Recruiting Forum Football Talk IV

[mr.checkerboards]

Where would our B ball team be if Bruce would have stayed as coach?

A final four. Wouldve cut down the nets in Nashville

 

[csprig9]

Assuming no NCAA investigation etc., I think we would have seen a Final Four run under Pearl.

Yes
That team with jB, AS and GW would’ve a been even better imo
Bc they would’ve run a ton

 

[Smokey123]

 

[vol9799]

Good thoughts. In particular on Chuck Webb. The '90 and '91 teams were pretty good. They'd have been national title contenders with Webb for sure.

A few nits:
Fulmer was the coach starting in '93 so Shuler staying or Colquitt not getting injured in '94 wouldn't have impacted Majors time at Tennessee. I can't remember the ins and outs of Manning's recruitment though so I'm not sure if Shuler staying would have impacted him coming to Tennessee or not. I don't think we get an extra year from Manning though even if he redshirted in '94.

That 2001 Miami team was loaded. We had a lot of firepower but I just can't imagine hanging with them. Especially given how crappy our coaching was in the SEC championship that year.

I was assuming, maybe erroneously, that if Majors wins the '90 NC he would have survived the health scare and anything Fulmer did as interim. I was assuming Fulmer went elsewhere after his interim gig in '93 and Majors resumed the reigns. So my comment on Manning was based on Majors being the coach instead of Fulmer and the differences in their recruiting philosophies. But to your point, who knows what would have happened...

 

[Ten_Titans]

UGA literally are the only fans that I about get in a fight with EVERYTIME I attend the game, I mean Bama, UF, and all them are annoying but nothings worse than d*mn georgia idiots

I don't know. There's something disarming about watching a grown adult bark at you. It's like trying to get mad at someone who walks around in public with a helmet on. More sympathy than anger.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

This is a line of scrimmage league if you want to win championships. I love our offense but we have to learn how to play power ball in short yard situations and around the goal line. We have got to have the ability to slow down at times and get the tough yards when needed. Offense is important but at the end of the day you have to be able to play great defense in this league too. You got to be able to run and pass effectively and on D you got to be able to get pressure on quarterback. You have to be solid at it all. That is not changing. GBO

Agreed and I'm hoping the other 90% of the playbook that hasn't been used yet has that piece of the puzzle in it.

 

[triadvolfan]

I was assuming, maybe erroneously, that if Majors wins the '90 NC he would have survived the health scare and anything Fulmer did as interim. I was assuming Fulmer went elsewhere after his interim gig in '93 and Majors resumed the reigns. So my comment on Manning was based on Majors being the coach instead of Fulmer and the differences in their recruiting philosophies. But to your point, who knows what would have happened...

Ah, that makes sense. If Webb doesn't get hurt and UT wins the NC then I could see Majors having a lot more political capital in '92 and keeping his job.

 

[volbeast33]

Agreed and I'm hoping the other 90% of the playbook that hasn't been used yet has that piece of the puzzle in it.

No kind of offense works in short yardage if you can’t block them when they know it’s coming.

 

[chargervol]

Alright, you guys that said UGA winning would be the worst thing ever are right.

2 days in and their fans are just getting started, but they're already the worst.

Knowing most of us return to the sanctity of our homes after such encounters, I want to send out T&P to @utvols88 and @SmokinBob, both married to dawgs.

May your date nights be bark free..
If not, may your attorneys be ruthless and your judges mustard throwing VFLs.

 

[vol9799]

Ah, that makes sense. If Webb doesn't get hurt and UT wins the NC then I could see Majors having a lot more political capital in '92 and keeping his job.

'92, yes, not '93. Good catch.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

No kind of offense works in short yardage if you can’t block them when they know it’s coming.

Yeah, but if you focus on 10% of your playbook then you're not working on short yardage run blocking. You're not working on being under center plays in short yardage situations.

I spent a season at TTU, we had a freshmen big he was 6'7" 250 or so pounds. I remember one practice they were doing pick and rolls and he had zero clue how to set a screen. Coaches were lighting him up and finally one of the assistants asked him "why can't you set a DAMN screen?!?" and he responded "I've never done it before coach."

From then on they taught it differently and by the time we were opening up the season he was good at it.

Point is if ya don't practice it regardless of how "easy" or "simple" we think it is as fans it's not the case always for the players. You have to practice the things you want to do on Saturdays, so to me the reason we didn't look better in those short yardage situations or the reason we never went under center is because we never practiced it.

 

[SoilVol]

What if granny had balls?




she’d be grandpa

Bruh, we are playing the what-if game and I didn't start it lol. Go be smart with someone else

 

[VolNash17]

This is a line of scrimmage league if you want to win championships. I love our offense but we have to learn how to play power ball in short yard situations and around the goal line. We have got to have the ability to slow down at times and get the tough yards when needed. Offense is important but at the end of the day you have to be able to play great defense in this league too. You got to be able to run and pass effectively and on D you got to be able to get pressure on quarterback. You have to be solid at it all. That is not changing. GBO

1000000% agree. Very evident when you watch the games. The NC game really showcased the Line of scrimmage. We’ve got to get bigger, alot bigger and faster in that area on both fronts. Our players god bless them but they look nothing like what Georgia and Bammer have up front. Georgia and Bammer have mutant freaks chasing the quarterback and blocking

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Yes
That team with jB, AS and GW would’ve a been even better imo
Bc they would’ve run a ton

Yep...

Trae Golden
Jordan McRae
Skylar McBee
Cameron Tatum
Josh Richardson
Stokes
Maymon
Hall
Woolridge

I for sure think Pearl letting that squad play his style of ball would have been a different result than how they played under Martin.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

1000000% agree. Very evident when you watch the games. The NC game really showcased the Line of scrimmage. We’ve got to get bigger, alot bigger and and faster in that area on both fronts. Our players god bless them but they look nothing like what Georgia and Bammer have up front. Georgia and Bammer have mutant freaks chasing the quarterback and blocking

Facts. I still think when RG has his line talent and development clicking at the level he typically does the defense will be a ton better. When you got a DL full of NFL guys that are strong and fast and can generate pressure on their own everything else gets a lot easier. Running QBs are now facing LBs that aren't trying to beat blocks to make plays. WRs are suddenly stuck with a DB that doesn't have to hold coverage for 5+ seconds every play and has more juice to break on the ball when it is thrown. And RBs don't have wide open holes to get to the second level.

 

[SmokinBob]

Give the new crust a try,

 

[NMVol]

What if Chuck Webb never gets hurt?

What if Fulmer takes the Arkansas job?

What if Heath Shuler stays for his Sr. season? ((Manning redshirts?)

What if Jerry Colquitt never gets hurt?

What if Tennessee blocks Alex Brown in 1999?

What if Rohan Davey doesn't get hurt in 2001?

What if UT holds off LSU in the 2007 SEC title game? (Does that give Fulmer more time?)

What if...UT hires a different coach going all the way back to the hiring of Dave Clawson over Mike DeBord? Gary Patterson or Brian Kelly instead of Kiffin? Kippy Brown as an interim over Dooley? Charlie Strong instead of Butch? Mike Leach over Pruitt? (I'd say it's too soon to say someone over Heupel)

What if Rod Wilks was given his choice of starting positions the moment he stepped foot on campus?

What if Gerald Williams got into UT the first time?

This is fun. I hope some other answers come in.

Strong list.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

What if Tony Robinson never gets hurt? I mean Dickey still saved the season, but for Robinson I wonder if it would have been a game changer.

 

[VolNash17]

Facts. I still think when RG has his line talent and development clicking at the level he typically does the defense will be a ton better. When you got a DL full of NFL guys that are strong and fast and can generate pressure on their own everything else gets a lot easier. Running QBs are now facing LBs that aren't trying to beat blocks to make plays. WRs are suddenly stuck with a DB that doesn't have to hold coverage for 5+ seconds every play and has more juice to break on the ball when it is thrown. And RBs don't have wide open holes to get to the second level.

That’s true certainly. I don’t really think Heupel had a short yardage playbook problem. I believe it was more players than anything. Too many runs got no yardage our quarterback was sacked and pressured the most in the Conference as well. Only thing I’d say about the short yardage with Heupel is I kinda wish he wouldn’t hurry up and snap it at times on 4th. Opposing linebackers fly down everytime and clog the gaps for a loss. Until we get more talent up front on OL it might be a good idea to slow down the tempo on 4th at times. The DL was pretty decent overall. Pass rush was awful though. Coaches did a great job at using what they had available that’s for sure

 

[BigSteve09]

This is a line of scrimmage league if you want to win championships. I love our offense but we have to learn how to play power ball in short yard situations and around the goal line. We have got to have the ability to slow down at times and get the tough yards when needed. Offense is important but at the end of the day you have to be able to play great defense in this league too. You got to be able to run and pass effectively and on D you got to be able to get pressure on quarterback. You have to be solid at it all. That is not changing. GBO

Very true.

I think we're just doing what we can with what we can get for right now.

Hopefully in the coming years, the gamechangers on defense and the big boys on OL start looking our way.

 

[SoilVol]

Lady Vols #5 in the country. #1 in the SEC.

We back.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

That’s true certainly. I don’t really think Heupel had a short yardage playbook problem. I believe it was more players than anything. Too many runs got no yardage our quarterback was sacked and pressured the most in the Conference as well. Only thing I’d say about the short yardage with Heupel is I kinda wish he wouldn’t hurry up and snap it at times on 4th. Opposing linebackers fly down everytime and clog the gaps for a loss. Until we get more talent up front on OL it might be a good idea to slow down the tempo on 4th at times. The DL was pretty decent overall. Pass rush was awful though. Coaches did a great job at using what they had available that’s for sure

Yeah, OL was thin too so I think some of those guys played at less than 100% all season because of it.

 

[Jackcrevol]

Why is it our bigs (other than Pons), are slow, rigid and get swallowed up in traffic. 0 moves. Plavcic is playing better but we have 0 rim prescence. To me that is the problem with this team.

 

[Ledzepvol]

We definitely had a chance for a National Title in 1989 and 1990.. I went to the Vols/Bama game in 1989 at Legion Field, my one and only time going there. Neyland Stadium was so much nicer even back then, and Legion Field was like a dumpster compared to Neyland. Neyland Stadium, the true "Football Capital of the South"... Another thing I remember about that game, is the Bama fans were saying that they thought UT would have won that game, if we had both Cobb and Webb playing that day. Of course, Cobb had been kicked off the team or definitely suspended for his "particular issue".. For so long, even back then, it seemed either Bama or Florida would prevent us from winning the ultimate prize.

 

[Enki_Amenra]

A final four. Wouldve cut down the nets in Nashville

Rick Barnes has just as many Final 4's as Pearl and more Elite 8's.