USA Today: What to like about No. 18 Tennessee

#1
Fingers

Fingers

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#1
Why No. 18?

1. Recruiting. This February marked Jones’ fourth full recruiting class at Tennessee, and given how well he’s recruited during this time – despite this February's obvious and troubling decline in blue-chip signees – it stands to reason that the Volunteers have compiled enough athleticism and depth to match wits with any team on the schedule. Having said that: Tennessee wasn’t lacking for ability in each of the past two seasons – and we know how that turned out. In general, however, this sort of overall talent level remains rare across the Football Bowl Subdivision.

2. Brady Hoke. Jones' offseason overhaul of his coaching staff will be one of the spring's defining storylines for Tennessee. One name stands out above the rest: Hoke, most recently of Oregon, where he struggled terribly in his one season as defensive coordinator, takes over a defensive line that lost its greatest star, end Derek Barnett, but retains enough ability to rank in the top half of the SEC. Could Hoke take this group and improve the Volunteers' overall production even without Barnett on the edge? It's been some time since Hoke focused all of his attention on coaching the line, but he's very much one of the best in football at coaxing the most out of this position group.

3. Last chance. Don't sleep on the motivation that comes from the chopping block. It's no secret that another underwhelming season in 2017 would spell the end for Jones and his coaching staff, with the writing on the wall potentially as early as the end of September, given the teams on UT's opening-month slate. Perhaps having their backs to the wall will provide the Volunteers with the impetus needed to avoid the series of self-inflicted that have come to define the Jones era and discover the sort of consistent approach needed to make waves in and out of the SEC. Hey, we can dream, right?
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http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...rs-early-look-college-football-2017/99133932/
 
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#4
#4
Is an 8&4 season underwhelming ?

I guess it depends on who is the 8 and who is the 4.
 
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#5
#5
3. "....It's no secret that another underwhelming season in 2017 would spell the end for Jones and his coaching staff, with the writing on the wall potentially as early as the end of September, ........with the impetus needed to avoid the series of self-inflicted that have come to define the Jones era ....."

This entire quote is staggering - especially the last part. This self-inflicted habit has got to change.
 
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#11
#11
Biopsyman said:
Beat Bana and it would wonderful season
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giphy.gif
 
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#12
#12
utvols74 said:
3. "....It's no secret that another underwhelming season in 2017 would spell the end for Jones and his coaching staff, with the writing on the wall potentially as early as the end of September, ........with the impetus needed to avoid the series of self-inflicted that have come to define the Jones era ....."

This entire quote is staggering - especially the last part. This self-inflicted habit has got to change.
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Looks like the writer left a word out of the sentence. He doesn't say what exactly was "self inflicted".
 
#14
#14
Butch will need at least 8 wins to keep his job imo. It's year 5 and with his recruiting starting to slip patience is rightfully thin. 8 wins will earn him one more season to make it to Atlanta.
 
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#15
#15
dduncan4163 said:
Butch will need at least 8 wins to keep his job imo. It's year 5 and with his recruiting staring to slip patience is rightfully thin. 8 wins will earn him one more season to make it to Atlanta.
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I'd agree with that, but only if he's better than .500 in conference play. Another year at .500 or lower, and I don't see any reason to keep CBJ for a sixth season other than there are no viable candidates for the job.
 
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#18
#18
dduncan4163 said:
If Butch can beat UF in The Swamp and go 9-3 the season will be a success imo.
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That would be a fine start. There are only 2 teams that we could lose to and it still be moving forward, Bama and LSU. To go 6-2 in the SEC should win us the east as long as the losses are to the west teams. Once we win the east, anything can happen in Atlanta.

A win in Atlanta opens the door to the playoffs. Play 2 great games and we will party like it's 1999(The last time we won a NC.

If we can win in the swamp, the rest could happen as well(We could beat LSU at home and Bama on the road.).

It's like a snowball.

Release the Beast!
 
#20
#20
Iam4utalways said:
That would be a fine start. There are only 2 teams that we could lose to and it still be moving forward, Bama and LSU. To go 6-2 in the SEC should win us the east as long as the losses are to the west teams. Once we win the east, anything can happen in Atlanta.

A win in Atlanta opens the door to the playoffs. Play 2 great games and we will party like it's 1999(The last time we won a NC.

If we can win in the swamp, the rest could happen as well(We could beat LSU at home and Bama on the road.).

It's like a snowball.

Release the Beast!
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Not necessarily. If we beat both Florida and Georgia, but lose to LSU and Alabama, either Florida or Georgia can win the east if they don't lose any other conference games.

The near automatic loss that we have with Alabama on the schedule has made it so that going 7-1 or 8-0 is the only way to guarantee winning the east, without needing the rest of the East teams to have at least 2 conference losses.
 
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#24
#24
bignewt said:
https://media.giphy.com/media/WksiXe8ts1V4c/giphy.gif[IMG][/QUOTE]

Dying.

[quote="dduncan4163, post: 13660803"]If Butch can beat UF in The Swamp and go 9-3 the season will be a success imo.[/QUOTE]

I would agree with that. Would like to see a 10 win season, but 9 wins including a W in FL and a W in Neyland against GA would be pretty nice. That said, we'll all fall apart on VN when we see a 10-11 win season missed with a loss to Vandy or SC. I just hope we can find some consistency. I can't help but think that the ship might have sailed with that 2015 season. We were so close in so many games, but couldn't pull it out. I just want to see our Vols return to a consistent threat year in and year out. Whether thats CBJ as HBC or somebody else.
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#25
#25
powerTvol said:
Is an 8&4 season underwhelming ?

I guess it depends on who is the 8 and who is the 4.
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Even if the 4 losses are to the 4 best teams we will play in 2017 (Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and LSU) the season will be underwhelming. It is a sign that the program is still not "there," even after 5 years.

If any of those 4 losses are to teams other than those 4, then he's definitely gone.
 
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