Power 5 Opponents 2 Deep Returnees 2015

#1
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sjt18

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#1
UT if you include AJ will still return 39 of its 44 players in the offensive and defensive two deeps. AJ, Coleman, and J Williams were lost on D. All were contributors but only AJ looks to be replaced by someone with less talent/ability. Gilliam and Lane will be lost on O. They should be replaced by better players.

So how does that stack up against the opposition? The following does not include players like Fowler who may leave early or transfer. Only Sr's are subtracted from the current depth charts. Here are the numbers of returning players according to their latest published depth charts:

OU- 33 (they also lose 4 of 5 starting OL's)
UF- 32 (Fowler is likely to leave too)
Arkansas- 32 (corrected per omghulkhands)
UGA- 30
Bama- 29
UK- 30
USCe- 33
Mizzou- 33 (almost sure to lose Ray as well, includes 4 of the top 6 WR's)
Vandy- 38

If experience and starts are truly the factors that so many claimed to explain UT's struggles this year... then that situation reverses next year. UT returns more of their top players than any of their opponents.

What kind of impact do you this will/should have on '15?
 
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#3
#3
sjt18 said:
UT if you include AJ will still return 39 of its 44 players in the offensive and defensive two deeps. AJ, Coleman, and J Williams were lost on D. All were contributors but only AJ looks to be replaced by someone with less talent/ability. Gilliam and Lane will be lost on O. They should be replaced by better players.

So how does that stack up against the opposition? The following does not include players like Fowler who may leave early or transfer. Only Sr's are subtracted from the current depth charts. Here are the numbers of returning players according to their latest published depth charts:

OU- 33 (they also lose 4 of 5 starting OL's)
UF- 32 (Fowler is likely to leave too)
Arkansas- 12
UGA- 30
Bama- 29
UK- 30
USCe- 33
Mizzou- 33 (almost sure to lose Ray as well, includes 4 of the top 6 WR's)
Vandy- 38

If experience and starts are truly the factors that so many claimed to explain UT's struggles this year... then that situation reverses next year. UT returns more of their top players than any of their opponents.

What kind of impact do you this will/should have on '15?
Click to expand...

Which opponents return most of their oline and dline?
 
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#4
#4
Arkansas only returns 12? That is crazy. Hard to imagine them being improved at all. That makes me feel pretty good about that game now.
 
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#6
#6
sjt18 said:
UT if you include AJ will still return 39 of its 44 players in the offensive and defensive two deeps. AJ, Coleman, and J Williams were lost on D. All were contributors but only AJ looks to be replaced by someone with less talent/ability. Gilliam and Lane will be lost on O. They should be replaced by better players.

So how does that stack up against the opposition? The following does not include players like Fowler who may leave early or transfer. Only Sr's are subtracted from the current depth charts. Here are the numbers of returning players according to their latest published depth charts:

OU- 33 (they also lose 4 of 5 starting OL's)
UF- 32 (Fowler is likely to leave too)
Arkansas- 12
UGA- 30
Bama- 29
UK- 30
USCe- 33
Mizzou- 33 (almost sure to lose Ray as well, includes 4 of the top 6 WR's)
Vandy- 38

If experience and starts are truly the factors that so many claimed to explain UT's struggles this year... then that situation reverses next year. UT returns more of their top players than any of their opponents.

What kind of impact do you this will/should have on '15?
Click to expand...

Whoever replaces AJ will likely have more talent/ability, but may not be able to replicate experience next season, or maybe just as important, heart and passion. Or leadership, which is definitely important.

Also, unless I am missing something, not sure why you would include AJ in the 39 since we know he is not returning.
 
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#7
#7
Id be more interested in seeing just the # of starters returning.

We will probably return more starters than a lot of other teams but imo 4-6 of our starters shouldnt have been starting for us and wouldnt have been starting for anybody else. Comparing 2 deep rosters is nice until you realize that our 1 deep roster is weaker than most and our 2 deep roster is even more weak when compared to others. Luckily, that all seems to be changing gradually
 
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#8
#8
Arkansas is really losing all but 12 players on their team? Is that correct? That us brutal if so.
 
#14
#14
knoxville's finest said:
Which opponents return most of their oline and dline?
Click to expand...

Returning starters on the OL's-

OU- 1
UF- 3
Ark- 4
UGA- 3
Bama- 2
UK- 4
USCe- 3
Mizzou- 4
Vandy- 4

However... I will ask you why that matters? Last year UT returned their whole OL that happened to have the most starts of any OL in the country entering the season. Inexperience and lack of talent elsewhere was given as the reason that team didn't perform. So why does it now matter where the players are lost from?

Each of these teams will have a position group weakned by lost players. For instance Mizzou loses 4 of their top 6 WR's and Marcus Murphy... but I would pretty much guarantee you that most here would count them as a loss next year. They have 4 returning WR's that have caught a pass this year. They combine for a total of 11 catches for 137 yds and no TD's.

Can any sane person argue that's a better situation than UT returning Hurd with Kamara and then all of the WR talent and experience they have? But again... some will argue up and down that Mizzou will be a better team. Why?
 
#15
#15
bigorange said:
Depends on our OL.
Click to expand...

Three years in... how much is the coaching staff responsible if the OL continues to hold the team back? I agree with you btw and more specifically believe that the OL comes down to finding a solution at LT. I think a good LT makes the rest of the OL look much, much better. I happen to believe Crowder, Jackson, Kerbyson, and Robertson form a pretty good group from left OG to RT. I think they are ALL good players. UT needs a LT.
 
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#18
#18
sjt18 said:
Returning starters on the OL's-

OU- 1
UF- 3
Ark- 4
UGA- 3
Bama- 2
UK- 4
USCe- 3
Mizzou- 4
Vandy- 4

However... I will ask you why that matters? Last year UT returned their whole OL that happened to have the most starts of any OL in the country entering the season. Inexperience and lack of talent elsewhere was given as the reason that team didn't perform. So why does it now matter where the players are lost from?

Each of these teams will have a position group weakned by lost players. For instance Mizzou loses 4 of their top 6 WR's and Marcus Murphy... but I would pretty much guarantee you that most here would count them as a loss next year. They have 4 returning WR's that have caught a pass this year. They combine for a total of 11 catches for 137 yds and no TD's.

Can any sane person argue that's a better situation than UT returning Hurd with Kamara and then all of the WR talent and experience they have? But again... some will argue up and down that Mizzou will be a better team. Why?
Click to expand...

The game of football is won in trenches. The teams with the best oline and dline will give us the most trouble.
 
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#19
#19
There are very few things that Saban says that I agree with, but when he mentions that EVERY year the team is almost completely different from the year before, he's right about that. At a place like Bama, where lots of draft picks go, lots of kids leave early, the composition of the team changes every year. It must be hard to coach because you will always lose a few KEY GUYS from last years team, more likely to lose 10 key guys.

UT will be fine... The pain of this year's youngsters will be better next year as they mature and get bigger. I'm very excited to see if we can possibly get to that 8 win plateau next year.

GO VOLS!!
 
#20
#20
We should be better. It's nice to get close to other teams depth. Our line is still an enigma. It would be unfair to project a returning starter if we knew they were playing the wrong position, which many were. I mean if you played OT, and we know you are not gonna play that position next year, then we will have a new OT starting.
 
#21
#21
That was an awesome piece of work Jasonhutch! Thanks! I watched the Vandy replay last night for the first time after going to the game. The top three things that stood out to me as needing correction...offensive line, particularly Kerbyson who just looks like a big ol goof guy running around waving his hands. Sad. I thought the Defense played well with better speed this year and even Jacob looked good at MLB given he is a freshman. Finally, If CBJ does not figure out someway to protect Dobbs and block for Hurd, we are going to be 6-6 again next year.
 
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#22
#22
Hope we show improvement next season. Im hoping for an 8-4 season but improvement is the name of the game.
 
#23
#23
KingtUT said:
Id be more interested in seeing just the # of starters returning.

We will probably return more starters than a lot of other teams but imo 4-6 of our starters shouldnt have been starting for us and wouldnt have been starting for anybody else. Comparing 2 deep rosters is nice until you realize that our 1 deep roster is weaker than most and our 2 deep roster is even more weak when compared to others. Luckily, that all seems to be changing gradually
Click to expand...

That simply is not true. UT should have one of the stronger WR groups in the SEC and perhaps the country. Dobbs with another off season to improve his passing will be good. RB with Kamara and Hurd should be improved and very good. TE should be outstanding with Ellis, Helm, and Wolf plus maybe help from Creamer or others.

The secondary should be outstanding with the returning talent they have. LB should be solid even losing AJ. The DT position should be improved and VERY talented. The Fr appear to be the caliber of players that can help right away. The guys from last year's class that have been in development should help. Maybe Saulsberry can stay healthy and help. We haven't heard from Sawyers or Mosley yet.

UT should be VERY good at DE with Barnett, Maggitt, Vereen, Lewis, and Hendrix if by some twist he returns. J Miller has given them some good minutes. Vickers still has potential. And as you are aware, UT has some stud DE's coming in '15.

The only place that's in question is the OL. According to Jones, the OL is a "developmental" position. There is a VERY good chance that you could plug Kerbyson, Crowder, or Jackson into virtually any OL in the SEC and not see a significant drop off in unit performance. Robertson might have that level of talent too.


I would WELCOME your comparison to other returning rosters.
 
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