Recruiting Forum Football Talk XXV

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#3,826
#3,826
BJHSVol said:
I think it's still possible to contend for a top 5. Obsviouly starting out strong is preferable, but it's still possible to make a big jump during the season/NSD. See Texas last year as an example.

Other than Rodgers, who we didn't have exactly the best shot at, and Richardson, who reports say we have a few higher on the board, we haven't really lost any big recruits yet.

If we saw some kind of combination of Higgins, Gray, Fant, Bonds, Stevens, Gibbs, all start committing elsewhere then I think it might be time to start worrying.

But this was always a class that needs to see results on the field start to materialize, so I don't think it's necessarily a bad omen of things to come that we did come out of the gate with a bunch of studs.
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Hunter Johnson.

And technically, Tee Higgins. Unless he commits again.

I'm not burning mattresses. Just making some honest observations.
 
#3,828
#3,828
theutvolunteers said:
I don't know how anyone could say it's been a good start to our potential #1 2017 class hype.
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I think we'd all agree it's been a mediocre start, but two things seem to be dismissed so quickly by the chicken littles:

1. It's March.
2. Player evaluations will change dramatically over the next 8-10 months.
 
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#3,829
#3,829
Brillovol said:
I think we'd all agree it's been a mediocre start, but two things seem to be dismissed so quickly by the chicken littles:

1. It's March.
2. Player evaluations will change dramatically over the next 8-10 months.
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Are people freaking out? I'm not seeing these hot chicken littles.
 
#3,830
#3,830
theutvolunteers said:
I don't know how anyone could say it's been a good start to our potential #1 2017 class hype.
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You have to be realistic. Most of our big time targets are the Opening,All-Star games or NSD level commits. We can't sell immediate playing time cuz we have too much damn talent and we haven't had the OSU,Bama or Clemson type season for them to buy into. It's not been a beginning that we should brag cheer about but it's definitely WAY too early to lose hair. :scare:
 
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#3,833
#3,833
theutvolunteers said:
I don't know how anyone could say it's been a good start to our potential #1 2017 class hype.
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It hasn't been a good start. But it hasn't been disastrous either. Just because we haven't gotten commits doesn't mean we are doing a bad job, or are out of it with the great players we're after.

We're on the heels of a pretty ugly smear campaign against our university. Can't really blame recruits for waiting to see how that plays out.

The best recruiting trips this cycle will be game days in Neyland Stadium this fall.

That's when the Your TurN message is gonna hit home hard.

At least that's what I think. There is still a crazy amount of opportunity to succeed here. And lots of talent headed out after this season opening up plenty of playing time. That won't be lost on the top talent.

It may come late, but it will come. At the end of the day, talent just can't resist Butch Jones and what Tennessee has to offer.
 
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#3,834
#3,834
Pretty sure labeling as chicken littles is implying freaking out, no? Pretty sure someone who is expecting the sky to fall is the definition of freaking out.
 
#3,835
#3,835
Mike4Vols said:
Hunter Johnson.

And technically, Tee Higgins. Unless he commits again.

I'm not burning mattresses. Just making some honest observations.
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Johnson saw the writing on the wall I'd assume given our future at QB, but what bothers me the most about him decommitting is that he is actively recruiting all of our biggest targets to Clemson.
 
#3,837
#3,837
butchna said:
You have to be realistic. Most of our big time targets are the Opening,All-Star games or NSD level commits. We can't sell immediate playing time cuz we have too much damn talent and we haven't had the OSU,Bama or Clemson type season for them to buy into. It's not been a beginning that we should brag cheer about but it's definitely WAY too early to lose hair. :scare:
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I'm not losing any hair. Just saying it hasn't been a good start.
 
#3,838
#3,838
It would not surprise me in the least if this class is a late developer. Given the level of expectation as well as the fanfare and hype plenty of high profile talent interested in what we accomplish this fall. Win and the rest takes care of itself, imo
 
#3,839
#3,839
Not worried but underwhelmed at this point. Was told a couple of weeks ago at least one high profile player was going to commit.

Still waiting young man. Let's go
 
#3,840
#3,840
seaofORANGE22 said:
It hasn't been a good start. But it hasn't been disastrous either. Just because we haven't gotten commits doesn't mean we are doing a bad job, or are out of it with the great players we're after.

We're on the heels of a pretty ugly smear campaign against our university. Can't really blame recruits for waiting to see how that plays out.

The best recruiting trips this cycle will be game days in Neyland Stadium this fall.

That's when the Your TurN message is gonna hit home hard.

At least that's what I think. There is still a crazy amount of opportunity to succeed here. And lots of talent headed out after this season opening up plenty of playing time. That won't be lost on the top talent.

It may come late, but it will come. At the end of the day, talent just can't resist Butch Jones and what Tennessee has to offer.
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I don't believe some realize the full impact of this.
As the story fades from being the headline, I expect a significant increase in commitments.
Also, our season will be a huge deciding factor. We will finish either - appearing as a returned powerhouse or as mostly hype. Take care of business on the field, recruiting will follow.
Jones has already proven he can make a sale, but the product is no longer 'early playing time', it must be success.
 
#3,841
#3,841
volatil said:
Not worried but underwhelmed at this point. Was told a couple of weeks ago at least one high profile player was going to commit.

Still waiting young man. Let's go
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You are our rep in that area Volatil! Let's get it going! Shouldn't you be out recruiting?
 
#3,845
#3,845
volatil said:
Sorry to disappoint
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It was a Star Wars reference... :p

No worries man, any and all info is appreciated.

Now, considering you were told this, maybe it does line up with my theory that Jones is waiting for some time to pass between the lawsuit beginning and getting our big targets to go public. I know I keep repeating it here... but it does make sense.
 
#3,846
#3,846
VolsDoc81TX said:
Growing up I hated baseball.

Only sport for me was football.

Then my son started playing Tee ball. I have now coached baseball and watched numerous games.

I now truly appreciate and love baseball. I wish that I had played... :hi:
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.
I'm the opposite, grew up playing baseball, and even had the opportunity to play D1 ball, but was burnt out by the time I got to college, and can't stand to watch MLB now. I will watch SEC ball now and then tho. Both my boys play baseball and I've helped coach there teams and really enjoy working with the kids.
I think my oldest tho passion is for football and he'll concentrate more on that.
 
#3,847
#3,847
Mike4Vols said:
I know it's still early in the process so no flaming. But...

There was a lot of chatter last year about how we potentially had a #1 class in 2017. Not only are we behind a few other top 10 programs in commitments, it's hard to see how we'll even end up in the top 5 with the players we're pursuing (according the Volquest). Ohio State has an incredible class already committed. Alabama also has a great start. I see some 4 and 5 star players in our pipeline but I also see players we missed on.

Honest questions: Were people overly optimistic? Did we lose some guys we thought we should get? Or do you guys think we can still contend for a top 5 spot?

I've been following recruiting for 10 years or so. I've seen years where the early hype was justified by the pipeline and results (Jalen Hurd's class, for example). It's hard to connect the dots between the 2017 hype and potential results. From my perspective, there's a strange disconnect.

GBO.
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Actually landing a #1 class is very difficult. I thought it as always an outside possibility, but the percentages are not for us.

I still think this class will be very good. Some will think otherwise, but a top 10 class is always very good. There isn't a whole lot of difference between 4 and 8. Again, the star gazers don't want to hear it, but recruiting is also about needs.

The other good thing is that there are multiple examples of this staff accepting a 3 star commitment from someone who gains future offers and blows up. Some even were elevated to a 4 star.

Bottom line, it's still early.
 
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#3,848
#3,848
WilliamDuVOL said:
It was a Star Wars reference... :p

No worries man, any and all info is appreciated.

Now, considering you were told this, maybe it does line up with my theory that Jones is waiting for some time to pass between the lawsuit beginning and getting our big targets to go public. I know I keep repeating it here... but it does make sense.
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I really think that is a possibility. The wait for this commitment has had me thinking all sorts of things.

1. Butch has the kid silent waiting to make a splash.

2. Kid is talking to his friends about announcing together.

3. Change of mind (highly doubt)
 
#3,849
#3,849
volatil said:
I really think that is a possibility. The wait for this commitment has had me thinking all sorts of things.

1. Butch has the kid silent waiting to make a splash.

2. Kid is talking to his friends about announcing together.

3. Change of mind (highly doubt)
Click to expand...

Likely a little bit of 1 and 2. My logic is this... Jones has any big time silents downplaying their interest in us to other schools so they don't have to constantly hear about how terrible the culture is here and the lawsuit etc. Once a little time has passed and a few commits like the ones we have already have committed, the ones who won't be poached as hard early in the process, he let's the flood gates loose on those who are in and uses that momentum and hopefully this coming season to convince those still on the fence.

Come on, if I can think of this surely someone making 100X my salary can. :p
 
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