Its not that youth is an excuse...

[Other_Guy]

Its that the upperclassmen simply aren't championship caliber players.
Yes, coaching has not been good and I LOVE this team. One of my favorites.

However, UT is lacking in great or even really good players from the JR and SR classes while some of the younger guys simply haven't arrived yet IMO.

You got Pig staying in trouble and is now gone. OBrien got in trouble but he's not a "great" player. Maggit obviously hurt does not.reflect how good of a player he is but we're talking about their production... McNeil got hurt, and lets be honest, him and Randolph are good players but are not championship caliber starters. North and Croom can't stay healthy. The OL upperclassmen is a mess (the one recognized last year was a FR and Jackson got hurt). JRM amd Sutton are really good players...

but is that it? Are they and Dobbs the only 2 upperclassmen (if you dont include Kamara) who you would consider "really good" players that are consistently contributing?

I thought the D was.going to be really good, and in a sense they are solid. But as I watch the end.of the UF game and the Arkansas game I realize I thought too highly of some of these guys (I know Gaulden and Maggit are big losses). I think we are getting what we got.

Example, everything wants/wanted to see TKJ and Berry as the safeties. They are playing well, but aren't there, no? If they are going to be better than McNeil and Randolph as expected, its not this year. So maybe its notthat Martinez sucks, it could be that what you see is what you get until these young guys as Sophs add another year to be better than these SRs.

Then you got the offense. Hurd and Kamara tearing it up and getting no help from veterns Pig North and Croom and no help from JR Dobbs. I know it appears Dobbs has taken a step back in part of his game by standing still too much, but we see that Dobbs will likely never be an elite downfield passer. Those SR OL simply arent going to improve. We see their limit.

Now of course if all of these stud players coming up ends up being in this same post next year.and the year after, its definitely coaching. Yet one has to wonder...

Sorry if this feels like a player bash thread.

 

[Tumbleweedvol]

I agree other guy. Injuries along with the building project UT is, takes time. Hopefully Butch knows who the football players are out there in recruiting. We probably won't know for at least another recruiting class.

 

[Other_Guy]

I agree other guy. Injuries along with the building project UT is, takes time. Hopefully Butch knows who the football players are out there in recruiting. We probably won't know for at least another recruiting class.

I don't see Butch winning big key games, but the notion all these coaches suck when the freshmen last year and Sophs were on schedule or ahead, showing they will be good, is not really all that true. Hopefully Butch gets better too :/

 

[BIG BOI 23]

Coaches should def get some of the young OL's out there like Drew Richmond

 

[Sarms58]

Will we have anyone drafted by the NFL this year? Had three after Butch's first season and none last year...wil any of these guys get drafted: Kerbyson, Von Pearson, Randolph, Williams, O'Brien?

 

[GBO119]

I think they are wanting to red shirt Richmond.

 

[Carl Pickens]

Its that the upperclassmen simply aren't championship caliber players.
Yes, coaching has not been good and I LOVE this team. One of my favorites.

However, UT is lacking in great or even really good players from the JR and SR classes while some of the younger guys simply haven't arrived yet IMO.

You got Pig staying in trouble and is now gone. OBrien got in trouble but he's not a "great" player. Maggit obviously hurt does not.reflect how good of a player he is but we're talking about their production... McNeil got hurt, and lets be honest, him and Randolph are good players but are not championship caliber starters. North and Croom can't stay healthy. The OL upperclassmen is a mess (the one recognized last year was a FR and Jackson got hurt). JRM amd Sutton are really good players...

but is that it? Are they and Dobbs the only 2 upperclassmen (if you dont include Kamara) who you would consider "really good" players that are consistently contributing?

I thought the D was.going to be really good, and in a sense they are solid. But as I watch the end.of the UF game and the Arkansas game I realize I thought too highly of some of these guys (I know Gaulden and Maggit are big losses). I think we are getting what we got.

Example, everything wants/wanted to see TKJ and Berry as the safeties. They are playing well, but aren't there, no? If they are going to be better than McNeil and Randolph as expected, its not this year. So maybe its notthat Martinez sucks, it could be that what you see is what you get until these young guys as Sophs add another year to be better than these SRs.

Then you got the offense. Hurd and Kamara tearing it up and getting no help from veterns Pig North and Croom and no help from JR Dobbs. I know it appears Dobbs has taken a step back in part of his game by standing still too much, but we see that Dobbs will likely never be an elite downfield passer. Those SR OL simply arent going to improve. We see their limit.

Now of course if all of these stud players coming up ends up being in this same post next year.and the year after, its definitely coaching. Yet one has to wonder...

Sorry if this feels like a player bash thread.

You make some good points, but the D is a long way from solid..... It reminds me of that little teddy bear on the Snuggle fabric softener commercials

 

[djohnnyg]

First off, nobody gives two s##ts that you "love these players" Butch. You were brought here to win football games and in year 3 the program is no better than when u arrived. Still losing. As much as most of you here wanna sing Rocky Top all night long after beating Western Carolina or Bowling Green, this charlatan from Cincy is just a lame hack who will always find a new way to lose a football game.

Let's face it. This team is an epic failure along with its coach. Two top 5 classes and THIS...THIS is what it results in? Butch was brought in to WIN..period. End of story. He's saying the same garbage Dooley said and it means NOTHING. It's the same crap they say at Illinois State or Little College of Immaculate Cheese. Butch is a loser. Period. There's no trophy for getting a top 5 recruiting class or for beating an old tired coach like Spurrier when he has a garbage team himself.

Butch says we'll win our share of these close games "eventually". "Eventually"? You've been here 3 years now. You either win or you don't..and you aren't. Austin Peay is a great school for a guy like Butch...although i'm sure he'd choke games away there too. A loser finds a way to lose..and it's what Butch does best.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Will we have anyone drafted by the NFL this year? Had three after Butch's first season and none last year...wil any of these guys get drafted: Kerbyson, Von Pearson, Randolph, Williams, O'Brien?

Highly doubtful. Unless Sutton decides to leave.

 

[Carl Pickens]

First off, nobody gives two s##ts that you "love these players" Butch. You were brought here to win football games and in year 3 the program is no better than when u arrived. Still losing. As much as most of you here wanna sing Rocky Top all night long after beating Western Carolina or Bowling Green, this charlatan from Cincy is just a lame hack who will always find a new way to lose a football game.

Let's face it. This team is an epic failure along with its coach. Two top 5 classes and THIS...THIS is what it results in? Butch was brought in to WIN..period. End of story. He's saying the same garbage Dooley said and it means NOTHING. It's the same crap they say at Illinois State or Little College of Immaculate Cheese. Butch is a loser. Period. There's no trophy for getting a top 5 recruiting class or for beating an old tired coach like Spurrier when he has a garbage team himself.

Butch says we'll win our share of these close games "eventually". "Eventually"? You've been here 3 years now. You either win or you don't..and you aren't. Austin Peay is a great school for a guy like Butch...although i'm sure he'd choke games away there too. A loser finds a way to lose..and it's what Butch does best.

Says the kid carrying a 2.0

 

[BIG BOI 23]

I think they are wanting to red shirt Richmond.

i get that but if tackle is really bad he can still get alot of valuable exp this yr

id be getting all the young guys reps richmond, jones, boulware all of em that look like their the future

 

[Coug]

Butch's first year here you may as well not even count. He didn't come in until Dec of 2012 so he didn't get to recruit his players and was working with a broken program with all Dooley players. Butch's second and third year here he recruited two top 5 classes. Even if they are 4 and 5 star players that were recruited they're still all freshman and sophomores starting in the SEC. People who expect 2 recruiting classes to come in and turn a program completely around in 2 years and compete for the east are kidding themselves plain and simple.

 

[Sarms58]

I think they are wanting to red shirt Richmond.

We're in a war - if he could play, he would play...might be injured or just not ready...

 

[KBVol]

Will we have anyone drafted by the NFL this year? Had three after Butch's first season and none last year...wil any of these guys get drafted: Kerbyson, Von Pearson, Randolph, Williams, O'Brien?

No. JRM could be a mid to late rounder maybe if he declares. Sutton projected as a first round pick prior to the season starting but he's not having the type of season that anyone expected. He'd no doubt be drafted, but I'm not sure if he'd go in the first round at this point.

Those other guys just aren't draftable NFL players. Maybe 1 or more could go the undrafted free agent route. Be a stretch IMO.

 

[Sarms58]

Highly doubtful. Unless Sutton decides to leave.

Yea, that's my thought as well and Sutton would be a late round selection...

Hard to grasp how far the talent level at UT has fallen...last year was the first time in about 50 years that we didn't have a player drafted and it may happen again this year...Dooley left this team with the talent of a Southern Conference team...

Dooley's last team was our slowest D since the sixties...and we're still hurting in the secondary...we can't tackle and can't catch 'em after they get loose...

 

[ajvol01]

Will we have anyone drafted by the NFL this year? Had three after Butch's first season and none last year...wil any of these guys get drafted: Kerbyson, Von Pearson, Randolph, Williams, O'Brien?

Sutton. Doubt anyone else is drafted.

 

[ajvol01]

First off, nobody gives two s##ts that you "love these players" Butch. You were brought here to win football games and in year 3 the program is no better than when u arrived. Still losing. As much as most of you here wanna sing Rocky Top all night long after beating Western Carolina or Bowling Green, this charlatan from Cincy is just a lame hack who will always find a new way to lose a football game.

Let's face it. This team is an epic failure along with its coach. Two top 5 classes and THIS...THIS is what it results in? Butch was brought in to WIN..period. End of story. He's saying the same garbage Dooley said and it means NOTHING. It's the same crap they say at Illinois State or Little College of Immaculate Cheese. Butch is a loser. Period. There's no trophy for getting a top 5 recruiting class or for beating an old tired coach like Spurrier when he has a garbage team himself.

Butch says we'll win our share of these close games "eventually". "Eventually"? You've been here 3 years now. You either win or you don't..and you aren't. Austin Peay is a great school for a guy like Butch...although i'm sure he'd choke games away there too. A loser finds a way to lose..and it's what Butch does best.

New around here?

 

[Vol Catdaddy]

Yea, that's my thought as well and Sutton would be a late round selection...

Hard to grasp how far the talent level at UT has fallen...last year was the first time in about 50 years that we didn't have a player drafted and it may happen again this year...Dooley left this team with the talent of a Southern Conference team...

Dooley's last team was our slowest D since the sixties...and we're still hurting in the secondary...we can't tackle and can't catch 'em after they get loose...

Sutton is an late first on early second round pick. He is a stud!

 

[butchna]

Will we have anyone drafted by the NFL this year? Had three after Butch's first season and none last year...wil any of these guys get drafted: Kerbyson, Von Pearson, Randolph, Williams, O'Brien?

O'Brien will be back next year.

 

[gr82batnvol]

I don't see Butch winning big key games, but the notion all these coaches suck when the freshmen last year and Sophs were on schedule or ahead, showing they will be good, is not really all that true. Hopefully Butch gets better too :/

I hope that Butch gets things right. I think most fans do. I just think they are losing faith. Maybe he'll get it together and restore our faith. I sure hope so. #makeusbelieveagain

 

[Other_Guy]

Sutton. Doubt anyone else is drafted.

That just shows you that the last 2 years what Dools left behind. We should expect better coaching, but most of the older players arent good enough to compete against the best teams.

Again, I dont think Butch has shown us he can win, but at the end of the day we haven't been able to count on any vetern leadership. That includes Maggit bc of a longterm injury. Our best players are young guys who aren't there yet.
Imagine if the JRs and SRs were players SEC champ caliber. They're either hurt, suspended or are not very good. We expect them to be really good bc they're starters... unfortunately they aren't, and many of our starters couldn't start at the top SEC programs.

We shouldnt assume these coaches can change them. Keep them healthy... out of trouble... and improve their play when its likely theyve hit their ceiling.

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Hearing about youth, lack of talent, and inexperience in the face of one of the most poorly coached games I have ever seen against FL a few weeks ago certainly did not help Jones and his cause.

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

That just shows you that the last 2 years what Dools left behind. We should expect better coaching, but most of the older players arent good enough to compete against the best teams.

Again, I dont think Butch has shown us he can win, but at the end of the day we haven't been able to count on any vetern leadership. That includes Maggit bc of a longterm injury. Our best players are young guys who aren't there yet.
Imagine if the JRs and SRs were players SEC champ caliber. They're either hurt, suspended or are not very good. We expect them to be really good bc they're starters... unfortunately they aren't, and many of our starters couldn't start at the top SEC programs.

We shouldnt assume these coaches can change them. Keep them healthy... out of trouble... and improve their play when its likely theyve hit their ceiling.

Sorry but I can't agree with this.

What you just described is the very definition of what a coach is supposed to do. Health is the exception. Player injuries are usually blind luck and part of the game.

And if the players are good enough to hold double digit leads in every game this season, why aren't they good enough to be able to finish off decent teams?

You look at the box scores of games since Jones has showed up, this folding in the second half isn't a new phenomenon.

 

[tm3]

Thanks so much for the post. I had no idea that a coach needed championship caliber upper class players to make sensible clock management decisions, accurately interpret a PAT chart, and remember his best RB with the ball on the 6 inch line.

 

[BigC]

First off, nobody gives two s##ts that you "love these players" Butch. You were brought here to win football games and in year 3 the program is no better than when u arrived. Still losing. As much as most of you here wanna sing Rocky Top all night long after beating Western Carolina or Bowling Green, this charlatan from Cincy is just a lame hack who will always find a new way to lose a football game.

Let's face it. This team is an epic failure along with its coach. Two top 5 classes and THIS...THIS is what it results in? Butch was brought in to WIN..period. End of story. He's saying the same garbage Dooley said and it means NOTHING. It's the same crap they say at Illinois State or Little College of Immaculate Cheese. Butch is a loser. Period. There's no trophy for getting a top 5 recruiting class or for beating an old tired coach like Spurrier when he has a garbage team himself.

Butch says we'll win our share of these close games "eventually". "Eventually"? You've been here 3 years now. You either win or you don't..and you aren't. Austin Peay is a great school for a guy like Butch...although i'm sure he'd choke games away there too. A loser finds a way to lose..and it's what Butch does best.

So in your eyes CBJ is a hack, well as I see you sir are a duche bag so we got that outta the way. And what level of college football did you play...?
I to want wins and theses loses hurt but with my knowledge of football and I'm a nobody I only played at the NAIA level can realize that when CBJ got here the talent level was on a D2 level things have gotten better yes yes I know the record does not show it yet and yes CBJ was brought here to eventually win but the first step in the process was to turn the Program in the right direction and that is happening! CBJ even said before the season started we are getting better just not there yet but people like you wouldn't listen and went on your own expectations and again where did You build your football resume...so anyone with knowledge of the game can see there are some key areas we need help in and Oline is the first your offence starts up front we just need a bit more time there for development I love respect and will continue to pull for the ones on the field and our coaches. Is there some tweaking that ends done coaching yes but there is also some maturation that has to happen with the players also..if your patient they will come.