Time for Merk

#128
#128
Majors said:
Don’t disagree on their part. But saying Merk couldn’t do worse is the stance. Do you feel confident Merk is among the playoffs? That’s the benchmark Nico set as QB1.
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So you honestly think Nico was responsible for getting us to the playoffs? He was a serviceable qb with the running game and defense getting us to the playoffs. Look at his sec stats. When you take the cream puffs away, he was average at best.
 
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#129
#129
GoVols9800 said:
So you honestly think Nico was responsible for getting us to the playoffs? He was a serviceable qb with the running game and defense getting us to the playoffs. Look at his sec stats. When you take the cream puffs away, he was average at best.
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No I don’t. I think he’s the level of QB you need to get to the playoffs. We don’t have that on the roster currently. Which is why we will look in the portal.
 
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#132
#132
Majors said:
No I don’t. I think he’s the level of QB you need to get to the playoffs. We don’t have that on the roster currently. Which is why we will look in the portal.
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So Merk is not capable of doing what Nico did last year? In your opinion of course.
 
#133
#133
GoVols9800 said:
So Merk is not capable of doing what Nico did last year? In your opinion of course.
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Simple answer is no. He didn’t show anything in mop up as a #3 behind Moore to say he’s ready.

Vanilla offense spring game won’t sway that either.
 
#134
#134
VolPack22 said:
I don’t care about cash cow. I care about teams and programs with unity and have proven how to win. Football isn’t going to win anything in this environment. The teams with the most money will win: Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, and Notre Dame. That will be your usual suspects going forward. Tennessee will make the playoff more times than not but no realistic chance of winning the title.
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It’s the cash cow because it's the most popular. Tennessee has enough money to compete with those schools, but chooses not to. Maybe not every year but we have more than enough resources to field national championship contenders. I want to win in football. Everything else is secondary.
 
#136
#136
Nico ee-ah-MAH-LAY-ah-va said:
So basically we are screwed and it’s hopeless in 2025?
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I wouldn’t say that , but it just got harder. We will get a portal QB, who it is is unknown as I don’t see Heupel settling on Merk as a fallback to losing Nico. Treat it like the NFL and get quality picks with the money recouped.
 
#137
#137
Jimmyandjoes said:
That's not what will happen. It never happens. Teams will continue to pay for potential. Just like the NFL. They and the NBA draft on potential and most of the recruiting in college football is based off potential.
You're either on the front end and can see and willing to pay for potential or you get the scraps.
This is not new in sports-just new in college football
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Let them keep doing it, look what happened to A@M’s first class where they paid all them recruits crazy money without caring about character. That class fell apart and crashed. Yes you pay top for top return, and at some point a contract has to be honored for the duration. A persons character still counts, Nico is simply not worth 4 million a year based on his body of work. If I am paying top dollar I expect top production not average or slightly above. GBO
 
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#139
#139
Majors said:
I wouldn’t say that , but it just got harder. We will get a portal QB, who it is is unknown as I don’t see Heupel settling on Merk as a fallback to losing Nico. Treat it like the NFL and get quality picks with the money recouped.
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Somebody out there in college football is gonna finish spring practice 2nd on the depth chart and not happy about it. I'm guessing a player in that predicament would jump at a legit opportunity to compete for the starting job at Tennessee.
 
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#140
#140
I’m pissed off about this. It’s BS, fans are turning on him, I hear there’s possibly some un happy players about it. Cut him loose, don’t see any other way out of this.
 
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#141
#141
Orange Navy said:
Somebody out there in college football is gonna finish spring practice 2nd on the depth chart and not happy about it. I'm guessing a player in that predicament would jump at a legit opportunity to compete for the starting job at Tennessee.
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Starters elsewhere too. Tennessee brand is bigger than most programs and will give a kid more exposure to seek the next level.
 
#143
#143
Mid Tenn Vol said:
I’m pissed off about this. It’s BS, fans are turning on him, I hear there’s possibly some un happy players about it. Cut him loose, don’t see any other way out of this.
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I’ve been one of Nico’s biggest supporters but if he’s holding out for more money after an average season (2 days before the spring game no less) then the fans are justified in turning on him.
 
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#145
#145
Vol865 said:
It’s the cash cow because it's the most popular. Tennessee has enough money to compete with those schools, but chooses not to. Maybe not every year but we have more than enough resources to field national championship contenders. I want to win in football. Everything else is secondary.
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UConn seems to do just fine focusing on basketball primarily. I’m cool with being a top 10-15 football program if that means we are a top 5-10 program in just about everything else. People want to act like we are among the elite historically but that’s not the case. Whatever money we have for resources, Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, and Notre Dame has more so anyone expecting football championships just isn’t paying attention to the rest of the country.
 
#147
#147
VolPack22 said:
UConn seems to do just fine focusing on basketball primarily. I’m cool with being a top 10-15 football program if that means we are a top 5-10 program in just about everything else. People want to act like we are among the elite historically but that’s not the case. Whatever money we have for resources, Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, and Notre Dame has more so anyone expecting football championships just isn’t paying attention to the rest of the country.
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Agree to disagree
 
#148
#148
Majors said:
Not sure you give the keys to an unproven. Nico gone frees up capital for more.
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Merk has been here for a season to learn. He’s the most seasoned we have in this system. I don’t disagree you bring in a transfer, but I’m not sure it would be for anything but backup duty.

I say you take the money saved and go shopping for OL and other key position talent.
 
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#149
#149
DooleyOrangePants said:
Merk has been here for a season to learn. He’s the most seasoned we have in this system. I don’t disagree you bring in a transfer, but I’m not sure it would be for anything but backup duty.

I say you take the money saved and go shopping for OL and other key position talent.
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It would be suicide to go into the season with only two QBs with one being a freshman

We need a decent backup if anything
 
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#150
#150
Nerwen Aldarion said:
It would be suicide to go into the season with only two QBs with one being a freshman

We need a decent backup if anything
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Agreed. Bring one in for backup duty (transfer), but I still think you amp up the competition between Merk and GMac and roll with the guys that have been with the program to know the system.

Unless you can get an absolute stud in the portal, I think the best chances we have for the season are behind those two, probably Merk due to his one year in the system already.
 
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