Sam Leavitt extends visit

#152
#152
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
You believe Heupel would play a lesser talented player as QB2 AND put them in the depth chart at QB2 to "keep them happy?" You believe that kind of seniority based crap would be good for our locker room?

I don't buy that for a second but if true, we have a much larger problem than QB or defense at UT.
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Another way to look at it….

If Merk really thought he was the QB2 last year, and Aguilar was in his last year and out of eligibility, then why transfer when you’re in line to be QB1 this year.

I think the question answers itself.
 
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#153
#153
For the GMAC vs Merk guys, did you ever consider that Merk was physically more mature? He had a year of D-1 weight training to go along with a years worth of practice in the offense. I believe that GMAC has the higher ceiling but the kid didn't have the body to compete yet. He will get there in time. Hopefully sooner rather than later. We still need another QB for practice and emergency situation.
 
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#154
#154
sonofUT62 said:
He arrived in Mid May. About 100 days before kickoff. Leavitt is not necessarily out until August. He just won’t be available in the Soring and there’s not really organized activities until August.
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JA got to work with the backs and receivers over the Summer...Leavitt won't.
 
#155
#155
Tnphil said:
JA got to work with the backs and receivers over the Summer...Leavitt won't.
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He may. He’s not going to be available in the Spring. After that a lot of it’s up in the air. We’re 4 full months and a week from the time Joey got here. Leavitt may be ready by then. Or he may take the money and sit until October. Hard to say at this point. But I’ve yet to see anything saying he couldn’t be ready in June.
 
#156
#156
Doberman said:
Another way to look at it….

If Merk really thought he was the QB2 last year, and Aguilar was in his last year and out of eligibility, then why transfer when you’re in line to be QB1 this year.

I think the question answers itself.
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I agree there. Merk was not going to start but Heupel kept playing him as QB2 as though he was "in line for the job."

It makes little sense. I disagree that "protecting G-Mac" is a strategy because getting your next QB some in game snaps is routine for development. Those snaps, mostly, went to Merk so I'm scratching my head at Heupel's logic.

It seems Merk wasn't ready to take over but was G-Mac not ready for in game experience either? That's the only way I can read it.
 
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#157
#157
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
I agree there. Merk was not going to start but Heupel kept playing him as QB2 as though he was "in line for the job."

It makes little sense. I disagree that "protecting G-Mac" is a strategy because getting your next QB some in game snaps is routine for development. Those snaps, mostly, went to Merk so I'm scratching my head at Heupel's logic.

It seems Merk wasn't ready to take over but was G-Mac not ready for in game experience either? That's the only way I can read it.
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I think we’re all scratching our heads on the QB management, brother. 🤷‍♂️
 
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#159
#159
Doberman said:
I think we’re all scratching our heads on the QB management, brother. 🤷‍♂️
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Heupel's game/time management really troubles me but his QB rotation in games has always been routine.

After Hooker won the job, Milton was clearly QB2 and took the snaps. With Milton starting, Nico took the QB2 snaps, etc. It always made sense.

Why G-Mac wasn't getting most of the QB2 snaps IF he was ready to see the field at all didn't make sense, especially later in the season or in the bowl when rumors of Merk leaving were already circulating. It's out of character for how Heupel has used QBs in the past. 🤷‍♂️
 
#162
#162
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
Heupel's game/time management really troubles me but his QB rotation in games has always been routine.

After Hooker won the job, Milton was clearly QB2 and took the snaps. With Milton starting, Nico took the QB2 snaps, etc. It always made sense.

Why G-Mac wasn't getting most of the QB2 snaps IF he was ready to see the field at all didn't make sense, especially later in the season or in the bowl when rumors of Merk leaving were already circulating. It's out of character for how Heupel has used QBs in the past. 🤷‍♂️
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Maybe he just wasn't ready yet.
 
#168
#168
HambyVol said:
Pass on Levitt. Get a top 10 D and take your chances with Joey coming back or another decent QB.
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These Lisfranc injuries are usually 10-11 month to play again injuries. From his November 2025 surgery, we would be looking at September/October return. Also found research that indicated that there is usually a dropoff in performance the first year back and that dual threat qbs are impacted more because they often lack the same explosiveness that they had prior to the injury, at least initially upon return to play. I liked watching Leavitt play at ASU, and would love to see him do well at UT in a best case world, but UT doesn’t seem to ever get to enjoy best case scenarios. It’s a whole lot of risk to take.
 
#170
#170
JohnnyJava said:
These Lisfranc injuries are usually 10-11 month to play again injuries. From his November 2025 surgery, we would be looking at September/October return. Also found research that indicated that there is usually a dropoff in performance the first year back and that dual threat qbs are impacted more because they often lack the same explosiveness that they had prior to the injury, at least initially upon return to play. I liked watching Leavitt play at ASU, and would love to see him do well at UT in a best case world, but UT doesn’t seem to ever get to enjoy best case scenarios. It’s a whole lot of risk to take.
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Also depends largely on the severity of the injury.
 
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#171
#171
Remember all of the “McCoy will return at some point” talk?

Obviously, if he is a take . . . The staff thinks he will come back to start the season after likely missing spring ball.

But it would be the most UT thing ever to give him a bag of money . . . And he never sees the field.
 
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#172
#172
HambyVol said:
Pass on Levitt. Get a top 10 D and take your chances with Joey coming back or another decent QB.
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I wish that it were the easy, but it appears we don't have the amount of $$$ as some of these other programs and we are not bringing in enough talent to have a top 10 defense in 2026.
We are one of the youngest teams in the SEC and between the portal and the NFL we have lost so much. I am going to hold off judgement but I am absolutely not comfortable with how things are looking and the guys we are bringing in from the portal are not Impressive.
I have already said if we didn't spend BIG $$ in the portal on Defense this year that Heupel is done. Our schedule next year is not condusive to starting young players or even experienced ones trying to learn a new defense. I think we maybe go 6-6 or win 7 games with this current roster. Either way this is Heupels last year if that happens.
 
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#173
#173
JohnnyJava said:
These Lisfranc injuries are usually 10-11 month to play again injuries. From his November 2025 surgery, we would be looking at September/October return. Also found research that indicated that there is usually a dropoff in performance the first year back and that dual threat qbs are impacted more because they often lack the same explosiveness that they had prior to the injury, at least initially upon return to play. I liked watching Leavitt play at ASU, and would love to see him do well at UT in a best case world, but UT doesn’t seem to ever get to enjoy best case scenarios. It’s a whole lot of risk to take.
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If Scott Cochran gets hired as s&c coach he’ll be back in no time with his secret sauce. Add a lil bit of stem cell injections for safe measure. He’ll be 110% by August.
 
#175
#175
wmcovol said:
You ponying up $50 mil to buy him out? I doubt DW does.

Listen, ‘25 wasn’t a great season &’26 might be tough but Tennessee had 7 losing seasons outta 11 before Heupel. Why is everyone so hellbend firing this man that’s had 5 straight winning seasons just to hire the “flavor of the month” AAC or Sunbelt coach?

Regardless, the structure of the operations office has to be reviewed & changes made. This portal performance is similar to Banks defense vs Vanderbilt.
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Vegas had us 7-5, seen some at 8-4. Having one of the youngest teams and a QB arriving 2 months before before the season starts, plus injuries. It might not hqve been great but was a good season. Young players got better and valuable playing time. They'll be veterans when G Mac and Fazion hit their stride.
 
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