‘23 LA CB Jordan Matthews (Tennessee)

[Skullbone]

I think a more fair statement would be that our defense was inconsistent. We did some really good things and some really bad things. If we can get a little better and avoid those occasional terrible nights we'll be golden. Talented recruits like Matthews coming in helps work towards that.

 

[SweetasSoda]

And we would be 11-1 and in the playoffs and Hendon Hooker likely has a Heisman trophy had this staff brought in corners through the portal

And we would be 0-12 if you were coaching or playing.

 

[BelieveTheHeup93]

So our corners were good enough to beat LSU, BAMA, KY, FLA, etc… but you have all blame on one game USC? You have to be smarter than this..

wait.. nvmd that last sentence..

No, our corners were bad in all of those games too. They just didn’t have the combination of WRs and QB play to make us pay as much

 

[BelieveTheHeup93]

I think a more fair statement would be that our defense was inconsistent. We did some really good things and some really bad things. If we can get a little better and avoid those occasional terrible nights we'll be golden. Talented recruits like Matthews coming in helps work towards that.

He won’t be good and consistent enough as a true freshman to fix those problems though is where I’m getting at. I have no doubt that him, Gibson, and Beasley will give us stellar CB play 2-3 years from now. We need studs at corner for this upcoming season though because of the significant drop off our offense will have, and 21 and 22 along with what we’ve done so far this year gives me no reason to believe that will happen considering our staff has known since they arrived on campus that we had no corners and still failed to get any in the portal

 

[Skullbone]

Well, you're not entirely wrong. The offense probably will be a little less consistent and the defense probably needs to be a little better to make up for it, but we'll just have to see. I think transferring in a bunch of rando corners will have diminishing returns though. It's tough to come in and play your best football the first year on a new team. Those guys would probably need most of the year just to get fully acclimated to actually play any better than the rest of the guys already there. But who knows. I never thought our offense would as amazing as it was this year either, so maybe the defense surprises us in year 3. We'll see what happens. Ride or die either way.

 

[VolsSince78]

As you typed this Kentucky, that’s right the school that we have literally made our red headed step child over the last 40 years, landed one of the top corners in the transfer portal in JQ Hardaway. I rest my case. Meanwhile we’re pursuing every WR that puts his name in the portal just so Joe Milton can over throw them deep or try to throw the ball through them on intermediate routes. Also our coaches didn’t need a crystal ball to see what the secondary would become if guys got hurt. They could’ve just left Slaughter and Charles at their natural positions at safety (rather than bring 2 safeties in so they could move Charles and Slaughter to corner) and just brought in actual corners

I take it that you acknowledge you were full of BS when you stated we had 85 guys on scholarship.

Two, the guy you mentioned transferring to UK was a freshman backup at Cincinnati this year. As a recruit last year, he was rated below Matthews’ and Gibson’s rating this year (247 Composite). So. thanks, but I’ll go with Heupel & staff’s judgement over your pitiful whining.

Three, you missed the point about CB injuries. We have CBs. Several of them spent multiple games injured, including one starter out for the year (Burrell). No team can stockpile players at a position (to ease the drop off when injuries occur) without compromising another position.

 

[bigl3327]

I take it that you acknowledge you were full of BS when you stated we had 85 guys on scholarship.

Two, the guy you mentioned transferring to UK was a freshman backup at Cincinnati this year. As a recruit last year, he was rated below Matthews’ and Gibson’s rating this year (247 Composite). So. thanks, but I’ll go with Heupel & staff’s judgement over your pitiful whining.

Three, you missed the point about CB injuries. We have CBs. Several of them spent multiple games injured, including one starter out for the year (Burrell). No team can stockpile players at a position (to ease the drop off when injuries occur) without compromising another position.

Not to mention that they were all injured dating back to spring practice.

 

[JT3]

As you typed this Kentucky, that’s right the school that we have literally made our red headed step child over the last 40 years, landed one of the top corners in the transfer portal in JQ Hardaway. I rest my case. Meanwhile we’re pursuing every WR that puts his name in the portal just so Joe Milton can over throw them deep or try to throw the ball through them on intermediate routes. Also our coaches didn’t need a crystal ball to see what the secondary would become if guys got hurt. They could’ve just left Slaughter and Charles at their natural positions at safety (rather than bring 2 safeties in so they could move Charles and Slaughter to corner) and just brought in actual corners

What qualifies JQ Hardaway as a top corner in the portal? Didn't watch a lick of Cincinnati football so I have no clue.

 

[Pridedad]

Not to mention that they were all injured dating back to spring practice.

The dating scene must be ruff theses days in knoxville to injure our guys like that.

 

[bigl3327]

The dating scene must be ruff theses days in knoxville to injure our guys like that.

I have two college age son's...... so, that sounds about right. 😂

 

[BelieveTheHeup93]

I take it that you acknowledge you were full of BS when you stated we had 85 guys on scholarship.

Two, the guy you mentioned transferring to UK was a freshman backup at Cincinnati this year. As a recruit last year, he was rated below Matthews’ and Gibson’s rating this year (247 Composite). So. thanks, but I’ll go with Heupel & staff’s judgement over your pitiful whining.

Three, you missed the point about CB injuries. We have CBs. Several of them spent multiple games injured, including one starter out for the year (Burrell). No team can stockpile players at a position (to ease the drop off when injuries occur) without compromising another position.

We had 2 corners going into the season this past year with college experience. Burrell and Hadden. Then Dee Williams and Christian Harrison. One was a JUCO transfer and the other was a true freshman with hardly any big time offers. Every other “corner” we had was a converted safety or star. None of the 4 of Charles, Turnage, Slaughter, and Rucker were actual corners. Even if guys had stayed healthy throughout the entirety of the season the secondary was doomed from the start. The cult victims in here can argue all they want, but the lack of both talent and depth at the corner position was 100% on the staff failing to address those position needs via the portal

 

[T2P_Priceless]

He won’t be good and consistent enough as a true freshman to fix those problems though is where I’m getting at. I have no doubt that him, Gibson, and Beasley will give us stellar CB play 2-3 years from now. We need studs at corner for this upcoming season though because of the significant drop off our offense will have, and 21 and 22 along with what we’ve done so far this year gives me no reason to believe that will happen considering our staff has known since they arrived on campus that we had no corners and still failed to get any in the portal

Corner is actually one of the easiest positions to make an impact year 1. Look at the star corner at GA this year. And Taylor and Sutton at Tennessee. Many other examples as well. Sounds like Matthews is likely to be one of those

 

[84Volfan]

No, our corners were bad in all of those games too. They just didn’t have the combination of WRs and QB play to make us pay as much

Landing Gibson and Matthews would even shut me up about his ability to recruit elite corners, and I’ve not been impressed with him at all so far. Both are prospects that can start on an SEC contender

Then why don't you do what you said you'd do and stfu

 

[MarcoVol]

And we would be 11-1 and in the playoffs and Hendon Hooker likely has a Heisman trophy had this staff brought in corners through the portal

Yeah if we had more corners from the portal that could’ve rushed the passer in that game then we would’ve won

 

[VolsSince78]

We had 2 corners going into the season this past year with college experience. Burrell and Hadden. Then Dee Williams and Christian Harrison. One was a JUCO transfer and the other was a true freshman with hardly any big time offers. Every other “corner” we had was a converted safety or star. None of the 4 of Charles, Turnage, Slaughter, and Rucker were actual corners. Even if guys had stayed healthy throughout the entirety of the season the secondary was doomed from the start. The cult victims in here can argue all they want, but the lack of both talent and depth at the corner position was 100% on the staff failing to address those position needs via the portal

DeShawn Rucker is an “actual” CB. He certainly has the speed, and has decent hips to play the position.
He wasn’t available at the start of this season, and was out again late in the season, including vs USCe.
I wouldn’t call him a solid CB now. But, he’s young, and will hopefully develop into one here.

 

[LouderVol]

No, our corners were bad in all of those games too. They just didn’t have the combination of WRs and QB play to make us pay as much

Lol. Naybor and Boutte>>>>>>> anything SC has.

Rattler just played outside his mind against us. He probably doesnt play that well against air. We caught them when they were playing their best game. And our average to worst performance was bad enough to get us blown out.

Any given saturday still exists in the SEC for a reason.

 

[DeusExMachina]

.....

 

[Volbucky]

View attachment 524546 .....

Lol they spelled his name wrong?

 

[Neyland Law Vol]

Embarrassing. Hope they apologize and fix it.

 

[TheRain]

Mistakes happen, it will get fixed. He's not a tea cup... It didn't break him.

 

[LoudOrange]

Lol they spelled his name wrong?

Better now than on something during a recruiting visit.

 

[Tennessee Golfer]

Embarrassing. Hope they apologize and fix it.

Naw he’s legally required to change his name now.

 

[ChrisVFL]

Far the the guy that made this rookie mistake lol

 

[Big Orange#1]

Fireable/ demotion offense lol. What Moran did that

 

[CO Vol]

The other T is on the helmet. Small sacrifice for the greater good.