Recruiting Forum Football Talk V

[Nash_Vol97]

I was just looking at the slate for tomorrow. I hope Penn St upsets the Buckeyes.

I don’t have much faith in that the way Michigan slapped Penn State around. The game was really even worse than the score showed.. and the score was already bad.

 

[jakez4ut]

Pointing out reality on her is never popular, and is almost always seen as being negative, but I'm going to do it anyway. We tried pretty hard to do some things in the transfer portal, but we simply got outbid. We went after Verse. He ended up at FSU. We had Neyor committed. He flipped to Texas. (Sidenote: that turned into a positive because it allowed us to take Bru.) And I can't remember names, but there was at least one more Edge player we went after and didn't get. Pretty sure there were a couple of others, at various positions, we were interested in, but ultimately didn't get. Because we were outbid in this new era of NIL. That's not on the coaches, so please don't make it out like I'm blaming them. But we had a couple of spots and just couldn't get the right fits. And that's where my hesitancy on the portal comes from. It's a meat market, and these kids are looking to get paid. The portal is far more "mercenary" than high school recruiting is. And there will be plenty of schools willing to pony up the cash.


As far as our current recruiting goes, I don't think there's anything wrong with Bass's thinking that our success should have turned at least a few heads in the current class. And maybe it has, and we don't know about it. I said in a previous post that the '23 class wasn't done yet. New names could still possibly emerge. Flips can happen. And AP doesn't know everything. It's okay to acknowledge we haven't filled all of our needs yet. That's not being negative, that's just seeing what is plain as day. My personal opinion is we are an OT and a couple of DL away from addressing our needs. Anything after that is gravy. And we still have people at those positions on the line.

I really don't care where we end up in the recruiting rankings as long as we address our needs. We're still attempting to do just that. But it also doesn't change that I hate seeing rivals ranked ahead of us. I'm competitive. I always want to see my Vols come out on top. And personally, I think the way they do the rankings is a little messed up anyways because I've always felt that whether or not you fill your need positions should be taken into account.

just don't forget, last winter, we COULDN'T sign anyone, we had to wait to the spring/summer. that was a big deal, as we watched guys we were after wind up other places, as you mentioned. we don't have that issue this winter is what i'm getting at.

as for the "woes" thinking....i mean, sure, anyone is free to think however they want to. but i think it's still fair to point out that a) we still have over a month to ESD and 3 months to NSD. and b) the portal is completely in the TBD category, and will most likely be what nets us the biggest benefit, this late in the cycle, from the season we're currently having c) recruiting calendars are moved waay up now, and you look around the landscape and so many programs well inside the top 10-15 all have 20+ commits, the hay is in the barn, and has been since the spring and summer. take a look at the 24 class, multiple programs already with 5+ commits and some of those kids are still playing in the jr season of High School.

so while, sure, it would be cool to see some "reaction traction", it doesn't mean things are depressing, or that we're experiencing "woes" if there's not. personally, i think there is that momentum actually. we just won't know about it...til we do. i think there's gonna be a few flips to the good guys, and that will be directly related to the season we're having. and there's still kids we're going after, like Hobbs, that could jump in, and everything will be right as rain.

 

[UTMVol76]

Jason Isbell, Jamestown Revival, The Lone Bellow, Watchhouse (formerly Mandolin Orange) all also put on great shows live. I'm sure Chris Stapleton live is amazing as well, but haven't seen him in person.

Lately I've been listening to Larry Fleet and The White Buffalo a lot in the rotation. If you're looking for a strong female artist I'd suggest Morgan Wade especially her acoustic stuff.

Stapleton is amazing live. Not fair for God to give one man that much talent LOL

I didn't know Mandolin Orange changed their name. Good band

 

[Batman1948]

I can't find any football highlights on this kid, only basketball. His Twitter bio says he plays TE and DE. I'm curious what position we're recruiting him to play? A 6'9 280lb athletic TE in this offense is a scary prospect.

Put him on defense when teams are attempting field goals

 

[UTMVol76]

Hendon Hooker seems to be doing very well at his new school

Mincey is ok

 

[Weezer]

Hendon Hooker seems to be doing very well at his new school

You misunderstand the post. A handful of difference makers enter the portal each year. Not an infinite number. And of those handful, you have multiple schools chasing them. Getting one or two a year is nice, but people are talking about us landing several at various positions. Needs are better addressed through recruiting than they are the portal. The portal is more of a crap shoot.

 

[Z06VolinWV]

Have you seen Zach Bryan live?

Been listening to him a lot lately, and he keeps churning out great songs!!

 

[MadWorld]

Holy Smokes, I'm a bad friend..............

I just found out Joe Biddle passed away Wed. What a great man. RIP Joe.

I used to mail in the "I Beat Biddle" contest every week.

 

[mrmax86]

This is the best reaction video compilation I've seen. Well edited, too!

 

[MoCo_Vol]

How many real difference makers enter the portal? How many schools will be trying to snag them? I'm just not as convinced as some that the portal will be a magic cure-all. I certainly hope it is, I just don't have faith that it will be.

Lets see a few in recent memory.

Hendon Hooker
Velus Jones Jr
JaVonta Payton
Bru McCoy
Gerald Mincey
Chase McGrath
Da'Jon Terry
Kamal Hadden
Caleb Tremblay
Cade Mays


Heupel & staff especially have managed to do very well at finding and getting good players from the portal, I think them being at UCF and this being a more regular practice is one reason they are so successful at it (I know a few transferred under Pruitt off that list, but he's not the one who developed them).

 

[Batman1948]

But we didn’t. Can we suppress the LotM and move beck to the WGWTFA attitude that was there after the bama game?

Well said---we need to bury the LOM's

 

[SweetasSoda]

It's a message board. We all act like fools. It's kind of the purpose of anonymity. It's all good.

Not sure if I like being included here.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Are you the poster that was looking for Morgan Wade presale code for Knoxville? If so, she's going to be at Paramount in Bristol on 12/17.

I was, and they never posted it. She has had more shows popup but scalpers are poaching the hell out of her tickets. Happy for her, but I'm also not going to overpay to see her live and have to travel. I love the Bijou & TN Theatre and if someone I enjoy comes to town I try to go. But her Bijou tickets were $25 a pop for anywhere originally, scalpers got 'em near $100 a piece. I'll just wait and try to catch her back in town another time.

Thanks for the heads up though!

 

[jakez4ut]

Not knowing the inside jokes here is like not knowing the full names of all the women on "Housewives of Atlanta", wear it as a badge of honor.

you tell 'em DN.

 

[SoilVol]

Just for my information: how do you determine that a cottonmouth is “inquisitive “? That sounds like a made up “fact” to me.

Wildlife are naturally curious and inquisitive like we are. Reptiles are no different, even if their behavior and moods are harder to assess. When you take a moment to observe them doing this, allow them to continue doing what they're doing, you'll often note they investigate things then go on their way. Or you'll see what they were actually after (prey you didn't see) or actually trying to accomplish (going to shelter, getting up somewhere to bask, etc). Thousands of observations (documented, video recorded, anecdotal, peer-reviewed) by herpetologists confirm inquisitive and curious behaviors in reptiles.

 

[Weezer]

just don't forget, last winter, we COULDN'T sign anyone, we had to wait to the spring/summer. that was a big deal, as we watched guys we were after wind up other places, as you mentioned. we don't have that issue this winter is what i'm getting at.

as for the "woes" thinking....i mean, sure, anyone is free to think however they want to. but i think it's still fair to point out that a) we still have over a month to ESD and 3 months to NSD. and b) the portal is completely in the TBD category, and will most likely be what nets us the biggest benefit, this late in the cycle, from the season we're currently having c) recruiting calendars are moved waay up now, and you look around the landscape and so many programs well inside the top 10-15 all have 20+ commits, the hay is in the barn, and has been since the spring and summer. take a look at the 24 class, multiple programs already with 5+ commits and some of those kids are still playing in the jr season of High School.

so while, sure, it would be cool to see some "reaction traction", it doesn't mean things are depressing, or that we're experiencing "woes" if there's not. personally, i think there is that momentum actually. we just won't know about it...til we do. i think there's gonna be a few flips to the good guys, and that will be directly related to the season we're having. and there's still kids we're going after, like Hobbs, that could jump in, and everything will be right as rain.

The bolded is false. We couldn't sign many, but we could sign a couple. That's why we pursued Verse, and when that fell through, a couple of others. We were outbid. And we still face the possibility of being outbid.

I don't like the "hay is in the barn" analogy because it makes it sound like we're done. We're not done with the '23 class. In fact, it will not surprise me if a new name or two pops up between now and February.

"Reaction traction" as you call it happens every cycle, and we've already seen it in this one. They're called "flips". We see players flip teams every cycle. I'm just surprised we haven't reaped the benefit...yet. We still may before everything is said and done.

 

[jakez4ut]

Not sure if I like being included here.

...literally....

 

[jakez4ut]

[QUOTE="jakez4ut, post: 21910589, member: 1975"]just don't forget, last winter, we COULDN'T sign anyone, we had to wait to the spring/summer. that was a big deal, as we watched guys we were after wind up other places, as you mentioned. we don't have that issue this winter is what i'm getting at.

as for the "woes" thinking....i mean, sure, anyone is free to think however they want to. but i think it's still fair to point out that a) we still have over a month to ESD and 3 months to NSD. and b) the portal is completely in the TBD category, and will most likely be what nets us the biggest benefit, this late in the cycle, from the season we're currently having c) recruiting calendars are moved waay up now, and you look around the landscape and so many programs well inside the top 10-15 all have 20+ commits, the hay is in the barn, and has been since the spring and summer. take a look at the 24 class, multiple programs already with 5+ commits and some of those kids are still playing in the jr season of High School.

so while, sure, it would be cool to see some "reaction traction", it doesn't mean things are depressing, or that we're experiencing "woes" if there's not. personally, i think there is that momentum actually. we just won't know about it...til we do. i think there's gonna be a few flips to the good guys, and that will be directly related to the season we're having. and there's still kids we're going after, like Hobbs, that could jump in, and everything will be right as rain.

The bolded is false. We couldn't sign many, but we could sign a couple. That's why we pursued Verse, and when that fell through, a couple of others. We were outbid. And we still face the possibility of being outbid.

I don't like the "hay is in the barn" analogy because it makes it sound like we're done. We're not done with the '23 class. In fact, it will not surprise me if a new name or two pops up between now and February.

"Reaction traction" as you call it happens every cycle, and we've already seen it in this one. They're called "flips". We see players flip teams every cycle. I'm just surprised we haven't reaped the benefit...yet. We still may before everything is said and done.

ok, either way...the point is still the same.................................we have zero restrictions this winter is all i am saying....that wasn't the case last year.

lol.

and i literally said the same thing about flips probably coming this cycle. are we really even arguing? what was your point again?

 

[JCP201]

I love it when they are watching outside the stadium and the fireworks go off before the kick is complete on TV. Still gives me goosebumps.

 

[Weezer]

Lets see a few in recent memory.

Hendon Hooker
Velus Jones Jr
JaVonta Payton
Bru McCoy
Gerald Mincey
Chase McGrath
Da'Jon Terry
Kamal Hadden
Caleb Tremblay
Cade Mays


Heupel & staff especially have managed to do very well at finding and getting good players from the portal, I think them being at UCF and this being a more regular practice is one reason they are so successful at it (I know a few transferred under Pruitt off that list, but he's not the one who developed them).

That's the key though. Many of those didn't come here as "difference makers". Most of them were not highly sought after by other teams. But they were developed here. People are talking about us pulling Gibbs type guys out of the portal by the handful. That's not going to happen.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Not worried about us losing to Kentucky.

I just want to see our defense light up Levis. He's been sacked 20 times in 6 games this season, I'd like to see us get to him early and often. Young, Herring, Baron, Roman, Banks, Beasley...I don't care who, but I want to see us sack his ginger ass 4+ times!

 

[Weezer]

ok, either way...the point is still the same.................................we have zero restrictions this winter is all i am saying....that wasn't the case last year.

lol.

and i literally said the same thing about flips probably coming this cycle. are we really even arguing? what was your point again?

We're arguing over how it's being stated. That's about it. People called out Bass over how he was saying it, but he wasn't really saying anything different. He just wants to see more flips based on our success. That's not a bad thing to want.

 

[NMVol]

Glitch is definitely an instigator. I found him and a bunch of other glitches under a rock one day, and they all chased me. Scared the **** out of me.

Communists.

 

[Weezer]

Not sure if I like being included here.

Every gaggle of fools needs a den mother to slap us straight every now and then, lol.

 

[NMVol]

10 years on this forum and I still don’t know the inside jokes I guess. And I still get butthurt by people trying to make me look like a fool, even though nobody knows who I actually am. Guess that makes me the fool.

Moran.