One more reason to trust Butch....

#1

matts42012

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#1
So one program that I am comparing us to is a program that was down like we are. That is very rich in tradition. That is one of the top schools in the country. One that has clawed back and is now winning. Florida State. They "down" for an ACC team (7-6). I will not compare their records to ours as we all know the ACC is not comparable to the SEC in FB. What i will compare is their recruiting to ours.....

Their 2010 recruiting class had 10 4 or 5*'s.
2011, they had 15 4 or 5*'s
2012, 13 4 or 5*'s. (Granted this included a Heisman Trophy winner.
2013, 11 4 or 5*'s.

Right now alone CBJ has 17 4 or 5*'s. So, what does this say?? This will take time. He will get it done though. Be patient. He is recruiting out of his mind right now.

Here is one for you....the past 2 years Alabama has had 17 4 or 5*'s. So we must stay on track. Butch is the right guy.
 
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#5
#5
It won't be long..

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

The+Beatles+-+It+Won't+Be+Long+-+7%22+RECORD-396394.jpg
 
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#11
#11
The key is getting the most from those athletes, not just relying on star power; this will be the true test of Butch.

Definitely agree. However, I think we have, at the very least, reason to be hopeful here. Just between Butch, Jake, Strip, and Azzanni, that crew has put a TON of guys in the league.
 
#15
#15
So one program that I am comparing us to is a program that was down like we are. That is very rich in tradition. That is one of the top schools in the country. One that has clawed back and is now winning. Florida State. They "down" for an ACC team (7-6). I will not compare their records to ours as we all know the ACC is not comparable to the SEC in FB. What i will compare is their recruiting to ours.....

Their 2010 recruiting class had 10 4 or 5*'s.
2011, they had 15 4 or 5*'s
2012, 13 4 or 5*'s. (Granted this included a Heisman Trophy winner.
2013, 11 4 or 5*'s.

Right now alone CBJ has 17 4 or 5*'s. So, what does this say?? This will take time. He will get it done though. Be patient. He is recruiting out of his mind right now.

Here is one for you....the past 2 years Alabama has had 17 4 or 5*'s. So we must stay on track. Butch is the right guy.

Thanks OP - It is always nice to see number comparisons.

I hold my breath on these guys until the spring/fall when we get them in pads. One of Tennessee's biggest issues since 2000 has been landing these epic paper classes but having a bunch of kids with issues among the most talented.

That being said, I think this class seems to have more quality kids across the board than all of our big bust classes. Whether it is fair or not, I've always correlated an earlier commitment date (before January) with more character. It seems like we've been burned quite a bit by the last minute/flip commits.
 
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#16
#16
If he holds this class together and can follow up next year then the talent will be there. Few of us, if any, are questioning the job he's doing recruiting this year though the 2013 class was not what Jones or UT needed. (Not his fault necessarily but still it needed to be better).

The thing that needs to be proven is the actual coaching and development. That has not yielded the kind of results UT needs so far. You can make excuses and rationalize and deny and evade but the fact is they underachieved with the '13 roster. They should not have suffered 4 blowout losses, should not have lost to Vandy, and should have won at least six games.

I "trust" wins. I "trust" actual results on the field. Frankly, I will give him credit for great recruiting but it won't win my trust... at all. If Charlie Weis and Mack Brown prove nothing else... they prove you can recruit great talent and be a bad enough coach to still not win at a high level.

Ron Zook was a better recruiter than Meyer at UF. He left Meyer a far better roster than Meyer left Muschamp. Without much argument, Meyer's best recruit was going to be a Gator no matter what. Ron Zook could not coach. Meyer can.
 
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#17
#17
Definitely agree. However, I think we have, at the very least, reason to be hopeful here. Just between Butch, Jake, Strip, and Azzanni, that crew has put a TON of guys in the league.

Though unlikely to happen... I would far rather see them put no one "in the league" and win championships in the SEC than vice versa.
 
#18
#18
The one thing about this class is the multiple verbal leaders. Leadership has been a problem IMHO on the field and in the locker room. Hurd, TKjr, Bates, Berry's......so many in this class that are so deeply bleeding orange before they even put the pads on. It is just a beautiful thing to have high level elite athletes so motivated and vocal already before they get here. Leadership will not be a problem with this class.....truly believe what they achieve before they leave will be legendary.
 
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#19
#19
Butch's recruiting prowess is a good start as far as trusting that he can get it done at UT. Winning games in the SEC start with great recruiting. So the wins that we all crave will come in abundance when he gets his own players in here.
 
#20
#20
This class DOES differ from past highly rated classes in the way Derelick stated.

Even better is that UT does not seem to be taking the high risk talented players that had to be taken in the past. You can look at the Rivals commitment lists since 2002. It is amazing how many 5* players have busted at UT.

Jones is currently getting players that other coaches want... and not just the leftovers after they're done.
 
#21
#21
Butch's recruiting prowess is a good start as far as trusting that he can get it done at UT. Winning games in the SEC start with great recruiting. So the wins that we all crave will come in abundance when he gets his own players in here.

Nope. The wins will come when the incoming talent is coached up and then coached well.

Recruiting is NOT a cure all. It is part of the equation but if the coaching does not improve over what we saw this season... it will not result in UT competing for championships.

And "winning" games does NOT start with great recruiting. UT has consistently recruited better than USCe even under Dooley. Mizzou has one top 25 class in the last 5 years iirc. Winning starts with coaching. You can't win without talent... but you'll come closer than trying to win without coaching and great player development.
 
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#22
#22
Nope. The wins will come when the incoming talent is coached up and then coached well.

Recruiting is NOT a cure all. It is part of the equation but if the coaching does not improve over what we saw this season... it will not result in UT competing for championships.

True... but you have to realize your coaching options are limited by the talent that you can field. A better yardstick would be to look at CBJ on-field coaching pedigree at Cincy/Central Mich.

One thing is for sure, he has done a much better job than lame kiffin and derrick do-little in the recruiting, S&C, Academic Achievement, and player development categories.

Injuries are also less than CDD which I think we can attribute to S&C as opposed to box checking and off-field incidents plummeting which could be possibly be due to players being too busy studying and training.

One more plus is the lack of recruiting violations attributed to CBJ...At my count, that stands at zero.

...and ticket sales are up!
 
#23
#23
It's always so predictable on volnation. Someone makes a valid point concerning recruiting and talent and what a turn around is taking place regarding improved talent...then countless posters question whether or not our coaches can "coach" and "develop" them. I promise you the game of football is not overly complex. Great athletes make "average" coaches look really good all across the country. (Ex. Fulmer during our hay day). I have NO doubt that when our talent level elevates...so will our production on the field. Some of you need to show a little confidence, a lot more support, and stop looking at things with so much negativity. Optimism is a really great thing! Go Vols!
 
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#24
#24
So one program that I am comparing us to is a program that was down like we are. That is very rich in tradition. That is one of the top schools in the country. One that has clawed back and is now winning. Florida State. They "down" for an ACC team (7-6). I will not compare their records to ours as we all know the ACC is not comparable to the SEC in FB. What i will compare is their recruiting to ours.....

Their 2010 recruiting class had 10 4 or 5*'s.
2011, they had 15 4 or 5*'s
2012, 13 4 or 5*'s. (Granted this included a Heisman Trophy winner.
2013, 11 4 or 5*'s.

Right now alone CBJ has 17 4 or 5*'s. So, what does this say?? This will take time. He will get it done though. Be patient. He is recruiting out of his mind right now.

Here is one for you....the past 2 years Alabama has had 17 4 or 5*'s. So we must stay on track. Butch is the right guy.

And Jimbo has had the luxury of having a lot of that talent in his "front yard". It speaks volumes what Butch has been able to accomplish so far with the '14 class.
 
#25
#25
I think I remember this being posted here before. You cannot teach talent. You are born with it. Yes you can coach it. But no amount of coaching is going to equal God given talent. I would much rather have God given talent and average coaching than poor talent and great coaching. Now having both is what you need to compete in the SEC.
 
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