'25 Portal Thread

#16,502
#16,502
T2P_Priceless said:
I'm not...I'm saying he has done absolutely nothing to be excited about. Where are you getting your optimism?
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Experience in Heupels system and respect of the team. We don’t know if Joey is gonna be able to learn the system quick enough to run it properly. We don’t know if he will come in here with the right attitude and win the team over.

If nothing else Merk is vastly more experienced in this offense and has earned the respect of the team. Joey has not. So that right there should give optimism. If that doesn’t give you optimism then what would?

What has Joey done to be exited about? Put up decent stats against low level competition?
 
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#16,504
#16,504
BigOrangeTrain said:
Experience in Heupels system and respect of the team. We don’t know if Joey is gonna be able to learn the system quick enough to run it properly. We don’t know if he will come in here with the right attitude and win the team over.

If nothing else Merk is vastly more experienced in this offense and has earned the respect of the team. Joey has not. So that right there should give optimism. If that doesn’t give you optimism then what would?

What has Joey done to be exited about? Put up decent stats against low level competition?
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Think it’s a fair point but I wouldn’t Merk is VASTLY more experienced. He has a year and zero game experience.

Also, Joey appears to be the type that a team would rally around. We shall see.

I’d be surprised if it’s not Joey but wouldn’t be shocked if it’s Merk either.
 
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#16,507
#16,507
I've never understood bringing in "backups". You bring in guys that can compete with the guys you already have. Guys that can push who you already have and make everyone better. Competition, and the best player plays. And before someone says, "hurt feelings", if your feelings are hurt by competition, you shouldn't be playing football to begin with. Iron sharpens iron. If you can't get players that can compete with who you already have, then why get them to begin with? And if it's "depth", then they should be better than our walk-ons, otherwise taking them is completely pointless.
 
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#16,508
#16,508
BigOrangeTrain said:
Experience in Heupels system and respect of the team. We don’t know if Joey is gonna be able to learn the system quick enough to run it properly. We don’t know if he will come in here with the right attitude and win the team over.

If nothing else Merk is vastly more experienced in this offense and has earned the respect of the team. Joey has not. So that right there should give optimism. If that doesn’t give you optimism then what would?

What has Joey done to be exited about? Put up decent stats against low level competition?
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It's not as simple as plug and play, has it worked before? Maybe? But i don't think in this short of window at the SEC level we've seen anything like it. I could be wrong though. Team chemistry matters a lot. You want your team to mesh. Playing as one isn't just a weird mantra it is whats needed.
 
#16,510
#16,510
UTK said:
Perhaps but I’d hope there’s a legit QB competition. A mean a million for a backup option isn’t that bad probably concerning the situation they were left in. If JA starts I don’t know if I’ll be excited or concerned. Or could mean he caught on really quick or my bigger fear is Merk just ain’t there
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oh, CJH will play it up like there are no starters. Any good coach is gonna do that. But you can't convince me he hasn't already made his mind up. Doesn't mean I'm right, but this is a message board where opinions live.

I just dont know that his offense can be at its peak without a QB that is a legit threat to not only pull the ball down and run, but also call some designed runs and be effective. Milton and Nico both were not runners and did not really look to run that much. HH never hesitated when the play broke down and needed to leave the pocket.

JA may end up sucking, throwing 20 INTs or having 10 lost fumbles. Who the heck knows, but we have seen flashes, and least at the college level that he can stretch defenses just enough with his arm, and can be an elusive runner as well. I really believe JH can get his INTs down. Biggest worry for me is depth across the board. But mainly at OL and WR. There are some players there but a lot of unproven guys. Just not sure what to think about team around JA and whether they will be good enough to help him out.
 
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#16,511
#16,511
Weezer said:
I've never understood bringing in "backups". You bring in guys that can compete with the guys you already have. Guys that can push who you already have and make everyone better. Competition, and the best player plays. And before someone says, "hurt feelings", if your feelings are hurt by competition, you shouldn't be playing football to begin with. Iron sharpens iron. If you can't get players that can compete with who you already have, then why get them to begin with? And if it's "depth", then they should be better than our walk-ons, otherwise taking them is completely pointless.
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College football has turned into an NFL type model. When you sign a guy to a multimillion dollar deal, then you pay him to start. But you don’t bring in a guy that you pay the minimum to start. It’s about money and not uprooting the roster. Then, as the season goes on, you evaluate and can let go of the starter if his play doesn’t justify the salary. There is no more bringing in 85 high level guys and letting them play for it. It’s a pro model.
 
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#16,512
#16,512
Weezer said:
I've never understood bringing in "backups". You bring in guys that can compete with the guys you already have. Guys that can push who you already have and make everyone better. Competition, and the best player plays. And before someone says, "hurt feelings", if your feelings are hurt by competition, you shouldn't be playing football to begin with. Iron sharpens iron. If you can't get players that can compete with who you already have, then why get them to begin with? And if it's "depth", then they should be better than our walk-ons, otherwise taking them is completely pointless.
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Only the strong survive. Amirite?
 
#16,513
#16,513
BigOrangeTrain said:
Experience in Heupels system and respect of the team. We don’t know if Joey is gonna be able to learn the system quick enough to run it properly. We don’t know if he will come in here with the right attitude and win the team over.

If nothing else Merk is vastly more experienced in this offense and has earned the respect of the team. Joey has not. So that right there should give optimism. If that doesn’t give you optimism then what would?

What has Joey done to be exited about? Put up decent stats against low level competition?
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All it takes is a basic level of film study to see what Joey does to make me excited

If you would like to make a friendly wager on who starts, I would be more than willing
 
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#16,514
#16,514
BigOrangeFanatic said:
oh, CJH will play it up like there are no starters. Any good coach is gonna do that. But you can't convince me he hasn't already made his mind up. Doesn't mean I'm right, but this is a message board where opinions live.

I just dont know that his offense can be at its peak without a QB that is a legit threat to not only pull the ball down and run, but also call some designed runs and be effective. Milton and Nico both were not runners and did not really look to run that much. HH never hesitated when the play broke down and needed to leave the pocket.

JA may end up sucking, throwing 20 INTs or having 10 lost fumbles. Who the heck knows, but we have seen flashes, and least at the college level that he can stretch defenses just enough with his arm, and can be an elusive runner as well. I really believe JH can get his INTs down. Biggest worry for me is depth across the board. But mainly at OL and WR. There are some players there but a lot of unproven guys. Just not sure what to think about team around JA and whether they will be good enough to help him out.
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Nico actually bailed too much. Sometimes with a good pocket. And when he did he rarely looked to throw still
 
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#16,516
#16,516
Why?
Last year we had a Soph and Freshman and 2 clipboard holders and we didn’t go after anyone in the portal for a serviceable backup.
We new who the starter was gonna be.

This year we without doubt were going after a starter.

What does that tell you how Heupel views Merk this year vs. Nico last year?
 
#16,518
#16,518
CAVPUT said:
Just don't see Heupel firing anyone. Even if a guy leaves, he'll promote from within and hope it works out. He's got a kind of milquetoast aura about him. Likes the status quo and doesn't care for change even when it appears to be necessary.
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And this will most likely be a portion of his downfall....

That and either not pushing boosters/NIL enough to replace the talent we lost, or he keeps thinking he can do more with less and just keep his inexperienced roster and expect them to compete with other SEC teams that spent the money to reload... This fall is going to be very telling.. He's had the chance to upgrade, make changes, adjust, but he's chosen not to either because he wasn't given enough money, or he's been too stubborn/naive to think this type of mindset will work in the SEC now with NIL... Guess we'll see in about 4 months...
 
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