Tennessee Football: John Adams on Vols' roster, transfer portal needs

want to take a look at Tennessee because the transfer portal is still a big factor and we to get John's take on the transfer portal uh to this point remind you that portions of the program are brought to you by our friends at Campbell Cunningham Taylor and Han enjoy life when you see better local vision service for lasic cataract surgery and regular eye examination cc.com cc.com John I don't know if it was 365 days ago or exactly when it is I could go back and look but when Dante Thorton's coming in the door Andre kuri's coming in the door uh John Campbell Jr's coming in the door as last year's transfer portal and despite how they played last year there was Sizzle there's about as much Sizzle as bacon in a freezer right now um there's not a lot of Sizzle with this transfer portal but I don't think it it dams it to being a aage but right now what are your thoughts on Tennessee and the transfer portal and where they are well I didn't find that much Sizzle last year either Dave oh really okay I I just didn't think those players were I know they made a big deal about Donnie thoron the Tennessee coaches talked him up so much but you look what he did at Oregon it was pretty pedestrian um so I didn't I agree but didn't it have a feel that they were gonna have three or four impact players heading into the fall well when you just I guess my experience with the transfer portal I've come to be skeptical of it because it's as though the guys uh Skyrocket in value as soon as they enter the portal I mean John Campbell at Miami he started a bunch of games he started I don't know 18 or 20 games there uh so he's a a veteran player but I he wasn't like an all American candidate so I I just didn't sense that Sizzle as for this year I think Tennessee has done a really nice job of filling needs uh with one exception Tennessee to me still needs an elite player uh a wide receiver I think in Josh Hy's offense if it could get an elite player Evan Stewart of A&M would have been that Elite player apparent teams view him with a lot of scrutiny and wonder about if he's kind of screwy um I'll use a medical term there uh they there're I that's just what what I've read I mean but a lot of receivers are that way but he is a big-time playmaker he's been uh impacted negatively because of A&M's offense and it's quarterback situation with the number of injuries there but that to me is still what Tennessee hasn't gotten well a good example Georgia gets etn from Florida now that is an all SEC type player you know that going in he becomes georg's number one running back Tennessee hasn't got that kind of player a few years ago Alabama got jir Gibbs from Georgia Tech clearly an elite player had an immediate impact he was alab you know focal point of Alabama's offense behind Bryce young so that to me is what Tennessee's offense lacks and needs Caleb I think there's more than one way to split a cat but I want what let's don't let's don't punish animals day sorry I think there's more than one way to skin an apple but I I think that um uh split not even skin you said split I know it's like no you split an atam you skin a cat stop all right so but I would want to be that program that picked up a Jamir Gibbs or an ien and needed that one guy that I'm just plugging in as opposed to I've got a feel four or five spots where it feels like Tennessee still has to do that on the offensive line and secondary Caleb is this this year where they're getting close to that do they feel more comfortable taking less guys in the transfer portal is that a good sign about their roster you hope that is if you're a Tennessee fan I think it's highly possible what I talked about last week is true which is that they just ran out of nil money keeping the players that they needed to keep to come back and I mean I'm going to disagree with John John I actually think Tennessee's fine at receiver if Brew McCoy gets healthy and squirrel White's there I don't think there's room for Evan Stewart If squirrel White's there and so I think that a big problem was Tennessee you guys were lower on him than even I was this year didn't have a quarterback that could get receivers the ball in the slot this past year as well as he should have been able to and so with him with those two Mike Matthews Chris brazle coming from two lane I think Tennessee is going to be fine at receiver but at the offens at the offensive line and in the secondary yeah there's concerns on why Gerald miny left and they haven't added alignment in the portal there's concerns on why they haven't added cornerbacks in the portal quarterbacks leaving isn't a big deal I'm I'm with John and I talked about that last week I don't think either of us cared because I think they've been so bad in the secondary anyway but you do wonder why haven't they added anybody do they really believe in their young talent that much that's something that remains to be seen and it's possible but I also have to be honest I don't believe in Josh Hy's Talent evaluation that much I think he's a good coach but I think Josh Hy is almost it's like how Patriots fans feel about Bill bich right now where they think Bill bich is a great coach but in terms of roster management he's been God awful the past five years and I mean I I see some of the same issues with Josh hpel to this point that's pretty special that you compare Josh hpel to Bill bellich he the negative side that's pretty good compliment uh no I thought the organ State DB I thought he played cornerback J McCoy yeah yes so Tennessee got a cornerback to me Tennessee has added perhaps it's two best defensive backs with transfers with MTSU guy and then the Oregon State player that those could be their two best defensive backs so to me they've enhanced their secondary Gerald miny I kind of feel about him the way I do that secondary I just think he's average on his very best day and uh I don't great offensive lineman uh weekly so maybe he's better than that but that was just my that's my assessment of him but they do need and keep in mind there is the May transfer period so there's still a chance to to add people and I think Tennessee needs to add people yeah but those dudes I mean they just don't seem to have nearly the impact of the guys that come in earlier and uh I John I'm curious if if you were to add on to this transfer portal and talk about needs and you and Josh hyp will sat down and came up with a plan of the the rest of taking guys in I mean who would you take in any players in particular you mentioned ever Evan Stewart maybe a bit of a headcase uh and and let's stop there for a second because it sounds like they made Tennessee made a clear decision to take Brew McCoy with a severely broken leg over uh pursuing an Evan Stewart by the way that time that the timing played out on the same day what what did you make of of that move if that were the case that's possible if the fact that Tennessee apparently let Stuart go or didn't pursue him any longer maybe that made up Brew McCoy's mind it's h maybe he gave the him or me ultimatum ultimatum I don't know I really like Brew McCoy but I still want a receiver that can stretch the field and unless Dante thoron becomes a player I have haven't seen uh Tennesse doesn't have that as squirrel white maybe I was really disappointed in Squirrel White's play I thought he would be a much bigger Factor Caleb Point blamed that on Joe Milton and maybe that maybe that was the case because he does have speed gives you speed in the slot and so if he if he emerges and becomes a a a jayen high type then no Tennessee doesn't perhaps need anybody else but uh yeah I would I just guess I would like a proven Elite receiver uh oh miss Got Juice Wells from South Carolina he was hurt this past year but he was a first team all SEC player in 2022 too that kind of guy I don't think Brew McCoy is a first team all SEC Receiver right let's take a look at the poll question now as Michigan would be a blank season annually in the SEC uh they would be a contender with Alabama or Georgia getting 24% of the vote fourth best year to year 66% of the vote in other words that second tier of the SEC below that I don't know I guess Michigan and South Carolina are going to battle it out for some SEC Midwest if that were the case I don't think that's going to be the case it is time for four downs and it's brought to you by our good friends at Dynasty Pools and Spas John I think this is the first time that you've jumped in the hot tub with Cooper May's thoughts on that excuse me four downs brought to you by Dynasty Spas the most comfortable Spas made in the United States of America right here in East Tennessee drop in for the all new showroom in Athens Dynasty Spas perfect for all four seasons four downs presented by off the hook Sports all right I'll tell you more about Dynasty Pools and Spas in Athens but first first what should people do Cooper May here hit like And subscribe all right so in the hot tub with Coupe it's me Caleb Calhoun and John Adams it's Big Tub C here first down all right first down uh you would grade Tennessee's transfer portal as what right now A to F John let me begin with you I would say A B minus or C+ okay that's not as bad as I thought you were going to say Caleb Calhoun I'd go B minus I'm with John on that I John corrected me I totally forgot about jamod McCoy being added from Oregon State and I think that's enough for me to say B minus yep I'm cool with B minus okay what down CP Cooper May here second down the factor that they've kept Coupe Keenan Philly uh who am I forgetting real quick uh Amari Thomas Amari Thomas John Campbell yeah they they they've kept uh the the core of that group that could have left does that factor into your ranking if at all John I I didn't factor that in if if you factor that in then I would give tennessy a b because that was that was significant to do that all right and you Caleb I mean honestly at that point I'm going a minus I think I think there John I said this yesterday college football with the transfer portal is kind of entering an era that's similar to college basketball with one and duns now where teams that have been together for a a period of two to three years is going to almost be as valuable as teams that are loaded with Talent you know like in the NCA tournament those four-year guys beat Kentucky and one and DS every year in the tournament CP what down we got Tennessee Center Cooper maze here third down all right there will be a year I don't know if it's this year certainly wasn't last year with the amount of people that Tennessee took in the transfer portal but there will be a year where this program decides itself it's going to depend more on high school talent and bringing guys up as opposed to the transfer portal and the transfer portal is going to be you guys came up with uhh one of the best examples jir Gibbs I don't know that Al Alabama took another player that year other than jir Gibbs in the transfer portal but they took him and they just needed one guy to give a boost how close is Tennessee to that where the roster is so strong you're just saying I need to fill in one or two gaps as opposed to probably now three or four or five when you consider positions on the offensive line in the secondary are you asking me to look into the future I am asking you to look in the future I go you'll do a great job nei's anybody else so that's um I guess uh yeah right now I think at three or four three or four years right now look at Tennessee's roster and how many first team L SEC players are on it well we do want to we're going we're going to get to that it's a very good question Caleb how I think this is the transitionary period the year I think after this year they are purely cherry-picking I don't think it's a take a guy because he's got a good story and he's willing to take uh $100,000 because his grandmother's uh from pal I don't two years and I'm want to tell you why it's two years they're going to have a splash dominant 2024 season in which they compete for a national title John I've been very high John you haven't heard me say this but maybe you have but I've been extremely high on Tennessee in 2024 and that'll be and the snowball effect of that will give them a loaded 2025 recruiting class so after 2025 they will be able to just go for elite transfers but they're gonna they won't be able to do it after this year because they're going to win a National or compete for a national title with a bunch of players that will not be here after 2024 so they're gonna have a lot of needs to fill after this year or after next year SC Scott guy says I don't think that will ever happen again Dave so many kids will be leaving for more money from other programs you will have to replace the portal to replace them I don't think with culture and success that's the case if you have enough money you pay the guys like cooping them to stay so I don't I don't think that's the case so we're going to we're going to agree to disagree one more down some say it's the most important all centor Cooper ma here fourth down all right pressure's on how many elite players does Tennessee have right now guys right now that any school in the SEC would take regardless of depth chart they would say that is an elite player he's either going to Bud for me in the coming years because I have a Carson back but this Nico Guy special for for instance or he's going to come in and start right away how many elite players does Tennessee have and the definition of that is any SEC school would take him in RB well I I mean I think any to school would take uh Nico I mean right now I would only rate Carson Beck ahead of him great I know that's going out on a limb because they're a lot of proven quarterbacks in this league but I just think his his upside is is so strong he eventually can surpass everybody if he stays healthy uh but anybody would want him and the other one would be James Pierce uh we saw him in you have a defensive lineman can it runs like a a defensive back as we saw in the Citrus bow that's a that was a pretty good advertisement uh for his ability totally agree I'm G to throw another one on there that is based off conversations I've had with NFL Scouts and I think he is Elite but obviously coming off an injury I think Brew McCoy is an elite player Caleb you want to throw some logs on the fire here yeah I'm gonna add two more I'm gonna add javant bragin I think javant bragin could start at garding we in the and um we saw a college football playoff team from the SEC the other day desperately need a center so I'm pretty sure Cooper Maz could start anywhere in the [Laughter] SEC I would take Coupe as well are we missing anybody because we would have said maybe squirrel maybe Dylan Samson five months ago are they making this list well I think they have the potential to be an elite player we've seen Dylan Samson's got great potential as a running back not so much so is a blocking back uh I really like Omari Thomas I like in the middle of the defensive line I would I would think he's a potential uh I think he's a potential all SEC play player and to uh after what Caleb said I think Tennessee could have an offensive will have one offensive line make first team L next year I don't know which one it would be could be Cooper could be spragin or or maybe even John Campbell but I think there's a chance one of those guys and I could see two of those three making first or second team L SEC okay I want to look at the me m Message Board I'm sure we have some names on there but mine is Keenan py and I know he's played very very little and I understand that with the fact that he was a two-time captain at BYU he stepped on stepped foot on campus everybody was like oh my gosh this guy's different much like they did wouldn't they go about 13 months ago when they showed up for Bowl practice two years ago uh so that that would be Keenan phy imagine having the best spa made right here in the United States in your backyard Dynasty Pools and Spas have their showroom open in Athens how many of the SEC Rivals that Tennessee faces how many elite players they have we'll get to that again Dynasty Pools and Spas man they can take care of you delivery they can do that Knoxville and Chattanooga area and they've got discounts for First Responders they take care of you because they're great people military and even some BL blemish models that can save you a ton and no one will ever notice it is awesome Dynasty spa.com and all the chemicals for your spas and pools so okay when we look at Alabama and Georgia and I'm not going to ask you guys to recite their their roster any sense of of the uh or the shape or form but John how many elite players does Georgia or Alabama have on a given year around eight Caleb I I I'm I'm going to go like around 14 or 15 and I'm just basing that off all players they usually have like 14 or 15 each in the all on on all SEC and Georgia had how many players drafted in the last two years 15 each or something like that is that high John or is that Elite well yeah I mean I guess it depends on how you define it I think when I was looking at George's depth chart and what it has coming back uh for next season I I looked at it and I saw maybe eight all SEC first teamers um our friend uh Hoge head says that um UT fans way overhype Pierce he is amazing against Bad offenses not against good ones we'll just tell you from off the hook Sports we've had we talked to two players uh uh we've talked to um who did we talk to Spencer Riley and Fred white and both said that they reminded him of Leonard little so until something happens and it may be a traffic incident coming up I will uh air on the side of what those guys had to say