What will it take for each SEC East team to be happy in 2020

[BlackCreekVol]

Hope to take the leap forward and challenge Kentucky?

 

[Joe Dirt]

Does it concern anyone else that Gibbs is never mentioned?

No. He wasn't mentioned much last year because he was ineligible -- not much point in focusing on him. This will be his first "practice" with the team as an eligible player. I'm sure we will hear plenty about him.

 

[VolDaddy61]

The floor being second in the east. Double digit regular season wins, and a new year's day bowl victory, followed by a top five recruiting class.

 

[Peyton_ManThing]

And thus is the problem. At least my biggest problem is this. We don’t know what we’re getting from week to week. He can be good, but when he’s bad it’s really bad. If we’re going to take a next step he has to be better against good opponents. I don’t like using stats when talking about JG because it’s easier to tell what he is than was he isn’t by just watching him. However, he had exactly 0 touchdowns vs UF, UGA and Bama. That isn’t gonna get it done. He has to be better . Tell me I’m wrong.

Wrong only in the sense that he should have had a TD against FL. JJ dropped a TD catch that resulted in an INT if i remember correctly. Besides that I agree... You never know what JG you're gonna get. And it tends to be the less attractive one against better competition.

 

[sjt18]

A lot of JG haters post in negative context about his skill set. I however believe he’s CAPABLE of being very effective and better than he’s ever been. The reason I bring that up isn’t to start another qb debate. It’s because defensive coordinators set game plans based on tendencies of the qb and offensive coordinators play calling for down and distance. That being said it’s easy to defend a JG lead offense. You understand his tendency of taking the highest percentage route and that route is close to the LOS. Which means the defenses play downhill stressing the o line and shutting down the run game. Vandy last year imo was the best evidence of that defensive approach because EG found creases for long td runs, therefore showing many replays. Once he broke through the first level there was literally NO ONE in the second or third levels to stop him from going the distance. If JG starts taking advantage of intermediate and deep routes regularly the WRs won’t matter. The run game will get much better and that rank will go up.

I agree with you more often than not. But I am not convinced JG's issues are fixable. Since he first stepped on the field at UT, we've seen him not anticipate throws. He doesn't throw receivers open. He doesn't throw to a window. He doesn't lead guys properly downfield. After four years in spite of considerable effort by coaches (and him as far as we know), he still struggles.

The USCe v UT game is on youtube. I wish I knew how to pull clips and post them but I don't. Find the first series of the 2nd half. UT had a beautiful play call and design. In replays, you can see Callaway with a literal 10 yard separation. JG hesitates and then completely fails to lead MC. A play that should have been a walk in TD was instead a contested catch. This is the rule for JG... not the exception. He does it on short, medium, and long throws.

I wish it weren't true. Few guys have endured more than he has. If anyone deserves success JG does. But this isn't a new problem. It isn't an OC problem or a coaching staff problem. He just doesn't seem to have the innate ability to make those reads and throws.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Wrong only in the sense that he should have had a TD against FL. JJ dropped a TD catch that resulted in an INT if i remember correctly. Besides that I agree... You never know what JG you're gonna get. And it tends to be the less attractive one against better competition.

True. He actually should’ve /could’ve had 2 against UF. The DWA miss in that game was really bad and could’ve been a TD or set up a TD. I think the misses or late throws are the things that JG has to improve on the most . If he hits those 2 TDS or isn’t late on throws vs BYU or misses that wheel route vs Bama that’s maybe 5 or 6 more TD passes. We’re probably talking about stats close to Trask and not a 2/1 ratio.

 

[KBVol]

Doesn't give me a lot of feel goods reading the offensive stat. Please let JG step up this year or CJP make a quick decision on him finishing out as the backup. I don't want to watch another year of wondering which JG is gonna show up.

What will it take for each SEC East team to be happy in 2020?


Tennessee
What needs to happen: The pieces are falling into place, but can replacements for the likes of Jauan Jennings and Marquez Callaway emerge at wide receiver?

It’s hard not to like what you saw from Tennessee down the stretch in 2019. The Vols started 1-4 and finished 7-1, losing only to Alabama after Oct. 5.




The Vols head into 2020 with a senior quarterback in Jarrett Guarantano, capable running backs and one of the SEC’s most talented and powerful offensive lines. The defense is young and there are some questions at linebacker, but you trust Jeremy Pruitt to iron those out.

The one thing you should worry about? Wide receiver, and the challenge of replacing a program stalwart like Jauan Jennings and Guarantano-favorite Marquez Callaway.

Josh Palmer looks capable of stepping into a role as the No. 1 receiver, but he’s never done it. Ramel Keyton and incoming USC graduate transfer Velus Jones have potential, but in 4 combined seasons between the 2 of them, they have 40 total catches.

Can Jalin Hyatt make an immediate impact after he arrives on campus this summer? Will another role player emerge?

The Vols finished 100th in total offense last season despite those elite wide receivers. (This MUST change!!) That number has to improve. If Tennessee is to make a leap forward and challenge Georgia, Florida and Kentucky in the SEC East — answers must emerge — hopefully by the time Florida comes calling on Rocky Top in late September.

We’ve seen Guarantano for 3 years now, huge sample size, we know what he is as a player. It’s beyond foolish to think that all of a sudden, in year 5, that’s he’s gonna break with trend and suddenly become a competent sec qb able to play at the high level we need our QB to play at. Not happening. One of our other guys MUST step up and beat him out THOROUGHLY (it’s clear that if it’s close or the young guys are only nominally better, that Chaney and Pruitt are gonna stick with Guarantano) if we’re get to where this petty talented and rising team wants and needs to be, which winning 9-10 regular season games and legitimately competing for the East title and a chance to play in the SECCG. QB is our weakest position group imo, and that’s because of Jarrett Guarantano.

 

[1vol8]

I agree with you more often than not. But I am not convinced JG's issues are fixable. Since he first stepped on the field at UT, we've seen him not anticipate throws. He doesn't throw receivers open. He doesn't throw to a window. He doesn't lead guys properly downfield. After four years in spite of considerable effort by coaches (and him as far as we know), he still struggles.

The USCe v UT game is on youtube. I wish I knew how to pull clips and post them but I don't. Find the first series of the 2nd half. UT had a beautiful play call and design. In replays, you can see Callaway with a literal 10 yard separation. JG hesitates and then completely fails to lead MC. A play that should have been a walk in TD was instead a contested catch. This is the rule for JG... not the exception. He does it on short, medium, and long throws.

I wish it weren't true. Few guys have endured more than he has. If anyone deserves success JG does. But this isn't a new problem. It isn't an OC problem or a coaching staff problem. He just doesn't seem to have the innate ability to make those reads and throws.

You’re the one I agree with most on this board and this is no different. Which is why I put “capable” in caps. He actually IS capable IF he got out of his own head. But “If” is the biggest word in the English language. After seeing him last year I’m convinced he is what he is and it’s time to move on. Let Maurer and Bailey battle it out to START. Not #2. Well take our lumps with the lack of experience but the end result will make the TEAM better as a whole due to neither of them being check down qbs. We ended up having a decent season last year and JG gets a lot of that credit. However it’s funny how quickly some forget that Pruitts job was on the line for the choices and commitment to those choices he made preseason. He never wanted JG out of the #1 spot until his hand was forced and then it seemed he dedicated the rest of the season to “I told you so” opportunities. Point is it’s critical to the team and himself to not make the same mistake twice. He’s gotta make the right decision this time and once that decision is made he needs to stick with whoever he chooses and show the same kind of commitment he showed JG.

 

[KBVol]

You’re the one I agree with most on this board and this is no different. Which is why I put “capable” in caps. He actually IS capable IF he got out of his own head. But “If” is the biggest word in the English language. After seeing him last year I’m convinced he is what he is and it’s time to move on. Let Maurer and Bailey battle it out to START. Not #2. Well take our lumps with the lack of experience but the end result will make the TEAM better as a whole due to neither of them being check down qbs. We ended up having a decent season last year and JG gets a lot of that credit. However it’s funny how quickly some forget that Pruitts job was on the line for the choices and commitment to those choices he made preseason. He never wanted JG out of the #1 spot until his hand was forced and then it seemed he dedicated the rest of the season to “I told you so” opportunities. Point is it’s critical to the team and himself to not make the same mistake twice. He’s gotta make the right decision this time and once that decision is made he needs to stick with whoever he chooses and show the same kind of commitment he showed JG.

He’s not capable.

 

[1vol8]

He’s not capable.

I personally feel his shortcomings are mental, not physical. That’s what I mean by “capable”. I think most would agree at this point that if he were mentally capable he’d be better by now.