Coming up soon

 

[Glitch]

View attachment 603608

Need to get one of these guys on contract yesterday...

 

[SGMVols]

That really sucks. He is better than any of our linebackers and of course we didn’t reach out.

If he’s that good, why is he going to Kentucky?

 

[mr.checkerboards]

Ryan Callahan was just on Basilio. To summarize this topic he said that Tennessee was in it until the end on some big names, and we sometimes offered significantly more money, but the recruit still chose another school at the altar. Reason being that we essentially don’t have an ace closer. We need someone to help get us across that finish line more often with the biggest fish.

Again this doesn’t mean we aren’t doing well but it means we could be doing better with some changes.

Your closer can't be afraid to get some fleas. Heup is the cool family that hosts the family Christmas party every year, but your closer has to be the drunk uncle that's not afraid to do what he's gotta do to get what he wants.

 

[VolFreakJosh]

If he’s that good, why is he going to Kentucky?

Must like KY Bourbon

 

[Orange_Crush]

How about we be able to have honest conversations about recruiting without some posters seeing it as a personal attack on their Uncle Jimmy? We recruited very well at some positions, and not so well at others. But try and talk about it and people think you want Josh Heupel fired. Offense was recruited well. Yes, another big OT would have been great, but overall, offense hit all our needs. Defensively, I feel good with Edge, LB, and Safety. We could have used another CB and some big-time interior DL. We will lose a bunch of DL guys after next season, and we haven't reloaded. That's a concern, IMO.

I think a lot of the response you see isn't folks taking it personally as much as responding to sweeping generalization statements coming from places of ignorance. Like, "this staff can't close".

Well, that's just stupid. We've seen them close.

And "Coach-X" needs to be fired, and I won't shut my hole about it until he is.

Or, "Coach Y can't recruit."

If everyone gave a nice, reasonable, nuanced critique like yours above, I think there'd be less "Well, that's just dumb as hell" responses.

 

[Ace]

That was a Trooper/Fulmer deal. Fulmer was a notoriously good closer for years.

You’re right about RG, but apparently he doesn’t like NIL. That’s obviously gonna hurt in the modern era.

I live near Arkansas State and follow them in football. Trooper was the closer for their staff while coaching DBs