Recruiting Forum Football Talk IV

[seaofORANGE22]

True! But I think our secondary will actually be pretty good next year with the young guys playing more next year (especially at safety). DT should be good. LB needs two transfers, Edge needs 1-2. I would take a transfer WR for sure. I’m 50/50 on a runningback. Freshmen can play immediately at that position and Williams and Sampson appear to be very good.

Looking at the WR depth chart kinda worries me. Love the potential but you can't necessarily count on much of it yet outside of Tillman. Same as this year tho. We had Velus and a dozen question marks.

Man Copeland would be perfect.

 

[seaofORANGE22]

It would awesome if Jalin Hyatt balled out in the bowl game. He showed some flashes this year for sure. But we need to be able to count on him big time next year.

 

[Weezer]

True! But I think our secondary will actually be pretty good next year with the young guys playing more next year (especially at safety). DT should be good. LB needs two transfers, Edge needs 1-2. I would take a transfer WR for sure. I’m 50/50 on a runningback. Freshmen can play immediately at that position and Williams and Sampson appear to be very good.

If you can find a RB that's a difference maker in the portal, you grab them, otherwise, roll with what we have. No need to add a body just to add a body. An experienced WR would be nice, but if it doesn't happen, I think we're fine there, too. I hope we add that Florida OL transfer, and honestly, I wouldn't mind adding one more OL transfer, even if Cade comes back, just for depth. We saw the injury bug hit that position hard this year. I'd love to add another experienced DT just in case of injury, a couple of LBs, a couple of edge guys, and some depth in the secondary. Defense is by far the biggest need.

 

[SweetasSoda]

When the dust settles Wednesday we will have signed a quality class that exceeded most people's expectations a couple of months ago. The so-called "realists" will still bitch and moan about some can't miss prospect we didn't get. They will say Heupel "better" start recruiting better. (Or else, what?) Some will say if he doesn't improve he should be gone. Etc, etc, etc.

Hate to disappoint about half of yall but the man knows what he's doing, he doesn't feel the need to keep all the media hacks clued in to what he's doing, and he is a great developer of talent. Gonna be so disappointing when we win 9 or 10 next year and the moaners keep falling by the wayside.

All of this

 

[Dooby15]

Certainly pleased with Heupel and co year 1. I think they exceeded everyone’s expectations on the field. Recruiting certainly has to get better to compete for championships, as Xs and Os will only get you so far. However, we’re nowhere near that yet in our program trajectory.

We also don’t know how much the NCAA stuff has affected this class. I know it’s a downer that it feels like we’re striking out, but we’re honestly doing better than I expected given the circumstances.

Right now in the East, UGA is far and away ahead talent wise and that’s not changing. UF is getting closer to mid tier talent given Mullen’s recruiting and their transition class this year. I know some are ahead in the rankings, but we’re essentially recruiting on par with S Car, UK, and Mizzou. Not a huge difference between 10-20 classes when you dig into it. Vandy is Vandy.

Pick up a few portal instant impact guys and we’re still on track to keep moving the program forward. Beat the 4 East teams we should and maybe pick off UF next year and we’ll all be pleased. I know we all want instant gratification, but based off where this program has been for the past decade plus, it’s all about incremental improvement to me.

 

[SweetasSoda]

The key to stopping the new threads is for regulars to ignore them and refuse to post in them.

I wish! Sometimes I go look just to see who gave in to the temptation.

 

[SweetasSoda]

I learned that long ago, but yet we have RFers that just can’t help themselves.
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[31VFL]

I noticed tonight that YoutubeTV and Disney have until Friday night to agree to terms or all ESPN channels will be removed from YoutubeTV.

 

[tnvols72]

Back in the fall nobody really thought Tn would win 7 games and got robbed out of 2 more wins and Tn was in every game until lack of depth took over. With everything that Pruitt put this University through and looming AA at the door. If you people knew we could in reality get a top 15 class at the beginning of the year ,you would have taken it. But now all of a sudden you are upset because its not a top 10 class and its not even Feb yet. People cant be satisfied these days. I bet if Tn only won 4 games and still setting at 15 or 16 you would be praising Heup for having a top 20 recruiting class with only winning 4 games.

 

[seaofORANGE22]

I've come to terms that its going to take a few seasons before we are seen as legitimate contenders. We just arent in the upper echolon of CFB in most of these recruits minds. Though we are certainly capable of getting back there. The only way we change it is with time. We have to earn our way by building a culture of success. Unfortunately its crowded at the top.

Everybody in the West expects to be good. Everybody outside of Vandy in the East at least has some momentum. Florida eventually will again. We're competing in the toughest conference and its only getting tougher. There is no overnight success. There are no magic tricks. We have to be patient and build quietly and efficiently. Take the best players we can and build a solid team that plays for each other and can compete with anybody.

The good news is we finally have a coach that's a bull in the ring. Nobody is going to enjoy playing us for the foreseeable future. We will eventually become synonymous with speed and scoring a lot and doing it fast. We have to finish the job on the big stage. We have to beat UGA or Bama. Thats the path out of this. Once that happens the floodgates can open again. The top talent will believe in the vision. Right now there's just been too much damage to the brand for these players that can go anywhere they want.

That being said, there's plenty of paths to improving the roster before next year. We just can't expect to be strolling right into every big dog battle and coming out on top just yet.

 

[Johnny Majors' Ghost]

I noticed tonight that YoutubeTV and Disney have until Friday night to agree to terms or all ESPN channels will be removed from YoutubeTV.

ESPN should put all of their live channels on their plus service. Even charging a small monthly increase wouldn't deter subscribers. They could end their cable, satellite, and streaming partnerships all together and go app only.

 

[KB5252]

Say a prayer for our family tonight, my Mother in law found out earlier today she did not have insurance to cover her storm damage. My brother in law and I will be doing the repairs beginning this weekend.

She's had a rough couple of years, her husband passed a year ago and my wifes older sister has been diagnosed with psychosis/schizophrenia. She's beyond stressed but this is where we get to be a blessing. I'll get firewood and she'll get repairs, we just need a slight break in the weather this weekend. That's where your prayers and best wishes come into play!

 

[OrangeMoundTNVol]

I would like 3 speedy LBs to go with that order

Mohan fills one of those needs

 

[OrangeMoundTNVol]

Trey Smith just made Jeff Saturday's Block Party on NFL Live. Good to see him get exposure

 

[Cosmo Kramer]

 

[theutvolunteers]

Offense next year:
QB: Hendo, Milton, Jackson
RB: Small, Wright, Williams, Sampson
TE: Warren, Fant, Bell, Nixon, Campbell
OL: Wright, Carvin, Coop, Spraggins, Cade/FL transfer
WR: Tillman, Calloway, Hyatt, Merrill, Holiday, Squirrel, Nimrod, Coby, Webb, Miller

That’s a ton of speed. Offense is gonna eat. Imagine adding Copeland or another dynamic WR portal player. Yikes.

WGWTFA

 

[Weezer]

So 247's top TE prospect, Jake Johnson, is supposedly down to either SCar or TAMU. He was committed to LSU, but decommitted when his older brother, QB Max Johnson, hit the portal. If the idea is to play together, that's a weird two choices. TAMU seems to have their QBs, not to mention they seem almost full with more 5* recruits still on the line. And SCar just nabbed Rattler, plus have a QB in this class.

 

[Glocker_Alum_2005]

I noticed tonight that YoutubeTV and Disney have until Friday night to agree to terms or all ESPN channels will be removed from YoutubeTV.

Ouch. Just in time for bowl season.

 

[Weezer]

Unless we flip someone like West or Tolan, I don't think we finish with a Top 20 class. We currently sit at 18 in the 247 composite. Our TE commit has supposedly been processed, and the only players we seem expected to add are Justin Williams and Gabriel Jacas. If you look at the teams behind us and do the math, it doesn't look good for us to stay Top 20. As long as we do well in the portal, class rank won't end up mattering, but people shouldn't be surprised if we do drop out of the Top 20.

 

[JCP201]

Did Spencer Rattler mistake USC for Scar?

 

[Weezer]

And I'm not trying to be negative, but next year has to be better. Recruiting matters. Even in the age of the portal. It's silly to pretend that it doesn't. I really like Coach Heup and what he's done with our team, but if he doesn't fix recruiting next year, we're in trouble. And it's not ALL on him. Our AD or boosters or whoever needs to figure out the whole NIL thing so we can be competitive.

 

[Christian Lowe]

Finishing top 20-25 in recruiting isn’t bad.


In any other conference. You’re 10-12th in the SEC when you recruit 20-25 nationally. But I knew this would happen, so I’m not mad about it. It just doesn’t make sense to be thrilled about finishing around where Fulmer’s last class did that got him fired lol

 

[bigl3327]

Back in the fall nobody really thought Tn would win 7 games and got robbed out of 2 more wins and Tn was in every game until lack of depth took over. With everything that Pruitt put this University through and looming AA at the door. If you people knew we could in reality get a top 15 class at the beginning of the year ,you would have taken it. But now all of a sudden you are upset because its not a top 10 class and its not even Feb yet. People cant be satisfied these days. I bet if Tn only won 4 games and still setting at 15 or 16 you would be praising Heup for having a top 20 recruiting class with only winning 4 games.

This is the most frustrating thing about being a Vol fan. Unrealistic expectations and a severe lack of patience by too many other Vol fans. If we go 9-3 next season with 2 close losses, we'll have a host of fans saying we should have gone 11-1 and won the east, but Heupel can't get it done. If we finish top 10 in recruiting, they'll say Heupel can't recruit because 4 other teams in the SEC had higher rated classes. If winning the east and top 5 recruiting classes are the floor for much of this fan base, then no coach will be good enough. I've already seen people saying that anything less than 9-3 next year is unacceptable. Just ridiculous.

 

[Cheatham County Vol]

And I'm not trying to be negative, but next year has to be better. Recruiting matters. Even in the age of the portal. It's silly to pretend that it doesn't. I really like Coach Heup and what he's done with our team, but if he doesn't fix recruiting next year, we're in trouble. And it's not ALL on him. Our AD or boosters or whoever needs to figure out the whole NIL thing so we can be competitive.

It will definitely have to get better. Hopefully it isn’t one of those early warning signs that everyone pretends as if it’s not that big of a deal like they did with Dooley, Jones and Pruitt. When I look at the staff, outside of Garner, I don’t see another stud recruiter. It’s cause for concern IMO.

 

[Cheatham County Vol]

This is the most frustrating thing about being a Vol fan. Unrealistic expectations and a severe lack of patience by too many other Vol fans. If we go 9-3 next season with 2 close losses, we'll have a host of fans saying we should have gone 11-1 and won the east, but Heupel can't get it done. If we finish top 10 in recruiting, they'll say Heupel can't recruit because 4 other teams in the SEC had higher rated classes. If winning the east and top 5 recruiting classes are the floor for much of this fan base, then no coach will be good enough. I've already seen people saying that anything less than 9-3 next year is unacceptable. Just ridiculous.

Anybody who thinks we’re going 9-3 next year is in for a disappointment. I could very well see another 7 win season. Don’t think we’ll be that much improved defensively, given how the roster looks now. That could change with some portal additions however. Let’s be patient, and let this guy build a program. Easier said than done, but I personally believe we’re looking at a solid 5-6 year rebuild before we’re really ready to compete with the top programs in this league.