Losing Green was unfortunate, however

#1
CobbVol

CobbVol

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#1
returning back to competing in Atlanta on the first weekend in December will start with defense, special teams, and then offense. Having WR U will only take you so far, but defense and improved special teams play is the need now. That is why Bell and Lawson are extremely important to start in this direction. They provide potentially two impact players at two different levels of our defense. Let's hope they both see their role with our program for the next four years.
 
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#2
#2
CobbVol said:
returning back to competing in Atlanta on the first weekend in December will start with defense, special teams, and then offense. Having WR U will only take you so far, but defense and improved special teams play is the need now. That is why Bell and Lawson are extremely important to start in this direction. They provide potentially two impact players at two different levels of our defense. Let's hope they both see their role with our program for the next four years.
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Originally Posted by CobbVol
This is not an either/or issue with Kamara and Green. We need both and probably another as I do not see a SEC back on our roster. And to be honest, I would take 2-3 a year until we start seeing backs like Lewis, Henry, Stephens, Houston, Riggs, Stewart, Graham, etc in our backfield.

You seem to have changed your tune huh? 1st you said we needed to take 2-3 RBs a year. Now that we miss on Green and Barber, RB is not something that will matter as we try and play for championships.

Interesting.
 
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#3
#3
So true. Biggest example is of course Bama. Saban hasnt won all those championships with a flashy offense. It all starts and ends on defense. The concept that the spread wont work in the SEC to me is a tired argument. If Saban ran the spread at Bama he would still be ultra successful as long as the defense remained stout. If Jancek and the defensive staff can get their units to toughen up and play assignment football the offense will take care of itself.
 
#4
#4
LebanonVolunteer said:
Originally Posted by CobbVol
This is not an either/or issue with Kamara and Green. We need both and probably another as I do not see a SEC back on our roster. And to be honest, I would take 2-3 a year until we start seeing backs like Lewis, Henry, Stephens, Houston, Riggs, Stewart, Graham, etc in our backfield.

You seem to have changed your tune huh? 1st you said we needed to take 2-3 RBs a year. Now that we miss on Green and Barber, RB is not something that will matter as we try and play for championships.

Interesting.
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Your a moving target. Not really changed as the list is now much smaller. I just do not want to reach at RB just to have +1 gain on the roster. If the backs do not resemble the ones listed above, then pass and work hard in 2014.
 
#5
#5
On a Positive note it was good to see the Tennessee Hat on the same table of a top player making a major announcement. If Butch can keep it up, we will get our share.
 
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#7
#7
CobbVol said:
Your a moving target. Not really changed as the list is now much smaller. I just do not want to reach at RB just to have +1 gain on the roster. If the backs do not resemble the ones listed above, then pass and work hard in 2014.
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I do appologize for the bouncing. I saw this post and remembered one where you said we needed 2-3 backs a year. I went to get it and reposted it in the wrong thread. :p
 
#8
#8
LebanonVolunteer said:
I do appologize for the bouncing. I saw this post and remembered one where you said we needed 2-3 backs a year. I went to get it and reposted it in the wrong thread. :p
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No problem. I just think the quality of our available list after Ford and Barber is a drop-off. Save the roster spot since we have the entire RB corp returning and fight next year for Hurd, Chubb, Paulk, etc.
 
#9
#9
Jay Graham= VFL and an awesome coach, BUT I have yet to see him land a descent SEC caliber back yet. You got kids going to Vandy and Ole Miss that should be in our backfield. I realize all the handycaps we have right now, but isn't this why we kept him on the staff? Hope he surprises us NSD, but from the looks of it, we will go two years without signing a high end back that knows he could step in a start. (Bourque does not count)
 
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#10
#10
CobbVol said:
No problem. I just think the quality of our available list after Ford and Barber is a drop-off. Save the roster spot since we have the entire RB corp returning and fight next year for Hurd, Chubb, Paulk, etc.
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If we strike out this year, what's the chance it continues next year? It has been that way for 3 years now. Top RBs are just not buying into the idea of playing at Tennessee. How long can we just say "next year" before it is the #1 root cause of our losing? We don't have (2) sure NFL 1st round picks at WR this year. We will be going with a QB with little experience. Run game seems kind of important to me.
 
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#11
#11
volinbama256 said:
Jay Graham= VFL and an awesome coach, BUT I have yet to see him land a descent SEC caliber back yet. You got kids going to Vandy and Ole Miss that should be in our backfield. I realize all the handycaps we have right now, but isn't this why we kept him on the staff? Hope he surprises us NSD, but from the looks of it, we will go two years without signing a high end back that knows he could step in a start. (Bourque does not count)
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So let's hire the RB coach we had before Graham...oh that was Eddie Gran cuz Dooley didn't hire one until last year...Gran's the OC in Cincy now.
...should be an easy get..or we could let these coaches do their job
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
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#12
#12
volinbama256 said:
Jay Graham= VFL and an awesome coach, BUT I have yet to see him land a descent SEC caliber back yet. You got kids going to Vandy and Ole Miss that should be in our backfield. I realize all the handycaps we have right now, but isn't this why we kept him on the staff? Hope he surprises us NSD, but from the looks of it, we will go two years without signing a high end back that knows he could step in a start. (Bourque does not count)
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Hmmmm!!!! Does landing Marcus Lattimore while at South Carolina not count? Graham is a highly regarded coach by many. Remind you that he was the only coach retained from previous staff. This is absurd! He hasn't even been here two freaking years and he's recruiting against the fact that UT sucks. Chill out!

Green was never ours to "lose"!! He was Michigan's to lose and would have been kind of a shock to pull him away.
 
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#13
#13
madbamahater said:
Hmmmm!!!! Does landing Marcus Lattimore while at South Carolina not count? Graham is a highly regarded coach by many. Remind you that he was the only coach retained from previous staff. This is absurd! He hasn't even been here two freaking years and he's recruiting against the fact that UT sucks. Chill out!

Green was never ours to "lose"!! He was Michigan's to lose and would have been kind of a shock to pull him away.
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Lattimore was headed to USCe all along IMO. He lived an hour from Columbia. Sure they had to recruit him, but he was playing at South Carolina.
 
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#14
#14
LebanonVolunteer said:
If we strike out this year, what's the chance it continues next year? It has been that way for 3 years now. Top RBs are just not buying into the idea of playing at Tennessee. How long can we just say "next year" before it is the #1 root cause of our losing? We don't have (2) sure NFL 1st round picks at WR this year. We will be going with a QB with little experience. Run game seems kind of important to me.
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How about just one more year if you don't like saying next year..k?
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#15
#15
volinbama256 said:
Jay Graham= VFL and an awesome coach, BUT I have yet to see him land a descent SEC caliber back yet. You got kids going to Vandy and Ole Miss that should be in our backfield. I realize all the handycaps we have right now, but isn't this why we kept him on the staff? Hope he surprises us NSD, but from the looks of it, we will go two years without signing a high end back that knows he could step in a start. (Bourque does not count)
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It is not Jay Graham fault. Some didnt want to come here because of Dooley. We have a new coach this year and with coaching changes some kids dont like the situation. Everyone on here knew the first recruiting class from coach Jones and his coaches was going to be tough. Next year will be alot better. I still think we are going to pull some surprises this year. This coaching staff is alot better. Give it time.
 
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#16
#16
Jay Graham was single handedly responsible for the major improvement with the running backs last season. Working with CUSA talent and making the mid level SEC backs. Well, the oline coach gets credit too. But Graham worked wonders with our backs.
 
#17
#17
madbamahater said:
Jay Graham was single handedly responsible for the major improvement with the running backs last season. Working with CUSA talent and making the mid level SEC backs. Well, the oline coach gets credit too. But Graham worked wonders with our backs.
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RBs looked better. The OL and (2) NFL WRs helped alot.
 
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#18
#18
LebanonVolunteer said:
Lattimore was headed to USCe all along IMO. He lived an hour from Columbia. Sure they had to recruit him, but he was playing at South Carolina.
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Actually Tennessee was strongly considered by Lattimore but he was turned away from old kiffys recruiting practices. He wasn't a "lock" to SC and he says Graham was a huge reason he stayed in Carolina......
 
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#19
#19
LebanonVolunteer said:
If we strike out this year, what's the chance it continues next year? It has been that way for 3 years now. Top RBs are just not buying into the idea of playing at Tennessee. How long can we just say "next year" before it is the #1 root cause of our losing? We don't have (2) sure NFL 1st round picks at WR this year. We will be going with a QB with little experience. Run game seems kind of important to me.
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I don't think our lack of a running game was the root cause of us losing. We were 8th in the SEC in rushing this past season and everyone returns along with the OL. Sure it may be more difficult running with less of a passing threat, but a better defense can also be an inexperienced QB friend.

At the end of the day, we are on our 4th HC in six years.
 
#20
#20
so the consensus is that Graham sucks and should be replaced because we didn't get Green? Who isn't from Tennessee, has no connection to Tennessee and grew up a Michigan fan? Worse than arguing with a woman.
 
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#21
#21
madbamahater said:
Actually Tennessee was strongly considered by Lattimore but he was turned away from old kiffys recruiting practices. He wasn't a "lock" to SC and he says Graham was a huge reason he stayed in Carolina......
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I remember Willis and Miller being very interested. Don't recall Lattimore being much of a possibility. It was a while ago, I could be wrong.
 
#22
#22
Graham was the only holdover on staff by Jones and is a Vol alumni. He was the only reason we were in the running for Green in the first place.

That's good enough for me at this point on the Jay Graham referendum.

I expect running back to be a position of continued improvement if the overall program can start putting the Dooley years in the rear view soon.
 
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#23
#23
Our RB's did nothing but improve last year. Part of it was the OL and the passing game, but we all saw the RB's technique improve. Remember how they were hesitating and trying to bounce outside every play? As the season progressed they starting hitting the hole with confidence (twss?). Part of that is coaching. IMO BLT
 
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#24
#24
I agree defense wins championships but you also have to pound the rock in this league. We need to have depth for rb and not signing any this year will only hurt us.
 
#25
#25
Running game and defense, that's how it has been done in the SEC since the beginning. Players, coaches, systems, formations, all may change but the basic formula is run game and defense. We need as many talented backs as we can get.
 
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