encouraging piece on Dontavius Blair

#51
#51
jkleno said:
Time will tell. Let's revisit this topic in October. All I have heard about Blair is excuses. I believe CBJ red-shirted him because he wasn't any better than the other lineman. And exactly how did our line play? You get better by being out there against SEC foes in an actual game, not by running the scout team. And as bad as our line looked at times, they actually played better toward the end of the year. I don't think Blair's extra reps on the scout team in December will be enough. Just my opinion- I just don't see him beating out Richmond. Do you think there might have been a mention of instant playing time in the coup of Richmond??
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You don't give a guy a redshirt if you don't value him and believe he can help you down the line. If you think he's a bust you recruit over him and push him on along.

I believe CBJ redshirted Blair because he has tremendous upside/physical talent but just wasn't ready to play in the SEC. Same with Dobbs....he was being groomed for a redshirt, running (and evidently dominating according to Jancek) the scout team.....it worked out pretty well when they put him in last year. I bet it does for Blair too.
 
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#52
#52
MAJOR_ORANGE said:
One thing I think we can all agree on is that the Offensive line will not be a glaring weakness on this team. I truly expect to actually push some defenses around and Hurd, Kamara to have some lanes to run through. This season is going to be a big leap forward.GBO
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I'm not sure everyone would agree that the Oline won't once again struggle, whether it be glaring or not?
 
#53
#53
agent|orange said:
We need him bad at LT.

Ideal situation would be:

Blair takes LT and Kendrick backs him up.

Richmond takes RT and Jones backs him up. Richmond takes LT when Blair leaves. Jones takes RT.
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Just outta curiosity, where does Thomas fit into your equation? Guard?
 
#54
#54
jkleno said:
From "scout team" to 1st string tackle in SEC- I think not. Richmond will beat him out. Time to quit wishing on Blair.
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maybe he was on scout team because he was being redshirted? Idk if redshirted players still practice with the 2 deep or not.
 
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#55
#55
Where does Raulerson project to play?
Also I had about forgot about Big Charles Mosley if he could get his weight around 320 that would make for a road grading RT. How tall is Mosley?
 
#57
#57
kamoshika said:
The obvious question: Has he progressed enough to warrant a spot in the lineup? One Vol defensive end who faced him every day in practice thinks so.

“That’s my boy,” said Derek Barnett, who earned Freshman All-America recognition after recording 10 sacks his first year on campus. “He gives me a good look in practice. He don’t let me get nothing easy. He gives me scout-team looks but he makes me work for everything.”

Normal progress should have made Blair a better player in December TaxSlayer Bowl workouts than he was in August preseason workouts. Apparently, strides were made.

“He’s improved a bunch,” Barnett told InsideTennessee. “He pushed me, even on the scout team. He’s gotten a lot more physical and he’s more confident. I know next year he’s going to play a big role for our team.”
Blair fact: Vols need him to step up
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Again CBJ is no cupcake toward slackers. Blair being a juco would have had no shot at remaining on campus had he not been showing the types of improvement this staff required. I actually think this young man will be a beast at LT next year. Butch is not shy about being in a players ear and you have to know Blair does not want to hear it any more!
 
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#59
#59
kamoshika said:
The obvious question: Has he progressed enough to warrant a spot in the lineup? One Vol defensive end who faced him every day in practice thinks so.

“That’s my boy,” said Derek Barnett, who earned Freshman All-America recognition after recording 10 sacks his first year on campus. “He gives me a good look in practice. He don’t let me get nothing easy. He gives me scout-team looks but he makes me work for everything.”

Normal progress should have made Blair a better player in December TaxSlayer Bowl workouts than he was in August preseason workouts. Apparently, strides were made.

“He’s improved a bunch,” Barnett told InsideTennessee. “He pushed me, even on the scout team. He’s gotten a lot more physical and he’s more confident. I know next year he’s going to play a big role for our team.”
Blair fact: Vols need him to step up
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What's Barnett gonna say, "he sucks."
 
#60
#60
photovol said:
I'm not sure everyone would agree that the Oline won't once again struggle, whether it be glaring or not?
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We just recruited the top oline class (or pretty near it) in the country. At a minimum those recruits will push the current crew to improve or move out of the way. We can only get better.
 
#61
#61
insightful post pretty cool comment on DBs part, those lines on both sides are extremely talented but young, going to be fun to watch... I thank u op
 
#62
#62
sjt18 said:
Jones has said that experience on the OL matters a lot. Development matters a lot. There are players returning who have spent the time getting experience and developing. Jones calls the OL a "developmental position"... IOW's, it hurts to play young, underdeveloped players on the OL.

J Jones or Richmond IMO will do one of two things. They'll start or they'll RS. Richmond IMO is closer to starting at LT than Jones is anywhere.

I suspect that the OL will be Crowder, Jackson, Kerbyson, and probably Robertson along with either Blair or Richmond at LT. I don't think there's much question about the 3 5th year Srs. LT is open and there may be a very slight possibility that Kerbyson is moved to RG with Thomas or Kendrick at RT allowing Robertson a RS year.

I love the potential of the new guys but they have a ways to go to catch up. Richmond looks physically ready and plays an open position.
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Don't forget Charles Mosley returns
 
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#63
#63
jkleno said:
Time will tell. Let's revisit this topic in October. All I have heard about Blair is excuses. I believe CBJ red-shirted him because he wasn't any better than the other lineman. And exactly how did our line play? You get better by being out there against SEC foes in an actual game, not by running the scout team. And as bad as our line looked at times, they actually played better toward the end of the year. I don't think Blair's extra reps on the scout team in December will be enough. Just my opinion- I just don't see him beating out Richmond. Do you think there might have been a mention of instant playing time in the coup of Richmond??
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I'm sure early PT was a big factor for DR. He could start at either tackle position though, so it's not just Blair & left tackle.
 
#66
#66
sjt18 said:
IIRC, the coaches said that Kerbyson was their best interior OL. If he doesn't play RT then Robertson is the odd man out.
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I agree: that's why Kerbyson got shifted to tackle because he was the most capable. I would say that Crowder is the most vulnerable interior lineman starter.
 
#70
#70
sjt18 said:
True. And we're also witnessing a transition (hopefully) to how an elite roster is managed. UT has been forced going all the way back to Fulmer's attrition and recruiting decline to play guys before they were ready. A normal "state" (at least by what Jones suggests by actions) would have mostly 3rd, 4th, and 5th year guys playing on the OL. Anyone younger would have to really just be an incredibly elite player. That doesn't mean he has in mind to sign 2*. He's seems to be headed toward a roster management scheme where most players RS and almost all OL's do. Then they play as back ups and ST's... then they get their shot to start.

Elite rosters do not require coaches to desperately search for Fr to contribute. They field line ups loaded with talented, mature, developed, and experienced players.
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o-bama has the luxury of developing 5* players and starting them in their 3,4,5 years. That is one of the reasons these players look so good is because they had a couple of years of S&C, learning system, nutrition, and training, being pushed to improve and being forced to compete against like athletes.

If Richmond, J. Jones and others are redshirted that is a great sign!
 
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#72
#72
jkleno said:
From "scout team" to 1st string tackle in SEC- I think not. Richmond will beat him out. Time to quit wishing on Blair.
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He also wanted to red shirt Dobbs...
If Dobbs red shirts, do you give up on him also?
 
#73
#73
SmokeyFTW said:
He also wanted to red shirt Dobbs...
If Dobbs red shirts, do you give up on him also?
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There is a big difference in being a red shirt and being on the scout team. If you do not think a player can developing a contributing player, you do not red shirt that player. There are lots of players re shirted and become all conference players. As stated before, many freshmen OL are red shirted so they can gain strength and learn the system. Blair fits the same mold. I think Blair has two good years ahead of him.
 
#74
#74
HuntlandVolinColo said:
Ideal situation would be for these guys to form a solid Offensive Line for 2015:

LT: Blair
LG: Jackson
C: Crowder
RG: Robertson
RT: Kendrick
Rotation/backup: Sanders, Kerbyson, Wiesman and Raulerson
Redshirt like they need for SEC Play: J. Jones, Richmond, Coleman Thomas, Hall, and Boulware.

2016:
LT Richmond/Blair
LG:: Wiesman/Sanders
C: Coleman Thomas/Hall
RG: Robertson/Boulware
RT: J. Jones/Kendrick
Redshirt: 2016 Recruits
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Did I miss something? That 2015 line looks an awful lot like 2014's... and that wasn't exactly a group of world beaters. More talented newcomers take spots from older players all of the time. I'd anyone should know that, it is a UT fan.

Richmond starts, Jones and Boulware will be in the two deep, I think.
 
#75
#75
sjt18 said:
Someone before suggested it was discipline issues rather than play. He's still just a RS Soph so according to Jones' model... he's just now coming into his own as a player. In my amateur opinion, he was by far the most athletic of anyone who played at either OT spot last year.
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I don't know where this rumor started but it isn't true. Brett generally keeps his nose clean. He says that he doesn't think Butch likes him...that's all we can surmise until someone on the coaching staff can communicate what exactly he is doing wrong or can do better.
 
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