Linebackers: 2020 outlook

#151
#151
LittleVol said:
D Johnson and K Bennett combined....for 4.5 sacks. That's not going to cut it.

I think Joseph can easily surpass that by himself.
Wanya Morris and Darnell came right in and took spots from Marcus Tatum and Jamir Johnson. Henry T came in and took Ignot spot...

Morven Joseph has already been playing the position of OLB in the 3-4 unlike Crouch and Harrison who had to try and learn on the fly. Luckily Crouch had that spring to help get up to speed faster.

FSU and UF both wanted this kid terribly. He is the next in line to earn a spot as true freshman.

Just like
Morris
Wright
To'oto'o
McCullough
Crouch in 2019

Thompson
Taylor
Flowers in 2018
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Every year.... I've been here a long time and someone like you does this every year. It is almost always followed by disappointment and declarations of various players being busts because they didn't produce right away.

Of course you know you're being a little loose with those stats also. D Johnson playing behind Taylor was 3rd on the team with 2.5 sacks. Bituli had 3. Taylor had 7. Bennett playing as a back up for most of the year tied with six other players with 2 sacks each. UT did it by committee and that probably won't change until the Vols have a Barnett caliber pass rusher.

I personally am not sure Johnson will ever be very good for the Vols. He's a Jr and didn't seem to have the trust of the coaches even when Taylor needed a break. Bennett is a Soph who came a long way.
 
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#156
#156
Roustabout said:
Because the program was in a much different place. Wilson didn’t have to play the role as a true freshman. The program was in a much better place.
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Henry T looks better on the field as a FR than Wilson did as a sophomore.

Which only serves to make Henry T.'s performances so incredible in a SEC that is exponentially better across the board now than it was when Wilson played.
The only truly elite teams back when Wilson played were Tennessee and Florida. UGa may have been a close 3rd...

The SEC level of play across the board is much better NOW than it was back then.

I mean no disrespect to Wilson--an All SEC, all-american, and All-pro LB...

But Henry T.'s FR year seems to project him along that same career trajectory if he can sidestep injuries....

Henry T is the closest player we've seen to Al Wilson at LB in 10 years.
 
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#158
#158
MikeVol44 said:
Henry T looks better on the field as a FR than Wilson did as a sophomore.

Which only serves to make Henry T.'s performances so incredible in a SEC that is exponentially better across the board now than it was when Wilson played.
The only truly elite teams back when Wilson played were Tennessee and Florida. UGa may have been a close 3rd...

The SEC level of play across the board is much better NOW than it was back then.

I mean no disrespect to Wilson--an All SEC, all-american, and All-pro LB...

But Henry T.'s FR year seems to project him along that same career trajectory if he can sidestep injuries....

Henry T is the closest player we've seen to Al Wilson at LB in 10 years.
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I think Henry T could be another Hacksaw Reynolds

reynolds-action_display_image.jpg96d392d35c28f198b872bc8622652111.jpg
 
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#159
#159
MikeVol44 said:
Henry T looks better on the field as a FR than Wilson did as a sophomore.

Which only serves to make Henry T.'s performances so incredible in a SEC that is exponentially better across the board now than it was when Wilson played.
The only truly elite teams back when Wilson played were Tennessee and Florida. UGa may have been a close 3rd...

The SEC level of play across the board is much better NOW than it was back then.

I mean no disrespect to Wilson--an All SEC, all-american, and All-pro LB...

But Henry T.'s FR year seems to project him along that same career trajectory if he can sidestep injuries....

Henry T is the closest player we've seen to Al Wilson at LB in 10 years.
Click to expand...

I have to agree. He's played very well all year but again for a true freshman against UK on the goal line 3rd down play where he stopped their biggest RB, Rodriguez, stepping into that hole one on one, breaking down into textbook LB form and delivering the whomp on that guy, fired me up!!! I just knew it did the same for the rest of the D. And it did and so it was,
 
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#160
#160
sjt18 said:
Every year.... I've been here a long time and someone like you does this every year. It is almost always followed by disappointment and declarations of various players being busts because they didn't produce right away.

Of course you know you're being a little loose with those stats also. D Johnson playing behind Taylor was 3rd on the team with 2.5 sacks. Bituli had 3. Taylor had 7. Bennett playing as a back up for most of the year tied with six other players with 2 sacks each. UT did it by committee and that probably won't change until the Vols have a Barnett caliber pass rusher.

I personally am not sure Johnson will ever be very good for the Vols. He's a Jr and didn't seem to have the trust of the coaches even when Taylor needed a break. Bennett is a Soph who came a long way.
Click to expand...

Johnson started opposite of Taylor.
Also, Taylor wasn't exactly an All-American himself lol. Very inconsistent. And he had to play a lot of snaps because there was no else on his level yet.

Bennett did improve over the year.

I'm predicting that Joseph does indeed start.
I'll leave it at that .
 
#161
#161
LittleVol said:
Johnson started opposite of Taylor.
Also, Taylor wasn't exactly an All-American himself lol. Very inconsistent. And he had to play a lot of snaps because there was no else on his level yet.

Bennett did improve over the year.

I'm predicting that Joseph does indeed start.
I'll leave it at that .
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UT was 2nd in the SEC vs the conference in sacks. And you think that having that many guys share in the sacks is a bad thing indicative of guys not performing their assignments well?

Your "prediction" is noted. I hope the kid is Superman.... but it is very unlikely he starts.
 
#162
#162
sjt18 said:
UT was 2nd in the SEC vs the conference in sacks. And you think that having that many guys share in the sacks is a bad thing indicative of guys not performing their assignments well?

Your "prediction" is noted. I hope the kid is Superman.... but it is very unlikely he starts.
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I didn't say that was a bad thing, generally speaking. I'm speaking of actual production during played snaps.

Johnson is a "good" player, but not gamechanger. Bennett showed a better motor, but he's no Joseph imo.
Pruitt will feed the guys that give us an edge.
 
#163
#163
LittleVol said:
I didn't say that was a bad thing, generally speaking. I'm speaking of actual production during played snaps.

Johnson is a "good" player, but not gamechanger. Bennett showed a better motor, but he's no Joseph imo.
Pruitt will feed the guys that give us an edge.
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I'm not trying to be hard on you but Joseph has yet to take a snap against the caliber of competition he'll face at UT. UT's scout team will have more talent than any one team he's ever faced. I hope he's great. I've just seen this play out dozens of times. I've been guilty myself of overhyping a kid like Joseph. Some positions are easier to play as Fr. IMHO, his is not one of them. He'll be blocked by guys with far more size and talent than he's ever faced. The schemes and plays will be much more difficult to read.

Henry T is a pretty amazing Fr. But he's playing in large measure because UT didn't have quality depth at the position. He learned OJT and made the D better at the end.... but there was a cost early in the season.
 
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#164
#164
LittleVol said:
LittleVol's Projected starters:
(projected weight included)

JLB- Morven Joseph 6'3 230 lbs Fr.
WLB- Quvarius Crouch 6'2 252 lbs So.
MLB- Henry To'oto'o 6'3" 243 lbs So.
SLB- Roman Harrison 6'2 242 lbs So.

Outlook:
We're losing Daniel Bituli (258 tkls 4 sks 2TD's) and Darrell Taylor (112 tkls 18 sks 5 FF). These two really spearheaded the late defensive surge during the 2019 season.
Both are on NFL draft boards and take their leadership with them as they graduate on. A lot of programs would be hurting with this loss in talent but not the Vols.

DeAndre Johnson (12 tkls, 2.5 sks), and Kivon Bennett (24 tkls 2 sks) in 2019; will be two 4 year guys that can provide leadership on the field and in the locker room. Yet, the real talent is in the younger classes. Expect that talent
to rise to the top in 2020. To'oto'o was a Freshman All-American and started every game for the Vols in 2019. He will assume leadership of what I expect to be the best defense the Vols have fielded in 10 years.
Flanking him will be Crouch who can play every linebacker position (and even RB) at WLB. He will still line up outside on occasions and allow guys like JJ Peterson and Martavius French to play inside and provide the much needed size and depth missing from the rotation.
His preferred position is OLB, but right now he is the best "Inside" LB on the team next to Henry To'oto'o.
Bryson Eason at 6'2 270 can move for a big man and hits like a truck! He is a combo backer that will perhaps put his hand on the ground one day. Tyler Baron was a huge get right out of Knoxville, TN.
at 6'4 265 he is another jumbo player than can have an impact as a pass-rusher.
Harrison- The former 5A Georgia Defensive player of the year- dealt with injuries had a bit of learning curve
his true freshman season, but he already has a reputation of being one of the meanest, nastiest, most aggressive players on the team- strongest too. I expect him to earn the SLB spot through the fall and make this defense that much better.
Joseph is only a true freshman, but the 4 * Lakeland, FL native is a premier talent as a pass rusher and is simply to talented and smart to stay off the field.
Aaron Beasley, Solon Page, will look to continue their contributions on Special Teams.

Summary:
This group is maybe the best "looking' or most physically imposing group of Linebackers we've had in a long time. They're young, but experienced and extremely talented.
They will be one of the most exciting position groups in all the conference in 2020
* Guys like Len'Neth Whitehead and Jeremy Banks could also factor into the development later on depending on coaching decisions.

Please feel free to post your projections or just your opinion on this grossly talented group of linebackers we have.
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Jeremy Banks??
 
#166
#166
sjt18 said:
I'm not trying to be hard on you but Joseph has yet to take a snap against the caliber of competition he'll face at UT. UT's scout team will have more talent than any one team he's ever faced. I hope he's great. I've just seen this play out dozens of times. I've been guilty myself of overhyping a kid like Joseph. Some positions are easier to play as Fr. IMHO, his is not one of them. He'll be blocked by guys with far more size and talent than he's ever faced. The schemes and plays will be much more difficult to read.

Henry T is a pretty amazing Fr. But he's playing in large measure because UT didn't have quality depth at the position. He learned OJT and made the D better at the end.... but there was a cost early in the season.
Click to expand...

That's cool brotha.

Give me your starting lineup!
 
#167
#167
LittleVol said:
That's cool brotha.

Give me your starting lineup!
Click to expand...
I don't really make a habit of doing that... and especially not this far out. With regard to this discussion, I've never been impressed with #13. I think we had reason to hope he was going to be really good... but he's never fulfilled those hopes. Until Pruitt gets a guy maybe even like Joseph who is more of the "model" Jack... I think he keep doing what he's done. He has said he likes 4 spot LB's. I think you could see combinations of Henry T, Crouch, Peterson (who I think could really come along after many gave up on him), Harrison, and Bennett. They could also go a more 4-2 nickel look on passing downs and plug in an extra DE.

Peterson makes a great example of why I think we shouldn't overhype recruits. He's about to be a 3rd year player and is just now finding a way to apply his terrific talent to the college game. He could still end up being a really amazing player... but many have already called him a bust.

LOL... I don't want to go too far down this road but it would surprise me less to see Eason start on the inside than any of the OLB recruits start. If he's really a 270 lb guy who can play laterally sideline to sideline like a 240 lb guy... that changes things.
 
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#168
#168
sjt18 said:
I don't really make a habit of doing that... and especially not this far out. With regard to this discussion, I've never been impressed with #13. I think we had reason to hope he was going to be really good... but he's never fulfilled those hopes. Until Pruitt gets a guy maybe even like Joseph who is more of the "model" Jack... I think he keep doing what he's done. He has said he likes 4 spot LB's. I think you could see combinations of Henry T, Crouch, Peterson (who I think could really come along after many gave up on him), Harrison, and Bennett. They could also go a more 4-2 nickel look on passing downs and plug in an extra DE.

Peterson makes a great example of why I think we shouldn't overhype recruits. He's about to be a 3rd year player and is just now finding a way to apply his terrific talent to the college game. He could still end up being a really amazing player... but many have already called him a bust.

LOL... I don't want to go too far down this road but it would surprise me less to see Eason start on the inside than any of the OLB recruits start. If he's really a 270 lb guy who can play laterally sideline to sideline like a 240 lb guy... that changes things.
Click to expand...

Eason is the wildcard. I think he's a future DT, but if he is 270 and it's a good 270, not a end of the season so I slacked off for 5 weeks until ESD, then yeah that does change
things.
 
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#171
#171
sjt18 said:
Some people think he'll be allowed to return. I think I agree with them. Nothing he did can't be undone.
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Disagree. He was a complete thug on the video with the cops. If Pruitt finds a way to give this punk a second chance, then fine. I'm not seeing it right now. Let's see how it goes. Editing my post further—I hope something positive works out for Banks.
 
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#172
#172
FirstAndGoal said:
Disagree. He was a complete thug on the video with the cops. If Pruitt finds a way to give this punk a second chance, then fine. I'm not seeing it right now. Let's see how it goes. Editing my post further—I hope something positive works out for Banks.
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I think you deal with him like you would if there were no one else in the world or as if no one else knew. You set expectations and a way to work his way back. This is an opportunity to take that "thug" attitude, expose him to some guys in blue, and possibly help change a whole community. The folks who hate the police... usually have no idea of the sacrifices they make to try to keep others safe.
 
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#173
#173
Vol865 said:
I mostly agree except Gooden at NT, Theo at FS, McCullough at SS, and Shamburger at Star probably.
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Think Gooden is second unit and flexes between nose and DT (which I use to categorize the larger DE)...depending on situations. Can see Emerson man the nose with Gooden flanking in short yardage packages. Simmons nose all the way backing up Emerson...good deep situation for the apparent near future.
 
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