2016 Starters!

#1
SoMissVol

SoMissVol

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#1
Let's assume Cam and JRM declare and get drafted. Who are our starters on Offense and Defense next year?
 
#2
#2
Locks if not injured are Dobbs, Hurd, Malone, North, Robertson, Thomas, Kendrick, Bennett, Gaulden, Kirkland, Berry (return game), Daniel, Medley, OBrien, Mckenzie, Tuttle, Phillips, Moseley (CB), Kelly Jr. Assume a lot of competition for other slots.

If Kamara bolts...look for John Kelly or Evan Berry to get more carries.
 
#3
#3
87&91ALUM said:
Locks if not injured are Dobbs, Hurd, Malone, North, Robertson, Thomas, Kendrick, Bennett, Gaulden, Kirkland, Berry (return game), Daniel, Medley, OBrien, Mckenzie, Tuttle, Phillips, Moseley (CB), Kelly Jr. Assume a lot of competition for other slots.

If Kamara bolts...look for John Kelly or Evan Berry to get more carries.
Click to expand...

3 DTs? No DBar? I'm afraid Kendrick lost his spot.
 
#4
#4
Just a wild guess from a long way away:

WR- Smith
WR- Malone
WR- North
TE- Wolf
LT- Hall/Richmond
LG- Wiesman
C- Thomas
RG- Robertson
RT- Hall/Kendrick
QB- Dobbs
RB- Hurd

DE- Vereen
DT- Tuttle
DT- Vickers
DE- Barnett
OLB- Pick'm from Smith, McDowell, Sapp, Berry
MLB- Kirkland
NB- Gaulden/Foreman
CB- Martin
CB- Mosley/Foreman/Abernathy
S- Kelly
S- (IMO) Jennings


I think a slight shortage at WR could cause the Vols to use more two TE sets with Wolf and Croom.

As you see above, I think Jennings moves to S where he will blossom into one of the SEC's best.

There are a lot of worthy and well developed candidates to replace JRM. Love him but replacing him won't be as bad as some might think. That said, I don't think he leaves.

The slot position may hold a surprise. If UT manages to get one of the top guys in this class then they could end up at slot. If not, we could see Perry make serious noise.
 
#5
#5
Man, it's way early, and a LOT of unknowns, like whether Jennings shifts from WR to S and whether Croom shifts to TE, but here's one possible 2016 look:

2016%20Two-Deep.jpg


QB: Guarantano likely to RS. Dobbs undoubted starter. Let the Dormady-Jones backup competition begin again! I think Quentin has the head start.

RB: No question here unless someone leaves.

WR: Any of the six listed could be "starters" or "backups," wouldn't put too much effort into trying to distinguish among those for now.

OL: Will Richmond overtake Kendrick for the starting spot? How about Wiesman vs. Jones at G? And who backs up Thomas at C?

DL: Like the WRs, wouldn't put too much weight on "starter" vs "backup" this early, but think the key players are listed.

LB: Huge questions here, biggest of the two-deep. Who would take JRM's spot if he goes pro? And who gets tagged as 2nd string MLB? The answers to those two questions will be keys to our 2016 success.

DB: We're surprisingly fine here, even if Cam goes early to the NFL. Credit the growth of Abernathy, Foreman, and Moseley as 2015 played out.

ST: I think we see Zac Jancek take Pat Ashford's place as holder, and Riley Lovingood take over for Matt Giampapa at LS. Otherwise, 2016 will look a lot like 2015 on special teams, hopefully with similar successes.

Go Vols!

EDIT: Just noticed one mistake, I didn't update the TE position. Replace graduating senior Alex Ellis as backup with either Jakob Johnson, Joe Stocstill, Eli Wolf, or Neiko Creamer (spring camp will tell us which, maybe).
 
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#6
#6
JRM is the key to the defense next year. Losing him will have the most impact. Our experienced LB depth will already be thin even if he stays.
 
#7
#7
Didn't someone (LWS?) say something about doubting that North would ever really shake his back injury and contribute again?

Also, I think we could see Jennings flip to defense.
 
#8
#8
I would be very surprised if Jennings is NOT at tried at safety this spring. He's a natural fit at that position.
 
#9
#9
VFL-82-JP said:
Man, it's way early, and a LOT of unknowns, like whether Jennings shifts from WR to S and whether Croom shifts to TE, but here's one possible 2016 look:

2016%20Two-Deep.jpg
Click to expand...

Pretty good, but IMO McKenzie, Martin, & Gaulden will start. WR might be very fluid.
 
#10
#10
My guess

QB-Dobbs
RB-Hurd
WR- Smith, Malone, Williams (not convinced North stays healthy)
TE- Wolf
OL- Richmond, Hall, Wiesman, Thomas, Robertson

DL- Tuttle, KMac, Vereen, Barnett
LBs- Kirkland, A. Smith, McDowell
NB- Osborn
CB- Martin, Moseley
S- Warrior, Jennings


Very hard to predict things. So much fluidity that can happen, especially at WR and the secondary. We'll need our LBs to step up if JRM leaves. A lot of unknowns outside of Kirkland
 
#11
#11
37620VOL said:
Pretty good, but IMO McKenzie, Martin, & Gaulden will start. WR might be very fluid.
Click to expand...

KMac, definitely could, I'm not at all sold on starters vs backups at DT (or DE on the non-Barnett side, for that matter). Like WR, could be very fluid.

I almost put Gaulden at starter, but Abernathy, Moseley and Foreman built up a big advantage in experience this year. Even as good as he is, they start the 2016 competition ahead of him. Some mentioned he could move back to S; I could see that.

I'm still not sold on Martin. Kid is definitely talented...just not sure where his head is.
 
#12
#12
AF_VOL said:
JRM is the key to the defense next year. Losing him will have the most impact. Our experienced LB depth will already be thin even if he stays.
Click to expand...

UT has an outstanding group of now 2nd and 3rd LB's to step in there. I think he stays but do not believe it will be huge if he doesn't.
 
#14
#14
Croom won't be in the 2 deep.

Might transition to a second option at TE now that Ellis is gone.
 
#15
#15
That is a pretty damn good team.

So different than starting walk on OL just a few years ago. bUTch getting it done.
 
#17
#17
87&91ALUM said:
Locks if not injured are Dobbs, Hurd, Malone, North, Robertson, Thomas, Kendrick, Bennett, Gaulden, Kirkland, Berry (return game), Daniel, Medley, OBrien, Mckenzie, Tuttle, Phillips, Moseley (CB), Kelly Jr. Assume a lot of competition for other slots.

If Kamara bolts...look for John Kelly or Evan Berry to get more carries.
Click to expand...

Berry's not getting "more carries". Hell, he didn't have any carries this year. He's a safety.
 
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#18
#18
VFL-82-JP said:
Man, it's way early, and a LOT of unknowns, like whether Jennings shifts from WR to S and whether Croom shifts to TE, but here's one possible 2016 look:

2016%20Two-Deep.jpg


QB: Guarantano likely to RS. Dobbs undoubted starter. Let the Dormady-Jones backup competition begin again! I think Quentin has the head start.

RB: No question here unless someone leaves.

WR: Any of the six listed could be "starters" or "backups," wouldn't put too much effort into trying to distinguish among those for now.

OL: Will Richmond overtake Kendrick for the starting spot? How about Wiesman vs. Jones at G? And who backs up Thomas at C?

DL: Like the WRs, wouldn't put too much weight on "starter" vs "backup" this early, but think the key players are listed.

LB: Huge questions here, biggest of the two-deep. Who would take JRM's spot if he goes pro? And who gets tagged as 2nd string MLB? The answers to those two questions will be keys to our 2016 success.

DB: We're surprisingly fine here, even if Cam goes early to the NFL. Credit the growth of Abernathy, Foreman, and Moseley as 2015 played out.

ST: I think we see Zac Jancek take Pat Ashford's place as holder, and Riley Lovingood take over for Matt Giampapa at LS. Otherwise, 2016 will look a lot like 2015 on special teams, hopefully with similar successes.

Go Vols!

EDIT: Just noticed one mistake, I didn't update the TE position. Replace graduating senior Alex Ellis as backup with either Jakob Johnson, Joe Stocstill, Eli Wolf, or Neiko Creamer (spring camp will tell us which, maybe).
Click to expand...

Gaulden will start next year at either nickel or safety (safety according to Mathews). Also, look for Jennings to move over to safety as well. Also, Sapp as a backup DT? At 214 lbs? He's a LB. And Bryant is an MLB, can't play OLB....thst should be a battle between McDowell, Sapp, Bates, and perhaps Austin Smith. And where is Darrel Taylor? Heard great things about him as he redshirted this year...he'll be in the mix somewhere.
 
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#20
#20
87&91ALUM said:
Locks if not injured are Dobbs, Hurd, Malone, North, Robertson, Thomas, Kendrick, Bennett, Gaulden, Kirkland, Berry (return game), Daniel, Medley, OBrien, Mckenzie, Tuttle, Phillips, Moseley (CB), Kelly Jr. Assume a lot of competition for other slots.

If Kamara bolts...look for John Kelly or Evan Berry to get more carries.
Click to expand...

Doug Mathews doesn't seem to agree that Kelly Jr is a lock for a starter next season.
 
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#22
#22
BJSforVols said:
Doug Mathews doesn't seem to agree that Kelly Jr is a lock for a starter next season.
Click to expand...

That's true. I've heard him say more than once that Gaulden will move there and likely Jennings as well. Seemed more excited about those 2 than TKJr. I bet he'll say it again on tomorrow mornings show.
 
#24
#24
87&91alum said:
locks if not injured are dobbs, hurd, malone, north, robertson, thomas, kendrick, bennett, gaulden, kirkland, berry (return game), daniel, medley, obrien, mckenzie, tuttle, phillips, moseley (cb), kelly jr. Assume a lot of competition for other slots.

If kamara bolts...look for john kelly or evan berry to get more carries.
Click to expand...


lol
 
#25
#25
KBVol said:
That's true. I've heard him say more than once that Gaulden will move there and likely Jennings as well. Seemed more excited about those 2 than TKJr. I bet he'll say it again on tomorrow mornings show.
Click to expand...

If you listen, could you start a thread giving a synopsis on what he says?
 
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