2013 LB recruiting

[UTVOLKeith]

Are we recruiting "tweeners" who are a great fit for a 3-4?

Why do we have 4 low/unrated/unoffered commits at the position of greatest need?

[volfrk86]

Because the coaches especially Coach Sal got them on campus and evaluated them in person and lliked what they saw and offered I turst the coaches fully when it comes to talent evaluation

[UTVOLKeith]

Originally Posted by volfrk86

Because the coaches especially Coach Sal got them on campus and evaluated them in person and lliked what they saw and offered I turst the coaches fully when it comes to talent evaluation

so that's it basically what i thought.

very discouraging imo

[Orange Studs]

I'm sure Coach Sal is very concerned about your discouragement in his ability to evaluate talent.

[Vol8188]

Originally Posted by UTVOLKeith

so that's it basically what i thought.

very discouraging imo

Our coaching staff scouting their own players discourages you?

[UTVOLKeith]

Originally Posted by Orange Studs

I'm sure Coach Sal is very concerned about your discouragement in his ability to evaluate talent.

If I hear about another elite school trying to "steal" these kids from us I will let him know.

[UTVOLKeith]

Originally Posted by Vol8188

Our coaching staff scouting their own players discourages you?

what discourages me is we are the only ones who think they are any good.

[flowd82]

I agree with the OP.

LB recruiting hasn't been anything to brag about the last two cycles. Dooley did a great job landing Johnson and Maggit in the 2011 cycle, but last year's LB haul was not good. This year's doesn't look much better besides Vereen. I like his game.

All UT fans keep on with the "let's trust Sal's evaluations, UT coaches know way more about talent than you, etc." arguments. Obviously UT's coaches know more about evaluating talent than VN posters do, but that doesn't change the fact UT isn't getting elite LBs. UT is missing on the elite, high-level LBs and I think Sal is realizing that and having to settle for LBs that aren't quite as talented. Does that mean UT LB commits are terrible or that I don't think Sal can evaluate talent? No, it means I think Sal and UT's defensive staff are having to settle when it comes to LB recruiting. Everybody on here was talking about how Christian Harris was an underrated LB recruit and was going to surprise some people and he hasn't done anything yet. Given, he has plenty of time to do so, I just don't see it happening.

Besides Vereen, what offers do UT LB commits have? Campbell I don't believe has any, Barnes is holding down the fort with a Southern Miss and Furman offers, and I believe Zanca has a Purdue offer. That is really it. Given, they have the rest of the summer to go to camps and gain offers. But, I don't want UT to continually pick up LB recruits that are "underrated, under the radar type guys that other major colleges don't want anything to do with.

Maybe I am just greedy, but I would like UT to sign LBs that have offers from every major college across the country by the end of their junior year/begginning of summer before their senior season, NOT LBs that have 2 mid-major offers in July that have to try to go through camp circuits to get any more offers. I know every now and then some players do get overlooked and I understand that, but for the most part, the big-time studs don't get overlooked too often.

I want UT to be a winning football team again. I want UT to have kick-ass defenses again. Nothing personal, but I don't see UT winning championships again with the caliber of LBs currently committed. Just my opinion. I think Sal is good at evaluating talent, but at this point there aren't too many elite LBs knocking down the door. UT needs to win this year and surprise some people and then I think UT can quit settling for talent and start to pick up better talent.

* I am ready for the bashing I am about to receive for this. *

[volprof]

Originally Posted by flowd82

I agree with the OP.

LB recruiting hasn't been anything to brag about the last two cycles. Dooley did a great job landing Johnson and Maggit in the 2011 cycle, but last year's LB haul was not good. This year's doesn't look much better besides Vereen. I like his game.

All UT fans keep on with the "let's trust Sal's evaluations, UT coaches know way more about talent than you, etc." arguments. Obviously UT's coaches know more about evaluating talent than VN posters do, but that doesn't change the fact UT isn't getting elite LBs. UT is missing on the elite, high-level LBs and I think Sal is realizing that and having to settle for LBs that aren't quite as talented. Does that mean UT LB commits are terrible or that I don't think Sal can evaluate talent? No, it means I think Sal and UT's defensive staff are having to settle when it comes to LB recruiting. Everybody on here was talking about how Christian Harris was an underrated LB recruit and was going to surprise some people and he hasn't done anything yet. Given, he has plenty of time to do so, I just don't see it happening.

Besides Vereen, what offers do UT LB commits have? Campbell I don't believe has any, Barnes is holding down the fort with a Southern Miss and Furman offers, and I believe Zanca has a Purdue offer. That is really it. Given, they have the rest of the summer to go to camps and gain offers. But, I don't want UT to continually pick up LB recruits that are "underrated, under the radar type guys that other major colleges don't want anything to do with.

Maybe I am just greedy, but I would like UT to sign LBs that have offers from every major college across the country by the end of their junior year/begginning of summer before their senior season, NOT LBs that have 2 mid-major offers in July that have to try to go through camp circuits to get any more offers. I know every now and then some players do get overlooked and I understand that, but for the most part, the big-time studs don't get overlooked too often.

I want UT to be a winning football team again. I want UT to have kick-ass defenses again. Nothing personal, but I don't see UT winning championships again with the caliber of LBs currently committed. Just my opinion. I think Sal is good at evaluating talent, but at this point there aren't too many elite LBs knocking down the door. UT needs to win this year and surprise some people and then I think UT can quit settling for talent and start to pick up better talent.

* I am ready for the bashing I am about to receive for this. *

No, you bring up some good points. No bashing here. I don't know how the LBs will work out here, but your concerns are reasonable and legitimate.

[volinexile17]

Originally Posted by flowd82

All UT fans keep on with the "let's trust Sal's evaluations, UT coaches know way more about talent than you, etc." arguments. Obviously UT's coaches know more about evaluating talent than VN posters do, but that doesn't change the fact UT isn't getting elite LBs. UT is missing on the elite, high-level LBs and I think Sal is realizing that and having to settle for LBs that aren't quite as talented. Does that mean UT LB commits are terrible or that I don't think Sal can evaluate talent? No, it means I think Sal and UT's defensive staff are having to settle when it comes to LB recruiting. Everybody on here was talking about how Christian Harris was an underrated LB recruit and was going to surprise some people and he hasn't done anything yet. Given, he has plenty of time to do so, I just don't see it happening.

* I am ready for the bashing I am about to receive for this. *

What did you anticipate he was going to do as a redshirt?

[VolDaddy60]

I don't know about Banres and Vereen, but I am actually excited to see how Campbell and Zanca progress during this year. Campbell is 6'5/ 215 lbs. and runs a 4.5, he is bigger and faster than some elite WR's. Give him a year to add some good weight and still keep that speed, and your looking at a FREAK at the Jack position. Zanca is one to keep an eye on, Im telling ya. The kid was destroying elite competition in Florida playing linebacker as a sophomore. Coached asked him to play with is hand on the ground his junior season because of lack of depth. That may be why he has been over looked as a linebaker.

Plus I think were looking for that tweener for the olb position. We will try and pick up an inside baker, I think they are confident in the the guys they picked up last year. (King and Bynum) and guys that they currently have on roster.

[sjt18]

Originally Posted by UTVOLKeith

so that's it basically what i thought.

very discouraging imo

You are discouraged because recruiting sites disagree on LB talent evals with a guy who just coached on Bama's NC teams and with Jon Fox in the NFL?

Seems you'd be more concerned about trusting those sites.

[Vol8188]

Originally Posted by sjt18

You are discouraged because recruiting sites disagree on LB talent evals with a guy who just coached on Bama's NC teams and with Jon Fox in the NFL?

Seems you'd be more concerned about trusting those sites.

Some people just need a reason to whine. If we had 4 5 star LBs right now, he would be telling us that he wished our coaches would rely more on their own evaluations and less on those of Rivals and 247.

[sjt18]

Originally Posted by volinexile17

What did you anticipate he was going to do as a redshirt?

All players who do not play as Fr are failures... don't you know anything?

[flowd82]

Originally Posted by volinexile17

What did you anticipate he was going to do as a redshirt?

I anticipated him to be good enough to not redshirt & provide some depth at one of the weakest positions on the team last season.