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i don't disagree with a single post on this thread, by the way. 

i can count on one hand where there is an advantage to allowing a score in order to have a chance to win- and even less that it was actually used.  Nico was off all night- it wasn't just pressure, either.  he picked up flat footed joe the mile slinger's habit of statue'ing in the pocket- and he looks at his target for a moment too long before launching it.  Hooker didn't do that- he kept his feet moving almost perpetually and he saw and read his targets in the same time and space making a decision instantly.  

Nico has some learning to do... he'll be a good one once a few of these absolutely coachable items are addressed.  

to say this as plainly as i can and not seeking responses-via-outrage:  UT is dang lucky it was only 3-0 at the half.  it wasn't UT's fault, it was arky's... they goofed up when they shouldn't have- and it may or may not have been due to UT's defense... that score should have been 17-0 Arky.   

And the words of a friend. Now we see why Lance heard was on the bench at LSU

Nico is not a good QB. He was sold as a “generational QB”. He’s far from that. I can name several freshman QB’s that were better over the past 10 years. Nico is timid and easily frightened. The $8 million dollar QB playing like the Dollar General QB. I can’t tell you how many times he had an open field to run last night but elected to throw an incomplete pass instead. His ability to survey the field suffers because he stares his WR down. And as for Heupel, he sucks without Golesh calling the shots. Heupel without Golesh is like Fulmer without Cutt, lost and ineffective.

The OL coach sucks, the WR coach sucks, the QB coach sucks, and the DB coach sucks. The OL got blown up all night. Heard isn’t the answer at LT. I’d bench his sorry ass. The WR’s can’t ever get separation against average DB’s (probably because the sorry ass DB’s they compete against in practice), Nico looked like a deer in headlights. The DB’s can’t play man press to save their lives and give huge cushions to opposing WR’s. Third and long. That’s almost a guarantee against this secondary. Might as well have O-linemen playing in the secondary.

Anyway, look to be disappointed again this weekend when the Gators kick the Vols asses in Neyland Stadium as usual. They own the Vols. I’m sure the Vols will find a new way to lose to the Gators that hasn’t ever been attempted in college football history. 

I have no faith in this team. They will finish 8-4 or 7-5. 

Losses to Arkansas, Florida, Bama, Georgia, and possibly either Kentucky or Vandy. Vandy just beat Bama so they can surely beat the Vols. I’d take their QB over the pathetic Nico $8 million dollar garbage man. 

Nico is not a good QB. He was sold as a “generational QB”. He’s far from that.

The jury is still out. I wonder how good our WR corps is really. They're deep and fairly good but I don't see any special difference maker. The final play was disappointing from Nico. You can't just run past the LOS and then wander out of bounds. Got to throw it in the end zone there, even if the WRs can't get open.

The issue isn’t Nico, though he missed a couple of times. This falls squarely on the OL, and to a lesser extent the DL.

The OL weren’t using the proper technique pass blocking. They are taught to step and punch if someone is in them, or set and punch if not. Zero punch the whole game. That is effort. They were overconfident, partly due to the coaching staff optimism, which is the way they coach. Partly because of all the positive press. The running backs missed several blitz pick ups. That can’t happen. One solution is to turn Nico loose and just run him. We might see that this weekend. The problem there is injury possibility.

Nico is still learning. College ball is complex and it takes time to grow into it.

The Dl took the night off, pure and simple.

Well, we found out some things Saturday night.

We found out the sky is NOT the limit for this football team. It has a hard ceiling -- I would put it at 9-3, maybe 8-4.

We found out that Nico is not all that. He's played well against a depleted Iowa. An FCS school. The worst team in FBS. The worst team in the ACC. And was serviceable against an okay OU.

Everyone has bragged about his calm, cool composure. But he was not prepared for the Ju Ju that he encountered in those Ozark hills. There is no substitute for experience.

His coolness -- Joe Milton had it too -- is beginning to look like lack of intensity. That laid back, California, Snoop Dog nonchalance -- going out of bounds on the last play? SERIOUSLY??? -- won't work in the SEC.

The poor guy had Overthrow Joe -- the master of being situationally unaware -- as a mentor. And has learned well. It's like he's been taking JM pills. And did a spot on impersonation of him against the Hogs. Standing tall and serenely flat footed in the pocket until -- wait, there's not a pocket any more. Guess I'm sacked.

Where's the improvisation? Where's the finding something, when nothing's there? You know -- like generational QBs do?

And I haven't seen so many dives up the middle, and bubble screens, since Johnny Majors. Where's our hi-flying offense? Arky shut it down. Did Walton money put an NFL D in Razorback unis?

This ain't fun.

I don't think it was necessarily Joe, or now Nico. 

I am now convinced that our vaunted offense left with Alex Golesh at the end of 2022. 

Aint been right since. 

I don't think it was necessarily Joe, or now Nico. 

I am now convinced that our vaunted offense left with Alex Golesh at the end of 2022. 

Aint been right since.

Well, we did score like a bazillion and eleven points in Snoop's first 5 games...

All against mediocre to bad comp.

Even the talent level, and we go from 70 to 14.  Milton did the same thing.  He looked fine against the also rans, and a Clemson team with a freshman QB.  But Bama?  UGA?  Even 5-7 Florida?

No, gentlemen.  Our O didn't leave with Golesh.  It left with Hendon Hooker.  He has the fire in the belly, and smarts, needed to be a good/great QB.  And Snoop needs to find those.  FAST.  Let me ask you:  who would you rather have at QB against Florida?  Snoop?  Or Vandy's?

Btw -- I see we're checkering Neyland for the Gators.

Can you be any more tone deaf?  We ruin our season with a miserable, ugly loss.  So let's get all a-flutter over a stadium fashion show.  That we've seen a dozen times.

How bout folks come to the stadium wearing what they want.  With a hip flask on board.  And get CRAZY.

And our team comes out and plays some damn FOOTBALL.