B.J. Coleman Quits Team; No Longer A Tennessee Volunteer
by David Hooper on Apr 23, 2009 4:19 PM EDT
in Tennessee Volunteer Football
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The speculation is now over. B.J. Coleman has decided to pursue playing time elsewhere rather than risk being a backup and losing another year of college playing time. With the Coaching Chimera obviously intent on bringing in their own hand-picked player, the recent addition of Rozier to fill in the 2-year gap, and the extensive time Crompton had with the first-team players during the spring practices, Coleman must have read the handwriting on the wall and figured that Kiffin did not see him as a substantial part of the offense.
It's going to be very easy to get bent out of shape on this one. For the Crompton haters out there, this must surely come as the worst news of the Kiffin era. At this point, we have to assume that Crompton is the starter until somebody else takes it from him, and we're not sure that the staff is very interested in finding that person within the current options: Stephens has a chance to prove himself when his wrist is 100%, but Rozier surely won't have enough of a chance to prove he knows the offense and beat out Crompton within the span of fall practice. While I didn't really expect the announcement to come in this form, it really does sound like I was right when I suggested that you prepare for Crompton to be the man.
Brace yourselves for this, also: get ready for the unbelievable storm of fury and outrage that will come from people who hate Crompton. I'm not begrudging the opinion; everybody has one and mine tends to be based on being nonconfrontational about things, so I'm hardly one to complain. But Crompton is our guy now, and there's really nothing to be gained by dwelling in the hate. If you think that Crompton doesn't learn well enough for the game, at least you know that Kiffin's offense is not nearly as cerebral as Clawson's was; the biggest criticism laid against Crompton has to be mitigated at least somewhat by that fact.
One last word about the matter (for now): This will undoubedtly make UT an extremely tempting location for a QB in next year's class. The gap between Stephens and the '10 guy will be filled only by Rozier, a baseball convert who was never highly rated in the first place. So long as we're not bringing in a clone of Jimmy Clausen, that should bode well.
I'll have more to say later once I get my thoughts and analysis complete. There's a lot to consider.
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Leaving that recruiting door wide open for a QB for the 2010 class.
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
~Earl Wilson
The best thing Kiffin can do for recruiting is win, period.
He’s not going to play the lesser player just to land a better recruit.
I agree on both counts.
I highly doubt Kiffin intended to have Coleman leave the team. After all, it’s not like UT will be hurting for scholarship availability for the ’10 class – or for the ’11 class, even. It would have been better to have one more person available for the team in the fall, no matter how you cut it.
by David Hooper on Apr 23, 2009 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions
"But Crompton is our guy now, and there's really nothing to be gained by dwelling in the hate."
I dunno, I’m pretty comfy over here.
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I will give my shirt for Tennessee today.
Heh.
I’m not complaining, mind you. But there’s a difference between being upset and absolutely fixating on it to the point that you can’t talk about anything else. Last I checked, you’ve never allowed you anger at one thing to prevent yourself from getting angry over anything else. ;-)
by David Hooper on Apr 23, 2009 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Touché ;)
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I will give my shirt for Tennessee today.
by Holly Anderson on Apr 23, 2009 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions
(Really, I add lines like that to keep us from becoming like the GVX message board.)
by David Hooper on Apr 23, 2009 7:42 PM EDT up reply actions
(Good looking out. Because, ewwwww.)
________________________________
I will give my shirt for Tennessee today.
by Holly Anderson on Apr 23, 2009 7:43 PM EDT up reply actions
All that aside, though--
will greatly miss Coleman as a player. I never did like him more than Stephens, but I thought he had real potential.
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I will give my shirt for Tennessee today.
by Holly Anderson on Apr 23, 2009 7:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh, me too.
Everybody seemed to like the guy. He was never in a sniff of trouble and really seemed to be team-first. You have to give him props for keeping this under wraps and being a full contributor to the team, even if he had probably decided on this a few weeks ago.
by David Hooper on Apr 23, 2009 8:02 PM EDT up reply actions
That's my happy place!
I’ve planted roots over there, I’m raising a family there. One more year and I’m vested. I’m petitioning the NCAA for another year of eligibility for JC.
LOL
I am eagerly anticipating your reaction (FanPost, please?). Of all RTT regulars I thought of when I heard the news, you were probably the first.
You do have to let me know when you’re in Knoxville. I’d still love to place a face to a name.
by David Hooper on Apr 23, 2009 8:22 PM EDT up reply actions
UGH!!!!!!
The season just got longerrrrrrrrrrrrrr and much more dismalllllllllllllllll. I have been wrong before and I wouldn’t mind being wrong again, but I do not anticipate a productive passing game which usually leads to 8 in the box which dampens the run game. Can we bring Tee Martin back? At least he could throw it deep!!!
As a Chattanoogan, I am sad.
I wanted BJ Coleman to prove his worth, win the starting job, and bring glory back to Big Orange Country…WOOO!!! However, that’s not the case. He didn’t beat out Crompton this spring…PERIOD. If Coach Kiffin truly made the QB position available to the winner (and competition at other position backs up that theory), then Coleman didn’t separate himself enough to be the outright starter. There’s no need to second guess or debate this. He wants out. We should let him out. He wants to play on the field on Saturdays. I respect that and I hope Kiffin does too. I hope he’s given free range of choices (other than SEC opponents, of course).
I don’t know if he deserved more time with the first team. I don’t know if Kiffin sees what Fulmer saw and thinks he’s 2nd string only. I don’t know if politics plays a role. I don’t know if Crompton’s parents have a monetary vote. I don’t know if he’s suffering another year with a different regime who want to put their guy in at the key position. I don’t know if the other players back the other QBs more. Maybe Coleman has trouble in the film room. I don’t know a lot, but I do know that Coach Kiffin and his staff are talent and experienced. I also know that they now must work with two question marks at QB and a Red Sox pitcher. I feel that the question marks are due to the Clawfense and I am confident both men (and to an extent Rosier) will be well prepared this fall.
One last thing. My gut tells me Heaps is not coming to UTK. Washington (USC OC) or BYU (sister). I hope I’m wrong. I will say that I would like to know more about Jesse Scroggins. He looks pretty good to me. Also read either here or on another blog that he faces much stiffer competion than Heaps. We’ll see.
My understanding is that he's free to everybody outside the SEC.
That’s the usual condition, with the exception of players leaving Florida State.
by David Hooper on Apr 23, 2009 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions
This is GREAT!
I do hate to lose any player but this is huge for the program. This is just one less thing for people to debate about all season long. With Crompton as the go to guy no will be screaming for Coleman anytime Crompton throws an INT during the season. The Elite of the Elite QB’s will be pining at the chance to play at UT now.
A Pro-Style Offense with a KILLER running game and great WR’s and a possible Senior Quarterback next year with a 24 year old walk-on former pitcher two star quarterback as your only competition.
This couldn’t be better for us not to mention Crompton has set himself aside as the best so far with the only question mark left is how will stephen play at 100% wither way it doesn’t hurt recruiting because Stephens will be a senior next year. GREAT GREAT news…. sorry B.J. but maybe next school you can get it all together.
Got it right
You got it right, BigBeefe. Crompton will not be confused with the Heisman winners at USC but he should be adequate under the new system, which seems like ball control with the average QB getting it in the hands of the playmakers. I know the Claw-fense claimed to do that, but I believe these guys really know how to do it at this level.
Rozier probably has a gun for an arm, so he’s the new third teamer and Stevens is likely adequate as well when he is healed & gets enough snaps. Enough to get by til next season, seems to be the consensus.
BJ clouded the succession plan for the 5-star recruits. It was basically a coin-flip between Crompton and Coleman in the Spring. Coleman played better in the games but didn’t practice as well & that was a strike against him. Neither one would stand a chance against a top-flight recruit, so it is better to let BJ move along.
I like how these guys make a decision quickly and communicate it clearly enough so that the players can decide to play elsewhere. I hope BJ has a good career elsewhere and really is as good as he thinks he is.
I agree with you for the most part
But it was not a coin flip. Kiffin said repeatedly (as did other sources) that Crompton was far and away the leader.
Um, he also said
that BJ Coleman was a Gamer who played better than he practiced, according to Kiffin.
I am definitely not a fan of either Coleman or Crompton, because I think they (and Stevens, too) are barely serviceable options. Point I’m trying to make is that fans in each camp can point to quotes by Kiffin to say their guy is better. He tried to be balanced to promote competition. And, he knew this yr’s QB is one and done (b/c the 2010 recruits will be waaaaay better).
Stevens was the only one who was far behind – because of injury, supposedly. We’ll see.
Adios kid......
good luck to ya, your really going to need it wherever your going. I don’t think its going to be a smooth ride for you. Maybe you can go to Duke…..Your old recruiter can help with your reciever selection and throwing motion. You might even get a chance to play when your a senior……If you can get the chip off your shoulder. Adios, goodbye, aufwiedersehen, ciao, and good luck……
BIg O
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