How bad was Will Friend

#77
#77
Not a good report. However, let’s remember Trey Smith was not able to really participate in many practices after his diagnosis. They had him on a conservative pitch count when he did practice.
 
#80
#80
05_never_again said:
He was the #1 overall recruit according to ESPN (Tennessee doesn't land many of those anymore), physically looked like a senior as a true freshman, and played like a guy with 2 or 3 years of experience right out of the box as a true freshman. He was a good player right from the get go, and when you tacked on expected improvements, it was easy to hype him up.

He was not coached up here at all, and probably wasn't quite as "special" of a physical talent like a Derek Barnett to make up for the lack of coaching or poor coaching. He didn't really improve here over the course of 4 years, although his blood clot situation didn't help.

Would almost certainly be an early first rounder if he had better coaching, even with the health problems.
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Sounds like his HS o-line coach was much better than his college o-line coach.
 
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#82
#82
BigOrangeMojo said:
I know I do not have the NFL draft expertise to think Brad Kaaya and Josh Dobbs would be better than Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson but I ran across the following evaluations of Trey Smith. Not many of them are good regarding his technique and coaching that he received his last 3 years:

From CBS Sports:

149th on their draft board. Has huge concerns about technique.

From NFL.com

"I guess you don't like big, aggressive guards, Lance? I know he has things to work on, but they can be coached up

From Yahoo Sports:

Looked like a future pro the minute he took the field as a true freshman.

Technique is unrefined despite four years of experience. Inconsistencies still show up with regularity — has missed critical practice time and offseason development because of medical issues. Can be overly aggressive and lose balance. Could get out of his stance cleaner at times — takes too big a first step and loses the position battle. Can stand to take better angles of departure.

Will overextend and lunge in pass protection. Loses leverage battles he should win. Has worked on lowering pad level over time, but it crops up. Fatigue appears to cause technique issues later in games and later in the season.

Power player but doesn’t always displace opponents effectively. Mistimes punches and resorts to jabs. Will slip off blocks and fail to sustain and drive. Can lose reps trying to bury opponents. Lot of stalemates and fewer dominant reps in 2020 tape — performance seemed to flatline or even turn for the worse.

From SI

His lower leg drive and ability to move players stands out on tape, but there are athletic limitations and technical flaws to his game.


Smith telegraphs his assignments for starters and often looks at who is going to block before the snap, which is correctable, but a bad habit.

He also has a bad tendency to pop straight up in the air after the snap, forcing his pad level and center of gravity to rise.

The athletic ability will always cap his once immense upside, but technical issues seem to hold him back from a higher ceiling. Teams are going to love his pedigree, and they’ll like his measurables and strength, but Smith isn’t polished.
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Will Friend had 4 5*s and a 6 yr 4* at center to work with and 2 deep at every position and he couldn’t get the job done!
Sux is all I can say!
 
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#83
#83
BigOrangeMojo said:
I know I do not have the NFL draft expertise to think Brad Kaaya and Josh Dobbs would be better than Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson but I ran across the following evaluations of Trey Smith. Not many of them are good regarding his technique and coaching that he received his last 3 years:

From CBS Sports:

149th on their draft board. Has huge concerns about technique.

From NFL.com

"I guess you don't like big, aggressive guards, Lance? I know he has things to work on, but they can be coached up

From Yahoo Sports:

Looked like a future pro the minute he took the field as a true freshman.

Technique is unrefined despite four years of experience. Inconsistencies still show up with regularity — has missed critical practice time and offseason development because of medical issues. Can be overly aggressive and lose balance. Could get out of his stance cleaner at times — takes too big a first step and loses the position battle. Can stand to take better angles of departure.

Will overextend and lunge in pass protection. Loses leverage battles he should win. Has worked on lowering pad level over time, but it crops up. Fatigue appears to cause technique issues later in games and later in the season.

Power player but doesn’t always displace opponents effectively. Mistimes punches and resorts to jabs. Will slip off blocks and fail to sustain and drive. Can lose reps trying to bury opponents. Lot of stalemates and fewer dominant reps in 2020 tape — performance seemed to flatline or even turn for the worse.

From SI

His lower leg drive and ability to move players stands out on tape, but there are athletic limitations and technical flaws to his game.


Smith telegraphs his assignments for starters and often looks at who is going to block before the snap, which is correctable, but a bad habit.

He also has a bad tendency to pop straight up in the air after the snap, forcing his pad level and center of gravity to rise.

The athletic ability will always cap his once immense upside, but technical issues seem to hold him back from a higher ceiling. Teams are going to love his pedigree, and they’ll like his measurables and strength, but Smith isn’t polished.
Click to expand...
Trey Smith is the prototype guard that plays in the NFL for 10+ years as a starter! Will Friend cannot coach!
 
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#85
#85
MurphyVol said:
Don't you know Chaney regrets hitching his wagon to Pruitt. Being force fed Friend, Weinke and JG was like cutting off two arms and a leg.

I'm amazed we ever scored.
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Thought about this several times.....Chaney wasn't the same Chaney that was here the first time or the same Chaney that was at Pitt and UGA before he came back...Think we all know why.
 
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#86
#86
BigOrangeMojo said:
I know I do not have the NFL draft expertise to think Brad Kaaya and Josh Dobbs would be better than Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson but I ran across the following evaluations of Trey Smith. Not many of them are good regarding his technique and coaching that he received his last 3 years:

From CBS Sports:

149th on their draft board. Has huge concerns about technique.

From NFL.com

"I guess you don't like big, aggressive guards, Lance? I know he has things to work on, but they can be coached up

From Yahoo Sports:

Looked like a future pro the minute he took the field as a true freshman.

Technique is unrefined despite four years of experience. Inconsistencies still show up with regularity — has missed critical practice time and offseason development because of medical issues. Can be overly aggressive and lose balance. Could get out of his stance cleaner at times — takes too big a first step and loses the position battle. Can stand to take better angles of departure.

Will overextend and lunge in pass protection. Loses leverage battles he should win. Has worked on lowering pad level over time, but it crops up. Fatigue appears to cause technique issues later in games and later in the season.

Power player but doesn’t always displace opponents effectively. Mistimes punches and resorts to jabs. Will slip off blocks and fail to sustain and drive. Can lose reps trying to bury opponents. Lot of stalemates and fewer dominant reps in 2020 tape — performance seemed to flatline or even turn for the worse.

From SI

His lower leg drive and ability to move players stands out on tape, but there are athletic limitations and technical flaws to his game.


Smith telegraphs his assignments for starters and often looks at who is going to block before the snap, which is correctable, but a bad habit.

He also has a bad tendency to pop straight up in the air after the snap, forcing his pad level and center of gravity to rise.

The athletic ability will always cap his once immense upside, but technical issues seem to hold him back from a higher ceiling. Teams are going to love his pedigree, and they’ll like his measurables and strength, but Smith isn’t polished.
Click to expand...
As bad as Weinke
 
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#89
#89
MR_VOL said:
The worst damn OL coach in UT history!!!
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UT has had some of the best OLine coaches in the business through the years for sure. Will Friend's line never seemed to played disciplined, mistake-free, dominant football like an OLine must do in the SEC.
 
#90
#90
Vol423 said:
When you combine his technique issues with his health issues (which could very much hamper his ability to work on his technique issues), I believe he will end up being a late round draft pick or possibly even an undrafted free agent. I could be wrong, but I think there is absolutely no chance he gets drafted in the top 3 rounds. I will be pulling for him though.
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Sad to say.....but I think you’re right
 
#94
#94
I remember saying will Friend needed to be fired during and after the first season he was here. Several people on her and I mean several said I didn't know what I was talking about. Just another post letting me know that all my responses where worth it. The retards know who they are.
 
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#97
#97
Hacksaw said:
Trey was a good player and I appreciate his contributions to the Vols. But I've never quite understood the level of hype he received. Kind of reminiscent of Michael Munoz in that way.
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I agree I watched Munoz years ago & Smith recently and kept saying they don't look as good as the hype. Also, I think I was hesitant to bring up as many were, Trey getting beat a lot because of his situation, Everybody wanted Munoz to be a Stud because of the love for his dad one of the best ever in the NFL. Even the media loved his dad so much they seemed to prop his son up like the media do if you are their picks. Also, I think Fulmer or someone promised Munoz starting as a freshman to get him. He was terrible he got beat almost every pass play. Somehow got 2nd team all-SEC but fizzled out and quit football due to knees I think.
 
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#98
#98
Weird. Too bad no one knew Will Friend was a part of the problem from the beginning........
 
#100
#100
sechamp2012 said:
I agree I watched Munoz years ago & Smith recently and kept saying they don't look as good as the hype. Also, I think I was hesitant to bring up as many were, Trey getting beat a lot because of his situation, Everybody wanted Munoz to be a Stud because of the love for his dad one of the best ever in the NFL. Even the media loved his dad so much they seemed to prop his son up like the media do if you are their picks. Also, I think Fulmer or someone promised Munoz starting as a freshman to get him. He was terrible he got beat almost every pass play. Somehow got 2nd team all-SEC but fizzled out and quit football due to knees I think.
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You are correct he didn’t make it to the NFL because of knees. But the guy was on the AP All America team in 2004.
 
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