'11 GA LB A.J. Johnson - UT Signee

#529
#529
lylsmorr said:
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Don't freak out yet. Just because he's high on UF now doesn't mean UF's planning to take a commitment from him anytime soon. UF may have several others ahead of him on their board. I'd like to see y'all get him. Y'all could really use a big versatile LB like him in this class.
 
#530
#530
Tidal Surge said:
Don't freak out yet. Just because he's high on UF now doesn't mean UF's planning to take a commitment from him anytime soon. UF may have several others ahead of him on their board. I'd like to see y'all get him. Y'all could really use a big versatile LB like him in this class.
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I was thinking it was pretty well known that Florida had other LB on the board higher than him
 
#531
#531
If they want to take a commit from him on NSD then that's all that matters. They want Steward before him, but Floridas and Bamas still have their pick of who they want
 
#533
#533
We simply are not competing with Florida or Alabama for top players anymore. I know it is obvious, but you act surprised by A.J. putting Florida on top. This really blows. We have the best facilities in the country and a tradition to back it but it just goes to show you how complacent Phillip Fulmer got in his later years at the University. Until we can get the personnel hear to compete with the big boys, Tennessee will always be second best. I do not care who the coach is, better players prevail. Meanwhile, we are over here offering "Tino (I have no good offers) Thomas" and still can not even get him to commit on the spot. What a freaking joke. I love my Volunteers but dang it is hard to stay positive when our competitors are pulling away from us by such a large margin.
 
#534
#534
I don't know why Tennessee can't land a player like Pagan. W. North Carolina has been a TN pipeline throughout our program's history. Think of all the greats we have pulled from there. Shuler, Little,etc. I think Austin Johnson is going to end up in the NFL at LB. I think you may see he and Nick on the field at the same time this year to rest our DT's in some of Wilcox's schemes. Really look forward to some of the looks we will show on D this year.
 
#535
#535
UF may be on top but we all know UF has other LB's higher on their board than Johnson. He's not going to make a decision anytime soon, IMO. We are very much still in this.
 
#536
#536
lilesrt said:
We simply are not competing with Florida or Alabama for top players anymore. I know it is obvious, but you act surprised by A.J. putting Florida on top. This really blows. We have the best facilities in the country and a tradition to back it but it just goes to show you how complacent Phillip Fulmer got in his later years at the University. Until we can get the personnel hear to compete with the big boys, Tennessee will always be second best. I do not care who the coach is, better players prevail. Meanwhile, we are over here offering "Tino (I have no good offers) Thomas" and still can not even get him to commit on the spot. What a freaking joke. I love my Volunteers but dang it is hard to stay positive when our competitors are pulling away from us by such a large margin.
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I'm beginning to come to this point of view as well. I expected a slow start due to the coaching transition, but I thought they would be making a move by now in recruiting. We are in good shape for a lot of three star types, but not many of the four and five star guys. They have had lots of higher ranked kids visit, but we don't seem to have much traction with the elite type players. It seems like we are down to hoping that a Florida doesn't offer AJ Johnson, or that Ohio State doesn't come in and offer Avery Walls.
 
#537
#537
Tennessee is not seen as competitive to Bama and Florida. I said after the 2005 season that the decision to keep Fulmer that year would send that message that we would no longer be competitive in the SEC. The effects of that decision after the 2005 season to stay the course is very evident in this program today.

And I will credit that Coach Cut was only a temporary fix.
 
#538
#538
Dooley's job will be tougher than Major's job in 1977. And it took Majors 12 years to win a SEC title.
 
#539
#539
lilesrt said:
We simply are not competing with Florida or Alabama for top players anymore. I know it is obvious, but you act surprised by A.J. putting Florida on top. This really blows. We have the best facilities in the country and a tradition to back it but it just goes to show you how complacent Phillip Fulmer got in his later years at the University. Until we can get the personnel hear to compete with the big boys, Tennessee will always be second best. I do not care who the coach is, better players prevail. Meanwhile, we are over here offering "Tino (I have no good offers) Thomas" and still can not even get him to commit on the spot. What a freaking joke. I love my Volunteers but dang it is hard to stay positive when our competitors are pulling away from us by such a large margin.
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This isn't really breaking news. The good news is a lot of the lower tiered 4* guys won't be getting committable offers from Bama and UF.

Also, Tennessee doesn't have the best facilities in the nation. Check out Oregon, Bama, etc.
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#540
#540
Tidal Surge said:
Don't freak out yet. Just because he's high on UF now doesn't mean UF's planning to take a commitment from him anytime soon. UF may have several others ahead of him on their board. I'd like to see y'all get him. Y'all could really use a big versatile LB like him in this class.
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Me too. I just can not understand why we can not land a top notch lb or dt...... two very important positions.
 
#541
#541
yep. the Chris Martin transfer in nullifies the Brendan Beal transfer out so we're still looking to replace the 2 graduating senior OLBs and 1 graduating senior ILB.

Shazier takes up one OLB spot and we expect Stephone Anthony to take up the other. i think we'd like to fill the ILB spot with Curtis Grant, Tony Steward (not at all likely) and Lamar Dawson before AJ Johnson.
 
#542
#542
volwarrior33 said:
This isn't really breaking news. The good news is a lot of the lower tiered 4* guys won't be getting committable offers from Bama and UF.

Also, Tennessee doesn't have the best facilities in the nation. Check out Oregon, Bama, etc.Posted via VolNation Mobile
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That might be true as of right now but when Neyland gets done being renovated & the new weight room complex gets done I'd put our facilities up against anyones in the entire nation. MH knows that we HAVE to have the BEST facilites in the country to be able to recruit since we can just load our class up with great prospects within the state.
 
#543
#543
volwarrior33 said:
This isn't really breaking news. The good news is a lot of the lower tiered 4* guys won't be getting committable offers from Bama and UF.

Also, Tennessee doesn't have the best facilities in the nation. Check out Oregon, Bama, etc.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
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I disagree. My point, however, is that Tennessee's facilities can rival anybodies in the country. It is a matter of opinion to most people who's is better. Bottom line is that we are down to "hoping that specific schools do not offer a kid" and that is not good. We should be able to go head to head with other elite school on the recruiting front and WIN. If we cannot win in recruiting we will not win on the field. That has been evident. I do not know if yall recognize this or not, but have you guys noticed the difference player size and athleticism on our team opposed to Florida, Alabama, LSU, Georgia, etc.? There is no comparison. A.J. Johnson is a good player, but he's not that good folks. The fact that we offered Tino Thomas should be a reality check as to where our coaches feel we are in terms of our current targets. I hope you guys brace yourself because this class is going to consist of majority 3 star prospects. It sucks but it is just the reality.
 
#544
#544
it's clear that us recruiting elite talent isn't working. we've had 3 top 10 classes in the past 4 years and we keep getting worse and worse.

but stars are what really matters guys lol.
 
#545
#545
Lord Vader said:
it's clear that us recruiting elite talent isn't working. we've had 3 top 10 classes in the past 4 years and we keep getting worse and worse.

but stars are what really matters guys lol.
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Thanks for the reality check for those that needed it. This fan base us absolutely amazing. (not in a good way)
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#546
#546
Thats why we have been selected to finish 5th in the SEC East this year. Behind the University of Kentucky might I add. I definitely respect the optimism displayed by some of the fans on this site but we are clearly NOT competitive with the top teams in the SEC. Being realistic does not make a bad fan base. They could drop a bomb on Neyland Stadium and some of you dreamers would still think everything is okay. Let things continue the way they are going and in 20 years when UT is 0-20 against Florida and Alabama maybe it will open you guys eyes up. The UT-Florida/Alabama game is no longer a rivalry game, IMO, because we have not beaten them in years. Nor do I honestly expect us to come game day. Not until we get some players and some depth that can compete against the big boys of this league.
 
#547
#547
I don't understand how losing to the two top teams in the conference by a combined 12 points or something like that is not being competitive. We were in every SEC game last year with the exception of Ole Miss, and that is because one guy made us look retarded.
 
#548
#548
The key is depth. A program has to start building depth, especially in the trenches. People get so caught up in some big time playmaker but if he does not have the support cast around him oh well.

Even the programs you are talking about have the same issues. Look at UF last year. Some say that Tebow is the 2nd coming but because UF did not have the right supprt staff they came up short in the end.

It is nice to get players like a B Brown but if you do not have someone that can block for him who cares. I mean imagine what R Cobb would be like if he did not go to UK and maybe went to UA or Texas. The kid could have been up for the Heisman. BTW a low 3 star from TN.

Stars mean very little because you need 40 to 50 players that can play each game and contribute. CLK philosphy was go after the top player and have him win games, but CDD is lets get players in here to build a foundation and than the rest will fall in place. USC is a great example this year. Lattimore will come in and start as a freshman for them at RB. He will probably break 1000 yards this year if he starts for them. This will not happen because he was 5 star and one of the top RBs in the country. It is because USC over the past 3 to 4 years has created a solid foundation with alot 3 and 4 star players, especially in the trenches that will allow him to perform.

Not only that this is the first year that I have seen USC mentioned in so many top recruits final group. That just shows you if you build it they will come. People at UT seem to want a coach to come in and turn around UT as quick as CNS did at UA. The difference is no matter how bad he was at coaching in games CMS recruited some pretty good talent for CNS to walk into.
 
#549
#549
SamQB7 said:
I don't understand how losing to the two top teams in the conference by a combined 12 points or something like that is not being competitive. We were in every SEC game last year with the exception of Ole Miss, and that is because one guy made us look retarded.
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we still lost. i think he meant competative in the sense that we may actually pull off a win from time to time. in that case, we are in no way shape or form competative with the likes of Bama or Florida.

expect nothing less than a good old shallacking from them this year too.
 
#550
#550
Lord Vader said:
it's clear that us recruiting elite talent isn't working. we've had 3 top 10 classes in the past 4 years and we keep getting worse and worse.

but stars are what really matters guys lol.
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Just ask the past 6 National Champions how much stars mattered. They'll tell you not much. Oh wait....
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