Rivals: NSD Winners and Losers

#1
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secking

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#1
WINNER

TENNESSEE

Jeremy Pruitt and the Vols did not have too much room for additions, but they did had a couple of major targets left, and they landed both. It started with Dee Beckwith, a versatile athlete in Alabama that announced for Tennessee over Florida. That was expected. Then the battle that went on well into the afternoon was between Tennessee and Ole Miss, both working hard to flip Malachi Wideman from Florida State. This one went back and forth for days leading up to Signing Day, but then Tennessee closed the deal and landed the Rivals100 wide receiver. It was a strong finish for Pruitt and his staff.
 
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#7
#7
secking said:
To be honest, this is where it starts. Have to have the horses to be in the race.
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i think when you start looking at Tennessee football over a 2 year time line, you have to be happy with what's going on.

we closed last year's NSD extreemely strong with HT, Crouch and Wright.

we closed the ESD going 5 for 5 on targets that were committing/signing that day.

and the afformentioned NSD close with the 2 maing targets on our board.

and if we find ourselves adding Evans this cycle, just plain old gravy on top.

factor in the finish to the season on the field.....

and while most are never thrilled to lose coaches, the fact that as we have had turnover, we've answered the bell with big names, up can comers, promotions from with in...

i just think you have to like the foundation we have, the beginnings of what looks like progress on the field, upgrades in talent and depth...leadership developing in the locker room....and administration that seemingly "gets it" now............

i mean it's hard not to be excited about where we are, and really, where we're headed.....bottom line to me, it's more a "when" now than it is an "if". and that wasn't the case just a couple years ago...."if" was very much in question, and i just don't think that's the case anymore. this thing is moving in one direction only. UP.

GBO.
 
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#8
#8
jakez4ut said:
i think when you start looking at Tennessee football over a 2 year time line, you have to be happy with what's going on.

we closed last year's NSD extreemely strong with HT, Crouch and Wright.

we closed the ESD going 5 for 5 on targets that were committing/signing that day.

and the afformentioned NSD close with the 2 maing targets on our board.

and if we find ourselves adding Evans this cycle, just plain old gravy on top.

factor in the finish to the season on the field.....

and while most are never thrilled to lose coaches, the fact that as we have had turnover, we've answered the bell with big names, up can comers, promotions from with in...

i just think you have to like the foundation we have, the beginnings of what looks like progress on the field, upgrades in talent and depth...leadership developing in the locker room....and administration that seemingly "gets it" now............

i mean it's hard not to be excited about where we are, and really, where we're headed.....bottom line to me, it's more a "when" now than it is an "if". and that wasn't the case just a couple years ago...."if" was very much in question, and i just don't think that's the case anymore. this thing is moving in one direction only. UP.

GBO.
Click to expand...
I agree.
I’m just saying I hate seeing these articles that say “winners and losers” of NSD. Pointless article.
 
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#10
#10
TrippieRedd said:
Aren't we "winners" almost every year on NSD? Hasn't translated, so your comment is irrelevant.
Click to expand...

Well, you are probably thinking back to some highly rated Butch Jones classes. Yes, you have to have the horses. Then, you have to have great coaching. Butch missed on that part. Finally, the players actually need to stay.
 
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#11
#11
screenthis said:
Well, you are probably thinking back to some highly rated Butch Jones classes. Yes, you have to have the horses. Then, you have to have great coaching. Butch missed on that part. Finally, the players actually need to stay.
Click to expand...
true, and a good point. it's been discussed to death, but i think we all recognize on some level that those two big classes was a house of cards.

this just doesn't have that feel to it at all........not one bit....for all the reasons i listed.

not that we're experts, but having gone thru what Kiffin did here, what Dooley did here, what Butch did here.....there were things from each of those tenures you can look back on and point out "yeah, that wasn't good" or "yeah, that makes sense now" etc....

and so far, if you're looking for indicators with Pruitt and co. that would lead you to believe that we're seeing the same, or similar, things from any of those regimes.............you're just not finding them. at least i'm not. not yet anyway.

just feels/looks different than any of those three.
 
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#20
#20
jakez4ut said:
i think when you start looking at Tennessee football over a 2 year time line, you have to be happy with what's going on.

we closed last year's NSD extreemely strong with HT, Crouch and Wright.

we closed the ESD going 5 for 5 on targets that were committing/signing that day.

and the afformentioned NSD close with the 2 maing targets on our board.

and if we find ourselves adding Evans this cycle, just plain old gravy on top.

factor in the finish to the season on the field.....

and while most are never thrilled to lose coaches, the fact that as we have had turnover, we've answered the bell with big names, up can comers, promotions from with in...

i just think you have to like the foundation we have, the beginnings of what looks like progress on the field, upgrades in talent and depth...leadership developing in the locker room....and administration that seemingly "gets it" now............

i mean it's hard not to be excited about where we are, and really, where we're headed.....bottom line to me, it's more a "when" now than it is an "if". and that wasn't the case just a couple years ago...."if" was very much in question, and i just don't think that's the case anymore. this thing is moving in one direction only. UP.

GBO.
Click to expand...
I like the fact Tennessee now resembles an SEC squad. As much as I sometimes found power football " Pound the rock, strong defense, field position" a little boring, 60's-present it does consistently produce winning teams. I probably just quoted the 10 Commandments or as we Vols say the General's Maxims. Gimmick offensive and defensive schemes work best when you cover those fundamentals in your scheme. It appears for the 1st time in over a decade the roster NOW has the type of players to achieve this. I know it has to translate into wins to satisfy the masses, but I like our chances in not being curb stomped by certain teams. I am enjoying the ride for the 1st time in a while. Stability, kinda started when an (not the) Old ball coach came back.
 
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#21
#21
TrippieRedd said:
Aren't we "winners" almost every year on NSD? Hasn't translated, so your comment is irrelevant.
Click to expand...
So Pruitt appears to be developing the guys he inherited pretty well... and you complain that his recruiting ranking is too low. Then he lands some guys and raises his recruiting ranking and you declare it doesn't matter since the guy who did NOT develop the guys who Pruitt does appear to be developing... looked good on NSD?

The "success" of previous coaches makes me much less impressed with rankings than I used to be. Like you, I take it with a grain of salt. Unlike you... my position on this has not shifted to allow me to promote or criticize Pruitt.

I'll take the Clemson average of 11th that actually results in a NCG every time over the NSD "win". Progressively over the next two seasons we will see how good Pruitt is at evaluating recruits and developing them. I don't think those who are getting all "giddy" are justified... or you in your knee jerk negativism.
 
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#22
#22
sjt18 said:
So Pruitt appears to be developing the guys he inherited pretty well... and you complain that his recruiting ranking is too low. Then he lands some guys and raises his recruiting ranking and you declare it doesn't matter since the guy who did NOT develop the guys who Pruitt does appear to be developing... looked good on NSD?

The "success" of previous coaches makes me much less impressed with rankings than I used to be. Like you, I take it with a grain of salt. Unlike you... my position on this has not shifted to allow me to promote or criticize Pruitt.

I'll take the Clemson average of 11th that actually results in a NCG every time over the NSD "win". Progressively over the next two seasons we will see how good Pruitt is at evaluating recruits and developing them. I don't think those who are getting all "giddy" are justified... or you in your knee jerk negativism.
Click to expand...

I read two sentences of your post.
Now for my response to it...have a blessed day.
 
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