Had dinner last night with some of my friends who have some ins with UT,got some updates and a lot of opinions so take it as such.
The OL lost a lot of experience but talent wise may be better overall if we are talking two deep.
At left tackle even after losing a first round caliber player there is zero cause for concern--
Comment-IMO Goosby was the 2nd best tackle on the team last year,He was an upgrade over Cam especially if Cam was not 100% which he wasn't most of the year,Goosby has high first round ability.
Nick Brooks has showed up ready to contribute,he will be in the rotation somewhere,his overall athletisimn has shocked some people.he may get some looks at guard as well as tackle just to get him on the field,even Jumbo TE is a possibility.
At left guard ,Neto was the presumed starter and may well still end up as he is having a good spring,But Nate Kibble is having a GREAT spring and doesn't seem to care about seniority.
Comments-Kibble is a mean MFer,he is just nasty.He is going to come at you with the idea of ripping out your throat on every play.He may not have as much experience, but he is rising swiftly as a player that needs to be on the field. @nd comment- he plays through the whistle every play,he is what everyone though Campbell would be as a young player.
Center-Cole Hudson- Cole has made it a pretty seamless transition, but Majors was one of the smartest players and most experienced. Cole brings a bit more of a physical presence and better length but Jakes experience will be missed initially. there ate two capable backups and Cruz may be the future because of his athleticism.
Right guard--Campbell has had his best spring and more importantly his best off season,this year he is truly in football shape and seems to have taken the next step mentally to maximize his potential,when he is locked in he is a devastating run blocker.Comment--He is more focused than he has been in the past and he knows he is in a contract year.
Jayden Chapman,Nick Brooks,Andre Cojoe and Conner Stroh are in the mix as backups to this position,Jackson Christian works as a backup at left guard behing Neto and Kibble.
TE-The position is thin with Washington hurt,but Shannon has stepped up,he is an effective blocker and while not a game breaker,he can move the chains, Unfortunately the freshman TE ,Townsend who they are very high on was one of the few signees who was not an early enrollee. A hard look will be taken at what is available in the portal.
LT-Baker and Cojoe are in a drill by drill battle here,one day its Baker,the next Cojoe,Cojoe is cross training at guard and the feeling is he may
be a swing player with Baker as the starter but it's not settled at this point and most likely won't be untill fall camp.
QB-Arch has been Arch,which is really really good,people forget somtimes how athletic he is and while Sark doesnt rely heavily on a Qb run game,he could if he wanted to,but that right arm is whats going to make his career,that and his mind..he is totally different than Quinn in on field personality, he is fiery,Quinn was laid back.Arch wants to run to contact,he likes head on collisions. But his coach doesn't so he will be reigned in --somewhat. But his teammates love that attitude.
Trey Owens-he can make every throw on the field and make them accurately,he is a bigtime prospect with an NFL future, More of a prototypical pocket passer than the others but athletic enough and he is a really big dude.
RB-Tre Wisner is the lead dog,because he is just an alpha, just a complete ballplayer. Gipson has probably made the most improvement,not unexpected from a true freshman season where everything is happening at a hundred miles an hour,I think the game is slowing down for him mentally and he is able to just use his natural ability without thinking about it.
With Clark,who allways had tons of natural ability,well he just worked so hard at his rehab be may actually be in better shape than when he came here out of highscho/ he seems to be fully recovered but its like every time he is tackled,all his teammates kind of hold their breath untill they are sure he is okay,doesnt seem to effect him in the least ,just all his friends,he seems to be 100% but he is the only one who knows it.
Simon-he is big,quick and smooth,he has ben a pleasant surprise at how well he is prepared himself to contribute.
Stewart- Physically he was smaller than what I expected,but he has some real burst and short area quickness,he will take a badly blocked play and make something out of it. Defense later--utx
The OL lost a lot of experience but talent wise may be better overall if we are talking two deep.
At left tackle even after losing a first round caliber player there is zero cause for concern--
Comment-IMO Goosby was the 2nd best tackle on the team last year,He was an upgrade over Cam especially if Cam was not 100% which he wasn't most of the year,Goosby has high first round ability.
Nick Brooks has showed up ready to contribute,he will be in the rotation somewhere,his overall athletisimn has shocked some people.he may get some looks at guard as well as tackle just to get him on the field,even Jumbo TE is a possibility.
At left guard ,Neto was the presumed starter and may well still end up as he is having a good spring,But Nate Kibble is having a GREAT spring and doesn't seem to care about seniority.
Comments-Kibble is a mean MFer,he is just nasty.He is going to come at you with the idea of ripping out your throat on every play.He may not have as much experience, but he is rising swiftly as a player that needs to be on the field. @nd comment- he plays through the whistle every play,he is what everyone though Campbell would be as a young player.
Center-Cole Hudson- Cole has made it a pretty seamless transition, but Majors was one of the smartest players and most experienced. Cole brings a bit more of a physical presence and better length but Jakes experience will be missed initially. there ate two capable backups and Cruz may be the future because of his athleticism.
Right guard--Campbell has had his best spring and more importantly his best off season,this year he is truly in football shape and seems to have taken the next step mentally to maximize his potential,when he is locked in he is a devastating run blocker.Comment--He is more focused than he has been in the past and he knows he is in a contract year.
Jayden Chapman,Nick Brooks,Andre Cojoe and Conner Stroh are in the mix as backups to this position,Jackson Christian works as a backup at left guard behing Neto and Kibble.
TE-The position is thin with Washington hurt,but Shannon has stepped up,he is an effective blocker and while not a game breaker,he can move the chains, Unfortunately the freshman TE ,Townsend who they are very high on was one of the few signees who was not an early enrollee. A hard look will be taken at what is available in the portal.
LT-Baker and Cojoe are in a drill by drill battle here,one day its Baker,the next Cojoe,Cojoe is cross training at guard and the feeling is he may
be a swing player with Baker as the starter but it's not settled at this point and most likely won't be untill fall camp.
QB-Arch has been Arch,which is really really good,people forget somtimes how athletic he is and while Sark doesnt rely heavily on a Qb run game,he could if he wanted to,but that right arm is whats going to make his career,that and his mind..he is totally different than Quinn in on field personality, he is fiery,Quinn was laid back.Arch wants to run to contact,he likes head on collisions. But his coach doesn't so he will be reigned in --somewhat. But his teammates love that attitude.
Trey Owens-he can make every throw on the field and make them accurately,he is a bigtime prospect with an NFL future, More of a prototypical pocket passer than the others but athletic enough and he is a really big dude.
RB-Tre Wisner is the lead dog,because he is just an alpha, just a complete ballplayer. Gipson has probably made the most improvement,not unexpected from a true freshman season where everything is happening at a hundred miles an hour,I think the game is slowing down for him mentally and he is able to just use his natural ability without thinking about it.
With Clark,who allways had tons of natural ability,well he just worked so hard at his rehab be may actually be in better shape than when he came here out of highscho/ he seems to be fully recovered but its like every time he is tackled,all his teammates kind of hold their breath untill they are sure he is okay,doesnt seem to effect him in the least ,just all his friends,he seems to be 100% but he is the only one who knows it.
Simon-he is big,quick and smooth,he has ben a pleasant surprise at how well he is prepared himself to contribute.
Stewart- Physically he was smaller than what I expected,but he has some real burst and short area quickness,he will take a badly blocked play and make something out of it. Defense later--utx
