How bad is it that we are playing so...

[PineyBluff Vol]

many young players in our 2 deep?

Take into account that Alabama has 18 true Fr listed in their 1st released depth chart and I don't feel so bad about our team. Georgia only has 7 this year in their 2 deep, not sure about the gators. Georgia is the team to beat this year in the SEC, Bama could struggle some if a couple of their key guys get injured. We picked a good year to have a weaker schedule as it will allow the young guys to have some success I feel.

Where have you been for the last Decade???

 

[Jack Burton]

Yeah, two 5 star offensive tackles, and 2 borderline 5 star linebackers and high 4 star Rb are all inferior to their freshman. Based on what?

Recruiting rankings. The 2019 class would be Top 3 if they were comparable.

 

[CaliVol2009]

Recruiting rankings. The 2019 class would be Top 3 if they were comparable.

Let’s see how they do on the field eh?

 

[ButchPlz]

Clemson is on the edge of dynasty purely because of their young talent.

18-year-olds these days are absolute monster athletes. I don't think the age thing matters as much now as it did even four or five years ago.

 

[KBVol]

Our freshmen aren’t as talented as UGA and Alabama unfortunately.

Yeah, but many of them are more talented than the upperclassmen that have been in a failed program for 3-4 years. Therefore, Coach em up and get em on the field.

 

[KBVol]

Yeah, two 5 star offensive tackles, and 2 borderline 5 star linebackers and high 4 star Rb are all inferior to their freshman. Based on what?

Agreed. This is a very talented freshman class, especially at OT and LB, as you pointed out. Henry T, Crouch, Wright, Morris....then throw in Gray at RB, Keaton who’s coming in at WR, Burrell at CB, Harrison at OLB.....we got some young studs who are gonna play and immediately make us much more athletic even if they’re making some mistakes early on.

 

[Jeepkuntry]

Play whoever is the best for that position irregardless.

 

[Seattle Hillbilly]

Our freshmen aren’t as talented as UGA and Alabama unfortunately.

I'm thinking a couple of offensive linemen and a linebacker or two might be right up there.

Looks like a couple of you guys beat me to it.

 

[Neal Boswell]

many young players in our 2 deep?

Take into account that Alabama has 18 true Fr listed in their 1st released depth chart and I don't feel so bad about our team. Georgia only has 7 this year in their 2 deep, not sure about the gators. Georgia is the team to beat this year in the SEC, Bama could struggle some if a couple of their key guys get injured. We picked a good year to have a weaker schedule as it will allow the young guys to have some success I feel.

Look at it like this.....It means we have recruited BETTER player than what we had. Glass half full amigo.

 

[volgrad500]

Back when the Vols were rolling, the saying was, you should figure one loss for every Freshman who plays regularly.

They also use to say your baseball glove and your football helmet should be made of the same material. Times have changed.

 

[ApacheVol1990]

many young players in our 2 deep?

Take into account that Alabama has 18 true Fr listed in their 1st released depth chart and I don't feel so bad about our team. Georgia only has 7 this year in their 2 deep, not sure about the gators. Georgia is the team to beat this year in the SEC, Bama could struggle some if a couple of their key guys get injured. We picked a good year to have a weaker schedule as it will allow the young guys to have some success I feel.

Georgia will be a very good football team but Alabama is still absolutely the team to beat in the conference.

 

[MadWorld]

Que Sera, Sera

Thanks Doris Day.

 

[KBVol]

Yeah, two 5 star offensive tackles, and 2 borderline 5 star linebackers and high 4 star Rb are all inferior to their freshman. Based on what?

.

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

When those 18 are all 4 and 5 stars, it makes it a little easier

Most of ours that are going to see the field are also 4 and 5 stars. Our young guys are just as good as anyone else's. I'm guessing we are one of the few teams in the country that will have three 5* starting on the OL.

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

Georgia will be a very good football team but Alabama is still absolutely the team to beat in the conference.

Alabama just lost their best player on defense to a torn ACL and will be playing 2 freshman at LB. If Tua or Harris get injured on offense I think that they may struggle this year.

 

[MWAVolfan]

This. Butch kept complaining about youth so much, people bought into the party line that you have to have seniors starting at every position. BS. That model has been dead quite awhile. Winning programs have young guys contibute right away and then go pro.

Lets just be clear than only 2-4 programs in the whole country can pull the talent to even attempt that.

It wasnt too many years ago that UT was breaking SEC records for the number of true freshman we started in live games. And how did that turn out for us?

 

[ZombVol]

Gotta crawl before you can walk ! We'll be better for it in the end !

I’m ready though.
We been crawling for way too long.
GBO!

 

[Brave Volunteer]

Back when the Vols were rolling, the saying was, you should figure one loss for every Freshman who plays regularly.

Things are different now. High school programs have gotten much better with their S&C programs. Kids are training on their own much more than they used to. Plus with more and more kids enrolling early, getting into the S&C program sooner, and participating in spring practice they're a little more than merely "freshmen" by the time they get to the regular season. Elijah Simmons is a true freshmen and he's already one of, if not the strongest guy on the team.

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

Recruiting rankings. The 2019 class would be Top 3 if they were comparable.

This isn't a true statement and it's why star grazing is ridiculous. The top of our class is as strong as anyone else's and usually only 8-10 kids a class contribute. Our young guys that will play are every bit as good as the young ones at Alabama that will get to play this year.

 

[ApacheVol1990]

Alabama just lost their best player on defense to a torn ACL and will be playing 2 freshman at LB. If Tua or Harris get injured on offense I think that they may struggle this year.

Well any team struggles after losing their starting QB. Are you predicting Tua will be injured? The "healthy" roster they have right now is still pretty darn tough. I do hope your right though. I hope Bama loses every game.

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

Well any team struggles after losing their starting QB. Are you predicting Tua will be injured? The "healthy" roster they have right now is still pretty darn tough. I do hope your right though. I hope Bama loses every game.

I believe they have a walkon as their TE backup, they are going to start 2 Fr at LB without much depth behind them and rumor is that a Fr may be their best DL this season. After Harris at RB they don't have anything but Fr and they do not have an SEC caliber QB backing Tua up this season. Tua's lower half is made of glass and I think he'll play banged up all year. If Bama gets hit with the injury bug this year, and it appears they already are, I think they will struggle and could lose a couple of games this year because of it. They simply can't afford many more injuries.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Our freshmen aren’t as talented as UGA and Alabama unfortunately.

Maybe, maybe not. I haven yet seen any of our Freshmen play this year nor have I seen any of UGA's play this year. I may be able to decide in November.

 

[Jack Burton]

This isn't a true statement and it's why star grazing is ridiculous. The top of our class is as strong as anyone else's and usually only 8-10 kids a class contribute. Our young guys that will play are every bit as good as the young ones at Alabama that will get to play this year.

Star gazing isn’t ridiculous. Is it a perfect system? Nope. Is it a good indicator of future success? Yes.

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

many young players in our 2 deep?

Take into account that Alabama has 18 true Fr listed in their 1st released depth chart and I don't feel so bad about our team. Georgia only has 7 this year in their 2 deep, not sure about the gators. Georgia is the team to beat this year in the SEC, Bama could struggle some if a couple of their key guys get injured. We picked a good year to have a weaker schedule as it will allow the young guys to have some success I feel.

A lot of guys like To'o to'o, Harrison, Wright, Morris, Burrell and Crouch would be freshman starters at most P5 schools.

Also, some butch players that were not properly evaluated during recruiting or aren't a good fit for CJP system are being recruited over.

Throw in medical retirements and transfers and it is what it is.

Ideally, we will play less and less true freshmen every recruiting class.

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

Star gazing isn’t ridiculous. Is it a perfect system? Nope. Is it a good indicator of future success? Yes.

Like I said, after the 1st 10 in each class it's a crapshoot as to who will contribute or even see the field. Stars at the top of the class are important and our top 10 matches up with everyone else's top guys. It's also not uncommon for a 3* to be one of the top 10 in each class. Bama may get more 4* but several end up never seeing the field in a tide uniform.