Starting 3 WRs now

[BigOrangeTrain]

Guys we're stacked at WR.

1st String
Jauan Jennings
Josh Smith
Marquez North

2nd String
Pig Howard (suspended for opener)
Josh Malone
Von Pearson

3rd String
Jason Croom
Johnathon Johnson
Vincent Perry

From August 25th Depth Chart

How is Von not 1st string?

 

[crusse10]

I literally believe there are at least 4 receivers there that could be the no1 on almost any other sec team. We're absolutely jacked at wr!

I think 4 is a stretch. I'd agree on possibly 2. Others have the talent to be the #1 elsewhere in a year or 2

 

[crusse10]

How is Von not 1st string?

wondered this too

 

[Tuckervol1003]

JJ, North and Von?

I think Johnathon Johnson, Pearson and Josh Smith will be the first 3 out. But, we will see a lot of Josh Malone and Jauan Jennings and Marquez North.

I figure by game 2 we will see Preston Williams on the field giving the Oklahoma secondary fits.

 

[BenGrimm]

No way Jennings goes in first unless injuries force it. I don't care how much the coaches are praising him, he is a freshman learning a new position.

I think some of the extra praise from the coaches is confidence building for a great athlete who has demonstrated he is very coachable. That doesn't mean he is a phenom who is going to take the a veterans' spot.

 

[velovol]

Which JJ do you refer to?

JJ McKlesky!

 

[RiseToTheTop]

really wish Vic Wharton could actually handle coaching and stayed on campus. This is a makeshift unit right now and its unfortunate bc theres so much talent.

 

[RiseToTheTop]

According to Swain, Josh Smith has a lot of work to do. Still recovering physically and has lost a step, partially because he's just put on too much weight ....up to 216lbs from 195-200 last season. I thought he looked like a stretch Armstrong doll when I saw him at the Open practice....looked like a fullback or linebacker, not a WR. I doubt he starts anytime soon based on what Swain has said about him. Sounds like North, Malone, Pig, Johnson, Pearson and Jennings are all ahead of him.

also said TK was being recruited over so im not sure how much im buying Swain right now. Josh def looks bigger but if he was 216lbs at the beginning of fall camp i really doubt he is still 216lbs now.

 

[RiseToTheTop]

just run the ball vs bgsu all day and keep them off the field. They cant stop a nosebleed anyway.

 

[HardKnoxVol]

I was hoping he would redshirt but those in the know say that he will definitely play this year

I think you'd be dumb not to. Pig is suspended for the first game, but what's not to say he won't get it again? Who knows if Malone will show up? The injury bug seems to have infected our wide outs once again, so we're gonna need all the help we can get. Plus, PW is just too dang good to keep off the field just because you wanna redshirt him. Butch knows he has to win now, not another year or 2 down the road.

 

[HardKnoxVol]

You're crazy if you think Pearson is below Jennings. JJ is good, but has yet to warrant a starting slot. Pearson is having a great camp too and already has a good amount of experience. Jennings will be 2nd string at the highest.

 

[inVOLved24]

I think Jonathan Johnson is gonna be in that starting rotation, that guy was extremely impressive in the spring and continued into fall camp. Azanni said he was one of the best football players on the team!

 

[bpalmer28]

Jennings won't start. he will be specialized as he has a lot to learn system and routes.

North, Pearson, Malone top 3

Smith, Johnson, Jennings (Jauan depends on how quickly he can pick everything up)

Blanc next.

Everyone else out for BG game. Howard obviously goes to first team when he returns with North and Pearson.

Any idea how close Williams is to contributing?

 

[KBVol]

also said TK was being recruited over so im not sure how much im buying Swain right now. Josh def looks bigger but if he was 216lbs at the beginning of fall camp i really doubt he is still 216lbs now.

With all due respect Rise, I think there's something to Swain's comment about TKJr. Consider....

1. A lot of people thought TKJr would come in as a freshman and take McNeil's job in fairly short order. Not only did he not take it last year, he didn't take it this year either.

2. Yesterday in Butch's presser, when asked about who would take McNeil's spot, he avoided naming who would his replacement like the plague. He's not had a problem naming replacements at other positions, nickel being the most recent example. Why wouldn't it be an automatic "TKJr will start at that spot" response? Seemed a little telling.

3. Not only do we have 2 very promising safeties in Stephen Griffin and Evan Berry already on campus, but we're very likely to add another very talented safety (or 2) in the next class, namely Nigel Warrior.

None of this is to bash TKJr in any way, but he's in year 2, hasn't been named a starter, is competing currently with 2 more athletic players and will have still more athletic players to fight off again next year. I love TK as much as the next fan and Swain has referred to him as a "like a little brother"....but his comments seem to have some merit IMHO.

 

[TheBigOne10]

As much as I love Jauan Jennings, you are on the Whitney Houston special if you think he is going to start over Pearson. It will be Von, North and Malone or Josh Smith, depending on if Smith is completely healthy.

 

[tnprogrammer]

Guys we're stacked at WR.

1st String
Jauan Jennings
Josh Smith
Marquez North

2nd String
Pig Howard (suspended for opener)
Josh Malone
Von Pearson

3rd String
Jason Croom
Johnathon Johnson
Vincent Perry

From August 25th Depth Chart

When we are so deep at WR that pig is 2nd string that is a very good thing.

 

[tallyho]

Guys we're stacked at WR.

1st String
Jauan Jennings
Josh Smith
Marquez North

2nd String
Pig Howard (suspended for opener)
Josh Malone
Von Pearson

3rd String
Jason Croom
Johnathon Johnson
Vincent Perry

From August 25th Depth Chart

Howard suspended one game, Croom, out, Perry, out year. North not at full speed. Williams recovering from ACL op not ready for prime time yet. Look for Wolf and Ellis to become targets in short passing game.

Pearson, Jennings and Malone should be enough for BG game.

 

[volinbama256]

No North unless needed, which will not happen.... at least lets hope not. Pearson will start over Jennings. JJ will not start, but will definitely play the second half. Pearson, Malone, and Smith will start and the others will rotate in. Bookit.

 

[volinbama256]

On a separate note--- just think if we had Croom finally at full strength, North healthy, and Pig not suspended..... healthy, we have got to have the strongest WR set top to bottom in the country with 7 WRs who could start just about anywhere....

 

[livefaith]

On a separate note--- just think if we had Croom finally at full strength, North healthy, and Pig not suspended..... healthy, we have got to have the strongest WR set top to bottom in the country with 7 WRs who could start just about anywhere....

Thought about starting a thread about this. We have a few nagging injuries that reduce us some. But, here's the question that I have ...

Has there ever been a better group of WRs AS A GROUP TOP TO BOTTOM in the modern history of UT Football? To match this list takes 8 players from any other season. If so, what list would that be?

1.North
2. Howard
3. Pearson
4. Johnson
5. Smith
6. Croom
7. Malone
8. Jennings
** Williams

Some of this cannot be known until the future. I know that there have been UT greats that were better than any player here. But I'm talking 8 guys (errr individuals) who could make a big play like we know or expect any of these can.

In my memory, we have more talent top to bottom at this position than I've ever seen. Kudos to Butch and staff, and dare I say Dooley too for loading this position to the max.

 

[dcm3w]

First: Malone, Pearson, and Johnson

Second: Smith, Jennings, and Gamble

North, Williams, and Pig: out

 

[TNnative]

Would prefer to hear how recovery is coming on the injured before I make a guess on where to place depth. Suspect Perry may be red shirting.

With Pig out, I will take a wild guess for BG.

North
Pearson
Malone

J. Smith
Jennings
Johnson

with a scattering of the others dependent on healing up. Would say Williams will see more and more time as season progresses. Wouldn't mind seeing Blanc having a break out year. Hope to get a look at Gamble too.

Whoever starts (if everyone can stay reasonably healthy throughout the season), I feel confident that this could be the year we can say for sure WRU is back.

 

[114VOL]

Why do you say that? He looked really good before getting hurt last year. No reason to think he won't just pick up where he left off.

I know he is supposed to have great hands, but he's dropped some passes in key moments.

 

[114VOL]

Thought about starting a thread about this. We have a few nagging injuries that reduce us some. But, here's the question that I have ...

Has there ever been a better group of WRs AS A GROUP TOP TO BOTTOM in the modern history of UT Football? To match this list takes 8 players from any other season. If so, what list would that be?

1.North
2. Howard
3. Pearson
4. Johnson
5. Smith
6. Croom
7. Malone
8. Jennings
** Williams

Some of this cannot be known until the future. I know that there have been UT greats that were better than any player here. But I'm talking 8 guys (errr individuals) who could make a big play like we know or expect any of these can.

In my memory, we have more talent top to bottom at this position than I've ever seen. Kudos to Butch and staff, and dare I say Dooley too for loading this position to the max.

LOL.....yes. This group couldn't carry the jocks of the Pickens and Harper group. Pretty good bunch in the mid 80s too. This group couldn't carry the jocks of the Stallworth, Washington and Parker group either.

 

[TNnative]

Howard suspended one game, Croom, out, Perry, out year. North not at full speed. Williams recovering from ACL op not ready for prime time yet. Look for Wolf and Ellis to become targets in short passing game.

Pearson, Jennings and Malone should be enough for BG game.

Do not be surprised if, with all these tempting targets at WR, if a long pass play to Wolf doesn't get in the playbook. Feel he has proven to be one of the best additions to a couple of loaded classes.