Someones gotta give...

#1
KnoxVillain

KnoxVillain

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#1
Look at our Running Back situation...Bryce Brown, David Oku, Tauren (sp?) Poole, Tony Williams, and now Rajion Neal. Really, we only need 3 good backs. Maybe a 4th if BB gets hurt. Who's gonna be the guy that gets the short end of the stick? There is only so much time in a game for people to get in...who's not going to get it? I think David Oku is going to be the odd man out really, and if I was Tauren Poole and I wasn't getting a lot of time I'd think of transferring...

Thoughts?
 
#6
#6
KnoxVillain said:
Look at our Running Back situation...Bryce Brown, David Oku, Tauren (sp?) Poole, Tony Williams, and now Rajion Neal. Really, we only need 3 good backs. Maybe a 4th if BB gets hurt. Who's gonna be the guy that gets the short end of the stick? There is only so much time in a game for people to get in...who's not going to get it? I think David Oku is going to be the odd man out really, and if I was Tauren Poole and I wasn't getting a lot of time I'd think of transferring...

Thoughts?
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I don't understand why people think Brown is gonna be the no. 1 guy automatically. Poole and Williams are just as capable, Oku probably needs a few more pounds before he can be anything more than a scatback. Neal will be redshirted. I think that pretty much covers it.
 
#8
#8
Alot of RB get moved to LB... not a surprise if it happens.. GO VOLS!!!!
 
#9
#9
ptclaus98 said:
I don't understand why people think Brown is gonna be the no. 1 guy automatically. Poole and Williams are just as capable, Oku probably needs a few more pounds before he can be anything more than a scatback. Neal will be redshirted. I think that pretty much covers it.
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Brown is a safe assumption as starter as he got a lot of playing time last year as a frosh and he seems like the best back we have from a physical aspect for the offense we will probably run. /run-on
 
#10
#10
Brown will be the #1 RB. He avg. 4.6 ypc this year (MH 4.8 ypc). He is the real deal. Just because Poole had some good runs in one game does not make him a great back. He may end up a good back but Brown proved himself last year and he did it while hurt most of the year.
 
#11
#11
KnoxVillain said:
Brown is a safe assumption as starter as he got a lot of playing time last year as a frosh and he seems like the best back we have from a physical aspect for the offense we will probably run. /run-on
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I still think Williams will be fine as far as the ACL and I think he'll at least challenge Brown for the starting spot.
 
#12
#12
Does anyone here care to remember that Bryce Brown was hurt all year his freshman year? Multiple MRIs hurt?

If his hip heals fully, he is going to make everyone who doubts him look real stupid.
 
#16
#16
Top programs need to sign at least one maybe two top flight RB's in every class. UT has enough RB but definetly had room for Neal. GO VOLS!
 
#17
#17
Also I would like to add this: BB was injured pretty much all year, we don't know if that was a fluke or a sign of him being injury prone. It usually takes a year or two to come back from a ACL, Williams might come back to form or might not. Poole is a JR I believe and will be gone in two years. Oku isn't really nothing more then a change of pace back and special teamer.

We needed at least running back in this class. Rajion Neal is a big power back (5'11, 215) who has good speed for a big back (4.44/40). He could RS but I would not be surprised if he didn't either.
 
#18
#18
My Opinion

Bryce Brown gets the 50% of the carries and is used a little in the passing game

Poole will surprise everyone and get 35% of the carries and be used in third and short a lot

Oku will get used on Special teams and designed outside runs and screens

Williams will get the short end of the carries but could see almost equal time to Oku

Neal will Red Shirt and come be an awesome back for us in a couple years

Those are my thoughts
 
#19
#19
PoochPunt3rdDown said:
Can one of these guys be used as a Shawn Bryson type fullback?
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Neal would fit that situation best, but I want Neal to be utilized more than Bryson was. I know Bryson touched and scored more than the average FB, but he wass still a FB that doesn't touch the ball that much.
 
#20
#20
KnoxVillain said:
Look at our Running Back situation...Bryce Brown, David Oku, Tauren (sp?) Poole, Tony Williams, and now Rajion Neal. Really, we only need 3 good backs. Maybe a 4th if BB gets hurt. Who's gonna be the guy that gets the short end of the stick? There is only so much time in a game for people to get in...who's not going to get it? I think David Oku is going to be the odd man out really, and if I was Tauren Poole and I wasn't getting a lot of time I'd think of transferring...

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

My opinon is that one would have to be moved to another position, to me williams could be a very athletic fullback considering his size. i think he would be a very good weapon at the fullback position. there's something about Poole, i think he is very impressive when he's had the chance. I really don't want him to transfer, i think he is a very motivated kid and that will make him a star. Hopefully for the Vols. Now if BB and Oku can live up to their hype then we'll be in very good hands. GO VOLS!!!:rock:
 
#21
#21
KnoxVillain said:
Ok and even still, who's the 4th stringer?
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I think that we first have to determine who the rb coach is going to be.

Second - rb is a position where a lot of injuries occur.
Third - rb is a position where some are switched to defense at either lb or db.
Fourth - I think they go through spring practice to determine who can help and where.

So, until all of that has been worked out, I don't think that anyone other than the Amazing Kreskin can tell you who is going to be 4th string.

Who is going to be the 4th string strong safety two years from now?
 
#22
#22
Out of your RBs, WRs, and DBs you will find your returners. Ideally, you wouldn't want one of your top two ball carriers returning for fear of injury. Also, it seems like every year I have followed UT, somebody gets hurt and usually for the year (ie..Hardesty, Toney Williams). Then somebody else gets seriously dinged up during the course of the year. Then you have the guys like Jabari Davis that come in with the right hype, but aren't that good. Then you have the position drills and full contact practice and you don't want to keep running the same three guys repeatedly for 4 to 5 months! Then you have typical everydown backs and variation third down backs. Then you have really good players that you figure will look at going pro after their third year on campus.

You always want to go into a game with three backs that you can really count on and for all the reasons above, you need to have insurance to meet that need. Remember two seasons ago when GA was down to their 5th string RB?? You always would prefer to be able to do that than us going into the Bama game with Gerald Jones having three practices at RB prior to the game!!!
 
#23
#23
BB's hip isn't what I'm worried about. It's his head. Didn't he have a reported two concussions this past season? That's scary and we know once you get multiple concussions in most cases it becomes easier and easier to obtain one.
 
#24
#24
lateknight said:
BB's hip isn't what I'm worried about. It's his head. Didn't he have a reported two concussions this past season? That's scary and we know once you get multiple concussions in most cases it becomes easier and easier to obtain one.
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That's the first I've heard about BB having concussions..:ill_h4h:
 
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