Why the Redshirt?

[RockyMtnVol]

I don't get why the staff wanted to preserve Dobbs' redshirt year.  If he has NFL talent, he'll be out of here in 2 years anyway.  If he doesn't, it's hard to imagine we wouldn't have a better choice in 3 years.  How is giving up the redshirt year bad for Dobbs?   

[Creek Walker]

Hubbs (and others) have noted that Dobbs did nothing in practice to indicate that he was ready to play the way he played against Alabama and USCe.

[PirateVOL]

As Creek noted, all reports indicated that Dobbs was clearly the 3rd best QB all during spring practice (O&W game excepted) and during all of fall practice.

There were "reports" that recently he had practiced "better" but nothing from someone I would trust, such as Brent

[Black Diamond Vol]

As I stated below, it simply a matter of prioritizing his seasons of eligibility.  Best case scenario this season was probably going to be something like the Peach Bowl.  But in what would have been his final season if he had redshirted (2017), there will probably be much, much more at stake.  Now that he's probably lost that year, lets hope we can find a good option at QB by then.

And if we've learned anything over the past decade, it's not to take a quality QB for granted.  You say we can find a "better choice" as if it's easy as picking out a good apple in the produce section.  It's been a long, LONG time since we've gotten consistently great play from a UT QB.  While we probably will have some more highly-recruited guys by then, who's to say they'll pan out?  They may just be overrated (like our current 4* backup).  They may get kicked off the team shortly before fall practice and transfer to Florida A&M.  Or they may simply be too young to beat out an experienced upperclassman.  

[BanditVol]

As I stated below, it simply a matter of prioritizing his seasons of eligibility.  Best case scenario this season was probably going to be something like the Peach Bowl.  But in what would have been his final season if he had redshirted (2017), there will probably be much, much more at stake.  Now that he's probably lost that year, lets hope we can find a good option at QB by then.

And if we've learned anything over the past decade, it's not to take a quality QB for granted.  You say we can find a "better choice" as if it's easy as picking out a good apple in the produce section.  It's been a long, LONG time since we've gotten consistently great play from a UT QB.  While we probably will have some more highly-recruited guys by then, who's to say they'll pan out?  They may just be overrated (like our current 4* backup).  They may get kicked off the team shortly before fall practice and transfer to Florida A&M.  Or they may simply be too young to beat out an experienced upperclassman.  

Well...Bray....BUUUUTTTTT.

Let's just say Bray was talented and leave it at that.  But based on talent alone, he was a quality QB.

[73Volgrad]

Dobbs is in aeronautical engineering. You are extremely lucky if you can get a degree in 4 years. Most take 5 years because they do not offer all the courses in sequence to gather enough semester hours. From my experience in Mechanical Engineering at UT over 40 years ago (hint: the 73 in my non de plume), I graduated on quarter hours and not many people graduated in 12 quarters (taking summer off). I went 15 quarters because I got out of sequence on per-requisites, and had to go summers. Even if he stays in school summers, it would be extremely impressive to graduate in 4 years and play SEC football. So I submit he will take 5 years to earn the necessary semester hours to earn his degree.

So Butch determined it was better for the team to let Dobbs redshirt this year if possible to have him 3 more years as starter. Unlike most on this and other boards, I believe Worly and Peterman could have gotten us to 6 wins this year. Except Worley got beaten up so badly because defenses ignored the run and rushed and blitzed every down. IMO Worley has a serious enough shoulder injury to keep him from playing the rest of this year. Also IMO Dobbs just may not be a practice player at all and will never perform in practice like he does when the real game starts. I know Butch and staff and many former players live by the creed "You play like you practice".  Well that is not always true. It drives coaches and fans crazy. Remember all those years we heard Fulmer say "This team has had good practices and we are ready for the game Saturday." Then we went out and got our teeth kicked in. Some kids are great practice players, know how to perform to impress the coaches to get the start, and then go out Saturday and play like grade school kids. Coaches always say "We are going to play our best players" we they actually mean we are going to play the ones we are comfortable with.

So Dobbs has played well the past two games. You cannot claim to know how he would have played earlier. Maybe the light came on in the past month with Dobbs or the light came on with the coaches that Dobbs is not a practice player. How you play in meaningful game is way more important than practice. Butch and this staff are risk-adverse until backed into the corner. Can you blame them when your job is dependent on 18-21 year old kids?

[PirateVOL]

Dobbs is in aeronautical engineering. You are extremely lucky if you can get a degree in 4 years. Most take 5 years because they do not offer all the courses in sequence to gather enough semester hours. From my experience in Mechanical Engineering at UT over 40 years ago (hint: the 73 in my non de plume), I graduated on quarter hours and not many people graduated in 12 quarters (taking summer off). I went 15 quarters because I got out of sequence on per-requisites, and had to go summers. Even if he stays in school summers, it would be extremely impressive to graduate in 4 years and play SEC football. So I submit he will take 5 years to earn the necessary semester hours to earn his degree.

So Butch determined it was better for the team to let Dobbs redshirt this year if possible to have him 3 more years as starter. Unlike most on this and other boards, I believe Worly and Peterman could have gotten us to 6 wins this year. Except Worley got beaten up so badly because defenses ignored the run and rushed and blitzed every down. IMO Worley has a serious enough shoulder injury to keep him from playing the rest of this year. Also IMO Dobbs just may not be a practice player at all and will never perform in practice like he does when the real game starts. I know Butch and staff and many former players live by the creed "You play like you practice".  Well that is not always true. It drives coaches and fans crazy. Remember all those years we heard Fulmer say "This team has had good practices and we are ready for the game Saturday." Then we went out and got our teeth kicked in. Some kids are great practice players, know how to perform to impress the coaches to get the start, and then go out Saturday and play like grade school kids. Coaches always say "We are going to play our best players" we they actually mean we are going to play the ones we are comfortable with.

So Dobbs has played well the past two games. You cannot claim to know how he would have played earlier. Maybe the light came on in the past month with Dobbs or the light came on with the coaches that Dobbs is not a practice player. How you play in meaningful game is way more important than practice. Butch and this staff are risk-adverse until backed into the corner. Can you blame them when your job is dependent on 18-21 year old kids?

IMO, if Worley didn't have a serious injury Dobbs would not have played.
I like that he has taken the opportunity and done something with it.  Also, he did show improvement between the two games.  Now he has two weeks to learn and improve as well as get in sync with the receivers. If I am a TE I would be very happy with Dobbs as QB as he is looking for and finding TEs.   
IMO he had only 2-3 bad throws Saturday night, defined as throwing into coverage and 1 was picked as a result.  He also on at least two occasions made the (good) decision to throw the ball away. 

[Clockwork Orange]

Dobbs is in aeronautical engineering. You are extremely lucky if you can get a degree in 4 years. Most take 5 years because they do not offer all the courses in sequence to gather enough semester hours. From my experience in Mechanical Engineering at UT over 40 years ago (hint: the 73 in my non de plume), I graduated on quarter hours and not many people graduated in 12 quarters (taking summer off). I went 15 quarters because I got out of sequence on per-requisites, and had to go summers. Even if he stays in school summers, it would be extremely impressive to graduate in 4 years and play SEC football. So I submit he will take 5 years to earn the necessary semester hours to earn his degree.

The factor you're not considering is how many hours the top students bring to college already these days. Dobbs probably went straight to differential equations and had credit for English, foreign language, etc. already. He probably brought in at least 30 credit hours. The limiting factor is the prereq/coreq sequencing, but an engineering student who goes in the summer can get out in 3 years in some cases-- and Dobbs will be taking classes every summer. So while it's hard to get out on time in Engineering, much less early, Dobbs can do it and doesn't even have to take a heavy course load to do so. By credit hours I'd be shocked if he isn't already a junior.

I agree with the rest of your post though. This hindsight business with Dobbs is foolish.

[73Volgrad]

I applaud in engineering student that can do it in 4 years because UT has reduced the number of courses so staying on sequence is hard. I freelt admit I partied way to much and hard my sophomore year and was short hour and got out of sequence. I do believe I had to have either 212 or 215 quarter hours to get my BS in Mechanical Engineering. You only needed about 196 hours to get some BA or BS degrees. I went to summer school to maintain progress because the draft board in Hamilton County was looking to fill its quota for military service in Viet Nam. I was highly motivated to keep from being drated (my number was 66). I do not know how that applies to semester hours and courses now.

Also in late 1960s, Tennessee had no college equivalency course in high school (at least Hamilton County schools did not offer them). Getting a jump start is great, but the per-requisite schedule is limited and I just do not see how he can schedule classes and practice. Pretty much my whole time at UT, all my engineering classes started at 7:55 AM (I think it was 7:55; might have been 7:50) six days a week. I was through by 1:00 most quarters.

If Dobbs graduates in 4 years and can take graduate courses, more power to him. I applaud his ability.

As for me, I graduated in 1973, went right to work as engineer, and worked for 41 years. I retired early ay 63 just because I wanted to and I wanted time with my wife. She has a chronic disease that may cause her to die at any time. Working is just not that important. I saved money and planned to retire at any time after 62. My advise to everyone is to do what you want to and like to do in life and do not live your life for anyone other than your immediate family.  Life is to short to not eat dessert first. I do.

[BanditVol]

The factor you're not considering is how many hours the top students bring to college already these days. Dobbs probably went straight to differential equations and had credit for English, foreign language, etc. already. He probably brought in at least 30 credit hours. The limiting factor is the prereq/coreq sequencing, but an engineering student who goes in the summer can get out in 3 years in some cases-- and Dobbs will be taking classes every summer. So while it's hard to get out on time in Engineering, much less early, Dobbs can do it and doesn't even have to take a heavy course load to do so. By credit hours I'd be shocked if he isn't already a junior.

I agree with the rest of your post though. This hindsight business with Dobbs is foolish.

Often there are not a lot of Engineering classes offered in summer, though it can be a great time to catch up on Humanities electives.  Perhaps that's what Dobbs is doig.

[Clockwork Orange]

Often there are not a lot of Engineering classes offered in summer, though it can be a great time to catch up on Humanities electives.  Perhaps that's what Dobbs is doig.

Yeah-- there aren't a lot but there are some. His particular department offered 9 different undergraduate Aerospace or Mechanical classes last summer, from 200 level to 400 level. Depending on his sequence and the curriculum requirements he may be able to take a major class or two nearly every summer. Football will also keep him from doing a co-op, which is another thing that slows engineering students down.

Regardless I think Dobbs is here four years, and would have been here five had he redshirted-- but he'll probably be in a graduate program before he leaves campus.

[PirateVOL]

Yeah-- there aren't a lot but there are some. His particular department offered 9 different undergraduate Aerospace or Mechanical classes last summer, from 200 level to 400 level. Depending on his sequence and the curriculum requirements he may be able to take a major class or two nearly every summer. Football will also keep him from doing a co-op, which is another thing that slows engineering students down.

Regardless I think Dobbs is here four years, and would have been here five had he redshirted-- but he'll probably be in a graduate program before he leaves campus.

Also, don't forget the Engineering department was involved during his recruitment.