When are we ever going to have quality depth?

[BigOrangeTrain]

Me and a buddy were talking the other day about TN football and we discussed depth on both sides of the ball. We both agreed that to win big, especially in the SEC, you have to have depth. More importantly you have to have quality depth. So how long is it gonna take us to get good quality depth on both sides of the ball?

I feel like virtually every year since the Fulmer days, we go into the season with the same concerns. Well we are thin here or thin there. Or if we do have some depth, it’s not really good quality depth. I feel like the lack of quality depth is one of the biggest reasons we didn’t win 10 games last year.

 

[Iam4utalways]

JH will put an end to the revolving door for HC, this alone will help with player turnover, creating the opportunity to build quality depth.

 

[Buzzbait]

Me and a buddy were talking the other day about TN football and we discussed depth on both sides of the ball. We both agreed that to win big, especially in the SEC, you have to have depth. More importantly you have to have quality depth. So how long is it gonna take us to get good quality depth on both sides of the ball?

I feel like virtually every year since the Fulmer days, we go into the season with the same concerns. Well we are thin here or thin there. Or if we do have some depth, it’s not really good quality depth. I feel like the lack of quality depth is one of the biggest reasons we didn’t win 10 games last year.

First things first

 

[GoodlettsvilleVol]

I was one of the fans who worried about the Heupel hire. Not against it but I did worry and still do. He had a demonstrated history, though rather short, of not being a killer recruitor.

Last year he pulled in a disappointing class ranked 18th by 247. 18th is not going to get the job done. It will not build the kind of depth the OP or I am looking for.

Getting a top QB like Nico won't do it. We need a bunch of players ranked like him to do it. Can Heupel accomplish this?

Something for all of us to watch. I do worry about this.

 

[OrangeVolMan]

I was one of the fans who worried about the Heupel hire. Not against it but I did worry and still do. He had a demonstrated history, though rather short, of not being a killer recruitor.

Last year he pulled in a disappointing class ranked 17th by 247. 17th is not going to get the job done. It will not build the kind of depth the OP or I am looking for.

Getting a top QB like Nico won't do it. We need a bunch of players ranked like him to do it. Can Heupel accomplish this?

Something for all of us to watch. I do worry about this.

Why were you disappointed with a 17th ranked class? He did a great job getting a class ranked that high with the potential NCAA violations and being a first year coach at UT.

 

[GoodlettsvilleVol]

Sorry, 247 has us ranked 18th.

Why? A class ranked that low won't provide us with the quality depth we need.

Oh, it'll have some good players. Not enough.

 

[joevols89]

Why were you disappointed with a 17th ranked class? He did a great job getting a class ranked that high with the potential NCAA violations and being a first year coach at UT.

The problem with a class ranked in that range it means you are recruiting around 7th-9th best in your conference.

While you can blow out ACC or Big 10 schools in lesser bowl games with that talent.. you’re still going to be climbing an uphill battle to win the conference. You could win 5 games and still be as talented as a 9 win team in another conference.. but what does that get you exactly?

He gets a pass for the 2022 class though.

 

[jackaro]

To get to where we want to go, we need 3 to 4 really good recruiting classes. So, to answer the question, at least another 4 years to build quality depth.

 

[Doberman]

We sure need a bunch of depth on defense. It looks like 40 + minutes on the field every game.

 

[njvols]

Me and a buddy were talking the other day about TN football and we discussed depth on both sides of the ball. We both agreed that to win big, especially in the SEC, you have to have depth. More importantly you have to have quality depth. So how long is it gonna take us to get good quality depth on both sides of the ball?

I feel like virtually every year since the Fulmer days, we go into the season with the same concerns. Well we are thin here or thin there. Or if we do have some depth, it’s not really good quality depth. I feel like the lack of quality depth is one of the biggest reasons we didn’t win 10 games last year.

Agree, but we also don't have multiple day 1 draft guys on our team. In order to get to the level we want, depth build is a must, but so are the Jamal Lewis and Al Wilson's. However, the build is good, and if we have another good year this year, we'll probably see another step up in recruiting

 

[Brave Volunteer]

We need more quality starters before we can worry about quality depth.

 

[Vol$_Deep_11_9]

I think that depth will start with this class. The big QB commit will bring better talent with it. Hard to build depth with a revolving door at HC, Hepuel will hopefully put an end to that and I also think not knowing much about what could come from the Pruitt business hurt us last year. If I was a top tier offensive guy I'd like at our system, especially if I wanted to play early and bring back a once great program, and salivate at the idea of playing in this offense. JMO

Defense is my main concern, yes the game has shifted more towards having a great offense to win championships but UGA proved this year, defense still does it.

 

[901 Orange]

Sorry, 247 has us ranked 18th.

Why? A class ranked that low won't provide us with the quality depth we need.

Oh, it'll have some good players. Not enough.

What are the last 4 Kentucky recruiting classes?? They've been competing the last few years, sending plenty of guys to the NFL, & I don't remember them having a top 5 class. I also saw us get multiple highly ranked classes under Butch and doing absolutely nothing with it. Developing players is far more important than just a recruiting ranking. We went from guys not even knowing how to lineup correctly under Pruitt to looking like an actual football team under Coach Huep. Over the next few yrs you'll see the depth you're looking for. Its gonna come with time on task

 

[Rickyvol77]

The problem with a class ranked in that range it means you are recruiting around 7th-9th best in your conference.

While you can blow out ACC or Big 10 schools in lesser bowl games with that talent.. you’re still going to be climbing an uphill battle to win the conference. You could win 5 games and still be as talented as a 9 win team in another conference.. but what does that get you exactly?

He gets a pass for the 2022 class though.

Outside of UGA we really didn’t look “outmatched” as much as in previous years because the offense dominated most games. Line and defensive depth are key but let’s not pretend that there are 10 SEC teams with more talent than us either

 

[BoroVol93]

So dramatic relax… every school not named Bama UGA or OSU has thin spots… we may never get to the point where we are 100 percent confident going 3 deep but we don’t need to coach heup has shown he can coach and scheme at a very good level… and the difference between 17th ranked class and the 7th ranked class is not huge great coaching can overcome that… we have to legit set ourself a part from the middle of the pack and UT will recruit itself… if heup can finish second in the East this year we will be well on track to becoming the program we need to be.

 

[savannahfan]

Me and a buddy were talking the other day about TN football and we discussed depth on both sides of the ball. We both agreed that to win big, especially in the SEC, you have to have depth. More importantly you have to have quality depth. So how long is it gonna take us to get good quality depth on both sides of the ball?

I feel like virtually every year since the Fulmer days, we go into the season with the same concerns. Well we are thin here or thin there. Or if we do have some depth, it’s not really good quality depth. I feel like the lack of quality depth is one of the biggest reasons we didn’t win 10 games last year.

I feel quality depth is going to suffer for everyone since the ability to pay players is now a realty. If a guy is good enough to be "quality depth" then he is good enough to start for someone else and will move on rather than sit and be bench quality. It will take the Bama's, Ga.'s, etc. some time to feel the falloff, but with some time they will.

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

The quickest way to build depth is to win the games you're not supposed to.

(and I don't think I made that up. )

 

[savannahfan]

I was one of the fans who worried about the Heupel hire. Not against it but I did worry and still do. He had a demonstrated history, though rather short, of not being a killer recruitor.

Last year he pulled in a disappointing class ranked 18th by 247. 17th is not going to get the job done. It will not build the kind of depth the OP or I am looking for.

Getting a top QB like Nico won't do it. We need a bunch of players ranked like him to do it. Can Heupel accomplish this?

Something for all of us to watch. I do worry about this.

I think this is a better sentence.
Hipe can get the job done if he has the support from the UT, athletic supporters and cooperate families coming through with the money.
Something for all of us to watch is whether or not UT and these others will be willing to pay the price for these high ranked players.

 

[Jax_Vol]

October 26, 2022

 

[Vols410]

I was one of the fans who worried about the Heupel hire. Not against it but I did worry and still do. He had a demonstrated history, though rather short, of not being a killer recruitor.

Last year he pulled in a disappointing class ranked 18th by 247. 17th is not going to get the job done. It will not build the kind of depth the OP or I am looking for.

Getting a top QB like Nico won't do it. We need a bunch of players ranked like him to do it. Can Heupel accomplish this?

Something for all of us to watch. I do worry about this.

Just want to say a big part of the "18th ranked" class is 247's inclusion of ESPN rankings in their composite, which are consistently garbage. I put together a version that uses a weighted average of On3/247/Rivals which moves us to #12 Nationally, 4th in the SEC. I think Heupel did a fantastic job recruiting, and with NIL changing the landscape anyway I want the X's and O's guy.

 

[jeff1vol]

I doubt UT or any programs will have real "quality" depth moving forward. The ability to transfer without penalty will prevent teams from stockpiling talent like before. They may have "quality" depth in regards to talent for one year. But there certainly won't be "quality EXPERIENCED" depth. The depth will be made up of freshman players before they decide to leave because they aren't playing. Kids don't have a clue what it means to "developing skills." That ship has sailed. If you aint playin'... you're leavin'!

 

[joevols89]

Outside of UGA we really didn’t look “outmatched” as much as in previous years because the offense dominated most games. Line and defensive depth are key but let’s not pretend that there are 10 SEC teams with more talent than us either

There aren’t 10. But over the last decade there have consistently been 5-6 with a talent advantage. Now throw TAMU there because they’re going to continue recruiting like this.

 

[Manchester Vol]

Me and a buddy were talking the other day about TN football and we discussed depth on both sides of the ball. We both agreed that to win big, especially in the SEC, you have to have depth. More importantly you have to have quality depth. So how long is it gonna take us to get good quality depth on both sides of the ball?

I feel like virtually every year since the Fulmer days, we go into the season with the same concerns. Well we are thin here or thin there. Or if we do have some depth, it’s not really good quality depth. I feel like the lack of quality depth is one of the biggest reasons we didn’t win 10 games last year.

I stand with all the Kneggavolz on here and state there’s no way we’re ever going to have quality depth until we do something differently because we’re absolute failures at everything football.

 

[TitanicVolz]

 

[b_gann]

I feel quality depth is going to suffer for everyone since the ability to pay players is now a realty. If a guy is good enough to be "quality depth" then he is good enough to start for someone else and will move on rather than sit and be bench quality. It will take the Bama's, Ga.'s, etc. some time to feel the falloff, but with some time they will.

Same line of thought I had when reading the OP. The previous years had been about coaching turnover mostly. Starting over every 3-4 years. Now, it might just be the new normal. The world of paying players and grass is always greener, etc.