UT Pro Day Results: Whaaaa---?
Ok, look. This is going to come off like a bash-the-previous-administration post, but do know that I simply don't go that route. Still, when you see something that startles you this much, you just have to say something.
Update: GVX has also posted info on O-linemen Parker and Foster, including Parker's 5.08-40. That's moving pretty quickly for a big guy.
UT's Pro Day was today, and is the last opportunity for any of the departing seniors to make an impression on NFL scouts in hopes of getting picked up - either in the draft or as an undrafted free agent (UFA). GVX has a writeup on the event, and it was reading through that particular piece that made my jaw hit the floor. Multiple times.
Robert Ayers
By now, nothing is surprising about Ayers having success. He had a stellar combine and he was the Senior Bowl's Defensive MVP. Add that to his monster season, and a first round pick seemed likely before the day began. Yet Ayers decided to work out one more time, which may have risked more to lose than to gain.
Still, his willingness to work out again and do everything the scouts asked impressed them. Again. One of the more intriguing stories is that some 3-4 defenses are looking at him as a possible outside linebacker. Hey, any possibility is a good possibility, and I hope he gets a great fit.
Now for the odd reports:
Lucas Taylor
To the point: Lucas Taylor ran a 4.36-40, jumped 36 inches and benched 14 reps. The 14 reps is up from the two he was doing a mere seven weeks earlier. Where in the world did this kid get a 4.36 in the 40? I mean, I have no problem with him whatsoever, but I can't ever remember hearing Taylor synonymous with speed. In addition to the 0.1-second time-shaving, he has gained 11 pounds, which will help with any durability arguments.
[blink]
Josh Briscoe
Again, another guy I have no problem with and hope has an NFL future also ran a 4.3-40. I don't ever remember hearing anything about Briscoe as a burner, either. Why was it that only Moore seemed to be a deep threat last year - and that in the second half of the season?
Linebackers
Ellix Wilson ran a 4.61-40, jumped 32 inches and benched 23 reps. Adam Myers-White ran a 4.58, jumped 32 inches and benched 15 times. His explanation for his improved performance? "Stopped partying and everything." Ah.
In conclusion, it's obligatory to say that the physical metrics only mean as much as the players are willing to enforce them on the field of play. Still, I never heard of our receivers running sub-4.4 times at all last year. I'm a bit at a loss on the whole thing, really.
(And again, I'm not bashing anybody. But I wouldn't mind an honest dialogue.)
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Comments
What about
Chuck Smith blaming the collective defensive unit for Robert Ayers having only three sacks? I’m highly mixed on that, because on the one, yeah we weren’t great up front…but didn’t we have the 4th best defense in the country?
Great for Taylor and Briscoe…people see what they want to see, and if you want to see this as more evidence that Fulmer wasn’t getting the most out of his guys (or however one would phrase something like that)…well, you know…
by Will on Mar 11, 2009 9:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
If you look at '07
You can find a bunch of players who were productive and reliable. Taylor for instance had 73 catches for 1000 yards. So its not totally shocking to see that these guys have talent. This year we may start to realize how crippling that Clawfense really was.
by Getoffmyvols on Mar 11, 2009 9:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Some of the stuff I'm seeing is that those 40 times may not be 100% accurate
For instance, both of those guys are clocking faster than Percy Harvin did. Something about a wind tunnel, hand timing, and stuff like that. Either way, these guys clearly have speed and, in Taylor’s case, have really bulked up.
It will be very interesting to see how last year’s seniors do in the draft this year. Like Hooper, I don’t want to bash the previous staff, but I think it is becoming more and more apparent that they weren’t getting as much as possible out of some of the players. It’s almost like, if you wanted to work really, really hard (Eric Berry, Elix Wilson, Robert Ayers), the tools were there for you to be very successful and the coaching staff would encourage and help you as much as they could. However, if you felt like just eeking by (Morley, Vinson, Myers-White, apparently), you could definitely do so.
by rblakeh on Mar 11, 2009 9:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I stand (slightly corrected)
Per Brent Hubbs:
Each individual scout has their own watch and they all gather go over the times on their watches and take the average.
So, they were indeed hand timed, but should still be pretty accurate.
by rblakeh on Mar 11, 2009 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
But how much could they be off, really?
4.39 instead of a 4.36? I mean, I don’t know. I’m asking
Wanna hear some music?
by samhitch on Mar 11, 2009 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The thing is, it may indeed be damning of the previous staff, in its own way.
I’d like to think we can discuss the pros and cons of a given staff without worrying that people are thinking we’re bashing them.
A couple of things I’ve thought of. For one, perhaps the old staff was too nice to some of them and didn’t hold their feet to the fire – especially during the preseason – for conditioning. It could explain the sudden jump in performance once these guys had new trainers.
For another possibility, I remember something about some of the seniors complaining (well after the season) that they weren’t getting enough practice time because Clawson wanted to train the players who would be available for his second year. That might also explain the receivers – perhaps they weren’t motivated enough to stand out. Or perhaps they weren’t utilized enough for us to notice.
I think we can all safely drop the fears of our thoughts being criticized as anti-Fulmer. Nobody’s perfect, and this is a great discussion topic.
by Hooper on Mar 11, 2009 10:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Briscoe made those comments, I think
About the underclassmen being given an unfair advantage, but I don’t think that happened until midway through the season, but I’m not sure.
by rblakeh on Mar 11, 2009 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought it was Briscoe, but I wasn't 100% on it.
Found the article. It was on GVX on January 16.
Some Briscoe quotes:
“They started to focus more on the younger guys,” Briscoe said. “(Lucas Taylor’s) reps were cut in half. That’s uncalled for. Austin (Rogers) and I … Our reps were cut in half. That’s uncalled for … because you want to play the younger guys for the future. It’s not right.”
“We had to do a lot more thinking as a whole. We weren’t able to go out and just play as much.”
“(Clawson) didn’t really know these guys. He didn’t know their talents. We were trying to do a lot of things we really shouldn’t have been doing offensively. We never really found our identity, never really found something that we knew if we did it, we were going to get positive yards.”
There’s more, but you get the feeling that Briscoe was saying in a very tactful manner that he pinned the blame on Clawson first, then Fulmer’s loyalty to Clawson second.
by Hooper on Mar 11, 2009 10:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Speaking of Talent blowing up after leaving UT, look at Mayo, I mean yeah I knew he was good and led the SEC in tackles and stuf like that, but I never thought he was Rookie of the year in the NFL good, I mean I am happy for him just surprised thats all. So did the staff not get his full potential when he was here? Another thing I had never really forgotten about was on a radio show one day I think it was Marvin Mitchell would said he was greatful to Fulmer for letting him start and play his senoir year even though Mayo was behind him and was better and should have been playing…I am glad that that type of Coaching is gone away. No offense to them or Marvin but its about winning these days
Lots of players have surprised me in the NFL . Shawn Bryson doing what he did as a tailback and not a Fullback, Eric parker in SD, he never really played that much here. Witten in Dallas, yeah another guy I knew was good, but not the best TE in the NFL good. The whole Clawfence story will unfold this year and next when we see what happens at Bowling Green. Also I am really interested in seeing how Chavis does down in the big easy.
Tackled by "Puki" and a host of Volunteers
by voljunkie on Mar 11, 2009 11:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think Chavis will do great
He is going to have some phenomenal athletes to work with on his defensive squad.
by rblakeh on Mar 12, 2009 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If Einstein were to comment on the Clawfense he might say...
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage — to move in the opposite direction."
by Getoffmyvols on Mar 12, 2009 1:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

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