What does everyone think about our WR unit?

#51
#51
One potential positive is unless there is a dramatic change in JG's play this season will be about grooming his replacement. I agree we will most likely start JG at the beginning especially since there was no spring camp but expect to see one of the other guys slowly gain the starting position. The reason I think this is a positive is it will also give our new or less experienced WRs a chance to mature as well while JG is throwing the ball to the defensive backs. That makes me feel good about the second half of the season. Harrison Bailey to some game seasoned WRs. Remember, we get UGA late in the season now too so call the ASPCA cause we are about to whip some dawgs.
 
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#53
#53
Wideman will be the best athlete of the group the day he steps on campus. He may even be the best athlete on the entire team. I understand that doesn't equal being a great football player but it certainly is a good place to start. Hes gonna have a chance to be a great player for us. Just need to find a QB to get him the ball.
 
#54
#54
Sorry for the long response but

It’s not about being “good enough” because every one of them are. I hate to say it but I think it’s on Pruitt to INVEST the time in another qb for there to even be a chance of that happening. I’ve said it before and I’ll stick to my opinion that the qb change last year is what turned the team around. JGs play got “better” as a result of being pushed by a very capable freshman when the time came that Pruitt had no choice. It took all of one game when, in his post game press conference, it became clear that Pruitt was looking to switch back to JG AS SOON as there was a reason to say “I told you so”. My point is this..... had Pruitt INVESTED the same time/confidence into Maurer that he gave JG leading up to the start of the season, regardless if JG started, Maurer would’ve been more “ready” to take on UF, UGA and Bama in the second half because adjustments could’ve been made to counter their adjustments. Instead, we seen Pruitt putting JG on a pedestal and tearing down the confidence of Maurer and Shrout.

I’m sorry to anyone that disagrees but until Pruitt learns that qbs are unlike any other position and you GOTTA to let them “play through” their mistakes to get better, there will be no qb “good enough” to unseat anyone. EVERY qb will play in fear of making mistakes and being benched. Just remember that Manning set the int record his rookie year with the Colts. Without the SUPPORT of his coaches to work through those issues, Peyton wouldn’t have become one of the greatest qbs to ever play and the Colts would’ve never sniffed the playoffs, much less win a SB.
I’m on the record last year that Pruitt pulled Maurer and JT too soon after making mistakes which hurt their development so I agree somewhat with your post.
 
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#55
#55
I’m on the record last year that Pruitt pulled Maurer and JT too soon after making mistakes which hurt their development so I agree somewhat with your post.
Didn’t pull Maurer after two ints against Mississippi State...only after he was injured and had to leave. Agree with the Shrout point...very quick hook.
 
#57
#57
Lots of new faces but lots of new weapons as well. Palmer reminds me a bit of Donte Stallworth in that he always seems to be able to get open and has great hands, I think he's a solid go to guy and capable of an All-SEC type season. As for the rest, it's a bunch of unknowns really save Johnson. I think by season's end our main 4 WRs will be Palmer, Keyton, Beckwith and Johnson with Gibbs getting most of the backups receptions. Wideman and Hyatt will play but I believe both may end up just playing 4 games and redshirting as they both need to add size and strength even though both are exceptional athletes.
The group is really going to expose JG, he had a ton of talent that made up for his shortcomings last year
 
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#60
#60
Ainge didn't lack Confidence, that's for sure. He had plenty enough talent, enough football acumen and a surrounding cast that didn't require ainge to be more than he was.

If nothing else, I think jg will have 3 of those things this season...

Wonder where his confidence level really is and how that translates to everything else?🤷‍♂️
I actually like his confidence. Anyone can endure what he has is no snowflake.

Being starved for some football and having a soft spot for that 2007 team, I have watched a few games lately. The difference in how quickly Ainge assessed a situation and made a good decision compared with JG is stark. He constantly led receivers to a spot and placed the ball where YAC's were possible. It cannot be argued that Ainge had better receiver talent than JG has had. He got the ball out so quickly that any OL problems they had were masked.

Having watched JG... I have just become convinced that he does not have whatever talents are involved in anticipating throws... reading D's and throwing to the right spot at the right time.

Ainge also did a super job of managing the O. If you could take whatever it was that Ainge had and put it in JG's head with his physical talent... you'd have the best QB in the SEC.
 
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#64
#64
That’s true and I believe that as well. But it makes you question that feeling when he’s asked about Maurer and nearly every response turned to JG and what he did in the same game. Almost like he deflected the questions sometimes to talk about JG.
I also agree that Maurer wasn’t ready as I’ve said before as well as the way they worked it throughout the season. I think he managed it as well as anyone could imagine and the results show just that. That being said, some of that was brought on by himself earlier in the spring by not TRULY giving the other guys a real chance. That time was valuable, especially for a freshman. The fact that he was denied the opportunity only makes you wonder “what if” after the way it played out because he could’ve been that much more experienced going into those big games.

Trust me..... when I say this I mean no disrespect to JG OR Pruitt. Imo it was just a mistake and I hope he learned from it. He’s human just like us.
I honestly think that Pruitt made a reasonable decision given the amount of time and resources he had. "Do I try to bring my talented 3rd year player along or do I open it up to a real competition that will likely result in more losses?"

I don't think it was a personal slight toward anyone just a strategic calculation that blew up on him when JG didn't play well or like he had in practice. In that line, I don't think Pruitt was biased toward JG as much as he was committed to his decision. It is hard to admit you were wrong. If you flipped the names and numbers, I think he would have done the same to "defend" his investment.

If it is true that Fulmer got involved and that their was a irreconcilable disagreement over JG between Pruitt and Chaney... then it was probably a pretty sore subject for him. In the end, it worked in spite of the two early blown games.


In retrospect, could they have chosen Maurer or Shrout and invested that time in them for better results? We will likely never know but I think so.
 
#66
#66
Lol, we have one of the best QB rooms in the SEC and it's seemingly getting better through recruiting. We have one of the most experienced QB rooms in the country, we have one of the highest rated group of QBs in the country and we have a stable full of young WRs to throw to. Pruitt has done a great job with the QB position and it could very likely turn into a position of strength the next 5-7 years depending on if we land future prospects in Tee's son, Manning's newphew and several other top guys we're in on to go along with those we currently have. What a joke in thinking that Pruitt has mishandled the QB position, hell he's set it up to be successful for a while.
In retrospect, you can claim that Pruitt should have invested time in Maurer or Shrout instead of JG. That may have produced better results. But I argue that Pruitt made a reasonable decision with the information he had at the time he had to make the decision.

I do like the future and the way they're recruiting the QB position. Looks a lot like what Bama did as they rose to the top and stayed there. Guys will transfer when they lose out. But the competition will assure that whoever remains... can play at a championship level.

I like Maurer. You don't. I think we both like Shrout. If either wants to be a starter then I think this year is their window. They have to beat JG out (and be good enough to do it) or I don't think they can avoid being passed by the younger talent.
 
#67
#67
No doubt about that and I wish we had 2 or 3 Jauan Jennings. I just never thought DWA and Callaway were as good as we wanted them to be.
I thought both had great potential but they never had the surrounding cast for us to really see. I guess we will find out soon by their NFL careers.
 
#71
#71
No doubt about that and I wish we had 2 or 3 Jauan Jennings. I just never thought DWA and Callaway were as good as we wanted them to be.
Just don't think its completely fair or accurate to say that about those 2 guys with who they primarily had throwing them the ball. I get it, we'll never know for sure, but with an accurate, serviceable QB, I think we'd be talking a lot differently about Callaway and DWA, just my 0.02 of course.
 
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#72
#72
Some of the discussion about the WR's does come back to who the QB is without regard to how good the QB is. Each of the QB's has different strengths and weaknesses.

Lucas Taylor became a 1,000 yard receiver primarily because he was good at short, quick opening routes and Ainge was too. Brandon Johnson is a receiver in that mode. Bray wanted to throw it over the top. Manning was a great ball distributor as was Clausen.

JG doesn't do "quick" well. He doesn't anticipate well. WR's who can run crossing routes and are good at finding soft spots to "show open" will do better along with those able to fight for 50/50 balls.

Maurer acts like the ball is 1200 degrees or something. Unless he improves and expands his ability, guys who are good at slants, posts, and go routes will like him better. Shrout is maybe a weak blend of both but with a great arm. HB looks like a guy who sees the field well- a distributor?

All that to simply say the strengths of the QB will have a lot to do with which WR's have success.
 
#73
#73
I honestly think that Pruitt made a reasonable decision given the amount of time and resources he had. "Do I try to bring my talented 3rd year player along or do I open it up to a real competition that will likely result in more losses?"

I don't think it was a personal slight toward anyone just a strategic calculation that blew up on him when JG didn't play well or like he had in practice. In that line, I don't think Pruitt was biased toward JG as much as he was committed to his decision. It is hard to admit you were wrong. If you flipped the names and numbers, I think he would have done the same to "defend" his investment.

If it is true that Fulmer got involved and that their was a irreconcilable disagreement over JG between Pruitt and Chaney... then it was probably a pretty sore subject for him. In the end, it worked in spite of the two early blown games.


In retrospect, could they have chosen Maurer or Shrout and invested that time in them for better results? We will likely never know but I think so.
Very reasonable and quite honestly an angle I never considered. Round of applause to you sir.
 
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#75
#75
Some of the discussion about the WR's does come back to who the QB is without regard to how good the QB is. Each of the QB's has different strengths and weaknesses.

Lucas Taylor became a 1,000 yard receiver primarily because he was good at short, quick opening routes and Ainge was too. Brandon Johnson is a receiver in that mode. Bray wanted to throw it over the top. Manning was a great ball distributor as was Clausen.

JG doesn't do "quick" well. He doesn't anticipate well. WR's who can run crossing routes and are good at finding soft spots to "show open" will do better along with those able to fight for 50/50 balls.

Maurer acts like the ball is 1200 degrees or something. Unless he improves and expands his ability, guys who are good at slants, posts, and go routes will like him better. Shrout is maybe a weak blend of both but with a great arm. HB looks like a guy who sees the field well- a distributor?

All that to simply say the strengths of the QB will have a lot to do with which WR's have success.
Once again, I don't dislike BM, he's simply here at UT at the wrong time. Brandon Stewart and Colquitt are 2 UT QBs that I thought were here at the wrong time. He's got talent but Tennessee was the wrong program to come to where he could take a couple of years to develop. He would have been much better off at a program where he could play and take his lumps a couple of years and develop. You may not agree but Bailey signing ended UT investing too much into BM. Pruitt will never be able to sign another blue chip kid at QB if Bailey doesn't get his shot by next year.
 

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