2025 Offseason Assessment

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Some of the "why do we have so many young guys" is a return to normalcy after having the COVID eligibility years where guys COULD stay longer and cut into your HS recruit scholarships.

When those COVID era guys stayed, rosters appeared upper classmen heavy because they were compared to normal years.

People got used to having guys hang around for an extra year and having less underclassmen but that wasn't normal.

 

[TNnative]

Thanks for the response: The concerns is we lost ~ 30 Upper Classmen and replaced them with 25 Freshmen and 7 Upperclasmen....... It is a clear sign we are punting on the 2025 Season... which to me would be fine if investing in long term player development was a reasonable strategy in today's game.

That concern happens to every team. Every year.The transfer portal is what it is. But to call it "a clear sign we are punting" on 2025? Sorry. I don't get it.

 

[NCFisher]

I do believe CJH needs to get better at portal management. The fact that team Nico was shopping him around to other SEC teams in the winter portal and CJH was still caught flat-footed in the spring is concerning. Right now the portal is closed and we're in desperate need of some guys at several positions. I'm still holding out hope for a good 2025, though.

Perhaps he does but I don't think Nico is an example of that, and I question the evidence that he was "caught flat-footed". That assumes the Iamaleava camp is rational, isn't trying to tell you how to run your program, and Nico's performance warrants more $. It assumes you can contingency-plan a 4-5* replacement in winter portal when you have THREE of them on the roster, or that you can do it in spring portal if you have to release Nico.

And if I'm Heupel, it also assumes I give a solitary shite about retaining Nico and his camp after they dare me to show leadership and keep the entire program together, or let your camp destroy it. Everyone needs to view it through this lens; only one of the two parties - Nico or Heupel - was getting paid to do what's best for this program. Letting him go was a no-brainer, and there was no other choice regardless of the poor timing.

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

The perception that we never did well in the portal is simply becuase we didn't add as many players as top portal teams do like Ole Miss and Colorado, who add 20+ players. We were very selective in our 7-9 portal additions, but many of those players were highly rated as transfers and contributors as starts. Even last year - Jermod McCoy, Lance Heard, Miles Kitsleman, Chris Brazzel, Jakobe Thomas, and Jaxson Moi all had solid contributions. The year before we added Omar Norman - Lott, John Campbell, Donte Thorton, Gabe Juedy-Lally, Andrej Karic, and Keenan Pili, who all contributed.

So we were always able to find solid contributors. But this year, I am not as sold. We added two startes to the OL which is great. We got a backup RB from Duke, a backup WR, and we were forced to get a QB becuase of the Nico debacle. We should still look to add 3-4 more guys.

And I think we are going to add some this year too. Overall a great post with sound facts. GBO

 

[Sarms58]

My math is that we currently have 36 players departed

- 24 players, not counting Jakobe Thomas in the transfer portal
-12 players who submitted their names to the NFL draft

We have added 30 players

- 25 Incoming Freshman
- 5 Transfer Portal Additions

So currently, we are a net 6 players short from last year's roster. On top of that I do think its noticeable how we lack upperclassman, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.

As we move past the players who were granted an extra year for Covid we’ll see rosters with fewer 5th (and no 6th) year players. But NIL has made it very beneficial for many players - those not likely to be drafted - to stay in the college game for as long as they are eligible. I believe we had several in that category last year on both the OL and DL. Of course the coach has to constantly re-recruit them to keep them on the roster.

 

[njvols]

I have faith in the current administration. Seems every team out there is having a hard time navigating through this new NIL era. I like the Vol staff, they are smart and will figure it out as well as anybody else. I approve their strategy so far, to develop players instead of buying a bunch of mercenaries for a one and done season.

Ultimately also, culture does matter for some players who want to stay put, and can be a tie breaker when $$$ is approx the same. Personally, I like signing a lot of HS talent, but also think we could be more aggressive in portal…no reason teams like ole miss should be lining up high end portal guy like they are, when it’s pretty obvious we need more DB, OL and WRs…at least how I see it.

 

[OH-Vol]

I am confused. Looking at our peer competitors for the playoffs, they also are bring in large numbers of freshmen in their 2025 recruitment classes (Texas 25, Georgia 27, Bama 21, Ohio State 26, Florida 27, LSU 23, etc). Are you suggesting that what we are doing is highly unusual by taking a normal high school recruiting class size?

Fair callout, however this offseason we have had an insane amount of turnover (graduation and transfer) and have a clear need for plug and play contributors at multiple positions - Safety, Linebacker, Wide Receiver etc...

A specific example is Safety... I would have taken multiple portal guys versus the unheralded recruits we signed.

 

[stolitonic]

There were some serious rumors going around Texas that Quinn Ewers wanted to spend another year in school and not declare. Rumor I heard was he was looking for somewhere around $5 million.

Apparently no big dogs expressed much interest. As Texas was clear they were moving to Arch his hand was kind of forced.

Whether there was any truth to all of it, I have no clue.

I could have seen a different world where Nico bolted in December and Ewers ended up not declaring and ending up here.

 

[ftsandersvol]

It is what it is. Everyone in the transfer portal thinks they’re way better than they really are and thinks they should be paid as such.

 

[#1fulmerite]

Thanks for the response: The concerns is we lost ~ 30 Upper Classmen and replaced them with 25 Freshmen and 7 Upperclasmen....... It is a clear sign we are punting on the 2025 Season... which to me would be fine if investing in long term player development was a reasonable strategy in today's game.

I felt CJH punted on the ‘23 season as well and ended up with a decent record and bowl win.