Recruiting Football Talk VIII

[JohnnyD1024]

 

[volfan2022]

That’s unacceptable

Some of yall need to get richer faster

 

[volfan2022]

TN Big $$$ Donors:

C Ergen - billionaire
Haslam Family - billionaires
Charlie Anderson - several hundred millionaire
Thornton - several hundred millionaire +
Dr Min Kao - billionaire (caveat - most if not all donations are for education)
John Tickle - 75-125 mill
Peyton Manning - 250 mill+
Randy Boyd - 100 mill+ (???)

Ergen has never given a dollar to sports

 

[Volbucky]

He gone

 

[KB5252]

I hesitate to ask... what part of the interview reinforced the narrative?

That he's a family man and values his role as a father and when traveling with the team he reads books?

That was just my take away from it. My gut feeling I guess.

 

[Adam Sandler]

Warning: LONG. But didn’t think it warranted an individual thread.

Opinion on our offense: wasn’t the qb, or the OL, or the rbs, or the tight ends, or the receivers, that were the problem with the offense not being able to match 2022 level production the past 2 years. Wasn’t a talent problem. Wasn’t a development problem.

Heupel has told us the answer, numerous times in fact: all 11 guys need to execute at a high level consistently and together.

Side note: Examples of this can be found at other schools too. Like Ohio state showing mortality despite their 25 million dollar NIL roster, until they finally put all the pieces together on the same page this post season.

Back to us: There were times when the OL made life harder on Nico. Heard wasn’t in shape for this offense when he got here. Campbell has been injured. There were times when the receivers made life harder on Nico. Squirrel was injured. Guys dropping balls. There were times when Nico’s lack of experience showed with a rare bad decision likely due to overconfidence or a misread of the defense. There were numerous times when what was arguably the best running back in Tennessee history fumbled in the red zone, effectively wasting a scoring opportunity and halting momentum.

Maybe the complaining about the offense (specifically since ending the season on a disappointing note and not seeing any new and big news in recruiting and the transfer portal) is just because we got spoiled by 2022 being so good and for various reasons at varying times they haven’t been able to put that kind of elite togetherness back together and we haven’t understood why because we only live in that space once a week for 3 hours during the fall. 2022 featured all upper classmen that had been together for more than one season. They’re command and knowledge of what they were doing and togetherness showed, in all but the games where there was a clear talent mismatch (uga) or cheating and locker room issue (cocks - yes I full heartedly believed they knew every play we were running and side note: something about the defense was off which we never heard explained but it came down to being beat playing man defense - see osu 2024 as well, defense needs to take the next step in not just being elite at what they do but also in adjusting to elitely talented opponents and confusing the opponent so they can’t feel confident sticking to their game plan - but I digress). Maybe even NIL and the unrestricted transfer portal has played a role in the pieces not all coming together.

I think 2025 “could” see us get back there, but I would also temper expectations and say more likely we have another decent but not great year and hopefully that and the reaction to it doesn’t deter us from reaching our elite potential in 2026. Nico will show incredible improvement and command imo this year. The offensive line will have been together a while. Center should be figured out by end of spring. I think players like Warren and sham should be ready to step up. Hopefully we avoid injury there and don’t need to rely on freshmen. I’m also not worried about the rbs, if they stay healthy. Not worried about the tight ends, if they stay healthy. My loan concern or reason for thinking we could be waiting til 2026 for 2022 production is the lack of togetherness continuing, potentially having to rely on underclassmen, to which there is a reason we haven’t done so heavily in the past and it’s all about the togetherness (all “play the freshmen” posters, take note). The exodus of receivers is not great even if the talent that left was replacable, because they had experience in the offense and with nico. The guys we have can do their part by demanding time with nico (like MM heading to California with him to do so before spring semester started), running routes with him on their own time and when they can’t go hit the gym and the jugs. Staying healthy will be paramount to many other priorities this year. Fingers crossed the offseason and fall camp injuries are held to a minimum. If the wide receivers can get on the same page as nico, and our other position groups stay healthy, 2025 could be a big step forward for the offense. I have no doubt in 2026 so long as they keep the roster intact, as roster limits increase and recruiting/roster sanctions fall off, that we will be elite on offense. And I think we are in poll position to still be elite on defense that year too. The future is bright.

With that, hopefully I’m done fretting about any perceived disappointments on the recruiting and transfer portal fronts this offseason.

 

[Adam Sandler]

Revenue is different than NIL, at least for now. 247 had TN estimated at an 11.6 mill NIL roster which they ranked at #15 - Texas was #1 with a 22 mill + NIL roster.

Even if (and when) college football goes to revenue sharing with a “cap” athletes would still be entitled to go get their own marketing deals - like the NFL.

At some point, major college football and basktetball will be forced to adopt a version of the NFL/NBA - teams will be franchised out from under the university umbrella.

IF that’s true, which I don’t know that it is because we rarely hear about being outbid for recruits we want, we just gotta find more money on the NIL front and secure a dream recruiting class if we want to win a championship. If you want to tie NIL and recruiting together, which I think is fair to an extent, you gotta have at least one top 5 year amongst consistent top 10 years if you want to win a championship. That’s my opinion based on my 15 years following recruiting. We are one top 5 recruiting class and maybe also a few more million of NIL annually (shouldn’t be hard to pull from boosters when you really think about it in the grander scheme) from entering that space.

 

[Adam Sandler]

@Ericvol2096 @jvols1999 do you know, is there a way to denote and ensure that my donations to the school and vol club go directly to football player NIL? Donations to the school can be football specific, but I don’t think NIL specific (which I find odd given our commitment to being a leader in the NIL space, though maybe it’s not odd since the university doesn’t technically direct funds to NIL or rev share at this time). Donations to vol club, I’m not aware of how to make football specific. Any help/advice would be appreciated.

 

[PlanetVolunteer]

He got better as the year went on, presumably once he was recovered from injury.

That and he didn't have a lot of experience.

It's like people forget that almost every player improves year to year.

It's actually kinda hard to find players that don't get better over time and they tend to make their biggest jumps from underclassmen to upperclassmen.

You can almost guarantee we will have several players that aren't being talked about right now that will made huge leaps over the offseason.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Some of yall need to get richer faster

Sure thing

 

[PYSCHO]

Knowing Jones, he'll probably go after Sanders

one could only hope. The Cowboy demise will be sealed. Could not happen to better team. Maybe Snoop or JZ and throw Diddy in there they can buy them. Lol

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

Really really like this kid, has some Alontae Taylor to him

I think he's better. Rickey Gibson looks like a 1st round NFL corner physically. Very long and athletic. I think he'll only get better moving forward.

We should have the best CB trio in the country next year with McCoy, Gibson, and Carter.

 

[JacketVol]

If it's just about recruiting, I've heard negative things said about Ekeler and Elarbee.

But the WRs have been subpar for two years straight, and our OL can't pass block worth a piss, so my vote is Elarbee and Pope.

Pope recruits very well.

 

[UTSuave’]

@knoxvol52 @volbeast33 @pismonque

 

[JacketVol]

He can coach run blocking. I will give him that. His OLs have been very good at run blocking. But they are subpar at pass blocking. And he has trouble recruiting. At the very least, they need to find him his own Coach Chop who can help our OL pass block, and who can help in recruiting. Go out and find a good offensive analyst like that and put him on staff, and he can mask Elarbee's deficiencies.

They did fine for Hooker. The talent recruited over the last two years should be fine.

 

[JCVol00]

A lot of QB's look a whole lot different if you start hacking into their stats from productive games. Hopefully it was a talent/play calling issue that slowed production in SEC play and it gets worked out. He can make any throw when he isn't hearing footsteps as soon as he steps on the field.

Absolutely, and I think the talent around him is more to blame than Nico and/or playcalling. Hopefully we get some of that worked out

 

[JCVol00]

Honestly, as a Titans fan, I love the idea of Deion going to Dallas. We could absolutely finesse them with that #1 pick. Deion would be lucky to win 6-7 games a year in the NFL, which would put them drafting in the top 10 in 2026 imo. As a Titans fan, how could you day no to this:

Titans receive:
-Dak Prescott
-#12 overall pick
-2026 1st round pick (likely top 10)
-2026 3rd round pick
-2027 1st round pick (also likely top 10)
-2027 6th round pick

Dallas receives:
-1st overall pick
-4th round pick
-2026 4th round pick

Titans could have Prescott and Rudolph as qb’s next year and use their top 10 pick in 2026 to get Manning or another top QB (nico or someone else who bursts onto the scene). Say Manning/Nico are projected to go before the Titans scheduled pick, we could trade our 2 2026 1st round picks to get one of the two top qb’s. Titans should use this draft in the hypothetical trade to build the OL by drafting Will Campbell or the OT from texas, as well as upgrading the wr room and grabbing another rb

 

[DD4ME]

Happy Choose Day! Choose to he proactive.

January 14, 2025: There are things that you have put off doing that need to be done. Now is the time to take the proverbial bull by the horns, put dread aside, and get started. Procrastination is not a good look for you. Proverbs 24:33-34 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest; so shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.

 

[Enki_Amenra]

Honestly, as a Titans fan, I love the idea of Deion going to Dallas. We could absolutely finesse them with that #1 pick. Deion would be lucky to win 6-7 games a year in the NFL, which would put them drafting in the top 10 in 2026 imo. As a Titans fan, how could you day no to this:

Titans receive:
-Dak Prescott
-#12 overall pick
-2026 1st round pick (likely top 10)
-2026 3rd round pick
-2027 1st round pick (also likely top 10)
-2027 6th round pick

Dallas receives:
-1st overall pick
-4th round pick
-2026 4th round pick

Titans could have Prescott and Rudolph as qb’s next year and use their top 10 pick in 2026 to get Manning or another top QB (nico or someone else who bursts onto the scene). Say Manning/Nico are projected to go before the Titans scheduled pick, we could trade our 2 2026 1st round picks to get one of the two top qb’s. Titans should use this draft in the hypothetical trade to build the OL by drafting Will Campbell or the OT from texas, as well as upgrading the wr room and grabbing another rb

Who wants old ass Dak Prescott? Those picks may be worth it though

 

[JCVol00]

Who wants old ass Dak Prescott? Those picks may be worth it though

He’d be an upgrade over what we have, we could get a couple of decent seasons with him until manning/nico are ready

 

[TrippieRedd]

He’d be an upgrade over what we have, we could get a couple of decent seasons with him until manning/nico are ready

Yup. This is a chance to rob Dallas and bring the Titans organization back.

 

[Orange_Crush]

@Ericvol2096 @jvols1999 do you know, is there a way to denote and ensure that my donations to the school and vol club go directly to football player NIL? Donations to the school can be football specific, but I don’t think NIL specific (which I find odd given our commitment to being a leader in the NIL space, though maybe it’s not odd since the university doesn’t technically direct funds to NIL or rev share at this time). Donations to vol club, I’m not aware of how to make football specific. Any help/advice would be appreciated.

It's likely a distinction without meaning, my friend, considering how that kind of thing works within large budgets. Unless enough donation $$$s are specifically directed to football, above the amount they'd planned to budget to football anyway, it doesn't effectively matter. Imagine it this way:

You are making a home budget, partially as such:

$6000/mo income

$1000/mo mortgage
$400/mo groceries
$400/mo utilities
$100/mo cable/streaming
...

Your sister loves the kids and wants to show it.

"Hey, I have $20 a month that I'd like to donate to pay for the kids' Disney subscription, but you have to promise it's going to go to the Disney subscription!
"Fair enough. I promise."

New budget:

$6020/mo income

$1000/mo mortgage
$400/mo groceries
$400/mo utilities
$100/mo cable/streaming
...

The $20/mo is paying for the Disney you'd already budgeted for, and just opens up $20/mo extra somewhere else. Your annual budget line items have to amount to at least the amount of directed fund donations annually in that line item. If so, you've met the requirement. If not, you have to give the money back or ask them to give it undirected. Effectively, if people are directing money to a line item you've already budgeted to fund, it's a distinction without meaning, except for a safeguard that the line item will be budgeted.

 

[85SugarVol]

TN Big $$$ Donors:

C Ergen - billionaire
Haslam Family - billionaires
Charlie Anderson - several hundred millionaire
Thornton - several hundred millionaire +
Dr Min Kao - billionaire (caveat - most if not all donations are for education)
John Tickle - 75-125 mill
Peyton Manning - 250 mill+
Randy Boyd - 100 mill+ (???)

Ergen doesn’t support us.

 

[smoltie29``]

Bet the Vikings wish they didn’t screw over Dobbs now! Losers

Big Dobbs fan, but Vikes wouldn't have won 14 games with him as the starter.

 

[NighthawkVol]

What development from Elarbee has you so confident that one of the worst left tackles in the SEC will just magically improve in one offseason?

Darnell Wright.