Jalen Hurd Watch

#26
#26
JACK8254 said:
Jalen Hurd has made a relatively successful transition to tight end at Baylor . Yesterday he had 9 catches for 126 yards and 1 TD. Am I the only Vol fan that is conflicted about him and future success.? On one hand, I loved him as a hard-nosed , hustling ball carrier at UT ( HE was on pace to become the all-time rushing leader if he had remained). On the other hand, the showboat play vs Ga when he got his bell rung was unnecessary , selfish and childish : then Butch handled it poorly. I think that without question Hurds abrupt departure after the incident divided the team and was the main factor in the steep decline of fortunes thereafter. The irony is that Hurd now says the main reason he left was that he was being used TOO MUCH. It goes back to Butch and his poor judgment ( he had Kamara on the bench -a future pro-bowler who was used sparingly) Does Butch or Hurd deserve the most blame ? Does it matter now? Probably not. I hope the kid makes it to the NFL at tight end, but I think his changing schools in mid-season will definitely give teams pause.
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I speculated and said this very thing about 1 year ago. Mindful of concussions, Hurd's use as a battering-ram against SEC defenses was wearing on him. He wanted to split carries with Kamara. Butch, being the idiot he was with his "system" (that didn't work) was too stubborn. Their relationship was already strained and Botch's treatment of him after GA was the breaking point. Good luck to him.
 
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#28
#28
ABINGDON VOL FAN said:
Hurd during his time here did show that he was better at catching passes out of the backfield than running the football. He had speed and power but just did not have the agility to be a great running back. If it is true he went to Butch stating he wanted to be switched to a receiver than Butch screwed up not recognizing he that would be the best move for Hurd and the team. I find myself interested in his career and hope he excels in the NFL.
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Gosh - Kamara in the backfield and Hurd at tight end. Might not have been bad to have them on the field at the same time. It seems Jones didn’t quite use his talent correctly.
 
#29
#29
I don't wish him ill, but I don't wish him well either. I'm indifferent to whatever he does. I don't blame him for any ill will towards Butch. I don't hold against him that he transferred. But he abandoned his teammates and quit in the middle of a game. No matter how he felt toward Butch, he owed his teammates to finish that game. Some may disagree, but that's how I feel. I don't care if he succeeds or fails.
 
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#33
#33
Vols fans in one thread are clamoring for the quitter Kelly Bryant and talking about how much the hate quitters in the Hurd thread.
 
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#36
#36
n_huffhines said:
Yeah, Hurd played for an absolute garbage coach that we all wanted to get away from.
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Not just that. Hurd was actually playing. In fact, he was the starting RB on a team where he wasn't even the best RB on the roster. He stepped away in what was an odd decision for his football career, quitting midseason then having to sit out a full year before being able to play again.

Bryant is a QB. Only one QB gets to play, and Bryant is a really good player who can start and wants to start. He takes advantage of a new rule, leaving this year and he can play immediately next season without having to sit out.
 
#37
#37
05_never_again said:
Not just that. Hurd was actually playing. In fact, he was the starting RB on a team where he wasn't even the best RB on the roster. He stepped away in what was an odd decision for his football career, quitting midseason then having to sit out a full year before being able to play again.

Bryant is a QB. Only one QB gets to play, and Bryant is a really good player who can start and wants to start. He takes advantage of a new rule, leaving this year and he can play immediately next season without having to sit out.
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Fact: both are quitters
Fact: we don't know everything about either situation. We don't even know the half of it.

Tennessee was toxic. I don't fault anybody for wanting out of Butch ball.
 
#38
#38
In hindsight I can't blame him and now hope he does well. He had an abusive, idiot coach and concussion issues. Plus his family is bat s*** crazy, so it's not surprising that he didn't handle his departure flawlessly.
 
#39
#39
n_huffhines said:
Fact: both are quitters
Fact: we don't know everything about either situation. We don't even know the half of it.

Tennessee was toxic. I don't fault anybody for wanting out of Butch ball.
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Yes, both quit. Hurd's was much more of a petulant, leaving your teammates out to dry quit though. Just an opinion.

The funniest thing of the Hurd saga is that he wasn't the best back on the team, yet was eating up a lot of the playing time/carries anyway and still quit because he was unhappy with how he was used. His supposed idea about how he could be better used, getting him outside and using him more like a speed back, was just absurd. Even if he wanted to change positions altogether and Butch said no, I don't understand why he quit during that season. He gained nothing by doing so. If he finished that season then transferred to another school to change positions, my opinion of him wouldn't change.

The biggest thing with Hurd is that I don't understand the midseason quit. I understand Bryant's. It makes actual logical sense.
 
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#40
#40
05_never_again said:
Yes, both quit. Hurd's was much more of a petulant, leaving your teammates out to dry quit though. Just an opinion.

The funniest thing of the Hurd saga is that he wasn't the best back on the team, yet was eating up a lot of the playing time/carries anyway and still quit because he was unhappy with how he was used. His supposed idea about how he could be better used, getting him outside and using him more like a speed back, was just absurd. Even if he wanted to change positions altogether and Butch said no, I don't understand why he quit during that season. He gained nothing by doing so. If he finished that season then transferred to another school to change positions, my opinion of him wouldn't change.

The biggest thing with Hurd is that I don't understand the midseason quit. I understand Bryant's. It makes actual logical sense.
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Did we need Jalen? I don't think we did, so I wouldn't say he hung his teammates out to dry. He was a part of why things were bad here. IDK what happened exactly, but his removing himself from the situation seemed to actually help the team.

I think the choice was mostly about his realization that he wasn't making the NFL as a RB, and Tennessee's passing game isn't going to make him into an NFL TE/WR. Call it selfish, but I've never been in a position to make a decision to be a pro athlete or stay in a toxic situation (partially of my own making) out of dedication to my teammates, so I'm not going to judge.
 
#41
#41
n_huffhines said:
Did we need Jalen? I don't think we did, so I wouldn't say he hung his teammates out to dry. He was a part of why things were bad here. IDK what happened exactly, but his removing himself from the situation seemed to actually help the team.

I think the choice was mostly about his realization that he wasn't making the NFL as a RB, and Tennessee's passing game isn't going to make him into an NFL TE/WR. Call it selfish, but I've never been in a position to make a decision to be a pro athlete or stay in a toxic situation (partially of my own making) out of dedication to my teammates, so I'm not going to judge.
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I don't mean hung out to dry from the perspective that we really needed him. Like I said, he wasn't even the best back on the team. He was playing and eating up lots of playing time and carries when he quit.

He didn't even have anything himself to gain by quitting, other than not risking himself injury. It isn't like because he quit midseason he could go somewhere and play immediately in 2017 (like Bryant did, and Bryant is also a QB where only one person can play).
 
#42
#42
My recollection was that Hurd quit during the SC game. He scored an early TD and for whatever reason, refused to play. Afterwards there was a meeting with Jones and then Jones deferred on Hurd's status - asking the team to vote on whether he could remain on the team. The team vote was no.

How Hurd and Kelly Bryant quit the team are hugely different. Bryant wanted to play. He had played reasonably well but was being demoted. He either quits now or he gives up the chance to save a year eligibility.

I feel sorry for Bryant. I don't feel sorry for Hurd. I think Jones was the idiot in this situation but Hurd could have handled it much better. I don't hate Hurd and I hope he has a chance to play in the NFL.
 
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#44
#44
Hurd quitting mid season spared him potential CTE issues and took the probability of a career ending knee injury to zero. Not a bad move for a guy wanting to switch positions and hoping to make it at the next level.
 
#45
#45
n_huffhines said:
Vols fans in one thread are clamoring for the quitter Kelly Bryant and talking about how much the hate quitters in the Hurd thread.
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Kelly Bryant didn't quit midgame. If Hurd had simply said he was transferring, I'd agree with your premise, but he quit during a game. Totally different scenario.
 
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#47
#47
n_huffhines said:
Did we need Jalen? I don't think we did, so I wouldn't say he hung his teammates out to dry. He was a part of why things were bad here. IDK what happened exactly, but his removing himself from the situation seemed to actually help the team.

I think the choice was mostly about his realization that he wasn't making the NFL as a RB, and Tennessee's passing game isn't going to make him into an NFL TE/WR. Call it selfish, but I've never been in a position to make a decision to be a pro athlete or stay in a toxic situation (partially of my own making) out of dedication to my teammates, so I'm not going to judge.
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We certainly could have used him in that game. If JH had finished out the game and then announced he was leaving, I personally would have no problem with him. But he quit midgame. I don't blame him for quitting on Butch, what I hold him responsible for is quitting on his teammates. For me, it's not about him deciding to leave. I don't wish the man ill will but I'm not going to cheer for him either. I don't fault him for deciding it was best to leave UT, but I do fault him for not finishing out the game. It's one thing to screw your coach, it's another to screw the guys who have fought side by side with you. They never betrayed him, but he certainly turned his back on them. His behavior in that instance was cowardly and disgusting, IMO.
 
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#48
#48
ptcarter said:
Gosh - Kamara in the backfield and Hurd at tight end. Might not have been bad to have them on the field at the same time. It seems Jones didn’t quite use his talent correctly.
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Jalen is not playing TE. Damn straight Jones didn’t use his talent. The problem is we are seeing the same thing with Pruitt. Chandler is terribly under targeted.

Hurd is at 217 and playing WR. He leads the team is reception yards, has 4 TDs and is on pace for 1000 yards. In fact he has almost double what any other UT receiver has and would rank in the top 5 in SEC. He realized Butch was going to put him in the hospital.
 
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