Vols have 'good competition' at linebacker

#1
kamoshika

kamoshika

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#1
In Tennessee's open practice on Saturday night, Bynum took the field with the first-team defense, and Jumper, the former Baylor School standout, took the bulk of the second-team reps. Kirkland also got some work with the second-team defense. Bates sat out practice with an undisclosed injury.

On Friday, linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen said the Vols planned to trim the competition to two players soon.

The veteran Southeastern Conference assistant also said Tennessee is opting for smaller, faster linebackers who are able to handle facing up-tempo offenses, play in the open field and have the endurance to stay on the field for long drives.
Vols have 'good competition' at linebacker | Local News | Times Free Press
 
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#3
#3
I'm gonna ask this and sound like a total ass when I'm asking this without meaning to.....but, damn.....are we ever going to see Bates on the field?
 
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#4
#4
fade route said:
Sorry, but Jumper is not an SEC caliber LB. The fact that he's the second man up is concerning.
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I don't think Bynum is either. But he may surprise us?

UT seems to have a stable of talent at MLB. But it is very concerning with the uncertainty there.

This just puts more pressure on the defensive line and secondary.

If no one grabs the bull by the horns, expect to see tons more "hybrid" defensive sets. More defensive backs on the field. This could be a major problem agaisnt the more physical traditional offensive teams.
 
#5
#5
madbamahater said:
I'm gonna say this and sound like a total ass when I say this without meaning to.....but, damn.....are we ever going to see Bates on the field?
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I want Bates to play more than anybody, but he's gotta earn it. He's going to be special, but it's hard to get any first team reps with being injured so much.
 
#6
#6
TheBigOne10 said:
I want Bates to play more than anybody, but he's gotta earn it. He's going to be special, but it's hard to get any first team reps with being injured so much.
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Does he have a nagging injury that's holding him back or is it something new every time?

I'm afraid that very capable and talented and potentially great players will be buried on the depth chart because this staff may lack the ability to allow players to prove themselves in real life actual meaningful game settings. Not just practice drills and pre planned scenarios.

They did this with Dobbs. Had Worley not gone down, Dobbs may still be riding the pine. Based on their evaluations.......
 
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#9
#9
madbamahater said:
Does he have a nagging injury that's holding him back or is it something new every time?

I'm afraid that very capable and talented and potentially great players will be buried on the depth chart because this staff may lack the ability to allow players to prove themselves in real life actual meaningful game settings. Not just practice drills and pre planned scenarios.

They did this with Dobbs. Had Worley not gone down, Dobbs may still be riding the pine. Based on their evaluations.......
Click to expand...

Derek Barnett says hello!
 
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#12
#12
P.O.T.S. VOL said:
Derek Barnett says hello!
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I think what he's saying is that some guys are gamers while others are good practice players. The coaches might be too preoccupied with whether guys are doing drills correctly than whether they can play or not. Dobbs being 3rd string last year being the most glaring example.

The coaches should let Kirkland and Austin Smith play alot against Bowling Green so we can know whether they have it or not. Rather than sticking with less talented guys like Bynum or Jumper simply because they might do the drills a little better than the young guys.
 
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#13
#13
fade route said:
Sorry, but Jumper is not an SEC caliber LB. The fact that he's the second man up is concerning.
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And we know this based on what?

If nobody steps to the front and takes charge, maybe Maggitt sees a lot of snaps there this season as the DE talent appears impressive enough that barring injury they could afford to loan some talent to the LB crew.
 
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#15
#15
"Tennessee is opting for smaller, faster linebackers who are able to handle facing up-tempo offenses, play in the open field and have the endurance to stay on the field for long drives."

Is the day of the prototypical SEC caliber LB gone? Damn I hope not. Not sure I agree with the smaller, faster LB. A roster with several SEC caliber LBs on it would probably take care of that endurance thing because there just might not be any long drives. jmo
 
#16
#16
madbamahater said:
I'm gonna ask this and sound like a total ass when I'm asking this without meaning to.....but, damn.....are we ever going to see Bates on the field?
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Considering he saw the field as a TRUE FRESHMAN before his injury, I would say yes, without a doubt. He's more of an outside LB. If Bates doesn't make the rotation in the middle, then he'll probably backup JRM a lot. He'll see the field this year. And by his junior year, he'll have a good chance to be a major contributor.
 
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#18
#18
madbamahater said:
Does he have a nagging injury that's holding him back or is it something new every time?

I'm afraid that very capable and talented and potentially great players will be buried on the depth chart because this staff may lack the ability to allow players to prove themselves in real life actual meaningful game settings. Not just practice drills and pre planned scenarios.

They did this with Dobbs. Had Worley not gone down, Dobbs may still be riding the pine. Based on their evaluations.......
Click to expand...

So you render "winning the job" to a meaningless phrase. Practice is where jobs are usually won.

Guys that don't practice well usually don't play well. I don't buy into the silly notion that a Coaching Staff they should have known that this player or that player would be a gamer when their performance in practice is below that of other players.

Bates has been limited by injuries nothing more.
 
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#19
#19
Is Bates a RS-Freshman? Considering his playing time/injuries last year, I hope he was able to red-shirt. Perhaps he played too much.
 
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#20
#20
So Bynum/Jumper/Kirkland/Bates is the rotation at MLB. JRM has one OLB spot locked down. What's happening on the other side?
 
#21
#21
WillisWG said:
"Tennessee is opting for smaller, faster linebackers who are able to handle facing up-tempo offenses, play in the open field and have the endurance to stay on the field for long drives."

Is the day of the prototypical SEC caliber LB gone? Damn I hope not. Not sure I agree with the smaller, faster LB. A roster with several SEC caliber LBs on it would probably take care of that endurance thing because there just might not be any long drives. jmo
Click to expand...

Actually Tennessee and John Chavis made a living out of smaller, faster LB's for years. Eddie Moore, Eric Westmoreland, Al Wilson, Raynoch Thompson....not prototypical hulking LB's, yet guys that could fly.
No substitute for speed imo.
 
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#24
#24
WillisWG said:
"Tennessee is opting for smaller, faster linebackers who are able to handle facing up-tempo offenses, play in the open field and have the endurance to stay on the field for long drives."

Is the day of the prototypical SEC caliber LB gone? Damn I hope not. Not sure I agree with the smaller, faster LB. A roster with several SEC caliber LBs on it would probably take care of that endurance thing because there just might not be any long drives. jmo
Click to expand...

Need some heft and muscle against the likes of Arkansas, Georgia and Obamma. Hopefully we have the depth to stop them.
 
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#25
#25
I think people just prefer to have the players they talked about the most during their recruiting win the job so they can be proven right. There is no way a guy like Jumper could be any better than any recruit with his own thread in the recruiting forum! Neither the recruiting services nor our own recruitniks could ever overlook a player...
 
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