Bryce Brown Passed By?

#27
#27
SamRebel35 said:
Brown had the same YPC as Hardesty, zero fumbles, and great hands..... as a freshman. It would take a really special effort from a really talented back to beat him for the starting job.
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This. I was very impressed with him as a freshman. It seems that some people wanted him to come in and be the #1 back from day one. Don't they say that the biggest improvement a player makes is between the freshman and sophomore years? If so, look out!
 
#30
#30
Branndon stewart was better than Manning had he only been given a shot too I guess. Bryce Brown will be the man next year in Knoxville. Book it.
 
#31
#31
Ben said:
This. I was very impressed with him as a freshman. It seems that some people wanted him to come in and be the #1 back from day one. Don't they say that the biggest improvement a player makes is between the freshman and sophomore years? If so, look out!
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I sincerely hope he becomes a great RB. I didn't expect him to start this year... and was beaten up here for saying so. I didn't even expect him to be as polished as most here thought he would be.

With all that said, the ability to plant your foot and make a downhill cut is prerequisite for being a great back and especially in a zone blocking system. For the most part it is an innate ability that combines a person's quickness, vision, and instincts... it is very difficult to teach. Brown hasn't shown that ability yet. Far too many times he just ran up blockers' backs.

Statistically, BB made most of his hay against the lesser teams. Over half of his yards came against the 3 worst teams on the schedule: WKU, Ohio, and Vandy. He avg'd over 5 ypc against non-conf opponents and opponents with a losing record. He avg'd under 4 ypc against conf opponents and opponents with a winning record. Hardesty's drop off when playing lesser competition wasn't nearly that much.
 
#35
#35
Maybe I'm missing something but I just don't see the big draw with Brown. He's not that fast, he's not that big, and he's really lacking in his juke moves.

Hopefully he'll develop or maybe they can beef him big-time for FB.
 
#36
#36
sjt18 said:
I sincerely hope he becomes a great RB. I didn't expect him to start this year... and was beaten up here for saying so. I didn't even expect him to be as polished as most here thought he would be.

With all that said, the ability to plant your foot and make a downhill cut is prerequisite for being a great back and especially in a zone blocking system. For the most part it is an innate ability that combines a person's quickness, vision, and instincts... it is very difficult to teach. Brown hasn't shown that ability yet. Far too many times he just ran up blockers' backs.

Statistically, BB made most of his hay against the lesser teams. Over half of his yards came against the 3 worst teams on the schedule: WKU, Ohio, and Vandy. He avg'd over 5 ypc against non-conf opponents and opponents with a losing record. He avg'd under 4 ypc against conf opponents and opponents with a winning record. Hardesty's drop off when playing lesser competition wasn't nearly that much.
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Perhaps, but so many running backs get better in a game once they get in a rhythm. I think BB did well in all of performances, especially when you consider that he never really got a chance to build up a running rhythm in a game the way Hardesty was able to.
 
#37
#37
raherndon said:
Maybe I'm missing something but I just don't see the big draw with Brown. He's not that fast, he's not that big, and he's really lacking in his juke moves.
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open field speed is not as important as quick acceleration. He was the best back we had at hitting full speed in the fewest steps.
 
#38
#38
sjt18 said:
I know people keep wanting to dismiss him... but Poole's few carries vs VT were one of the few things I found to be pleased with. After MH couldn't get anything going, TP ran 3 times for 15 yards.... but then CLK took him out and he disappeared again. Hardesty had 39 yards on 18 carries. I really would have liked to have seen what more Poole could have done.

I will support the coaches but it almost seems like they're afraid Poole will be successful if he gets a real shot.
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poole.s a great speed back and needed to be used more this year.clk sold out poole to recruit b.b.
 
#39
#39
Alchovol said:
I am not knocking the level BB was able to elevate himself to during highschool to come in as the #1 recruit in the country. He definitely has talent. However, I will be honest and say that each and every back that has turned out to be memorable in UT history has by far and away exhibited something when they have the ball, FROM THE START. It is elusiveness, power, cutting ability, vision, or raw speed that makes you say, "Give him the ball again." Then as they learn, they only get better. BB has not shown ME that "something special" in any way to date. IMO, both Poole and Williams have. Arian Foster was very productive as a back but is he remembered along with J. Lewis, Cobb, Webb, Cheese? NO.
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:good!:

lets hope that changes next year.
new o-line will make it difficult for his running style.
 
#40
#40
SamRebel35 said:
Perhaps, but so many running backs get better in a game once they get in a rhythm. I think BB did well in all of performances, especially when you consider that he never really got a chance to build up a running rhythm in a game the way Hardesty was able to.
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To play the devil's advocate.... Poole got only three carries vs VT... and it was while their first team was still out there and the game was in question. He ran for 15 yds before the drive ended with a sack and incompletion. He made some good, decisive cuts and found/created some holes that even Hardesty had been missing.

Both had their best game against WKU. BB had over a 9 ypc avg but Poole had over 12 ypc.

Poole is supposedly the inferior talent but he's looked good in his minimal opportunities. He is also a guy who really hustles on ST's.

My apologies to all of you guys who for various reasons want to overlook Poole. I am a fan. He's earned it.
 
#41
#41
posivol said:
poole.s a great speed back and needed to be used more this year.clk sold out poole to recruit b.b.
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I'm not sure that he sold him out or that it had anything to do with BB's recruitment. I'd say it has more to do with proving that UT will play Freshmen to help this class and beyond.

Hopefully with all that in the rearview mirror, Poole will get a real shot this spring.
 
#42
#42
Bryce Brown has elite body lean. And I wouldn't even know what "body lean" was except for J. Majors.
 
#43
#43
VKAman said:
Found what I was talking about. This isn't AA, but it's X...
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Eddie Gran wasn't the reason Poole got overlooked this year. Kiffin was determined that BB would be on the field due to recruiting / playing freshman etc. even though Poole outperformed him in spring and fall practice. I hope Poole transfers to a school that will give him a fair shot. Kiffin didn't and anyone who saw practices knows it.
 
#44
#44
sjt18 said:
To play the devil's advocate.... Poole got only three carries vs VT... and it was while their first team was still out there and the game was in question. He ran for 15 yds before the drive ended with a sack and incompletion. He made some good, decisive cuts and found/created some holes that even Hardesty had been missing.

Both had their best game against WKU. BB had over a 9 ypc avg but Poole had over 12 ypc.

Poole is supposedly the inferior talent but he's looked good in his minimal opportunities. He is also a guy who really hustles on ST's.

My apologies to all of you guys who for various reasons want to overlook Poole. I am a fan. He's earned it.
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Poole is a good back IMO, but he wasn't a freshman. At this point in their respective careers, I think BB has a lot more upside than Poole. I really hope Poole sticks around and can be a team player this year, because I do think he will be a signifigant contributer. That being said, I see BB ultimately being the number one guy.
 
#45
#45
The initials I am most concerned about at our RB position for next season are BB + A.N.

If A.N. (avascular necrosis) is on campus, and I've only heard rumblings from a few wholly unreliable sources (read: persons known to be outright liars) that it was rumored to be a possibility......then the only thing left to say might be, "Bo knows avascular necrosis!"

Of course, there's nothing to support such a claim, even if someone were making it, which I am not, should be wholly ignored as slanderous lies.

In fact, please do not even read this post.
 
#46
#46
ITSGR82BATNVOL said:
Eddie Gran wasn't the reason Poole got overlooked this year. Kiffin was determined that BB would be on the field due to recruiting / playing freshman etc. even though Poole outperformed him in spring and fall practice. I hope Poole transfers to a school that will give him a fair shot. Kiffin didn't and anyone who saw practices knows it.
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The talking heads in the Knoxville media said that at practices, Hardesty was clearly the guy with BB following and Poole after him, but ahead of Oku still. Those guys all saw practice, so you'll have to test your hypothesis against them.
 
#47
#47
raherndon said:
Maybe I'm missing something but I just don't see the big draw with Brown. He's not that fast, he's not that big, and he's really lacking in his juke moves.

Hopefully he'll develop or maybe they can beef him big-time for FB.
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He is a 6' 220 lb freshman that runs a 4.32 40 yd dash. He is big and fast.
 
#48
#48
ITSGR82BATNVOL said:
Eddie Gran wasn't the reason Poole got overlooked this year. Kiffin was determined that BB would be on the field due to recruiting / playing freshman etc. even though Poole outperformed him in spring and fall practice. I hope Poole transfers to a school that will give him a fair shot. Kiffin didn't and anyone who saw practices knows it.
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Rumors ran awhile back that Poole was thinking about leaving. Then those rumors were basically confirmed when either he, CLK, or both said that Poole had decided to stay.

IMHO, CLK had to have recruited Poole to stay. He hasn't stood in the way of players who he didn't think had potential.

I can envision a scenario in which Poole was promised a bigger opportunity in the spring. Signing day will then be in the past and UT will have already proven that freshmen can play if they are good enough.

FTR, I haven't said that BB wasn't good enough to be the #2 RB or that he didn't make a contribution. He did. I just don't think he becomes the #1 RB for the exact same reasons he became the #2 RB. The #1 guy is your best guy. I am more impressed with Poole in limited action than Oku or Brown.
 
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#50
#50
sjt18 said:
Rumors ran awhile back that Poole was thinking about leaving. Then those rumors were basically confirmed when either he, CLK, or both said that Poole had decided to stay.

IMHO, CLK had to have recruited Poole to stay. He hasn't standed in the way of players who he didn't think had potential.

I can envision a scenario in which Poole was promised a bigger opportunity in the spring. Signing day will then be in the past and UT will have already proven that freshmen can play if they are good enough.

FTR, I haven't said that BB wasn't good enough to be the #2 RB or that he didn't make a contribution. He did. I just don't think he becomes the #1 RB for the exact same reasons he became the #2 RB. The #1 guy is your best guy. I am more impressed with Poole in limited action than Oku or Brown.
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Well said, agree 100%
 
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