Can someone explain to me why Merklinger or MacIntyre can't be QB1?

#76
#76
NCFisher said:
But you don't have a logical or definitive counter for it, so "Lol", right? I get it, you bought into the narrative, convinced on the basis of 5 quarters to being 2022 that Heupel was blind and irrevocably dedicated to Milton.

Probably less than 1 of 100 posters here understand schemes or recognize them during play, but blab authoritatively anyway. Perfectly fine; that's the duty of fans. But it's armchair fantasy football for us. Coaches, not so much.
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Sure I do. When has he ever done what you’re saying he might have down?
 
#77
#77
LWSVOL said:
your mistake is trying to take anything from that practice session. it was in no way a game
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You can learn a lot about a practice session if you are looking at the right things. The way G-Mac moved around the pocket was impressive. He has a much quicker release and better zip to the ball as well. I noticed thst from simply watching short highlight clips. Some things are just obviously apparent.
 
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#78
#78
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
Guys get pushed to the door all the time and Nico's camp was apparently nothing but trouble.

It's the nature of NIL and the transfer portal that guys are going to jump for more money and some investments just don't pan out so you cut your losses.

If we're going to have to play guys just because of their NIL or their agent's threats, we seriously are screwed.
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Well we pushed Nico out so we did cut the losses. I just think it’s a little simpleminded to say “Nico was still the starter so the backups must suck.” The backups may very well suck, but you are kidding yourself if you don’t think that their being backups was only based on how everyone looked in Spring Practice and that alone.
 
#80
#80
NCFisher said:
No, it isn't; read it again:
"There also seems to be an assumption that had Milton not become injured, Heupel would never have reappraised and shifted to Hooker; that's entirely conjecture."

Milton started 2 games in 2022. Two. And went out early 2Q in the second.

There's nothing to indicate Heupel wouldn't have sat Milton after Pitt, if he'd had the same performance as against BG. It's simply become its own myth by people who posture as knowing something Heupel would be unable to see himself. Some people should find another talking point.
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When has Heupel benched a QB
 
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#81
#81
gobigorange91 said:
My argument was never about Nico vs these two. My argument has been why can't we be good with one of them. I was only comparing that Nico was in basically the same position last year that Merk is in now. Not comparing how they would have done this year. We will never know. But I'm saying we all were for giving Nico a shot with one game under his belt and everyone thinks these guys have no chance. That's the comparison I don't get.
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Actually your argument was that you didn't like the narrative that one of these guys couldn't do as well as Nico because Nico didn't do all that well anyway and these guys are highly rated.

I'd never say they have "no chance" because the future will be what it is. I'll say that Nico wasn't as bad as many people want to say he was since he left.

If none of this had happened we'd probably be seeing predictions of how this is Nico's last year before the draft and he's going to really turn it up this year for the NFL scouts. After all, Nico was being talked up in the press this year as a "QB to watch."

If Merk were to hit the portal today do you think he'd get portal rating ANYWHERE near Nico's?

It is what it is. Nico is a loss. How big? We might be rolling the dice and checking your theory that Merk is a baller. I'll grin every game if that's true but I'm a realist. That's unlikely.
 
#83
#83
vavolfan6 said:
You can learn a lot about a oractice session if you are looking at the right things. The way G-Mac moved around the pocket was impressive. He has a much quicker release and better zip to the ball as well. I noticed thst from simply watching short highlight clips. Some things are just obviously apparent.
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Yes, I felt the same way from what I saw when I was at the O&W. GMac had some poise about him.
 
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#85
#85
JCHateSteve said:
Could be their isn't anyone that fits the bill. I still say get the best you can if only to drive a competition instead of just getting a scrub. QBs are usually confident dudes that think they'll win a competition. If a upperclassmen doesn't think he can beat out Merk he probably isn't the guy we need anyway. Besides anyone xfering from a starting job at a power 4 school is likely doing it for the money, at least to some extent.
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That's exactly my point. WHO do you think, even with the confidence of QBs, would've thought about transferring in here to beat out Nico?

That's a VERY short list of no one I can think of.

The fact that we might get someone to come in to have a competition with Merk says it all.
 
#87
#87
LegionnaireOfTheMiserable said:
Well we pushed Nico out so we did cut the losses. I just think it’s a little simpleminded to say “Nico was still the starter so the backups must suck.” The backups may very well suck, but you are kidding yourself if you don’t think that their being backups was only based on how everyone looked in Spring Practice and that alone.
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I think it's based on HOW spring practice went where there was very little competition for the starting job, if any.

And that doesn't mean QB2 or QB3 suck, it means they aren't ready yet to be serious challengers to QB1.
 
#90
#90
They haven't done much to prove they can. Nivo had a good showing in the bowl game and honestly I think he was a better QB than Merk at this point. I think GMac has a ton of potential like Nico but he's a bean pole and has very little college experience.

DISCLAIMER: They could look completely different in 4 months.

They were already expecting to sit behind Nico for 1or 2 seasons. It only makes sense to get an upperclassmen with experience in understanding defenses and hopefully some familiarity with our scheme to compete with them.
 
#91
#91
www.on3.com

Urban Meyer on Nico Iamaleava departure: 'Tennessee is screwed'

Urban Meyer chimed in on the Nico Iamaleava saga at Tennessee with a simple take on the matter: 'Tennessee is screwed.'
www.on3.com www.on3.com

“Here’s the reality: Tennessee is screwed,” Meyer said. “They got a problem. You lose a potential high draft pick. You have the backup quarterback left last year and now you have a redshirt freshman that threw nine passes as a freshman. You have zero experience, and the portal opens as we speak. They are going to have to go get one.”
 
#92
#92
LegionnaireOfTheMiserable said:
They were not going to let there be a competition.
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And, if true, that's lousy coaching.

I recall Magic Johnson telling the story of being on some kind of college all star team with Larry Bird. They are both on the bench talking because the coach, Joe B Hall, started KY players instead of them even though they were the best two players in the country. It's not that I ever cared for KY or Hall but what a piece of trash coach.

If money and hype override skill and execution, your team won't make it to the top.
 
#93
#93
WillisWG said:
www.on3.com

Urban Meyer on Nico Iamaleava departure: 'Tennessee is screwed'

Urban Meyer chimed in on the Nico Iamaleava saga at Tennessee with a simple take on the matter: 'Tennessee is screwed.'
www.on3.com www.on3.com

“Here’s the reality: Tennessee is screwed,” Meyer said. “They got a problem. You lose a potential high draft pick. You have the backup quarterback left last year and now you have a redshirt freshman that threw nine passes as a freshman. You have zero experience, and the portal opens as we speak. They are going to have to go get one.”
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It’s difficult to trust or take seriously a dude that fakes a heart attack.
 
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#94
#94
LegionnaireOfTheMiserable said:
I think he should have benched Milton. I didn’t follow his career before UT closely enough to say what he should have done before coming here.
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Milton played 4 quarters against BG and 1 against Pitt.
That's why I think it ridiculous to assert, against that sampling size, Heupel would have never sat Milton.
 
#95
#95
You know who knows the answer to this question? CJH.

Watch the portal next week. That... will let us know if Merk is our QB1.
 
#96
#96
WillisWG said:
www.on3.com

Urban Meyer on Nico Iamaleava departure: 'Tennessee is screwed'

Urban Meyer chimed in on the Nico Iamaleava saga at Tennessee with a simple take on the matter: 'Tennessee is screwed.'
www.on3.com www.on3.com

“Here’s the reality: Tennessee is screwed,” Meyer said. “They got a problem. You lose a potential high draft pick. You have the backup quarterback left last year and now you have a redshirt freshman that threw nine passes as a freshman. You have zero experience, and the portal opens as we speak. They are going to have to go get one.”
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Bah! - why should we listen to coaches??? We have two Freshies that can start!!
"Into the gristmill with you"
 
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#97
#97
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
The OP makes a case that Merk and G-Mac are ready and will do as well as Nico would've. Do you believe that?

And obviously Heupel whiffed on Milton and Hooker, yes, AND I'd be willing to bet he valued his recruiting prowess over Pruitt. We may see a flaw here in one thing that Heupel's supposed to be really good at: QB evaluation.
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Well, if Huepel is wrong on QB evaluation, so are all the other experts that had Nico rated at either 5 stars or high 4 stars and top 5 QB in the class...so it isn't like Huepel went off the reservation and brought in someone everyone else thought was a mid tier QB and wiffed. He wiffed with everyone else who evaluates talent for a living.
 
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#98
#98
BigOrangeTrain said:
Here it is in a nutshell. Here in VN we have some fans that have seen them in very limited action and they just assume neither are ready. GMac does need weight but I fully think Merk is ready to take the reins. People seem to forget that Merk had a pretty successful HS career and he is more athletic than Nico.
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I believe people are not factoring in Nico's poor pocket presence and lack of mobility. I think that is critical in this (and pretty much any) offense. An immobile qb makes things a lot tougher for the OL. Merk may not be a whole lot better, but I'm guessing he'll be an improvement.
 
#99
#99
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
I can't see a "1 and done" upperclassman transferring from a likely starter role elsewhere to even dream of sitting behind an RS Fr.

Imagine coming from Iowa State as the starter only to sit at UT. That's a really big stretch to me.
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100% agree with this...if we are bringing in a seasoned started from another school, it is to start here and not compete for the role.
 
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#100
#100
C-south said:
Well he did have Milton starting over Hooker and the only way Hooker saw the field was when Milton got hurt.
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Yeah and at the time half the volnation experts were pissed that Hendon wa whetting the mop up snaps instead of Harrison Bailey.
 
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