I agree with that. But I've seen some that think we added better than we lost, and that is just ridiculous to me.
I don' think that conclusion can be made either way at this point. I would say the most certain guy UT lost who won't be replaced by either scheme or personnel is Gray. He does things in space that you don't teach.
I would almost say there was a downgrade with the two OL losses... except neither was truly dominant or consistent while playing for UT. Morris had talent but continued to miss assignments and get beaten in pass pro.
We added more than we lost at QB. Milton and Hooker are probably better than JG and Shrout (although shrout would have been interesting in this offense).
Agree. I hadn't thought that much about Shrout but you are right considering his arm and reasonably good athleticism.
RB is a huge loss with Chandler and Gray and signee Cody Brown and adding nobody through the portal (though we do have some talented but unproven players).
Chandler regressed. IMO, Evans and Small are both at least as physically talented as he was.
Gray has elite potential. I didn't feel good about Brown even when he committed and signed. I don't think what made him a very good HS RB would have translated very well. We've seen guys like him before.
OL is a huge loss with Wanya, Jahmir and Gooch and adding nobody through the portal. (Hopefully scheme and coaching will help soften this blow).
Like I mentioned above, Morris had yet to play like a 5*. I think Johnson may have been the bigger loss.
Gooch? Seriously? He was not going to contribute this year under either staff. He was a project that is far from irreplaceable.
WR may be an upgrade losing Johnson ana adding Payton.
I think they're a huge unknown. Lots of raw talent but no performance to judge or experience. I think the focus will be on Jones to start then shift to more gifted players as they get comfortable.
TE lost several depth pieces, but nobody that is irreplaceable.
DL lost some depth with Mincey, Williams, Evans and Washington but might have upgraded the talent with Tremblay and Terry.
OLB probably lost more losing Bennett, Dylan Brooks and Deandre Johnson and adding Byron Young and Willie Mohan. So wish we could have held onto Dylan Brooks.
Agree. No crisis in any of this.
ILB is scary loosing Too'Too, French, Crouch and JJ Peterson and only adding Juwan Mitchell.
Henry T for Mitchell is probably pretty close. Peterson was widely considered a bust who was unlikely to get on the field. Crouch wasn't a very good LB... or else was poorly coached. We do not know where French was going to play if at all.
It is a position of concern but most of that comes down to how much flexibility the other guys have. How interchangeable can the Will and Mike LB's become? OurLads lists Banks, Mitchell, Page, Garland, Willis, Beasley, Harrison, and Joseph in a 4 deep at those two positions. If 4 of those guys are interchangeable and can play 90% of the minutes between them then it may not be bad at all. I know Monte is Monte... but I remember the no names UT plugged in at LB in 2009 while having a pretty good D overall.
DB lost Baylen Buchanan and Key Lawrence and added Hadden and Turnage. Maybe a slight gain, though I love Lawrence's potential.
Lawrence is in his 4th year out of HS and has never actually played, right? He may have all the physical talent in the world but I don't have much confidence in a guy who leaves his original choice, sits out, declines to play for his new team,.... and then is so unstable that he transfers again.
I like Buchanan and want to see something before believing in the other two. Right now, I'd call this a push at a position that was in reasonably good shape to start. If I could have one back here it would be Shamburger but academic casualties are what they are.