Have we found punt/kick returner?

#51
#51
MacTNVol said:
To say DY has played against inferior teams, wouldn't it be safe to say possibly he's had success running behind an inferior OL or Kick Return team. Not saying East Tennessee High School football is the same as SEC football but there are some powerhouse teams out East and I'm sure the UT strength and conditioning program is so much better than it was at his high school.
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Shaking a tackle, breaking a tackle, and holding on to the ball have nothing to do with the protection. I believe that his skills will be seriously tested when he's not going up against Rhea County
 
#53
#53
crusse10 said:
Shaking a tackle, breaking a tackle, and holding on to the ball have nothing to do with the protection. I believe that his skills will be seriously tested when he's not going up against Rhea County
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And that's what the coaches get paid heavily to do.....prepare these kids to succeed at the next level. I have faith that if CDD didn't see something he liked in this kid, he wouldn't have been offered.
 
#55
#55
crusse10 said:
True, but to assume that there isn't a single guy on our team that can, therefore making it a necessity to sign a guy who might possibly be able to do it? Sounds like a serious stretch
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Isn't the whole point of recruiting to sign guys who might possibly be able to do whatever they were recruited to do?

It sounds like you have a problem with signing a guy specifically for special teams. Personally, I don't, especially considering how poor our kick returns have been.
 
#57
#57
crusse10 said:
Shaking a tackle, breaking a tackle, and holding on to the ball have nothing to do with the protection. I believe that his skills will be seriously tested when he's not going up against Rhea County
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Ok then what's your excuse for the 90 yarder against Maryville.......one of the best in East Tennessee? The point is the kid has speed, good hands and makes good football moves and most importantly was offered, accepted and wants to be a TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER! Seems like a good kid so I wish him the best.
 
#58
#58
crusse10 said:
There is literally no reason to expect Devrin Young is a better returner than any of the skill position players currently on our roster or coming to Knoxville next semester
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A key skill for a punt returner is the ability to change directions quickly, i.e. 'wiggle'. If you think that every skill position player on our roster and every skill guy we will sign are ALL better in that regard than Devrin Young, then you're simply not equipped to evaluate it or are purposefully being contrary for some reason.

I don't know whether he'll wind up successful or not and don't know whether he'll be a good punt returner. But I've seen enough film to know that he's got some wiggle that is unusual and he is certainly better in that regard than some of the skill players that we have. Da'Rick Rogers is a great athlete, but is 215 and doesn't have that explosive change of direction, for example. That's why he's a kick returner insted.

The coaching staff clearly thinks that Young has potential, too.

To challenge your assertion, I'll ask this. DY has returned numerous punts for touchdowns in high school and it is a certainty that many of our skill position people never returned a punt at all, let alone for a touchdown. Now, you may think that a guy who's never caught a punt is just as likely to be a good punt returner as a guy who has returned punts for touchdowns, and that's your prerogative. But it's also clearly irrational and illogical.

Sounds like you are emotional about it for some reason - there's no way that you could possibly be that oblivious to reality, imo.
 
#59
#59
My thing is that just about all of our skill position players were returners in High School. Most of them looked other-worldly in highlight films. Not all of them transfer into great returners in college. My assessment is that he's more Eric Gordon, less Devin Hester. It's annoying seeing everyone saying he'll be a Devin Hester (or Trindon Holliday)
 
#60
#60
winchestervol63 said:
A key skill for a punt returner is the ability to change directions quickly, i.e. 'wiggle'. If you think that every skill position player on our roster and every skill guy we will sign are ALL better in that regard than Devrin Young, then you're simply not equipped to evaluate it or are purposefully being contrary for some reason.

I don't know whether he'll wind up successful or not and don't know whether he'll be a good punt returner. But I've seen enough film to know that he's got some wiggle that is unusual and he is certainly better in that regard than some of the skill players that we have. Da'Rick Rogers is a great athlete, but is 215 and doesn't have that explosive change of direction, for example. That's why he's a kick returner insted.

The coaching staff clearly thinks that Young has potential, too.

To challenge your assertion, I'll ask this. DY has returned numerous punts for touchdowns in high school and it is a certainty that many of our skill position people never returned a punt at all, let alone for a touchdown. Now, you may think that a guy who's never caught a punt is just as likely to be a good punt returner as a guy who has returned punts for touchdowns, and that's your prerogative. But it's also clearly irrational and illogical.

Sounds like you are emotional about it for some reason - there's no way that you could possibly be that oblivious to reality, imo.
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I'm not saying that we can just plug anyone in. I'm saying that every year we sign a guy who is going to be "the next great returner" and every year, it's lather-rinse-repeat. How can nobody else see that?
 
#61
#61
crusse10 said:
My thing is that just about all of our skill position players were returners in High School. Most of them looked other-worldly in highlight films. Not all of them transfer into great returners in college. My assessment is that he's more Eric Gordon, less Devin Hester. It's annoying seeing everyone saying he'll be a Devin Hester (or Trindon Holliday)
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Sounds like you either think our coaches are idiots or you have something personal against this kid. Virtually every argument you make applies to virtually every freshman.
 
#62
#62
crusse10 said:
Doubftul. And by doubtful, I mean highly, highly unlikely. He'll never see the field, and 3 years from now, people will wonder what Young is doing on the team.
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I'd be willing to take that bet. I actually like him better then Dennis Rogan coming out of HS... and Randall Cobb for that matter. Besides the obvious of running back kicks... I also think he will find a home at CB or a 3rd down type RB that can also line up at slot WR. This kid will make it... It's not always about the star rankings the scouting services give. Coach Dooley said when he was hired he evaluates with his eyes, and I believe him. If people just saw Dervin's film and didn't know his ranking or had he played somewhere else besides East TN you all would be thrilled to have him as I am. I'm so glad Coach Dooley saw what Coach Harbaugh of Stanford did and offered him a scholarship also... otherwise we'd have another "Randall Cobb/Tyson Clabo situation" where we tell a kid to leave Knoxville bec it might upset some fans that think the star rating system is the Holy grail of talent evaluating a guy's ability to play in the SEC. You can't measure a kid's heart... I know this kid - the type I'd bet on any day!
 
#63
#63
RespectTradition said:
Sounds like you either think our coaches are idiots or you have something personal against this kid. Virtually every argument you make applies to virtually every freshman.
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After 9 months of coaching, we resorted to having no punt returner. I think that's one of the most moronic decisions I've ever heard. Were the coaches that bad?
 
#64
#64
NBKGault said:
I'd be willing to take that bet. I actually like him better then Dennis Rogan coming out of HS... and Randall Cobb for that matter. Besides the obvious of running back kicks... I also think he will find a home at CB or a 3rd down type RB that can also line up at slot WR. This kid will make it... It's not always about the star rankings the scouting services give. Coach Dooley said when he was hired he evaluates with his eyes, and I believe him. If people just saw Dervin's film and didn't know his ranking or had he played somewhere else besides East TN you all would be thrilled to have him as I am. I'm so glad Coach Dooley saw what Coach Harbaugh of Stanford did and offered him a scholarship also... otherwise we'd have another "Randall Cobb/Tyson Clabo situation" where we tell a kid to leave Knoxville bec it might upset some fans that think the star rating system is the Holy grail of talent evaluating a guy's ability to play in the SEC. You can't measure a kid's heart... I know this kid - the type I'd bet on any day!
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Seriously? What do you think a highlight reel is?
 
#65
#65
Since this thread has centered on DY, perhaps this question should be posed:

What are our expectations of DY? Or any other returner for that matter?

Would a 20+ ypr average, a couple rushes per game, and a couple receptions per game be enough?
 
#66
#66
tnfalcon said:
Since this thread has centered on DY, perhaps this question should be posed:

What are our expectations of DY? Or any other returner for that matter?

Would a 20+ ypr average, a couple rushes per game, and a couple receptions per game be enough?
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20 yards per punt return? If that were the case, my mind would be blown.
 
#67
#67
crusse10 said:
After 9 months of coaching, we resorted to having no punt returner. I think that's one of the most moronic decisions I've ever heard. Were the coaches that bad?
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Everyone has a point of view and to 'get' what they are saying, you need to understand it.

Then, unless your point is too subtle for me, you think our coaches are idiots. Now that I understand that, I know how to evaluate your comments.
 
#68
#68
RespectTradition said:
Everyone has a point of view and to 'get' what they are saying, you need to understand it.

Then, unless your point is too subtle for me, you think our coaches are idiots. Now that I understand that, I know how to evaluate your comments.
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I think I've seen a few decisions made that boggle the mind. I also think that I've seen them make the right move other times. I think the way we handled our return game last year really hurts their credibility on the matter.
 
#69
#69
Dervin wants it and bleeds orange being from Knoxville. I forsee him being close to Dennis Rogan style punt returner his freshman season. some big returns as Rogan did as a freshman to set up the late field goal win against South Carolina
 
#70
#70
100m times for comparison that LV posted in Andrew Buie recruit thread...

Derek King- 10.68
Tino Thomas- 10.68
Devrin Young- 10.70
Tacoi Sumler- 10.80
Brian Randolph- 10.84
Hakeem Flowers- 10.92
Isaiah Crowell- 10.93
Andrew Buie- 11.39
Jerron Seymour- 11.61

At the very least DY is very fast.
 
#71
#71
Shuttle times posted in that same thread by LV...

Devrin Young- 4.03
Chris Rainey- 4.03
Brandon James- 4.12
Jeff Demps- 4.15
Jahvid Best- 4.17 (college)
C.J. Spiller- 4.18 (college)
Noel Devine- 4.19
 
#72
#72
crusse10 said:
Our best returner was David Oku. The fact that he was removed from the position shocks me. Still. As I've said before, he actually caught the ball and secured it until being tackled. Instead of taking that security, the staff continually tried to catch lightning in a bottle, and kept turning the ball over.
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yet they never let him catch a punt. Is it that they didn't consider the possibility? And on KO he averaged 19.5yds with a long of 26. We need better production than that out of a return guy
 
#73
#73
utvolpj said:
yet they never let him catch a punt. Is it that they didn't consider the possibility? And on KO he averaged 19.5yds with a long of 26. We need better production than that out of a return guy
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I'd rather get 20 yards and start on the 20 than get 7 yards and give the other team the ball. He had 1 fumble in his career at UT, on a free kick (after the run, which he also recovered).

I still have to ask, after 9 months of working with the team, how could our staff not find a serviceable person to catch the ball after waving his hand? If you have to resort to letting the opponent dictate what your starting field position will be, I seriously question your ability to coach that aspect of the game.
 
#74
#74
If I remember correctly there are several undersized fast football players in the pro football hall of fame that were told they would be anything because of size. Part of the scouting evaluation process takes into account a players size and the potential to put more on. There are quite a few college football teams that pick up players that are not 4 or 5 star recruits and do well. TCU had a number one defense in college football this last year and does not historically have highly ranked recruiting classes. All I am saying is let the coaches do their job and coach this kid up. IMHO football is about 30 percent talent and 70 percent coaching just look at the BCS busters and other small school who regularly beat big name schools.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#75
#75
crusse10 said:
That's why I didn't say nobody gets through and produces. It's a rare thing. And all the guys you've mentioned were highly sought after. Young? Not so much.
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Not sure what qualifies as highly sought after, but Stanford is not too shabby. To think out of all ot the talent on the west coast, they would offer a "lowly" player from Tennessee.
 
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