How so? Next year we have a QB that can't get on the field over Milton and an alarming lack of depth pretty much everywhere but RB.
How many of the year two success stories were loaded though? The guys who made title games--Meyer, Smart, Meyer again--sure. But the guys whose year two success stories were going 10-3 and winning their conference didn't have NFL guys all over the field, they just didn't have the national champ in their division. I'll also note that Jimbo and Dabo both won national championships and didn't win shit in their first two years. Dabo didn't win shit his third year either.
We shouldn't make too much of a true freshman not beating out a sixth-year senior. The depth is a real question.
I'm not alarmed. This is the best coach we've had since Kiffin at a minimum and possibly going back decades. Much remains to be seen. I'm not ready to hit the eject button anytime soon.
It's not like he rolled onto campus in August and the senior is a likeable version of Guarantano. A fair bit can be made out of that situation.
We’re basically all in on Nico next year. Since it’s assumed the job falls to him it will be difficult to get anything out of the portal better than another Gaston Moore.
My biggest concern right now is play calling, and I'm not 100% sure whether that's a product of coaching, personnel, or both, and honestly, if it's personnel, it's really both at least a little. I'm waiting to see what happens in the off-season at least to get mad.
They're too loyal to upperclassman but I don't think that's a reflection on who is waiting in the wings. They value leadership over talent and it's continued to bite them against high level competition.
No, Nico is two scores better than Milton. That doesn't seem to be the priority with who starts at QB right now
Three options, imo: 1. It was an open competition and Milton won it out right, which is concerning but maybe Nico is one of those guys that clicks when the lights come on. 2. Heupel fell in love with Joe's bazooka like he did in 21, which is concerning for Heupel as a coach. 3. It was never an open competition and that is extremely concerning for Heupel as a coach.
nah nico came here to learn and gain weight while redshirting. I just don’t know who will block for him and will he have more than 1 wr who can get separation
I don't feel comfortable saying a coach that won't put the best players on the field will dominate. That's just a different flavor of shit that we've dealt with for the last decade.
WRs played a decent game for the first time this year. Keaton made some great catches. Milton missed some reads and some open throws but overall it wasn't a bad outing.
Iamaleava has played exactly 0 snaps that have mattered at this point: https://www.knoxnews.com/story/spor...ker-nico-iamaleava-vols-freshmen/71142685007/. I am indifferent on him until he plays even a single snap in the one game that matters.
