Vols Fall Practice #4

#53
#53
The fact that we didn’t pursue anyone in the portal who had ever taken a snap is malpractice. Idk if you’ll ever see a WR group with less experience in the portal era.
Probably the most baffling decision in the Huepel era outside of starting Milton over Hooker. I refuse to believe there was NO ONE available in the portal to at least provide some depth.
 
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#55
#55
Appears the QB battle is really only a 2 player competition between Joey and Merk. Be a surprise if Boo not returning punts against the Cuse.
I think that's always been the plan this year. Even if that other dude had stayed, it was still going to be a 2-player competition.
 
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#58
#58
Probably the most baffling decision in the Huepel era outside of starting Milton over Hooker. I refuse to believe there was NO ONE available in the portal to at least provide some depth.
Oh contraire, the most baffling decision is that Pope didn’t receive his walking papers at the end of last season after 2 years of mediocrity in his room, followed by a mass exodus.

He can and has recruited well but I’m still not convinced he can coach.
 
#59
#59
Appears the QB battle is really only a 2 player competition between Joey and Merk. Be a surprise if Boo not returning punts against the Cuse.
Boo is almost out of that dog house. Off tomorrow but I would really be surprised if he's not working with the team next practice.

He returns one to the house against Cuse. Me being bold
 
#60
#60
Oh contraire, the most baffling decision is that Pope didn’t receive his walking papers at the end of last season after 2 years of mediocrity in his room, followed by a mass exodus.

He can and has recruited well but I’m still not convinced he can coach.
Thing is, if he continues to underperform as a coach the recruiting will drop off.... got killed on TOS for saying this but if Pope's group underperforms AGAIN for the 3rd year in a row then I have no idea how Heupel can justify keeping him.
 
#61
#61
Thing is, if he continues to underperform as a coach the recruiting will drop off.... got killed on TOS for saying this but if Pope's group underperforms AGAIN for the 3rd year in a row then I have no idea how Heupel can justify keeping him.
If our QB room underperforms again for the 3rd year in a row, who should we axe?
 
#62
#62
This is probably a dumb question but is there any chance they would move Ethan Davis to WR or hybrid WR/TE/H-back?
All of our TEs are already WR/TE/H-back position.

If you’re meaning to ask will Davis line up out wide or in the slot then yes.

I’m thinking we will rotate 4-5 WRs all game with RBs and TEs heavily used in the passing game.
 
#64
#64
This is probably a dumb question but is there any chance they would move Ethan Davis to WR or hybrid WR/TE/H-back?
I’ve wondered the same thing myself.

Kitselman and Davis might be used together in a two TE set, with Davis “flexed out” wide. I think this is especially likely if we run into a few injuries at WR during the season. And Brame and Van Dorselaer bring talented depth.

We have talent & depth at TE, so use more than one per snap.
 
#67
#67
Nothing, we're talking football here.

If Pope is responsible for the lack of performance from the WR room, shouldn't someone be responsible for the lack of performance from the QB room?
Somebody has to be held accountable 🤷‍♀️ We had a bunch of receivers leave in the offseason - who also underperformed and had similar issues - and we chose to ride with basically a skeleton crew (who are also demonstrating similar issues). Now, hopefully things get worked out in practice and our guys perform very well in the games, but if the struggles continue then a pattern is demonstrated. I think Pope's done well as a recruiter, but he still has to prove his coaching chops.
 
#68
#68
Probably the most baffling decision in the Huepel era outside of starting Milton over Hooker. I refuse to believe there was NO ONE available in the portal to at least provide some depth.
Without digging through all Fingers' 21 treasure trove of practice info here's Day 9

In addition to leading the line, Milton also was the sharpest in routes-on-air, which featured some combo routes, crossing patterns, comebacks and post-corners. Milton was on target with each throw, while Hooker and Bailey each had an overthrow on the flag routes. The quarterbacks also worked on mesh points with the running backs and their footwork taking snaps out of the pistol.


great practice players have fooled many a coach...in 21 most thought Joe would start
 
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#69
#69
Somebody has to be held accountable 🤷‍♀️ We had a bunch of receivers leave in the offseason - who also underperformed and had similar issues - and we chose to ride with basically a skeleton crew (who are also demonstrating similar issues). Now, hopefully things get worked out in practice and our guys perform very well in the games, but if the struggles continue then a pattern is demonstrated. I think Pope's done well as a recruiter, but he still has to prove his coaching chops.
So you just won't address our QB issues with Milton and Nico because you dislike Pope?

Somebody can be held accountable for the deficiencies in every position room. Folks often cite Martinez as struggling with DBs or Elarbee as struggling with the OL or Pope struggling with WRs.

Some of those criticisms are warranted given our performance.

So, what about the QB room over the last 2 years? Who is the problem there?
 
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#71
#71
Without digging throughout all Fingers' 21 treasure trove of practice info here's Day 9

In addition to leading the line, Milton also was the sharpest in routes-on-air, which featured some combo routes, crossing patterns, comebacks and post-corners. Milton was on target with each throw, while Hooker and Bailey each had an overthrow on the flag routes. The quarterbacks also worked on mesh points with the running backs and their footwork taking snaps out of the pistol.


great practice players have fooled many a coach...in 21 most thought Joe would start
Joe did start.

And then got hurt.
Then he was tremendously outplayed by Hooker over the majority of the two seasons.

JG also a practice player that was never really challenged by at least an average QB
 
#73
#73
Without digging throughout all Fingers' 21 treasure trove of practice info here's Day 9

In addition to leading the line, Milton also was the sharpest in routes-on-air, which featured some combo routes, crossing patterns, comebacks and post-corners. Milton was on target with each throw, while Hooker and Bailey each had an overthrow on the flag routes. The quarterbacks also worked on mesh points with the running backs and their footwork taking snaps out of the pistol.


great practice players have fooled many a coach...in 21 most thought Joe would start
This is the scary thing about our QB evaluations. Perhaps practice isn't showing the coaches what they actually need to see from "game ready" QBs.

It sucks to think Navy Shuler COULD have been a gamer like Hooker but how would the coaches know? (Not entirely serious there but the idea is QB evaluation in practice AND in recruiting could be concerning given our issues at the position.)
 
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#75
#75
This is the scary thing about our QB evaluations. Perhaps practice isn't showing the coaches what they actually need to see from "game ready" QBs.

It sucks to think Navy Shuler COULD have been a gamer like Hooker but how would the coaches know? (Not entirely serious there but the idea is QB evaluation in practice AND in recruiting could be concerning given our issues at the position.)
Scrimmages are as close as it gets to real game situations but you're limited to two scrimmages during preseason. Coaches probably have narrowed the field by then.
 

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