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I think this is what the purpose of NCAA originally was, to help individuals with tremendous athletic talent, achieve a higher education at an institution that may or may not have been financially available to them, and protect them from bureaucracy. Somewhere along the road, the NCAA turned into a company that profited off of these young adults. I hope that we can hear more stories like this.

I think Newman will be a very good QB and will work well with Monken, but these endless comparisons to Joe Burrow, Baker, and Kyler Murray are so premature. Not every QB that transfers is going to have a fairy tale season. Let the kid show us what he's got before we start comparing him to the likes of every successful transfer QB in the NCAA.

I was at the Georgia v. Tenn. game last season at Neyland, and the Georgia offence did something that amazed me. When they had the ball, on multiple attempts, Fromm had 6+ seconds in the pocket on one drive. I counted at least one instance where there were almost 8 seconds. Tennessee's defence wasn't a slouch last year, especially in the first half vs. Georgia, so the fact that their Oline was so strong must have given Fromm some confidence. I think Monken is the right guy for the job, and I think the article hit the nail on the head by saying that Fromm would have technically been in the same boat as Newman. With Monken's new-look offence and a freshman Oline, I guess Fromm didn't want his draft stock to drop more than it did from the 2018 season and headed to the NFL. Nevertheless, I think Newman will take a few games to get into the swing of things in the SEC, but should adjust pretty nicely towards by week 4.

Hahah I don't think Vol fans will ever live down the Champions of life quote. He won two MAC titles at Central Michigan and 2 Big East titles at Cincy. I was referring to prior to his hire at Tennessee.

Taking into consideration the power of the SEC West, and the ceiling for recruitment in the SEC in general, Jimbo has done an excellent job in the first two years at A&M and finishing with nine wins in the SEC West has recently given an automatic top 25 ranking at the end of the season. In Jimbo's case, I do think that his buyout is pretty high on the national scale, but given how much A&M generates from their annual athletics revenue, his buyout is fitting for an NC winning coach. There are quite a few coaches, like Taggart, whose buyouts were ridiculous, and not matching any national trend. He had a losing record as a head coach at Western Kentucky and Oregon. At least Butch Jones won a few conference championships when he was hired at Tennessee. There isn't a reason as to why Taggart's contract was so excessive. The ideal solution is to create a high incentivised contract, but what coach is going to take incentives over a guaranteed, multi-million dollar buyout?

I agree I'm just saying that if they don't have students on campus like Bowlsby is saying, it would create a liability nightmare if something were to happen to one of the student-athletes that were kept on campus. I honestly do believe the vast majority of colleges will be open, but the few that decide to stay online, can't effectively have an athletic season. I think you'll see that with a number of schools in the northeast and maybe a few in the group of five. Hope I'm wrong, but it's hard to tell where the country will be by September.

haha well, that certainly answered my questions. I watched the "SEC Ready" documentary last night and I would 100% agree with your take on it. Not saying that the game wouldn't be fun to watch, given the background, but it the idea of Texas having to deal with the results of their actions in the BIG12 is pretty much what they deserve.

Every programme recruits three stars for several different reasons. It may be to create depth at a particular position, or it may be that that individual player shows a lot of potential. Vol fans acknowledge that the current recruit roster for 2021 is 3-star heavy, but we believe that a number of those players will turn into 4-stars by NSD, and yes, 4 and 5-star recruits do tend to have better college careers than 3 and 2-star players. There is no guarantee for that, but there is a significant chance. The overall quality of the class can only be determined after NSD. Still, the point that we're making is that 5-star players are committing to Tennessee, choosing the Vols over several programs that have had more success than Tenn. in recent years. That calibre of player evaded Tenn. last year, and the fact that the Vols are in the conversation is why Tennessee is recruiting at a high level. Nobody is saying that an 89 average is going to get us the top recruiting class, but Tenn. has 3 National 247 Recruiters of the year on their coaching staff, and they have put Tenn. in the running for many high profile players. When NSD comes, fans can make their assessments of the class, but where the coaching staff has placed the Vols in recruiting for 2021 cycle, is at the very least, and if the quality holds, a top 10 recruiting class.

If the purpose of keeping classes online is to protect the students that attend an institution and to and prevent the spread, then how can you justify keeping student-athletes on campus? In theory, yes it would help in having college sports in the fall, but then it's a liability nightmare for any university that decides to go that route. It would even create the possibility of further suspending college sports if there is an outbreak in any one conference. There is no social distancing at a practice session for sports like basketball and football, and those two sports are the highest money earners in any major conference. I do think that there are scenarios where they can protect the student-athletes like 2-week quarantine on campus and online classes for student-athletes only, but I'm not sure how well they would react to those kinds of restrictions. I really hope there are sports this fall, but only if the necessary people can deem the situation safe.

There's just so much money involved in college football. Money that universities rely on, especially those in the power 5. I just can't see the SEC not having football this fall if there is a legitimate solution and it is an option on the table. Right off the bat, there are several precautions that the schools can take: mandatory quarantine, elimination of non-conference scheduling, limiting fans in the stadium, even force players into, on-campus virtual learning. Unfortunately, none of these precautions eliminates the risk, but I just don't see the SEC not taking the money at this point. On top of that, with other power five conferences potentially not having football, TV rights would pour into the SEC and help make up for lost income. But if there is a CFP without all five conferences, the championship will, unfortunately, be watered down. I don't think the PAC12 has any real influence on the CFP selection because of how down their programs are right now, but It would be difficult to crown a champion without the likes of Oklahoma, Ohio State, and Clemson in the mix. As much as I'd love to see football this fall, I hope that it won't be premature and that fans can safely watch their favourite teams.

I know I don't understand the rivalry from the perspective of the A&M fans, and neither do many of the other SEC fan bases, but having an annual Big 12 vs SEC game has the potential to benefit the SEC and A&M. The game will have a similar feel to the yearly ACC and SEC matchups like Kentucky v. Lousiville, Clemson v. South Carolina, and Georgia v. Georgia Tech, except, it would mean a lot more. Texas is a massive state for recruiting and having a middle of the pack (currently) SEC team playing Texas from the Big 12 would help to lure Texas players to the SEC. The ACC has been down recently (the obvious team excluded) so the SEC has been recruiting actively in the shared states of Georgia, South Carolina and Florida. It'll also help A&M in winning recruiting battles over the likes of Texas and other strong big 12 teams. Of course, all this is dependent on A&M winning, but with the direction Jimbo is taking the program, I think that A&M would have the winning edge. An A&M fan would have to weigh the pros and cons of their school competing against Texas, but all in all, I think it would help them in the long run.

I know, but it was something that couldn't be passed without their approval, otherwise, they've made no significant contributions.

Well, Butch was promising something to the recruits that he couldn't give which created a bad culture at the program. That was a large part of the reason it was so hard finding a new HC. I personally believe Pruitt is going to successful but like everything else, we'll just have to wait and see

It is interesting. You'd expect schools that really aren't that far away from each other would have had more annual matchups. But since the matchups have become more competitive I think it is one of the better rivalries in College Football.

I don't think it's an upgrade or a downgrade, I actually think they are very similar QB's (not physically)that have great field vision and will slot into any NFL offense pretty well. It may just be a matter of adjusting to how he throws, hands off, and moves the ball. Nevertheless, Elite WR's will make the catches and adjust regardless of the circumstances. I think Tee is a fantastic receiver that should have no difficulty adjusting to anything Burrow passes his way.

You're right that's its very early and a lot can change, and you're right that the SEC has a tremendously high ceiling for recruitment. I'm just saying that a program that has not had a great decade, getting verbal commitments for 5 star players is significant and that even if theres a situation like last year, where Tenn. finished 7th in the SEC but 10th in the country, that still has to be regarded as a high level compared to the entire league. I can't see how a top 10 recruiting class and and a projected top 7 class for 2021 isn't a great step in the right direction. When it's all said and done I think Tennessee will still finish behind Georgia and Alabama in the recruiting rankings, but if the class holds until signing day, there's no way this isn't a high level class.

Perspective is perspective, my points were driven by enthusiasm for the current state of UT football given the past decade. I have no clue how anything I stated refers to Tennessee as irrelevant but after 4 coaching changes, consistent top 20 recruiting classes without a 10 win season, losses to Georgia State and BYU, I find it hard not to be a little cautious heading into another season of Tennessee football post-Fulmer era. But I'm sorry if my neutral-toned, analysis of the situation offended you or if me trying to put a bit of perspective on a situation that college football has never seen in its 100+ year history is unsettling.

No doubt in my mind that that is a real possibility. The SEC seems to have the "Us then everybody else" mentality when it comes to football. What might even sweeten the deal is if some, if not all of the other power five conferences, decide not to play this fall, is the money from TV rights the SEC would bring in. I'm an SEC fan, but that doesn't mean I won't turn off Florida vs Missouri to watch the Red River Showdown. The classic games that make football so entertaining would be severely missed if only the SEC were to play this season. I think the best bet for College Football is to find a solution where at least the majority of conferences, Power and Group of Five, are ready to play and start the season in October at the latest.

That's a good point. There are so many factors that go into who is recruited and why but I wholeheartedly believe that Terrence Lewis committing to the Vols had a lot to do with Dylan Brooks also being there. No one is saying that the Tennessee staff isn't riddled with decorated recruiters, but UGA and UF are just as attractive options as Tennessee right now. At the end of the day, I honestly don't see vast differences in the calibre of recruiting classes in the top 5. In 2020, Georgia (ranked #1 on 247) and Ohio State (ranked #5) had a point differential of about 18 points with the same amount of commitments. That's typically the difference of one highly ranked player over a 3-star recruit. The real task is keeping this team together and filling the remaining scholarship with our top prospects. Little concerned about the Oline going into 2021 after losing three of our main men (Smith, Kennedy, maybe Cade Mays). If Amarius Mims joins Tennessee over Georgia, I think Tennessee definitely wins the recruiting trophy for 2021. I think with how Pruitt is recruiting, and given his inexperience being a head coach (is 100% on the right track), Tennessee has top 5 defence in the country within 2 years, and wins the east, potentially, within the next 3 seasons.

So did Tua (even though he didn't start the season) but they are generational talents that I would place as exceptions to the rule. They were also both higher rated than Harrison going into college (not that ratings determine college success). I think Chaney and Weinke will make the right decisions either way.

Couldn't agree with you more, I think Tenn. vs. Georgia is one of the best matchups and I don't think anyone wouldn't want to experience another thriller like 2015. The schedule change kind of reversed roles where it benefits Tenn. and hurts Georgia but I think it will just make the game all the more exciting!

I think he's probably the most talented QB the Vols will have on the roster this season, but without spring practice, I'm a little worried about them playing a true freshman, regardless of talent. There isn't enough space to breathe in the QB room for Tennessee, so the competition will be great and it may even help Jarret Guarantano play like a 3rd year SEC starter.

This is a reliable indicator that there will be football this fall. I wouldn't be opposed to having the season pushed forward a month to allow the middle of the pack programs to establish lineups, offensive and defensive schemes, and QB1 selections so that they don't get run over by the stronger rosters in the early parts of the season. Not saying the high ranked schools will thoroughly benefit from abbreviated fall camps, but many schools on the rise have a few questions they will need to have answered well before the season starts.

I'm not entirely "SEC, SEC" either, I just acknowledge that it is the most competitive conference and that it produces the best matchups and best teams annually. TBH, it's incredibly hard to recruit in the SEC when so many teams are good so I completely understand and agree with your perspective.

At this point in time, the inconsistency the NCAA has shown in their eligibility rulings, the length of time it took for them to allow players to earn from THEIR likeness, has detracted from football and there hasn't been much that they have done to improve the sport recently, other than the CFP. I think that the power five football programs would actually flourish by taking a few steps away from the NCAA and allowing the commissioners to make the decisions because they care about football and the league's success as opposed to the NCAA whose main interest seems to be profiting off the teams and their players. I am a little concerned about the damage it will do to the group of 5 teams who have recently seen tremendous success (ex. App. State, Memphis, UCF, Boise, etc.). Those teams rely on the income from the matchups against the power five and also helps bring their programs and star players to the national spotlight. I think the best solution right now may be to transition away from the NCAA by placing more power and responsibility in the hands of the Commissioners, who in turn, will do what's best from the players and teams in their respective conferences.

I think keeping the divisions isn't the worst idea, but it is pretty annoying when teams in one division don't play teams in the other for six years. I'd say keep the interdivisional rivals, take away one of the cupcake matchups, and play three opponents from the opposite division annually. That way, a recruit that stays for at least three years would have played every team in the conference at least once.

It shouldn't surprise anyone that Tennessee is recruiting at a high level. Tennessee ranks in the top 10 nationally for fan attendance, revenue, facilities, and overall athletics. The only thing Tennessee hasn't done as of late is winning consistently. With the prospect of playing in the SEC, the potential of being a first-year starter and working with proven talent developers in Weinke, Chaney, Ansley, and Pruitt is more than enough reason for a recruit to want to play here. It's pretty apparent that a majority of the focus has been placed on developing the defence, on the whole, If we can bring in the same calibre of players on the offence that we have on the defence, I can easily see Tennessee challenging for the east by 2021. But it's a safer bet to say it'll be three years to develop the talent we already have on the roster, and it's not as though Florida and Georgia aren't recruiting at the same level. It'll come down to a battle of coaching staffs, and I'm excited to see how that turns out. What Tennessee is missing right now is an elite QB to lead the offence. If JT Daniels decides to come here, or Harrison Bailey is as good as he looks, 2020 will be the perfect stepping stone for the Vols.

I think TR was a pretty good coach and I'm sorry we lost him. Still, I don't believe Tennessee needs more quality coaching on Defense. I think they need higher calibre recruits to add and bolster Pruitt and Ainsley's defensive scheme, which I believe to be is what they've added in 2020 and 2021 recruiting cycles. Within the next three seasons, I see Tennessee having a top 5 defence nationally. If they can get the same calibre of recruits on offence, Tennessee is going to be the team to beat in the east.

Hahah I get what you mean, but don't you love beating a rival in a highly contested matchup? For comparison, did you enjoy the game vs Tennessee last year more than beating Florida?

I honestly don't understand why other SEC teams are opposed to Tennessee returning to relevancy and that there is a substantial chance that Pruitt can lead us to National glory. Three teams in the SEC east perenially finishing in the top 10 in the rankings is the kind of excitement and competition that recruits want to be a part of and fans pay to see. As much as I hope to see Tennessee whoop up on Georgia, Florida, and Bama every year, I love the competition and can't wait for the matchups. I think the Vols have a real shot at beating Oklahoma in week two which will be a great warm-up heading into the game with Florida. There's a reason we shout "SEC, SEC" after bowl games.