Happy Thursday:
Wednesday's With Watson Brown Touched On Nico The Freako: 
I posed to Watson that I'm hearing things said about Nico that I haven't heard about a UT QB since Manning was here. And I'm not kidding. Obviously, he's not Peyton Manning, but the ceiling could be the limit for a guy that's really picking up Heupel's offense. I asked Watson his thoughts on a high level QB with a high aptitude, and here's what I got.
'I was always guarded with great QB's. The it factor has to be proven on the field on GameDay. I would think they're going to go slow with him.'
'In the bowl game I saw great potential but I saw inexperienced mistakes. They're not going to throw everything at him in games. Spring practice is a great time to get the basics. Don't memorize, but understand. This is about growing guys. And you learn and react quicker. That's where they're getting with him. Back to that bowl game I knew he'd get there. He has unreal potential.'
'This kid is younger than Hendon. Of course it took Hendon a while to get it. I've seen guys that are really great in practice, but you have to do it in games. And that's the next step. Unlike you, I think it's going to take him a few games to get acclimated. Then we can assess where he stands in terms of being one of the best in the league.'
'The hardest thing is finding a QB everyone believes in. I struggled coaching the strong arm guys because they thought they could make all the plays. My strong arm guys didn't have the touch. Look at Milton last year. When it's slightly off target, it's a drop. Throwing a catchable pass makes everyone want to work harder because everyone is better.'
Watson Brown Tennessee's Unfair Loss To Purdue: It looked like rugby. It looked like the rush push. What can you do with him. They don't know how to officiate him. It looked like rugby. That wasn't basketball. And if anyone gets on Barnes for that one they're wrong.
I'm Really Proud Of Mark Griffin! I'm sure there are people out there with more of a servant heart toward student athletes than my guy Mark Griffin, but I just haven't met one. Down through the years, I've personally witnessed him counseling and mentoring countless student athletes out of the goodness of his heart. Therefore I'm proud to shine the light on something Mark did earlier this week that is right up that alley. You go Griff. Keep up the great work! Keep reaching and teaching the next generation. Keep giving back! May this inspire all of us to get involved.
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The Phake Pitino Story Is Classic: Some clown with a phake account put a report out that was picked up by some that Pitino was under investigation for tampering. Of course Simon Charles, whose bio says that he has a double PHD in sports journalism and female anatomy, is actually using a decent form of humor here as there's a little truth in what he's saying. Those inside Tennessee's program have been saying for months that Pitino is trying to pry NYCNY's Tobe Awaka off Tennessee's program. Pitino is a brazen guy and this seems plausible. Really nice job by whoever is behind the Simon Charles account. That's some solid gaslighting there from him.
TLD Logistics Tennessee Baseball Report! Tennessee Baseball Has Opportunity To Win A Road Series: Bryan Mathews Rivals Of Auburn.Rivals.Com Breaks Down Auburn: Auburn:
1-8 in the SEC Coming into the weekend ...
Scored 24 runs in A&M series and got swept.
College World Series 2 of last 4 years
They've Played A Brutal Schedule So Far: At Vandy
Arkansas
At A&M
Tennessee is easiest series thus far because the series is at Auburn. It's getting to critical time for Auburn with this team.
On The Slow Start: It's been tough. They were 5-10 last year and got to 17-13. They're going to fight. Played UAB last night in a really tough to watch college basketball game.
Auburn Doing Just Enough To Lose Games: Pitching inconsistent. Can't get shut down innings. They'll score 2 runs and give up 3 runs. It's been odd and tough.
How Auburn Goes About Developing Winning Teams: Butch Thompson and his staff are very good at developing players. They don't recruit first round types. This year they missed on some guys. 3 high level pitchers haven't panned out from previous classes. Joseph Gonzalez is trying to come back from injury. He put on weight and added velocity and his sinker isn't sinking.
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The Hitters To Watch This Weekend: First Baseman Cooper McMurray can hit it.
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Ike Irish gonna hit 3rd and 4th in lineup ...
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Bobby Peirce having slow season. Career .330 hitter been in slump was 4-40 coming into A&M..
Cooper Weiss leadoff hitter. Transfer from Miami Ohio.
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The Auburn Rotation For Weekend Is Wide Open:
Chase Allsup. Friday starter. Has REALLY struggled. So inconsistent. Will walk some guys hit some batters has around a 7 era.
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Joseph Gonzalez has been Saturday or Sunday starter. Been hitting guys, walking guys. Teams have trouble squaring up on him when he goes well. Been a few years since he's been himself.
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Conner McBride RHP ... Midweek guy. Might start game one Friday night.
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Pitching staff does have depth. I think they'll use arms quicker ...
One other note on Auburn ... I was watching their game with UAB last night while working on this blog, and they were playing an ugly brand of baseball. Obviously you can't judge a team based off one mid week game, but a 1-7 SEC team playing an ugly brand of baseball in a midweek game is probably not a good sign. Just sayin'. Nothing is easy in the SEC on the road, but Tennessee has an opportunity to create some daylight this weekend. Go Tony Vols go ...
Fight On Garrett Crochet: He started for the White Sox versus the Braves Tuesday and starred. Crochet in 35 degree weather was dealing to the tune of 7 innings, 3 hits, with one run surrendered and 8 K's versus a lineup that was averaging 9 runs per game coming in. This is an offense with the second most runs in the modern era with 967 runs. And the VFL was dealing with a 97 MPH fastball and 94 MPH cutter, 90 MPH change up, 85 MPH slider. He was GREAT out loud. Crochet has fought injuries throughout his MLB career and even back at Tennessee. Fight on Garrett Crochet.
ICYMI from Tuesday: Tennessee Recruiting Report Presented By Zen Sports Online at Zen Sports Dot Com ...
'X' Says
'Last week during BasketballVols’ run to the Elite 8, Tennessee picked up some good news on the football recruiting front. Ethan Utley, a defensive lineman from Ensworth High School in Nashville, announced his commitment to Tennessee. Utley is a big pickup for Tennessee literally and figuratively. Utley is 6’3” 275 lbs. He has a big frame and actually looks a little skinny for a defensive lineman. He could easily add 20 to 30 lbs. of bodyweight. Tennessee has a number of defensive linemen who fit that size weight profile. Utley, like many a Tennessee commitment, is a multi-sport athlete. He competes in basketball as well as being a member of the Ensworth track & field team.
Utley is Tennessee’s 7th public commitment of the recruiting cycle. Tennessee’s early recruiting class is rated as the 10th best in the country. Utley is rated as a 4-star prospect. He is the third in-state prospect to publicly commit to Tennessee. Utley chose Tennessee over Texas, Michigan, LSU, Georgia. and Florida.
The Utley commitment has fallen off the radar because of Tennessee’s basketball run. However, I would refer to him as an early in the recruiting cycle statement pick up for Tennessee. He was a highly sought after defensive line prospect, at a position of need for Tennessee, coveted by major college programs from all over the country, who appeared to be headed elsewhere to play his college football but a prospect you could not afford to lose to another school.
I spent some time watching some sophomore and junior highlights. He is a much different looking player from his sophomore to his junior season. He was more disruptive, better in getting off blocks and used his hands far better. I would expect similar growth and improvement from his junior year to his senior year.
Utley's best football is in front of him. He is raw and gets by with being bigger and more athletic than the competition right now. He will learn to play to the whistle on every play when he gets to Tennessee, or he’ll hear Coach Garner screaming at him in his dreams. Last season he was in on 35 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, and 4 forced fumbles.
What Next for Tennessee (Recruiting) I’m watching the following in state prospects. Any one of the three who announce their commitment this spring you would have to like Tennessee's chances.
Cam Sparks, the Baylor School, Chattanooga. #1 athlete/prospect in state. Coveted by most every SEC school. Physically, he is built like an outside linebacker who runs like a wide receiver.
Radarious Jackson, Sheffield High School Memphis. Tall rangy athletic wide receiver with speed to stretch the field. Could push George McIntyre and Cam Sparks for #1 in state prospect by the end of the season.
Duane Morris, running back Oakland High School, Murfreesboro. Morris has gone from relative anonymity to amassing over 30 offers in a matter of months. Another prospect coveted by every SEC team. Tennessee seems to have the inside track for now.
Others I’m watching (Recruiting)
Jaelyne Matthews offensive tackle Toms River NJ. “Could be” one of the first offensive lineman prospects on Tennessee’s to come off Tennessee’s recruiting board. Matthews is regarded as one of the top offensive tackles in the nation. He is a fringe top 100 prospect. His top schools are Penn State, Miami, Georgia, and Tennessee.
Lagonza Hayward, Tombs County High School, Lyons, Georgia. Hayward is a top 100 safety prospect. Tennessee is a legitimate threat to beat Georgia, Alabama, and Florida State. Tennessee has been recruiting Hayward for a year and he has been to campus multiple times.
Tennessee Spring Practice: It’s hard to believe spring practice is almost over. 7 practices in. There is good and not so good. Here are some highlights and concerns.
Tennessee Offense
Quarterback: Nico hasn’t disappointed. Wow ...
Running Back: Losing Cam Seldon who was the solid number 2 running back behind Dylan Sampson to a shoulder issue is concerning. Only one running back behind Seldon has suited up for a college game let alone carry the football. Tennessee will look into the portal for an experienced running back who can provide depth and knows how to block.
Offensive Line: Tennessee pretty much knows what it has in its top 6 offensive linemen. There is a second tier of six linemen consisting of redshirt and true freshman that are getting the majority of the practice reps. Practicing against a defensive line that ranks as one of the best in the conference has been daunting but so far, they haven’t backed down. There is another group of offensive linemen running third team who have been passed over.
Wide Receiver: Thornton and Brazzell have been impressive. The freshmen Matthews will challenge for playing time. Could we see more 4 receiver sets this season than in the past?
Tight End: Maybe most surprising group through 7 practices. Davis is healthy and received praise. The transfers are willing blockers and are going to help.
Tennessee Defense:
Defensive Line: Tennessee has a problem most defensive coordinators would love to have. Tennessee literally goes 11 deep along the defensive line. Too, transfer Jaxson Moi, from Stanford, has been one of the biggest surprises of the spring. He is going to be a fixture on the defensive line this fall.
Linebackers: The concern is 3 linebackers who will be counted on this fall are either limited or not practicing. Sophomores Jerimiah Tellander and DeMarcus Smith have taken advantage of their opportunity. Both will have expanded roles this fall.
Cornerbacks and Safety: This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. Tennessee is faster and more athletic in the secondary than any other time in Coach Heupel's tenure at Tennessee. Young players like Rickey Gibson, Boo Carter, Jourdan Thomas are going to become household names . They just need experience and the patience of the coaching staff. No more trauma bonding to upper classmen.
Thanks for reading
'X'
Orange Throat
'T Club Team:
Random musings as we reflect on a heartbreaking loss in the Elite Eight in Detroit:
BAD DRAW ... We can now say UConn and Purdue are the two best teams in this tournament and will likely meet for the championship a week from tonight. It is also true that Auburn and Alabama have both stolen Final Four appearances that should belong to our superior fan base. This Tennessee team could have advanced way more easily in the South and West regions. Missing that 1-seed in the West had to be on our minds as we saw our Volunteers get dominated by 7-4 center Zach Edey and his officiating accomplices.
NO KADOOS FOR AIDONT ... No offense but 6-11 Jonas Aidoo (thanks to Refalytics Jud for the nickname) played smaller than 6-8 Tobe Awaka and 6-11 freshman J.P. Estrella was more effective against the massive Edey. Estrella is a promising prospect for next season, and he certainly grew some chest hair yesterday. Aidoo, who has been plagued by knee problems, looked real stiff in the NCAA tourney. He fumbled the ball when it was passed to him. He was awful. Not sure how much NIL money I'd invest in him on next year's roster. Not saying I told you so but maybe I am ... was worried about this team's inside depth heading into this tournament. We ran out of fouls to give inside.
KADOOS TO KNECHT ... Dalton Knecht played his knass off yesterday. He had no help on offense, other than Triple J and Justin Gainey. Ziggy played his heart out, as always, but was off the mark offensively. His pull-up shots in the lane were no doubt influenced by the Purdue skyscraper. We'll miss Dalton Knecht next season. Best wishes to you, young man.
WHERE DOES RICK BARNES GO FROM HERE? It was great to see him equal Bruce Pearl's record of taking this program to the Elite Eight. He produced a Final Four-worthy team but got a tough draw in playing Purdue. The portal has been open for several days so the Vol staff has to get in the mix and in the hunt and for sure work has already been done. There will be lots of moving pieces on this roster in and out in the next several days.
VOLTELLOS BOUNCE BACK FROM ... A terrible Friday night where they got run-ruled by the Georgia Bulldogs and win the series. The Tennessee pitching staff got ripped on Friday and Saturday but managed to win the Saturday slugfest. After giving up 27 runs to the Dogs the first two games, who had Zander Sechrist and Nate Snead shutting Georgia out yesterday in a series win on their singo card?
LOOKS LIKE A THIN NFL DRAFT ... For departed members of 2023 Volunteers right now. Matt Miller of ESPN was out with a full seven-round mock last week and RB Jaylen Wright was the first Vol in the third round at pick #80 to the Bengals. Corner Kamal Hadden was next in the fifth round at pick #169 to Green Bay and Joe Milton just made the list in seventh with pick #256. That's the last pick before the last pick.
SPEAKING OF RUNNING BACK ... Josh Heupel and staff may be in the market for a RB when the spring transfer portal opens on April 15, given Cam Seldon just went on the shelf with shoulder surgery. The program is high on true freshman Peyton Lewis but he got his shoulder cleaned up in January and is out this spring.
Orange Throat'
(@Drive4TLD) Here's Matt Dixon breaking it down ...
Matt Dixon
'Votellos Run Rule Tennessee Tech:
Tennessee snapped a 2-game losing streak to Tennessee Tech with an 11-1 run-rule victory Tuesday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
The Volunteers used a different pitcher in each of the seven innings to hold the Golden Eagles to just three hits.
Tennessee scored 11 runs on 13 hits to improve to 22-4 on the season.
With runners on the corners and no outs in the bottom of the 1st, Christian Moore grounded into a 6-4-3 double play but brought home the runner at 3rd to give the Vols an early 1-0 lead.
Tennessee loaded the bases with only one out in the bottom of the 3rd but a 6-4-3 double play ended the threat.
The Vols loaded the bases with only out again in the 4th inning. This time pushing across two runs. First on a Charlie Taylor fielder’s choice ground ball to shortstop and then on a double steal that saw Reese Chapman’s cross home plate before Taylor was tagged out in a rundown.
Tennessee blew the game open in the 5th inning. A 2-run home run by Blake Burke made it 5-0. It was Burke’s 9th home run of the season and 39th for his UT career, passing Todd Helton. He’s now just one long ball shy of tying the school record for career home runs.
Back-to-back doubles from Kavares Tears and Hunter Ensley plated another run to make it 6-0.
Later in the frame, Reese Chapman crushed a no-doubter to right field for a 3-run home run to extend the lead to 9-0.
A 2-out single by Theo Bryant IV in the top of the 3rd was the Golden Eagles’ only hit until Bryant IV doubled off the top of the wall in right centerfield with one out in the 6th inning.
Bryant IV would eventually come around to score on a muffed catch at 1st base later in the inning to make it 9-1.
After loading the bases with no outs in the bottom of the 7th, Chapman hit a ground-rule double down the right field line that walked off the Golden Eagles 11-1.
Notes: — Billy Amick was out of the lineup for the first time all season vs the Golden Eagles with appendicitis. He’s expected to miss all three games this weekend vs Georgia as well.
— Ariel Antigua earned his first career start at shortstop and made a couple of nice plays in the field. Regular starting shortstop Dean Curley slid over to 3rd base, giving fans a preview of the likely left side of the infield next season.
— Hitting in the leadoff spot for the first time all season, Robin Villeneuve was 3-for-3 and scored twice.
— Reese Chapman made his 8th start of the season and went 4-for-4 with a 3-run home run, double and five RBIs.
— Freshman Dylan Loy made his first career start. He retired the side in order to open the game in his only inning of work.
— Freshman Derek Schaefer earned the win after pitching a three up, three down 2nd inning with two strikeouts.
@Mattdixon3'
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Posted: Sun, Mar 24th, 4:22 PM
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