Let’s talk about Will Brooks

[mitzustu]

I’m going to be honest. I wasn’t super familiar with the kid prior to the end of the year last year.

But he’s seen the field in 36 games as a Vol. Seems to be getting SIGNIFICANT run in fall camp.

Came to Tennessee as a (0 star) recruit in 2020.

No homerism here. What’s the story on the kid? Is he going to start?

 

[Go Fight Win]

he's going to play a lot. he's a good football player. no one knows if he will start but pretty obviously he's going to be seriously in the discussion/getting big game minutes. if you watch the tape from the last two years he is consistently making plays. people give him crap on these forums because they have the disease where they can only see people based on stars they did or didn't get in high school.

not sure it deserves a thread considering the discussion in practice threads about this guy the past few weeks has been close to nonstop

 

[WillisWG]

Filled in last year due to injuries and likely he would do the same this year. Had a nice game against Vandy but was over match by Georgia

Today's practice comments:

Based on what we saw, the first group of defensive backs through the drill had Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson III at cornerback, Boo Carter at Star and Will Brooks and Andre Turrentine as the safeties. The second group had McMurray and Jordan Matthews as the cornerback, Christian Harrison at Star, Jakobe Thomas at one safety and Christian Charles and John Slaughter bracketed at the other safety spot (Slaughter was shadowing Charles). That could be the pecking order on the back line right now.

 

[mitzustu]

Colton Jumper or John Lynch?

 

[VOLfrombama]

He was running with the 1s at safety today. It sounds to me that the staff likes what he does enough to give him first team snaps.Unless someone steps up, I would expect him to start the first few games and play a lot regardless of starting or not.

VQ said something on the podcast that I really hope changes this season. They really need to play more younger talent early in the season and let them get real game reps so that experience with depth gets built faster over the length of the season. This has been Banks shortfall imo, although I understand that the situation hasn't always dictated the ability to accept a dropoff in skill to build depth since they have been here. This is truly the first season that the opportunity ha presented itself during this staff's tenure.

Let's hope the O gives them a big enough lead to give this young group of guys some real time experience.

 

[Oldvoldad]

I’m going to be honest. I wasn’t super familiar with the kid prior to the end of the year last year.

But he’s seen the field in 36 games as a Vol. Seems to be getting SIGNIFICANT run in fall camp.

Came to Tennessee as a (0 star) recruit in 2020.

No homerism here. What’s the story on the kid? Is he going to start?

Unfortunately, we haven't recruited this position well enough to compete with the big dogs, therefore a walk on is competing to start.

 

[chuckiepoo]

Unfortunately, we haven't recruited this position well enough to compete with the big dogs, therefore a walk on is competing to start.

Not necessarily a bad thing. Didn’t a walk on lead the leg humpers to b2b Nattys?

 

[WillisWG]

Not necessarily a bad thing. Didn’t a walk on lead the leg humpers to b2b Nattys?

rumor has it

 

[mitzustu]

So we are talking about him starting at Safety above the MTSU transfer? Or starting at Star?

 

[chuckiepoo]

So we are talking about him starting at Safety above the MTSU transfer? Or starting at Star?

Starter or solid depth. Doesn’t matter.

 

[Deathandtaxes]

He was running with the 1s at safety today. It sounds to me that the staff likes what he does enough to give him first team snaps.Unless someone steps up, I would expect him to start the first few games and play a lot regardless of starting or not.

VQ said something on the podcast that I really hope changes this season. They really need to play more younger talent early in the season and let them get real game reps so that experience with depth gets built faster over the length of the season. This has been Banks shortfall imo, although I understand that the situation hasn't always dictated the ability to accept a dropoff in skill to build depth since they have been here. This is truly the first season that the opportunity ha presented itself during this staff's tenure.

Let's hope the O gives them a big enough lead to give this young group of guys some real time experience.

This is why Joe and the defense killed us last year. Would keep the lead but hardly ever dominated bad teams to get our 2nd string quality minutes. But new year. Hopefully we dominate who we are supposed to and get the full team involved like we did with Hendon.

 

[25vol]

I don’t care if we start Daffy Duck at safety as long as I don’t see another game like Austin Peay last year. The moment we see another FCS team pass for 250 against us we’ll know we have an issue so I say let’s let the results speak for themselves.

 

[VOLfrombama]

This is why Joe and the defense killed us last year. Would keep the lead but hardly ever dominated bad teams to get our 2nd string quality minutes. But new year. Hopefully we dominate who we are supposed to and get the full team involved like we did with Hendon.

If Huep can get the running game going like he normally does, Nico will light it up. That should give them a chance to play everyone in 6-7 games at least. That’s what I think it boils down to.

 

[Oldvoldad]

Not necessarily a bad thing. Didn’t a walk on lead the leg humpers to b2b Nattys?

That guy played on a team that was loaded with the top talent in the country. This team isn't quite at that level yet.

 

[walkenvol]

Colton Jumper or John Lynch?

So he’s going to play in the NFL?

 

[LeannaVol]

Not necessarily a bad thing. Didn’t a walk on lead the leg humpers to b2b Nattys?

Baker Mayfield, JJ Watts and Antonio Gates all former walk ons. Some players develop later. Hope he can contribute.

 

[LittleVol]

"LaDerril McNiel is back out on the practice field, but Devaun Swafford still starts at safety. Swafford is just TOO good to move out right now."

- Hubbs 2015

 

[DaddyChad]

Unfortunately, we haven't recruited this position well enough to compete with the big dogs, therefore a walk on is competing to start.

Theyve got some real talent right now. Just young.

 

[VolInDayton]

I wish I could get Odds on him being named Tennessee head coach at some point in his lifetime. Feels like a great value play.

 

[onevol74]

Unfortunately, we haven't recruited this position well enough to compete with the big dogs, therefore a walk on is competing to start.

J.J. McClesky was a walk-on who eared a job and ended up in the NFL. Dale Jones was a 2 star from Cleveland and ate Bo Jackson and Testeverde’s lunch and punched them in the nose. Some kids have greater effort than a 5 star prima donna.

 

[Oldvoldad]

J.J. McClesky was a walk-on who eared a job and ended up in the NFL. Dale Jones was a 2 star from Cleveland and ate Bo Jackson and Testeverde’s lunch and punched them in the nose. Some kids have greater effort than a 5 star prima donna.

JJ and Jones never sniffed a natty. That is the goal.

 

[WillisWG]

J.J. McClesky was a walk-on who eared a job and ended up in the NFL. Dale Jones was a 2 star from Cleveland and ate Bo Jackson and Testeverde’s lunch and punched them in the nose. Some kids have greater effort than a 5 star prima donna.

were recruiting services using a star rating back in Dale's day?

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

Someone educate me; what traits are desirable at the STAR position vs a free or strong safety? When I saw Brooks on the field last year, he looked bigger than some of our other dbs (that may not be the case but it seemed so to me). I have no doubts that he can lay the lumber, but I wonder about his speed, so it would seem to me, being ignorant of the finer points of each position, that being at STAR, which I understand to play closer to the line in a more run-stopping, hybrid-linebacker role, might seem a more obvious fit. Clearly that’s not the case if he’s repping more at safety, so what am I missing (not a rhetorical question)?

I also will own up to the fact that were he not a white boy and a walk on, I would not have the same questions about his speed and athleticism, so that’s on me.

 

[LittleVol]

Someone educate me; what traits are desirable at the STAR position vs a free or strong safety? When I saw Brooks on the field last year, he looked bigger than some of our other dbs (that may not be the case but it seemed so to me). I have no doubts that he can lay the lumber, but I wonder about his speed, so it would seem to me, being ignorant of the finer points of each position, that being at STAR, which I understand to play closer to the line in a more run-stopping, hybrid-linebacker role, might seem a more obvious fit. Clearly that’s not the case if he’s repping more at safety, so what am I missing (not a rhetorical question)?

I also will own up to the fact that were he not a white boy and a walk on, I would not have the same questions about his speed and athleticism, so that’s on me.

In regards to his speed and particularly his athleticsim. Go to each recent practice footage and watch the DB drills. Then compare him to the other DBs.

STAR is a disruptor position. Manned by a player with a variety of skill set.
Theo Jackson was 6'1 212 running that spot
Now they're trying to get 6'0 195 Boo Carter ready, but he's more athletic and faster. Yet still big enough to play in the box.

Justin Coleman was a NB, but the only difference is they cover more than a STAR. A STAR is for an attacking style defense.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

JJ and Jones never sniffed a natty. That is the goal.

They played well and probably well enough to hold their own at the National level. Remember, it takes at least 30-35 players playing very well to sniff a natty.