West Virginia Scouting Report

[StrictlyEducational]

We each define the term however we wish.

On the other hand, you certainly included 8 or 9 teams in your earlier list (USC, Ohio State, Alabama, Notre Dame, Michigan, Texas, maybe Oklahoma and Miami, plus Clemson as new age).

I personally put Tennessee, Texas, Penn State and Nebraska at about the same tier. And I definitely think of all four as blue blood programs. Well above Miami and Clemson, for sure.

Maybe all time you're a blue blood program. But right now, I don't think 18 year old kids look at you guys that way. You still kill recruiting, but I think that has more to with location and conference than it does your blue blood history.

 

[SalVolinus]

How is what I said "moronic"? it was my opinion we all have them.You went and googled west va football to come up with a few numbers to look good, and then talk about how long it's been since Tennessee won the national championship. I'll save you some time WV has none.

I think it's funny how they also glorify Oklahoma in the same breath for being elite.
"UT isn't relevant, last national title was in January of 1999!"
Oklahoma's last national title was in 2000.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Maybe all time you're a blue blood program. But right now, I don't think 18 year old kids look at you guys that way. You still kill recruiting, but I think that has more to with location and conference than it does your blue blood history.

See? Now we're agreeing again.

Yes, we are in a very weak place these past 10 years. No football player in high school today has living memory of any Volunteers season where we were dominant, or a force to be reckoned with, or a national or SEC title contender.

Absolutely true. It's been a loooooong 10 years.

But I can show you some 10-year stretches for Alabama that look just as bleak. It's a fact of life in the college game; success comes, and it leaves. It's all cyclical.

If you're going to count the Volunteers out forever and ever amen because we've just been through our Dark Ages, you should think again.

We might prove you wrong as early as the 1st of September. Not saying we will. Just saying we might.

Temper that over-confidence.

Go Vols!

 

[GrizzlyVol]

I think it's funny how they also glorify Oklahoma in the same breath for being elite.
"UT isn't relevant, last national title was in January of 1999!"
Oklahoma's last national title was in 2000.

That's right, yeah we've fallen on some hard times as of late, but when it's all said and done we still have 6 claimed national championships and 13 sec championships

 

[solivols]

What? WV has never won anything that's a fact not an opinion and I don't need forgiven for anything. He has his opinion and I have mine not real sure what you had to do with it

How is what I said "moronic"? it was my opinion we all have them.You went and googled west va football to come up with a few numbers to look good, and then talk about how long it's been since Tennessee won the national championship. I'll save you some time WV has none.

Saying WVU has won nothing as a fact which you later changed to opinion is either being willfully ignorant or you just don't follow college football outside of UT (which is fine). No googling involved in knowing WVU was 3-0 in BCS bowls. I follow the team since I went to UT and WVU but I think most people can remember WVU hanging 70 something on Clemson in their most recent Orange Bowl. The actual fact is that WVU has won something of value in recent memory. Your analysis was just 100% refutable.

 

[05_never_again]

Maybe all time you're a blue blood program. But right now, I don't think 18 year old kids look at you guys that way. You still kill recruiting, but I think that has more to with location and conference than it does your blue blood history.

If we kill recruiting, it isn't because of location. Our conference rivals (Alabama, Florida, Georgia) are all located better, as are schools like LSU, A&M, and Auburn. We've also gotten into (and lost) many recruiting battles with Clemson lately, which is better located.

Tennessee doesn't have a large amount of in-state talent (although it is getting better as Nashville grows) and has to poach kids from other schools' backyards, particularly Georgia. The most important city we recruit is probably Atlanta.

 

[StrictlyEducational]

If we kill recruiting, it isn't because of location. Our conference rivals (Alabama, Florida, Georgia) are all located better, as are schools like LSU, A&M, and Auburn. We've also gotten into (and lost) many recruiting battles with Clemson lately, which is better located.

Tennessee doesn't have a large amount of in-state talent (although it is getting better as Nashville grows) and has to poach kids from other schools' backyards, particularly Georgia. The most important city we recruit is probably Atlanta.

But you're close to states with great Highschool Football. So kids don't feel homesick going from Georgia to TN. Their parents can come to the games. They get to play their friends that went to other SEC schools, etc.

There's no denying that you get great players because you're smack dab in the middle of the greatest concentration of football talent in the country.

 

[GrizzlyVol]

Saying WVU has won nothing as a fact which you later changed to opinion is either being willfully ignorant or you just don't follow college football outside of UT (which is fine). No googling involved in knowing WVU was 3-0 in BCS bowls. I follow the team since I went to UT and WVU but I think most people can remember WVU hanging 70 something on Clemson in their most recent Orange Bowl. The actual fact is that WVU has won something of value in recent memory. Your analysis was just 100% refutable.

Whatever you say man, The not winning anything statement was made in reference to championships which in fact they have none, (not counting their time with the big east where they did win a few conference championships) I didn't realize we were talking about bowl games. So I take back my "moronic" post and my being "willfully ignorant" now that I know what we're talking about. Actually I watch as many games during football season as I can not just Tennessee, but Tennessee games are the only ones that matter to me

 

[Volfan76]

Don't mean this to be ugly, but i'm not sure how you can objectively claim to have any position group that is the "best in the country" when you play in the big 12 and got beat by every single ranked team you played last year.

 

[05_never_again]

But you're close to states with great Highschool Football. So kids don't feel homesick going from Georgia to TN. Their parents can come to the games. They get to play their friends that went to other SEC schools, etc.

So is West Virginia. You're close to Pennsylvania and Ohio kids. Location alone isn't enough to get the kids to come there, especially for example if they were born and raised in Atlanta and grew up wanting to play for Georgia. It is not as easy to recruit at Tennessee as you think. Yes, we are in the SEC and that is a draw, but odds are an Atlanta kid wants to play for Georgia, a Birmingham kid wants to play for Alabama or Auburn, a New Orleans kid wants to play for LSU, a South Florida kid wanting to play in the SEC wants to go to Florida, etc. Nashville is an area that we can and do recruit, but it is not teeming with prospects like those other cities are. Memphis is so far away from Knoxville it might as well be in another state, and a lot of those kids grow up with allegiances to other schools.

IMO, the reason why Tennessee has put the money into facilities to the extent they have is precisely because they know the recruiting landscape. Georgia and Florida, for example, did not have indoor practice facilities until very recently. Tennessee has had one as long as I can remember.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

So is West Virginia. You're close to Pennsylvania and Ohio kids. Location alone isn't enough to get the kids to come there, especially for example if they were born and raised in Atlanta and grew up wanting to play for Georgia. It is not as easy to recruit at Tennessee as you think. Yes, we are in the SEC and that is a draw, but odds are an Atlanta kid wants to play for Georgia, a Birmingham kid wants to play for Alabama or Auburn, a New Orleans kid wants to play for LSU, a South Florida kid wanting to play in the SEC wants to go to Florida, etc. Nashville is an area that we can and do recruit, but it is not teeming with prospects like those other cities are. Memphis is so far away from Knoxville it might as well be in another state, and a lot of those kids grow up with allegiances to other schools.

IMO, the reason why Tennessee has put the money into facilities to the extent they have is precisely because they know the recruiting landscape. Georgia and Florida, for example, did not have indoor practice facilities until very recently. Tennessee has had one as long as I can remember.

I agree with all of this, but it's changing. And it's changing fast. Middle Tennessee is becoming a new hotbed of high school talent.

In another decade or two, it might even rival the Atlanta metro area as a premier recruiting ground nationwide. Only time will tell. One thing's for sure: it's building fast.

 

[05_never_again]

I agree with all of this, but it's changing. And it's changing fast. Middle Tennessee is becoming a new hotbed of high school talent.

In another decade or two, it might even rival the Atlanta metro area as a premier recruiting ground nationwide. Only time will tell. One thing's for sure: it's building fast.

I hope so, because Tennessee will be in a great position to snag a lot of it, especially if we are able to rebuild the program and be relevant. Hell, even Butch had success recruiting the Nashville metro and there was nothing special about the program that those recruits could personally remember. If there ends up being a bunch of elite prospects coming out of Nashville in coming years, and Tennessee is what I'll call a "viable option" (i.e., the program isn't a dumpster fire) that'll be our Atlanta. We should be able to waltz into there and take our pick from the best players, just like Georgia does with Atlanta now.

 

[solivols]

Whatever you say man, The not winning anything statement was made in reference to championships which in fact they have none, (not counting their time with the big east where they did win a few conference championships) I didn't realize we were talking about bowl games. So I take back my "moronic" post and my being "willfully ignorant" now that I know what we're talking about. Actually I watch as many games during football season as I can not just Tennessee, but Tennessee games are the only ones that matter to me

We can call it a misunderstanding then. You are absolutely correct that WVU has won zero national championships. But I would venture to say that 18 year old recruits today are not factoring into their college decision that UT last won a natty before they were born. The better team will win in a little over a week. 34-24 Vols for the record.

 

[tim]

Cornmeal
Eggs
Buttermilk
Oil

Thats all I’m saying

 

[salsahound]

We have a lot of unknowns, including game day coaching, but have convinced ourselves that everything is better now.

Well it has to improve, wouldn't you think?

 

[StrictlyEducational]

Don't mean this to be ugly, but i'm not sure how you can objectively claim to have any position group that is the "best in the country" when you play in the big 12 and got beat by every single ranked team you played last year.

We beat Iowa State when they were ranked 16th and had just beaten two Top 5 teams, but that's besides the point.

I may be wrong, but I don't think any team in the country is returning an All American, Biletnikoff award finalist and he isn't even his teams leading receiver in yards and catches. Then you add in a guy who had 650 yards on only 35 catches and a 4 star Bama transfer, and I think you can make a valid argument that you have the best receiving core in the country.

 

[GrizzlyVol]

We can call it a misunderstanding then. You are absolutely correct that WVU has won zero national championships. But I would venture to say that 18 year old recruits today are not factoring into their college decision that UT last won a natty before they were born. The better team will win in a little over a week. 34-24 Vols for the record.

All good, Go Vols

 

[KBVol]

I was with ya until that dumbass score at the end.

He lost me when he said our WRs are better. Come on man.

 

[0nelilreb]

I probably won't come on if we win, but if we lose, I'll come right back to this thread.

You should come either way , if we lose just don’t be pouring the salt in too deep you’ll be fine . You are out of conference so you will need to pull for us to win the rest of our games same as if we beat you we will be doing the same .

 

[KBVol]

Thanks for your hard work. Here is our scouting report. Most of our guys were better players coming out of high school than your guys. We have more talent than WVU across the board except for QB. However, all of our guys have had all the football coached out of them until this year. So, if our guys show up, and your guys show up, and our guys are coached right then we should do better than most think. Our receivers, I believe are as good as yours if not better. I would take our RB's as well. I would take our LB's and our DB's. I would also take our DL over WVU's. Our OL is man for man better, but we will see how they function as a unit. Your QB is better. Our coach has better hair than yours and our coach has none. WVU 92-Vols 3

If you read this “scouting report” Strictly Educational, take it with an enormous grain of salt.

Truth is, we don’t yet know who our QB is, we have a good but unproven rb corps, a talented but largely unproven WR corps, a re-vamped unproven OL from last years atrocious one, a new starting TE which we know very little about. And we’ll be running a brand new, 180 degree opposite offense from the one the returning players ran last year, beginning with blocking schemes all the way through route tree concepts.

On defense we return almost everybody on the DL from one of the worst run defenses in the country last year (126th of 130 teams) and we will start 2 new Corners (1 a true freshman, the other has 1 career start). We are strong at one of our safeties (Nigel Warrior), questionable at the other, and our likely nickle (Shamburger) has never played nickle before. The only defensive position group that we can feel pretty good about is our LB Corp with Bituli, Sapp and Kirkland.

O yeah, and we will start a new punter, likely a true freshman, and a sophomore placekicker who was up and down last year as a part-time starter.

It is true that we have some talent on this team, quite frankly a good bit more than WVA ON PAPER. However, previous player development was nonexistent and the culture within the program was beyond toxic last year....and it’s a work in progress until further notice.

Finally, I believe we have a new, excellent coaching staff, but our head coach has never been the head coach of a football team at any level and the coaches have never managed a game plan and sideline on a game day together.

Other than that....

 

[StrictlyEducational]

If you read this “scouting report” Strictly Educational, take it with an enormous grain of salt.

Truth is, we don’t yet know who our QB is, we have a good but unproven rb corps, a talented but largely unproven WR corps, a re-vamped unproven OL from last years atrocious one, a new starting TE which we know very little about. And we’ll be running a brand new, 180 degree opposite offense from the one the returning players ran last year, beginning with blocking schemes all the way through route tree concepts.

On defense we return almost everybody on the DL from one of the worst run defenses in the country last year (126th of 130 teams) and we will start 2 new Corners (1 a true freshman, the other has 1 career start). We are strong at one of our safeties (Nigel Warrior), questionable at the other, and our likely nickle (Shamburger) has never played nickle before. The only defensive position group that we can feel pretty good about is our LB Corp with Bituli, Sapp and Kirkland.

O yeah, and we will start a new punter, likely a true freshman, and a sophomore placekicker who was up and down last year as a part-time starter.

It is true that we have some talent on this team, quite frankly a good bit more than WVA ON PAPER. However, previous player development was nonexistent and the culture within the program was beyond toxic last year....and it’s a work in progress until further notice.

Finally, I believe we have a new, excellent coaching staff, but our head coach has never been the head coach of a football team at any level and the coaches have never managed a game plan and sideline on a game day together.

Other than that....

Much appreciated, brother.

 

[millst987]

If you read this “scouting report” Strictly Educational, take it with an enormous grain of salt.

Truth is, we don’t yet know who our QB is, we have a good but unproven rb corps, a talented but largely unproven WR corps, a re-vamped unproven OL from last years atrocious one, a new starting TE which we know very little about. And we’ll be running a brand new, 180 degree opposite offense from the one the returning players ran last year, beginning with blocking schemes all the way through route tree concepts.

On defense we return almost everybody on the DL from one of the worst run defenses in the country last year (126th of 130 teams) and we will start 2 new Corners (1 a true freshman, the other has 1 career start). We are strong at one of our safeties (Nigel Warrior), questionable at the other, and our likely nickle (Shamburger) has never played nickle before. The only defensive position group that we can feel pretty good about is our LB Corp with Bituli, Sapp and Kirkland.

O yeah, and we will start a new punter, likely a true freshman, and a sophomore placekicker who was up and down last year as a part-time starter.

It is true that we have some talent on this team, quite frankly a good bit more than WVA ON PAPER. However, previous player development was nonexistent and the culture within the program was beyond toxic last year....and it’s a work in progress until further notice.

Finally, I believe we have a new, excellent coaching staff, but our head coach has never been the head coach of a football team at any level and the coaches have never managed a game plan and sideline on a game day together.

Other than that....

Pretty much a glass completely empty view of things.... geez dude

 

[GetEmVols]

You guys are 50-50 in your last 100 games. I'm doing you guys a favor by calling this a big game.

Yea but we are 0-0 under Pruitt. Haven’t lost a game!

 

[GreyWolf1129]

You guys are 50-50 in your last 100 games. I'm doing you guys a favor by calling this a big game.

And if Pruitt is the right guy, this will be your best chance to beat UT in the next 100 games.

It's a big game for both teams. For UT, rebuilding. For WVU, proving it can play against the SEC.

WVU is favored, and rightfully so. Enjoy the edge. Trust me, you won't want to play us in 3 years. Fact is, UT is doing you a favor by playing you this year.

Go Vols.

 

[sameolvol]

Hmm.

Well, I feel pretty confident in a WVU win. Simply because teams coming off of bad seasons with a new coaching staff and a QB competition don't usually win big non-conference games to start the season.

However, I do think you guys will find offensive success. I'd expect your running game to really get going, and although you're line might not be good, your bluechip size alone will likely be able get push on our smaller defense.

Maybe, 31-21 WVU? Could see us get out to a fast start, maybe 24-7 at the half, but then the game kind of comes to a stall as your D figures out our offense and your offense starts to find success dinking and dunking down the field with short passes and a steady run game as you pick one QB and go with him.

You might be right, SE. The way this ol' Vol sees it, WV has UT right where it wants it...1st game of the season. From mid-season and thereon, This wealth of coaching talent making our group of post-underachieving top-tier players; great kids who've bled orange, yet who'd been let down by poor coaching...along with (not counting a couple of talented CC transfers) some highly touted newbies who're just beginning their college experiences, appears to be headed for some overachieving by the team as a whole...maybe-just-maybe by the time those hated gayduhs slither into Knoxville. This Tennessee football team is packed with talent in all three facets of the game; just a bit behind UGA and maybe LSU, but pretty much even with Auburn. It'll take a couple or three more recruiting classes to reach that level of the bloody tide. All in all, bona fide SEC talent's already on the roster. My wondering about the outcome of this game has nothing to do with WV. Your guys are well suited for wide-open, go-deep -and-wide Big 12 football. But to most of us Volnationals, they really do appear to be less talented as compared to the Vols; more-so than your fan base believes. Grier (whom I feel is really good, but great? No.) has learned how to win football games and has "it" when it comes to hitting those "gotta' have it" passes. Your receivers are also very good, and that and only that is WVU's edge come the Saturday after this one.
The caveat to a Mountaineer win will be if UT's pass rush can keep Grier dancing, that these D backs pick up on the D back guru of guru's unmatched coaching, and that UT's less experienced QBs can hit a few of those "gotta have it" passes, then UT just might win this one.
Thanks for the input, fellow football fan. We'll always treat good rapport from supporters of opposing teams...so long as they're civilized, as are you. Stay safe and let's all enjoy a fun, injury free season opener.

Still. GBO!