Devon Swafford (will not play)

#52
#52
VFL-82-JP said:
Really sorry for the young man. Hope everything works out medically and in his life.

On a related note, I wonder if this affects Butch's apparent desire to try Malik Foreman out at WR. All that great depth we had in the defensive backfield is suddenly coming down to true freshmen...

Starting five (nickel): Sutton, Martin, Moseley, Randolph, McNeil
Backups: Gaulden, _________, _________, Evan Berry, TK Jr

Who are the two backup corners? I had Foreman and Swafford pencilled in. If they're both out, here's who we have left:

  • RS Senior Max Arnold (has mostly played special teams and reserve LB/DB in the past)
  • true Freshman MaLeik Gatewood
  • true Freshman Stephen Griffin
  • true Freshman Darrell Miller
  • true Freshman Micah Abernathy
We're not that deep at DB after all, it seems....

Best to you, Devaun, we will miss you in more ways than one!
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Edit: disregard. I can't read
 
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#56
#56
HomeGrownUTVOL said:
The one time I get any news it has to be bad smh, sorry guys Kingsport is so small news travels fast. Wish it could have been good news. Praying for Swafford that he heals fast and also that he gets to finish his education.




GO VOLS!!!!!!
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Any player that faces career ending injuries is eligible to go on medical scholarship without counting against the 85 limit. It doesn't take some kind of magnanimous effort by the coach.
 
#57
#57
VFL-82-JP said:
According to someone on a different thread, Chris Low tweeted that out after interviewing Butch yesterday or the day before. That he wants to try Foreman at WR.

And LWS gave us some insight in yet another thread over the past couple of days that the coaches want to try Martin at starting CB with Sutton at NB. That they are really hoping they can make that work well, think it's the best line-up.

Either way, _if_ the Chris Low rumor is true, and Butch still wants to try Foreman at WR after the loss of Swafford, that leaves two gaps in our nickel two-deep. With just Max Arnold and a bunch of true freshmen to fill them....
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Would be interesting to see if Moseley and Martin playing CB 1&2 and Sutton at NB. A lot of teams will put their best WR in the slot and we have gotten murdered in the past from it aka Cooper Company
 
#58
#58
dcm3w said:
Would be interesting to see if Moseley and Martin playing CB 1&2 and Sutton at NB. A lot of teams will put their best WR in the slot and we have gotten murdered in the past from it aka Cooper Company
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I confess I don't know the nuances of the defensive backfield, DCM, so what I'm about to say might actually be really stupid. :)

But I"m hoping that when we say "Sutton at Nickel" what we really mean is that he gets to line up anywhere he needs to so that he's on their best receiver. In the slot, out at the edge, doesn't matter, he gets priority in positioning.

So the cornerbacks really are corners, but if Sutton (the nickel) needs to go outside them, he can.

Almost like "nickel" is code for "free floating," at least when we're playing man-on-man.

Does that make any sense at all?
 
#59
#59
VFL-82-JP said:
I confess I don't know the nuances of the defensive backfield, DCM, so what I'm about to say might actually be really stupid. :)

But I"m hoping that when we say "Sutton at Nickel" what we really mean is that he gets to line up anywhere he needs to so that he's on their best receiver. In the slot, out at the edge, doesn't matter, he gets priority in positioning.

So the cornerbacks really are corners, but if Sutton (the nickel) needs to go outside them, he can.

Almost like "nickel" is code for "free floating," at least when we're playing man-on-man.

Does that make any sense at all?
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Claiming ignorance is not possible for someone who breaks it down the way you just did.

It comes down to assigning matchups. (Man) The #1 corner (Sutton) moves to the target receiver. All others move to their appropriate matchup. (Zone) Your CBs and NB will cover specific areas on the field. (Man Zone) Uses a combination

Your NB also plays a rover moves to the matchup, usually the slot.

The point is, there are a number of ways the DBs can line up. Our DB coach has this worked out.

Cooper was not a fair matchup for anyone as evidenced by his career stats. I think personally placing sutton at a nickel would be less effective.
 
#60
#60
I hate it for the young man. Hopefully he will be able to lead a fully functional and normal life as a student coach and maybe stay on as a GA and eventually coach the the team. Either way, I am sure he will get all the support he needs to succeed.
 
#61
#61
That sucks. He was involved in one of the best plays of the cbj era thus far. Blocked punt for td against uga
 
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#62
#62
jspvol76 said:
I need a never forget gif of him and the td.

edit - Nm, I found it. One of my favorite plays that year. Still get chills.

volsblock.gif
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Man I hate to see a young man that's doing right and a good team player have his very promising career cut short. At least he got the chance to have a big play in front of his hometown people and feel the rush of Neyland on a Saturday. Sad to hear.
 
#66
#66
My nephew played little league football with him. I've enjoyed watching him from back then until this past season. Last year at a tailgate, I met his uncle and some other family members. They're all good folks. Keep your head up young man!
 
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#68
#68
From Rucker.

Swafford told GoVols247 he suffered a spinal contusion in the fourth quarter of Tennessee’s blowout win over Iowa in the TaxSlayer (Gator) Bowl on Jan. 2, but he said he and Tennessee’s training staff didn’t know the severity of the situation until “a couple of weeks” into spring practice. He felt a sharp pain in his neck while taking on a blocker, but he continued to shake it off and “went on with it” and finished the practice. Then he got home that night and felt his left arm going numb while playing video games, but he continued to largely ignore it. Then a week later he felt that numb feeling extending toward his spine, and he finally approached the training staff.
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