2nd-year surge: Tyler Byrd

#26
#26
He barely played WR that first season...7 total receptions. With Chuck Webb,Reggie Cobb, Thomas Woods, Alvin Harper and Anthony Morgan on the roster, he was nowhere near the top player on the offensive side of the ball. When he exclusively played WR the next season, he met that description.

Your memory is better than mine, obviously. But, there is no doubt he was UTs best DB that year and like u said, the best offensive player the next year and maybe the best WR ever at UT. He could of played DB and WR his whole career at UT, but after we got Dale Carter, there was no need. Plus, playing both could have used him up and he might not have been able to become a multi-year 1000+ yard WR and all-pro. Probably the best player at UT not named Manning in my lifetime(I'm 46,38 years that I remember watching UT football).
 
#27
#27
I looked Pickens up and his career stats in the NFL:

540 Receptions
7000+ Receiving Yards
63 Receiving TDs
1 Punt Return TD, it was 95 yards

In 9 seasons, and the last season with the Titans, he only played 9 games and wasn't the same Carl Pickens

Impressive career in the NFL, other than Peyton, Jamal Lewis and Jason Witten probably the best offensive career of any former Vol

Btw, I am still pissed that Terrell Davis got in the NFL Hall of Fame and Jamal is not in it, yet. Jamal has more yards, a 2000 yard season that was more than Davis' 2000 yard season. Jamal has over 10,000 career rushing yards which is a lot more than Davis' career yards and a Super Bowl win. Davis has 2 Super Bowl wins but couldn't carry Jamal's jock, imo. Jamal deserves to be in the NFL Hall of Fame, damnit
 
#28
#28
I looked Pickens up and his career stats in the NFL:

540 Receptions
7000+ Receiving Yards
63 Receiving TDs
1 Punt Return TD, it was 95 yards

In 9 seasons, and the last season with the Titans, he only played 9 games and wasn't the same Carl Pickens

Impressive career in the NFL, other than Peyton, Jamal Lewis and Jason Witten probably the best offensive career of any former Vol

Btw, I am still pissed that Terrell Davis got in the NFL Hall of Fame and Jamal is not in it, yet. Jamal has more yards, a 2000 yard season that was more than Davis' 2000 yard season. Jamal has over 10,000 career rushing yards which is a lot more than Davis' career yards and a Super Bowl win. Davis has 2 Super Bowl wins but couldn't carry Jamal's jock, imo. Jamal deserves to be in the NFL Hall of Fame, damnit

I agree about Jamal Lewis -- I think the non athletic dweeb sportswriters are holding the drug charge and jail time against him
 
#29
#29
I agree about Jamal Lewis -- I think the non athletic dweeb sportswriters are holding the drug charge and jail time against him

That's a damn shame, but I think Hornung is in the HoF and he got caught gambling. Hopefully, they will realize not everybody is a model citizen. Hell, if that's whats holding Jamal from getting in the HoF then take Lawrence Taylor, the crackhead out. I could go on and on about players that have done illegal stuff(OJ). But, the HoF should be about what u did on the field and Jamal deserves it.
 
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#30
#30
I'll get off my soap box about Jamal and tell u guys what I think about Tyler Byrd. I think UT should play Tyler about 15 snaps a game at CB and see what happens. If he goes off at WR, keep him there, but if he is impressive at CB and we have an equal or better WR, then slowly make the transition to CB, with Byrd. Imo, we have the WRs now, that we can move Byrd to his natural position and not lose a thing. If not this year, definitely next year, with Jatavious and Alonte and probably Shocky, we will be fine at WR. Plus, imo, Jordan Murphy will be a star. So, we need to start, preparing Byrd to move to CB and improve, maybe the biggest weakness on this team.
 
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#31
#31
I looked Pickens up and his career stats in the NFL:

540 Receptions
7000+ Receiving Yards
63 Receiving TDs
1 Punt Return TD, it was 95 yards

In 9 seasons, and the last season with the Titans, he only played 9 games and wasn't the same Carl Pickens

Impressive career in the NFL, other than Peyton, Jamal Lewis and Jason Witten probably the best offensive career of any former Vol

Btw, I am still pissed that Terrell Davis got in the NFL Hall of Fame and Jamal is not in it, yet. Jamal has more yards, a 2000 yard season that was more than Davis' 2000 yard season. Jamal has over 10,000 career rushing yards which is a lot more than Davis' career yards and a Super Bowl win. Davis has 2 Super Bowl wins but couldn't carry Jamal's jock, imo. Jamal deserves to be in the NFL Hall of Fame, damnit

Jamal was also arrested and convicted by the DEA for his involvement in a cocaine conspiracy and he served months in the off season in jail. That may be the reason why he's not in the NFL HOF.
 
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#32
#32
Jamal was also arrested and convicted by the DEA for his involvement in a cocaine conspiracy and he served months in the off season in jail. That may be the reason why he's not in the NFL HOF.

Google Lawrence Taylor. There's some other reason.
 
#33
#33
I agree. But an old saying comes to mind "jack of all trades and master of none"....

Carl Pickens was one of the rare ones that did both roles pretty well, as I recall.

edit: Just now seeing that he was mentioned earlier. I'll never forget our win at LSU many years ago, when they scored right before the half to take the momentum from us ... then he took the KO back all the way, to get the mo right back.
 
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#34
#34
Carl Pickens was one of the rare ones that did both roles pretty well, as I recall.

Not in the same game. Was great almost exclusively at safety as a freshman, even better all the way at WR after that.
 
#35
#35
Our secondary lost us more games last year than our WRs won in my opinion. I never, ever, want to experience another UT secondary shredded by Vandy. With Wolf, Kelly, Jennings, and other tools on an offense that returns OL depth and a couple gunslinging and talented QBs, I say spend summer camp with all out competition for a "shut them down cold" defense. I want to see three and outs and making them have to go 99 yards on every series. If Byrd can be a shut down corner to Bama, UGA, Fl, and LSU and Wiggins can prove he can do that on the other side....hoooweeee! Just do it.
 
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#36
#36
With Malone gone, Byrd now has the chance to come behind Juan Jennings and be the second option. But, aside from Malone and Josh Smith, we are very inexperienced and unproven as a unit at WR. I like Byrd more as a CB, and Latrell may develop into a similar style receiver, but until talent begins to deplete or receiver gets overaturated with talent, Byrd needs to stay on offense.
 
#37
#37
With Malone gone, Byrd now has the chance to come behind Juan Jennings and be the second option. But, aside from Malone and Josh Smith, we are very inexperienced and unproven as a unit at WR. I like Byrd more as a CB, and Latrell may develop into a similar style receiver, but until talent begins to deplete or receiver gets overaturated with talent, Byrd needs to stay on offense.

Malone is playing for the Cincinnati Bengals now
 
#38
#38
With Malone gone, Byrd now has the chance to come behind Juan Jennings and be the second option. But, aside from Malone and Josh Smith, we are very inexperienced and unproven as a unit at WR. I like Byrd more as a CB, and Latrell may develop into a similar style receiver, but until talent begins to deplete or receiver gets overaturated with talent, Byrd needs to stay on offense.

Not if we want to win 9 or more games.
 
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