Faizon Brandon Has to be coming in as true freshman starter no doubt.

#127
#127
volfan2024 said:
If we play him from the get go he won’t leave.
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If Faizon Brandon plays from the get go, and perhaps you missed someone local to him saying that he's been out most of the season with a hand injury, we'll be starting a guy in the SEC who has played essentially 2.5 seasons of high school ball.

He would have to be an exceptional talent, beyond even Peyton Manning talented given the differences in the game since 1995, to be successful.

If you believe that's a good bet, anywhere in Las Vegas will put you up in their finest suite and let you gamble with your money in the private Baccarat room.
 
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#128
#128
volfan411 said:
Are you asking would Merk transfer to not start or if a QB would transfer in to not start??

I think if Merk transfers he is confident he would be the starter at his next stop and I agree no way do we land a portal addition to be a bench player. If CJH takes a portal QB it will be to compete for the starting job.
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I agree, if a transfer comes to UT they will want to be the starter, and compete for the starting position. If Merk transfers he will want to start. I really think any qb who transfers only transfers if they think they have a very good chance to start.
 
#129
#129
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
Heupel has to go to the portal if Merk transfers. We can't go into a season with just G-Mac and Faizon.

The question is does Heupel go for a steady backup guy and G-Mac as the starter or does Heupel look for someone with starter potential?

To me, you have to go after the best QB you can possibly get BUT does that lead to G-Mac waving bye bye?

If you just get a steady hand backup QB and G-Mac really isn't the guy, next season looks rough unless Faizon is that rare kid who is a true FR starter in the SEC.
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You go with a senior that has something to prove to NFL scouts with a "one-and-done" season.

Allows G-MAC and/or Merk to sit another year and Brandon to redshirt.

If we are playing a true FR, we are in a bad position.
 
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#130
#130
Big Cheese Offspring said:
You go with a senior that has something to prove to NFL scouts with a "one-and-done" season.

Allows G-MAC and/or Merk to sit another year and Brandon to redshirt.

If we are playing a true FR, we are in a bad position.
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I agree that we can't risk an injury that leaves us forced to play Faizon. The odds of him being ready, especially after being injured most of this year, are extremely small.

And your idea of a senior with something to prove is great but it thins the pool we get to pick from.

If we pull a talented Jr or younger, we risk G-Mac feeling recruited over and leaving.
 
#132
#132
KTrain said:
It will play out about like Michigan with their true Freshman 5 star 6' 4" 230 Lbs. Bryce Underwood. Probably an auto 3+ loss season IMO but a good barometer for the 2027 season, if fans are patient enough to look ahead.
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2027 will be so much harder than 2026. 2026 is our only chance to do something special before the doors slam shut on Tennessee for a few years. we need a QB that can win and win right now.
 
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#133
#133
UTFranklinVol said:
2027 will be so much harder than 2026. 2026 is our only chance to do something special before the doors slam shut on Tennessee for a few years. we need a QB that can win and win right now.
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Agree fans have to have it next year or they'll blow up the program. In this Drive thru world , I want it all and I want it now mantra. There is no patience and most don't even care about the future. They always got a trophy in every sport growing up so no need to stop now.
 
#135
#135
He has the build, the arm, the speed, number one rated player in the US. If he is willing to commit to us we should do the same in return! Heupel the guy to do that.
 
#136
#136
knoxvol52 said:
CJH track record shows he doesn't start TRUE Freshman at QB but good luck with the dream scenario. GM will be starting QB next season.
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this was always the plan. the assumption was Nico was going to be a good QB and declared for the NFL this off season. Merklinger was brought in to be his backup and GMac the QB for 1-2 years while Faizon got ready.
 
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#137
#137
UTFranklinVol said:
this was always the plan. the assumption was Nico was going to be a good QB and declared for the NFL this off season. Merklinger was brought in to be his backup and GMac the QB for 1-2 years while Faizon got ready.
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Which is quite genius. We have a steady roll of QBs, including portal rentals.
 
#138
#138
cgrish said:
I agree, if a transfer comes to UT they will want to be the starter, and compete for the starting position. If Merk transfers he will want to start. I really think any qb who transfers only transfers if they think they have a very good chance to start.
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Agreed and the problem UT has is I am sure Brandon is getting paid starter pay and I am sure G-Mac is going to want starter pay next year so can we afford to add a third QB and pay them starter pay??
 
#139
#139
KTrain said:
Agree fans have to have it next year or they'll blow up the program. In this Drive thru world , I want it all and I want it now mantra. There is no patience and most don't even care about the future. They always got a trophy in every sport growing up so no need to stop now.
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Not defending those fans but when ticket prices were raised it also raised expectations. I don’t look at it this way because I gave up my tickets but I know people who look at it as thought they are paying championship prices and not getting that in return.
 
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#140
#140
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
Merk is almost certainly leaving and much like this year, Heupel will have to go to the portal for someone experienced.

Rolling with Merk and G-Mac this year would've been coaching malpractice and rolling with G-Mac and Faizon would be coaching malpractice.

Rolling with Merk, G-Mac, and Faizon seems unlikely and we have other holes to fill so getting a 4th QB seems like a waste of resources.

Merk gets squeezed out because he either would be skipped by G-Mac or simply not good enough to be a starting SEC QB.

Resources are limited and keeping a year 3 scholarship backup is a luxury we can't afford with our other holes.

No disrespect to Merk but if he isn't able to start in year 3, we can't afford to keep him.
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You say we can’t afford to keep Merk but in your scenario we would be paying 3 QB’s starter pay so how do we afford that??

If G-Mac is starter next year we will have to pay him starter pay, Brandon didn’t commit here without getting starter pay and bringing in a 3rd QB to compete will want starter pay. Can we afford to pay them all?? I say no that money is better spent elsewhere. The perfect scenario is to convince Merk to stay and along with G-mac and Brandon but I don’t see that happening. NIL sucks!!
 
#142
#142
people need to understand that unless we figure out a situation that gets us back into the playoffs and national prominence you can most likely expect 9-3 or worse seasons until 2028.

if there was ever such a thing as win and win now for 2026, then I don't know what to tell you.


2027 - at bama, at Georgia, at ohlahoma, at Missouri
we also play the gators and ole piss and Georgia tech at home. this is crusifixtion level brutal.

2028 at LSU, at Texas and we play Bama at home

of course all this assumes that none of these other teams like Auburn or Arkansas or Kentucky "rebuild" their programs and get better than UT before Tennessee is done with their "rebuild" that we always seem to be in.
 
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#145
#145
volfan411 said:
You say we can’t afford to keep Merk but in your scenario we would be paying 3 QB’s starter pay so how do we afford that??

If G-Mac is starter next year we will have to pay him starter pay, Brandon didn’t commit here without getting starter pay and bringing in a 3rd QB to compete will want starter pay. Can we afford to pay them all?? I say no that money is better spent elsewhere. The perfect scenario is to convince Merk to stay and along with G-mac and Brandon but I don’t see that happening. NIL sucks!!
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Ranting against NIL at this point sounds like me insisting very late in the game that smart phones are terrible for society. They probably are and I'm generating this message from a phone that costs 4 figures and is smarter than several computers I've owned. Change happens and NIL is here to stay.

As for costs, paying 3 SEC level QBs makes sense when one is a true FR. If you think Merk and G-Mac aren't getting VERY well paid now to ride the bench, you're dreaming. SEC level QB talent costs lots of money.

Convincing Merk to stay would likely involve playing time AND NIL money. It's very very possible Merk starts next year....... at an ACC school because he's probably not at the starting level for the SEC. We should keep him? Why? No, we shouldn't.
 
#147
#147
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
Ranting against NIL at this point sounds like me insisting very late in the game that smart phones are terrible for society. They probably are and I'm generating this message from a phone that costs 4 figures and is smarter than several computers I've owned. Change happens and NIL is here to stay.

As for costs, paying 3 SEC level QBs makes sense when one is a true FR. If you think Merk and G-Mac aren't getting VERY well paid now to ride the bench, you're dreaming. SEC level QB talent costs lots of money.

Convincing Merk to stay would likely involve playing time AND NIL money. It's very very possible Merk starts next year....... at an ACC school because he's probably not at the starting level for the SEC. We should keep him? Why? No, we shouldn't.
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If we are going to the portal for a 3rd QB why doesn’t it make sense to keep Merk as the 3rd?? He would have 3 years in the program at that point and IF G-Mac is the guy wouldn’t we want experience behind him?? If we are forced to go to the portal I have said I believe it will be for a one year guy who is a place holder for Brandon.
 
#148
#148
volfan411 said:
If we are going to the portal for a 3rd QB why doesn’t it make sense to keep Merk as the 3rd?? He would have 3 years in the program at that point and IF G-Mac is the guy wouldn’t we want experience behind him?? If we are forced to go to the portal I have said I believe it will be for a one year guy who is a place holder for Brandon.
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Merk simply hasn't developed, by reports like Austin Price saying he's going to the portal, into a QB who HIMSELF believes he will start/play at UT. Why keep a QB who WANTS to leave? Merk doesn't want to spend his entire college career on the sidelines. Who would?

If we get a QB who jumps G-Mac to start in 2026, there's zero reason for G-Mac to stay. You seem to somehow feel it's 1980 and QBs are more than happy to sit their entire career. Even Gaston Moore finally transferred to get a chance to play.

If we go out and get a "splash QB," G-Mac has to conclude "They don't think I'm ready for 2026. But Faizon may be in 2027. I need to get up out of here if I'm going to actually play in college."

QBs want to play, not many can as true FR but they expect that by year 3, at least, they are "the guy." You're insisting Merk should stay and simply resign himself to riding the bench for his whole career. Would you encourage your son to do that or to transfer somewhere where they could play?
 
#150
#150
knoxvol52 said:
CJH track record shows he doesn't start TRUE Freshman at QB but good luck with the dream scenario. GM will be starting QB next season.
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Has he ever been in this situation with a QB as talented as this coming in? Peyton only played because of injuries to two QBs ahead of him. I am not sure any of the QBs we have on our current team are as talented as Peyton, but we have yet to see GMac in action. I expect a strong battle next Spring and Fall to determine who starts in 2026. I do not expect we pick up a QB from the portal unless something major turns up before the portal opens.
 
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