2025 Roster is Concerning

[mitzustu]

DL loses Omari Thomas, James Pearce, Norman Lott, Simmons, Bailey and Eason

The only WRs we have are Brazzell, Squirrel, Mathews, Staley….. all the others are true freshmen, graduate, or are in the portal.

Razor thin at Safety as Brooks graduates, we lost Hayward (a top 100 kid), and didnt have anyone highly rated in the class.

And while we were busy prepping to lose a playoff game, all the big portal guys got gobbled up.

Deep trouble next year.

 

[Smokymtnbullet]

I promise if the sky falls I’ll be at least trying to hold it up.

 

[TheRealUT98]

We still have a ways to go roster wise to compete in games like this. We have a walk on at safety where as they have multiple top 10 players at their position in their respective classes we are having to play less talented guys it’s very frustrating but obvious. If we don’t spend more money on the NLI and transfer front we will continue to be passed by teams who spend more. Go big orange it’s a critical point in college football and Vol history

 

[THEONLYTENISEE]

We still have a ways to go roster wise to compete in games like this. We have a walk on at safety where as they have multiple top 10 players at their position in their respective classes we are having to play less talented guys it’s very frustrating but obvious. If we don’t spend more money on the NLI and transfer front we will continue to be passed by teams who spend more. Go big orange it’s a critical point in college football and Vol history

The portal is not a solve all solution. See Ole Miss. It certainly does help. A big question is our O Line recruiting and development. There hasn’t been a single player that’s been recruited under Heupel to start a game.

 

[Zues1]

Year in year out.
Offensive line is an issue. 10 years and counting
Look like garbage on the big stage.
Opposing QB plays like a Heisman.

Year in year out, no matter who's coaching the team.SOS.

 

[MurphyVol]

The portal is not a solve all solution. See Ole Miss. It certainly does help. A big question is our O Line recruiting and development. There hasn’t been a single player that’s been recruited under Heupel to start a game.

I agree. Every fan says "hit the portal hard" but all the other big programs are shopping too and some have a lot more money that we do. I believe it's important to find the right HS kids, structure their NIL deal properly and develop them over a 3-4 year period. The portal should be to address a particular need here and there, not rebuild a team.

It reminds me a little of how Jackie Sherrill always tried to build through JUCO . The players are more proven, but more people are pursuing them.

If we haven't already, we need to bring in analysts for salary cap management. Players are going to need to be cut and tough decision will need to be made.

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

Agreed. What we saw last night on the other side of the ball was what it looks like to recruit elite talent at every position across the board for multiple years. We recruit just outside the top 10 every year no matter who the coach is.

 

[Go47]

Early prediction:

1. We have enough data now to predict how we play in twos games against good teams.

2. Losses at UF and Bama.

3. Loss at home to UGA.

4. One unexplainable loss (happens every year).

8-4.

Rinse / repeat.

 

[Volbrando]

I’m worried about Syracuse already

 

[jasonvol18]

I’m worried about Syracuse already

Me too. McCord is a beast. He may throw for 400+. Upside is their Defense, secondary, in particular is as $hitty as ours.

 

[valoisvol]

Me too. McCord is a beast. He may throw for 400+. Upside is their Defense, secondary, in particular is as $hitty as ours.

I thought he has used up his eligibility

 

[BP4Prez]

Me too. McCord is a beast. He may throw for 400+. Upside is their Defense, secondary, in particular is as $hitty as ours.

He’s supposed to be gone isn’t he

 

[fossilfiction]

May the portal be generous to the boys.

 

[74charger]

Spend the NIL money or this is the best you’re going to see and it obviously isn’t close to elite.

 

[mitzustu]

May the portal be generous to the boys.

I just don’t see what we need in the portal. Safety? Nope. WR? Lost our shot on the big ones?

And we are lost at MLB. Constantly out of alignment w/o Pili

 

[TheRealUT98]

The portal is not a solve all solution. See Ole Miss. It certainly does help. A big question is our O Line recruiting and development. There hasn’t been a single player that’s been recruited under Heupel to start a game.

I agree either way the recruiting especially with our offensive lineman development from within. But this is the way it works now like it or not. You took ole miss as the example I’m giving you Ohio state and Oregon as mine. Both have spent 20 million plus on this seasons roster alone as well putting top 5 recruiting classes consistently, which is in been part because of NLI and Money . You can want it to be wrong but it isn’t. Cash controls all. Even more so now than ever with college athletics. Gotta step it up with who we play yearly because they’ll spend it whether it be recruiting or transfer we need to as well

 

[TheRealUT98]

Spend the NIL money or this is the best you’re going to see and it obviously isn’t close to elite.

But others acting like it’s still 2015 we need more proven depth at safety,RB and receiver and will definitely get another o-lineman. Gotta try to reload as best as possible

 

[BreatheUT]

DL loses Omari Thomas, James Pearce, Norman Lott, Simmons, Bailey and Eason

The only WRs we have are Brazzell, Squirrel, Mathews, Staley….. all the others are true freshmen, graduate, or are in the portal.

Razor thin at Safety as Brooks graduates, we lost Hayward (a top 100 kid), and didnt have anyone highly rated in the class.

And while we were busy prepping to lose a playoff game, all the big portal guys got gobbled up.

Deep trouble next year.

And based on what we saw on the field and sidelines last night we have some major holes.

 

[fossilfiction]

I just don’t see what we need in the portal. Safety? Nope. WR? Lost our shot on the big ones?

And we are lost at MLB. Constantly out of alignment w/o Pili

Help on the line, a servicable backup QB. I would start there.

The transfer portal will restock before April. It's not just the December window.

 

[CAVPUT]

DL loses Omari Thomas, James Pearce, Norman Lott, Simmons, Bailey and Eason

The only WRs we have are Brazzell, Squirrel, Mathews, Staley….. all the others are true freshmen, graduate, or are in the portal.

Razor thin at Safety as Brooks graduates, we lost Hayward (a top 100 kid), and didnt have anyone highly rated in the class.

And while we were busy prepping to lose a playoff game, all the big portal guys got gobbled up.

Deep trouble next year.

Honestly, I couldn't care less about who we may or will lose. I'm more concerned that our staff show me that they can evaluate and develop talent. Right now that's a big concern for me. When Heupel lost the kids Frost brought in, things slipped at UCF. So far, I'm not all that impressed with the recruits we're putting on the field to replace the Pruitt kids.

 

[GAV4L]

Nico will have more experience so we'll be good

 

[mpfvol]

CJH Needs to also stop with this only playing upper classmen trying to redshirt everyone play them all get them all ready never know when those upper classmen are not going to show up for a playoff game because they want to go to the NFL and do not want to play 3 extra games .

 

[orangerush]

I’m concerned about the coaches who determine the roster.

 

[fossilfiction]

We are really up in our feelings today.
Some of yall are saying what he is putting on the field is not better than the Pruitt kids and that's just insane.
Pruitt - 16-19 with three years and his final year was 3-7 after getting Tennessee in a world of NCAA pain.
Heupel - 37-15 in four years
The product on the field, the dudes playing, are better than what Pruitt had out there by a mile.

 

[Chitlin&theDude]

We are really up in our feelings today.
Some of yall are saying what he is putting on the field is not better than the Pruitt kids and that's just insane.
Pruitt - 16-19 with three years and his final year was 3-7 after getting Tennessee in a world of NCAA pain.
Heupel - 37-15 in four years
The product on the field, the dudes playing, are better than what Pruitt had out there by a mile.

Stop with this 'Heupel is better than Pruitt' No S***!!! The point is how have Heupel's recruits filled in for Pruitt's recruits? The poster is right. Do you see our 2 lines of scrimmage being just as good as this year?