Phil Steele has Tennessee ranked #10

#1

Fingers

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Messages
6,157
Likes
38,895
#1
10. Tennessee Volunteers
After starting 3-4, Tennessee won its final six to finish 9-4 and finish No. 22 in the end-of-season poll. That hardly sounds like a preseason top 10-caliber team -- until you examine the four losses. The Vols dominated Oklahoma for three quarters, but blew a 17-3 fourth quarter lead and lost in overtime to a team that made the College Football Playoff. They led Florida 27-14 in the fourth quarter, but lost it late to a Gators team that would reach the SEC title game. They lost by four points to Arkansas, and then on the road they only lost to eventual national champion Alabama by five, being out-first-downed 23-21. Tennessee played a lot of freshmen the past few years, but will have to stop using the “we’re young” label as it is now a veteran group with 17 returning starters, including senior quarterback Joshua Dobbs and junior running back Jalen Hurd. The Vols will be the clear-cut favorite to win the SEC East and if the road to the title game is smooth, a win there could put them in the playoffs.

Phil Steele
 
  • Like
Reactions: 25 people
#7
#7
From a total dumpster fire of a program that everyone laughed at to BACK in the pre-season top 10.

That's rock solid progress and we should all appreciate the work buTch and his staff have put in so far.

So close last season and it still hurts most of us but this is a season we all should be looking forward to with sky high expectations.

This should finally be the season we can scream at the top of our lungs...WE'RE BACK!!!

It sure feels great for somebody that's legit to have us back in the top 10!

Building a Champion WIN by WIN...VFL...GBO!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 15 people
#9
#9
For the first time in over a decade, I can say that I expect 10 wins. And if we lose to Florida at home this year then may God have mercy on Butch's soul.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 15 people
#11
#11
For the first time in over a decade, I can say that I expect 10 wins. And if we lose to Florida at home this year then may God have mercy on Butch's soul.

As bad as I hate to say it, I agree. Another early season loss to the gators could put a black eye on Butch and our Vols. But im really buying into this team, and for the first time in a long time, I really believe we will break the streak in this series. Go Vols!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#12
#12
For the first time in over a decade, I can say that I expect 10 wins. And if we lose to Florida at home this year then may God have mercy on Butch's soul.

It should depend on the circumstances of a loss (presumed loss, in the minds of many). A loss by hard, close-fought, well-coached-with-minimal-mistakes game should be digestible, but it is past-time for a Win vs FL.
 
#13
#13
It should depend on the circumstances of a loss (presumed loss, in the minds of many). A loss by hard, close-fought, well-coached-with-minimal-mistakes game should be digestible, but it is past-time for a Win vs FL.

Hard fought losses were last year. Decisive wins should be the theme for 2016.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 people
#14
#14
I expect 10 wins and we better beat Florida this year. Bama will still be tough, but if bounces go our way, we have a better opportunity to do it this year than we have in over 10 years.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#15
#15
It should depend on the circumstances of a loss (presumed loss, in the minds of many). A loss by hard, close-fought, well-coached-with-minimal-mistakes game should be digestible, but it is past-time for a Win vs FL.

If Butch and Company have a well-coached game with minimal mistakes than Tennessee beats florida by at least two scores. Talent, experience, and home field are already in the Vols favor. No way UT loses to the gators, this year, if you add in sound coaching.
 
#16
#16
If Butch and Company have a well-coached game with minimal mistakes than Tennessee beats florida by at least two scores. Talent, experience, and home field are already in the Vols favor. No way UT loses to the gators, this year, if you add in sound coaching.

Sound in game coaching is still yet to be seen against the big boys with this coach. Talent wise we are top 10 team this season. In game coaching still needs improvement
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 3 people
#18
#18
Can you imagine what it is going to e like when Florida comes in if we are undefeated and like #8 in the country! It's going to be a madhouse! And then, if Bama comes in ranked #1 and we are undefeated ranked in the top 5?!! I know that's a little stretch, but not much, it could happen! Could be one special season for the Vols!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#19
#19
Can you imagine what it is going to e like when Florida comes in if we are undefeated and like #8 in the country! It's going to be a madhouse! And then, if Bama comes in ranked #1 and we are undefeated ranked in the top 5?!! I know that's a little stretch, but not much, it could happen! Could be one special season for the Vols!

It's very likely that we are undefeated going into Florida week. Hard to say where that will put us ranking-wise, but I assume that we will be preseasoned ranked in the top 15, so heading into week 4, there are bound to be teams that lose that are ahead of us.......it's entirely possible.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#20
#20
I've been expecting us to beat UF the last few years and somehow we gave it away. Until we actually beat them I've given up saying "there is no way we don't beat them this year."
 
#21
#21
Sound in game coaching is still yet to be seen against the big boys with this coach. Talent wise we are top 10 team this season. In game coaching still needs improvement

I know. That's why I made that comment. IF, the coaching can equal the talent/experience then the game shouldn't be close.
 
#23
#23
This is a pretty good place to be for a team making a championship run.

Over the two years of the playoffs, teams making the cut have had the following pre-season AP rankings: #1 (FSU), #2 (Bama '14), #3 (Oregon and Bama '15), #5 (Ohio State and Michigan State), #12 (Clemson), and #19 (Oklahoma). Which means the admittedly limited results so far say that you probably gotta start the season ranked to have a chance at the playoffs--barring a fluke like the 2010 Auburn Tigers, who started the season unranked but ended up BCS champs. And the lowest pre-season ranking that have ever made it through the first round is #12 (Clemson). Of course, the lowest PS rank so far to win it all in the brief playoff era is #5 Ohio State in 2014, but we can expand on that. :)

The point is, we're in the right place for a serious run.

p.s. This helps the SEC East as well, in our effort to recover balance with the West. The past three years, the team representing the East has started the season #24 or unranked (and lost in Atlanta each year)...we can start turning that around in 2016.

Go Vols!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#25
#25
Can you imagine what it is going to e like when Florida comes in if we are undefeated and like #8 in the country! It's going to be a madhouse! And then, if Bama comes in ranked #1 and we are undefeated ranked in the top 5?!! I know that's a little stretch, but not much, it could happen! Could be one special season for the Vols!

"It was a shocker in Neyland today as an unranked UF team pulled off a convincing 24-7 victory over the 8th ranked Vols. Many attribute the loss to the Vols not taking advantage of the passing opportunities the Gators provided. On many plays UF kept all 11 defenders in the box to stop the run, letting WR's run uncovered downfield. Dobbs was unable to connect with any of these players with passes going either behind them or just out of their reach. Dobbs was able to complete a few short passes but UF was able to sniff out 2 screen passes and returned them for TDs."
Kill me now
 

VN Store



Back
Top