'26 TN S Joel Wyatt (Tennessee commit)

[Jackcrevol]

Willie isn’t the Safeties Coach. He’s the Cornerback Coach. Tim Banks is the Safeties Coach.

Yes, yes we know. Also the safety recruiter.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Yes, yes we know. Also the safety recruiter.

You do. The poster I was replying to did not.

 

[Jackcrevol]

You do. The poster I was replying to did not.

Did you see what he did against that offense tonite? We got no safety play against air.

Fire?

 

[LittleVol]

Got an INT. Nice.

Combay has 3 INTs. A pick 6.
KR for a TD and 30 tackles.

Will be nice to have these two big athletes competing at safety this spring.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Did you see what he did against that offense tonite? We got no safety play against air.

Fire?

What who did against what offense tonight? What are you talking about?

 

[OrangeMoundTNVol]

Willie isn’t the Safeties Coach. He’s the Cornerback Coach. Tim Banks is the Safeties Coach.

Yes, all our DBs have this versatile tag that you don’t know if they are a corner or safety. We still don’t know where Merritt/Poteat/Lewis will settle in at.

 

[Action_1505]

Poteat is a CB it’s been mentioned few times on VQ.

 

[OrangeMoundTNVol]

Poteat is a CB it’s been mentioned few times on VQ.

Beasley was a corner last year as well.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Yes, all our DBs have this versatile tag that you don’t know if they are a corner or safety. We still don’t know where Merritt/Poteat/Lewis will settle in at.

I know that. I’m referring to the part of your post that said “DBs that Willie recruited.” Willie has recruited some damn good corners (high school and portal). But if none of the DB recruits are turning out to be good Safeties (the part you’re taking issue with), that’s more on the Safeties coach than the CB coach.

I honestly don’t think that they value safeties much on the recruiting trail. That needs to change. And I think Banks is the main one setting that standard, although Heupel is probably on board with it as the HC. But it’s not about Willie.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Given the lack of quality Safety play, I wonder if the staff circles back around to Craig Tutt.

 

[BbwVol]

Given the lack of quality Safety play, I wonder if the staff circles back around to Craig Tutt.

At this point we have to atleast get a quality guy out of the transfer portal.

 

[NighthawkVol]

At this point we have to atleast get a quality guy out of the transfer portal.

That too. I don’t think that’s optional. But I’d like to see them get Tutt in addition to a portal safety. We’ve seen recruitment in the past where a kid commits somewhere else and Tennessee is seemingly out of it, then we circle back around and flip him. Daune Morris codes to mind.

 

[Jackcrevol]

Given the lack of quality Safety play, I wonder if the staff circles back around to Craig Tutt.

AP said nothing to see there

 

[Adam Sandler]

Given the lack of quality Safety play, I wonder if the staff circles back around to Craig Tutt.

If the staff thinks it’s a big enough problem in need of an immediate fix, and don’t believe that fix is ultimately on the current roster, they’ll need to go to the portal. Can’t bank on a true freshman with less than a year in the program being the answer.

 

[benholt06]

If the staff thinks it’s a big enough problem in need of an immediate fix, and don’t believe that fix is ultimately on the current roster, they’ll need to go to the portal. Can’t bank on a true freshman with less than a year in the program being the answer.

Plus our issue is more with run support and I see Tutt as more of a coverage safety.

 

[allvolrecruiting]

Given the lack of quality Safety play, I wonder if the staff circles back around to Craig Tutt.

Doubt it. Willie (recruits the DBs) prefers those longer, athletic DBs that can recover quickly. Tutt was just a very good in-state player. Think that ship has probably sailed tbh

 

[marcusluvsvols]

No you’re not too hard on the safeties. That’s accurate. It’s been the one position on the team under Heupel that just hasn’t gotten better. I hope this offseason that a) we’ll attack quality safeties in the portal and b) bring in a coach who can teach quality safety play. Doesn’t have to be an on-field coach. Could be an analyst, like we did with Litrell.

They need to bring in not one but two bigtime safeties from portal.

Poteat and Merritt will become good players. Lewis too, but all 3 of them are probably CB/Star players.

Farooq is pretty good actually but we need 4 safeties, minimum.

Get two bigtime guys in the portal and let 4th emerge from the 2026 class or already on roster.

Both good posts guys and I agree 100%. Love these coaches. What they have done in 5 years is nothing short of amazing. Money can't buy their prowess or production...ask Texas and aTm. That said we struggle at Safety every year to the point now that its really holding us back as a team. We could beat anybody this year on a given Saturday...BUT that's playing flawlessly on offense and outscoring them vs the Oregon, OSU, UGA caliber teams...because Safety is killing us.

Could you imagine last years defense with this yesrs offense? We beat OSU and anyone else winning a Title. We had both our corners and better Safety play last year. We will be OK at corner as long as Hood and Redmond stay healthy or McCoy comes back. We are screwed at Safety though and it will keep us from making a Title run in the playoffs IMO. Gotta hit the portal. Hopefully 2 safeties and 2 DTackles. We are good everywhre else IMO.