'16 TN ATH Darel Middleton (Tennessee signee)

[engineerVOL]

Quality depth on the DL is going to be a problem yet again next year

Just seems never ending, why it’s not a quick fix and one off year in recruiting is pretty detrimental.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Just seems never ending, why it’s not a quick fix and one off year in recruiting is pretty detrimental.

True. Not making excuses but here agin we can point to Butch putting us behind the 8 ball. I think recruiting is the hardest part of coaching. Trying to figure out how many guys you have at positions then determining how many guys you need to recruit at positions of need. I mean we need DL and OL. But you cannot stock a recruiting class full of 2 positions.

 

[Blake25p]

Hopefully we can get a grad transfer or two with multiple years of eligibility left. That would go a long way in speeding up the process.

 

[Vols_14]

Quality depth on the DL is going to be a problem yet again next year

You think Pruitt has prioritized LB over DL because he wants to move to a base 3-4? We will still have Kivon Bennett, Matthew Butler, Greg Emerson, Emmit Gooden, Kingston Harris as well as about 4 DL we have committed currently have the size to play DL in a 3-4 which includes 2 JUCO's. That's 9 guys to play 3 positions. They must be confident in the ones we have (on roster and committed) because it doesn't seem like there are any left that are on the board.

 

[Roustabout]

You think Pruitt has prioritized LB over DL because he wants to move to a base 3-4? We will still have Kivon Bennett, Matthew Butler, Greg Emerson, Emmit Gooden, Kingston Harris as well as about 4 DL we have committed currently have the size to play DL in a 3-4 which includes 2 JUCO's. That's 9 guys to play 3 positions. They must be confident in the ones we have (on roster and committed) because it doesn't seem like there are any left that are on the board.

Not sure why Crosby is wasting away on the scout team. He’s already redshirted and good provide valuable depth at a woefully thin position. Even a handful of reps at NT would go a long way towards next year. After seeing CFA I question some of Pruitt’s roster moves.

 

[31VFL]

Not sure why Crosby is wasting away on the scout team. He’s already redshirted and good provide valuable depth at a woefully thin position. Even a handful of reps at NT would go a long way towards next year. After seeing CFA I question some of Pruitt’s roster moves.

Crosby isn’t helping any D line at the power 5 level.

 

[m1al]

Crosby isn’t helping any D line at the power 5 level.

Another Butch swing and miss?

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

Crosby has talent and is athletic as hell for a 300lb guy. But he doesn’t love football.

 

[m1al]

So he doesn't have the work ethic the staff is looking for?

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

So he doesn't have the work ethic the staff is looking for?

I can't speak to his work ethic and honestly you can probably flush what I say about this kid, as it's second hand info. Just know one of his teachers from high school and she glows about Eric - good kid, good student, never had a trouble etc. But she also said he was very involved in a lot of things outside of football. Entrepreneurial stuff. Like, he started selling T-shirts or something while still in high school and it was pretty involved. I hadn't talked to anyone about him since, but considering his inability to even make an impact here (considering how bad we are along the trenches) coupled with his relatively unimpressive squat video (considering his size), that he might've just been a guy who earned a scholarship in high school after being simply better than most kids he faced week in and week out. Didn't have to try that hard to stand out. Because again, he is a big kid, and athletic. Played some RB and not just a short yardage guy. Actually broke some long runs. In the SEC though, you have to dedicate yourself to the game if you want to make it. So if you're a hard worker in the classroom and have an entrepreneurial spirit at 16-17, then odds are his work ethic is just fine. I guess I've jumped to the conclusion that he's not passionate about the game.

But as you can see, I'm taking a lot of liberties with info I heard a few years ago.

 

[Nashvegas31]

Hard not to question someone's passion when they show up way overweight and out of shape with a prime opportunity in front of them. He should have showed up ready to take a spot last yr

 

[m1al]

I can't speak to his work ethic and honestly you can probably flush what I say about this kid, as it's second hand info. Just know one of his teachers from high school and she glows about Eric - good kid, good student, never had a trouble etc. But she also said he was very involved in a lot of things outside of football. Entrepreneurial stuff. Like, he started selling T-shirts or something while still in high school and it was pretty involved. I hadn't talked to anyone about him since, but considering his inability to even make an impact here (considering how bad we are along the trenches) coupled with his relatively unimpressive squat video (considering his size), that he might've just been a guy who earned a scholarship in high school after being simply better than most kids he faced week in and week out. Didn't have to try that hard to stand out. Because again, he is a big kid, and athletic. Played some RB and not just a short yardage guy. Actually broke some long runs. In the SEC though, you have to dedicate yourself to the game if you want to make it. So if you're a hard worker in the classroom and have an entrepreneurial spirit at 16-17, then odds are his work ethic is just fine. I guess I've jumped to the conclusion that he's not passionate about the game.

But as you can see, I'm taking a lot of liberties with info I heard a few years ago.

I know what you're saying. I suffer from the same thing. I have too many interests for my own good. I remember years ago hearing talk about why Kyle Petty didn't see much success racing. If I remember correctly he had his 'fingers in a lot of pies' also. His inability to lock into racing and focus on that one thing hurt him. I also heard the racing gene skipped him and landed on Adam.. Who knows really.. May be it a little of both.

I imagine unless you've competed at a very high level (I haven't) it's impossible to truly understand and appreciate all the things that must come together at the same time to be successful.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

In the first page (maybe second) someone posted that Middleton, as a freshman in high school, was two years older than other freshman. Is that true?

Is he already 21/22 years old?

 

[MoB_MoVols]

 

[The Dog]

I can't speak to his work ethic and honestly you can probably flush what I say about this kid, as it's second hand info. Just know one of his teachers from high school and she glows about Eric - good kid, good student, never had a trouble etc. But she also said he was very involved in a lot of things outside of football. Entrepreneurial stuff. Like, he started selling T-shirts or something while still in high school and it was pretty involved. I hadn't talked to anyone about him since, but considering his inability to even make an impact here (considering how bad we are along the trenches) coupled with his relatively unimpressive squat video (considering his size), that he might've just been a guy who earned a scholarship in high school after being simply better than most kids he faced week in and week out. Didn't have to try that hard to stand out. Because again, he is a big kid, and athletic. Played some RB and not just a short yardage guy. Actually broke some long runs. In the SEC though, you have to dedicate yourself to the game if you want to make it. So if you're a hard worker in the classroom and have an entrepreneurial spirit at 16-17, then odds are his work ethic is just fine. I guess I've jumped to the conclusion that he's not passionate about the game.

But as you can see, I'm taking a lot of liberties with info I heard a few years ago.

I really like EC, mad athletic for a 300+ pound kid. Obviously, this kid is very smart and has many other interests. Which tells me if he concentrates on football, considering his intelligence, size and athleticism, he could excel. If he is as smart as I think he is, surely he understands the better he does in football, that more doors will open for his other endeavors. If not, maybe his heart is not in it, like which is implied. Hopefully, Pruitt and EC can make the football side of it work, if not, like somebody else said, they will more or less, git-shirt him

 

[Blake25p]

He’s a big dude. Need him and Williams to come in and be solid rotational SEC dline men by the first game next year. Anything more would be a bonus.

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

He’s a big dude. Need him and Williams to come in and be solid rotational SEC dline men by the first game next year. Anything more would be a bonus.

Agreed. Gooden will start and I expect but improvement from the coaching of this staff. We need Middleton to be in the role Gooden is playing this year.

 

[coskramer]

I would imagine Middleton will fill Alexis Johnson spot with Savion Williams being Goodens backup.

 

[MoB_MoVols]

I would imagine Middleton will fill Alexis Johnson spot with Savion Williams being Goodens backup.

Let's not write off Kurott Garland or Greg Emerson. A winter strength program and spring practice can be big for those two since they are both true freshman. Def. am happy about the potential additions of both Middleton and Williams because although unproven, at the least provides depth with upside. D Line potentially could be a bright spot at some point next season with some of the names mentioned above and recruiting is very fluid so who knows we could always end up adding after the early signing period

 

[swchandler1988]

Let's not write off Kurott Garland or Greg Emerson. A winter strength program and spring practice can be big for those two since they are both true freshman. Def. am happy about the potential additions of both Middleton and Williams because although unproven, at the least provides depth with upside. D Line potentially could be a bright spot at some point next season with some of the names mentioned above and recruiting is very fluid so who knows we could always end up adding after the early signing period

Definitely a bit of a gamble with juco guys but i trust Pruitts evaluation. Mincey Garland and Emerson will get in the rotation too, and one would think Kingston would be back over to the d line since we’ll be deeper at O line after this class signs

 

[MoB_MoVols]

Definitely a bit of a gamble with juco guys but i trust Pruitts evaluation. Mincey Garland and Emerson will get in the rotation too, and one would think Kingston would be back over to the d line since we’ll be deeper at O line after this class signs

Agreed, it truly is boom or bust with JUCO guys and it really speaks volumes to the state of the program as it pertains to the DL with us being so reliant on bringing in JUCO guys. Butch at the very least was left with a solid offensive line when Dooley got his git shirt but one could argue that the program was almost left in the same shape if not worse when Butch got his git shirt

 

[engineerVOL]

Agreed, it truly is boom or bust with JUCO guys and it really speaks volumes to the state of the program as it pertains to the DL with us being so reliant on bringing in JUCO guys. Butch at the very least was left with a solid offensive line when Dooley got his git shirt but one could argue that the program was almost left in the same shape if not worse when Butch got his git shirt

Worse. Butch broke their spirit.

 

[bc_powder]

Alabama has offered.

 

[Catbone]

F off bama

 

[Pacer92]

Like to see him in Kyle Phillips position...