What did you expect

[landscapingvol]

A month ago all the pundits said Tennessee would have a tough year replacing departed talent. The VOL fans say we get no respect and talk about winning the east etc.

Before the season starts good we loose several starters for the season. We have growing pains in several key position groups and don't look so good.

Did you expect we would blow out GT or FL?

Did you think UT was immune to a freak last second play. Look around it happens.

Do you think it is unusual to have a let down with UMass sandwiched between Fl and GA. It has happened to the best teams.

We will have a slim margin in every game this year and we will be inconsistent.

That would be a great point if we were rebuilding from a team that won the SEC East or the SEC as a whole but we aren't. We are rebuilding from a team that finished tied for second in a down division twice. So, the best we can manage is tied for second in a weak conference and then go in the crapper until we can scratch and claw our way back to 2nd or 3rd again? No thanks

 

[volfanbill]

That's the issue. It's not every now and then...it's every year.

multiple times a year

 

[HARTUPM]

A month ago all the pundits said Tennessee would have a tough year replacing departed talent. The VOL fans say we get no respect and talk about winning the east etc.

Before the season starts good we loose several starters for the season. We have growing pains in several key position groups and don't look so good.

Did you expect we would blow out GT or FL?

Did you think UT was immune to a freak last second play. Look around it happens.

Do you think it is unusual to have a let down with UMass sandwiched between Fl and GA. It has happened to the best teams.

We will have a slim margin in every game this year and we will be inconsistent.

If you go back 5 years, I think everyone would agree that once CBJ has a roster full of his players, if he is the guy then we should be competing to win the East each and every year. We are not there in year 5, and indeed we have significantly regressed from year 4 to 5. Excuses are not going to cut it. Mediocrity (by that I mean going 4-4 in SEC) is not going to cut it. Having a losing record to your rivals, especially the ugly games that should have and could have been won, he managed to blow. Having to overhaul the staff almost every year. The common denominator is Butch.

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Let me say this because we are in the same boat.

Right now, ESPN has an SEC power rankings listing. Vandy is ranked ahead of Tennessee and Florida.

Now, whether that's accurate or not really doesn't matter. For the thought to even legitimately creep into someone's head as being possibly true after Vandy just lost a game 59-0 is the textbook definition of sad.

No one should ever, at any point in time, do an eyeball test of Vandy, Tennessee, and Florida and think.....Vandy is better than the other two.

That's where we are.

Just ask yourself when the last time it was where Tennessee played 4 quarters of fundamentally sound, solid football.

If you are honest, that will tell you why people are upset regardless of any sort of expectations

There is the rub with Jones.

He is never able to put a complete team on the field or get 4 good quarters out of his teams.

The miracle comebacks don't happen if the team plays up to its capability at the opening whistle.

Yet all he can do is pat himself and the team on the back for making the two or three plays that get them over the hump against the GA Techs, Georgias, and Appalachian States.

 

[savannahfan]

I so remember the Memphis loss.....a certain QB was playing that day.....hmmmmm...what was his name? Its on the tip of my tongue.....ohhh what was his name? Wait I've got it.....PEYTON MANNING! My point is that even a HOF QB like Manning is going to lose a game he shouldn't every now and then.

GO VOLS....BEAT THE DOGSHEET OUT OF UGA!!!

Watched the game very closely. Manning did not lose the game.... The whole team did. Manning kept trying to get everyone's attention and just as well have been trying to win a 100 yd. dash against U. Bolt.

 

[vol-un-tear]

I expect to be 4-0 now with much better coaching. Some raw talent and mistakes by young players but not the HC.

 

[golfballs]

It ultimately comes down to the record. The O/U this season was 7.5 wins.

After seeing what's on the field, I don't think that's unreasonable. We won a game we probably shouldn't have w GT and lost one w Florida. 7-8 wins is still doable if they can right the ship.

 

[landscapingvol]

CBJ is like the Braves over the last decade, in constant rebuilding mode but what exactly rebuilding from is the question. If year 5 is scratching and clawing for 7 wins, what will year 10 look like?

 

[A-RodWiLks]

OP has started 3 threads in last 24 hours spewing Butch support. Needless to say this is probably a Butch-paid staffer and/or grad student.

 

[ALLVOL 4LIFE]

Let me say this because we are in the same boat.

Right now, ESPN has an SEC power rankings listing. Vandy is ranked ahead of Tennessee and Florida.

Now, whether that's accurate or not really doesn't matter. For the thought to even legitimately creep into someone's head as being possibly true after Vandy just lost a game 59-0 is the textbook definition of sad.

No one should ever, at any point in time, do an eyeball test of Vandy, Tennessee, and Florida and think.....Vandy is better than the other two.

That's where we are.

Just ask yourself when the last time it was where Tennessee played 4 quarters of fundamentally sound, solid football.

If you are honest, that will tell you why people are upset regardless of any sort of expectations

There is the rub with Jones.

He is never able to put a complete team on the field or get 4 good quarters out of his teams.

The miracle comebacks don't happen if the team plays up to its capability at the opening whistle.

Yet all he can do is pat himself and the team on the back for making the two or three plays that get them over the hump against the GA Techs, Georgias, and Appalachian States.

Couldn't agree more!

The real problem with UT is our coach is the coach of that team in that commercial where his kid won every game (except we don't) and still only got a participation trophy. That, in a nutshell is Butch and what he stands for!

 

[Shakinthefat]

I expected better leadership from senior players

 

[99gator]

CBJ is like the Braves over the last decade, in constant rebuilding mode but what exactly rebuilding from is the question. If year 5 is scratching and clawing for 7 wins, what will year 10 look like?

It's not the year (insert # here) that's the problem. It's never reaching a peak level of success.

If last season, the team went 11-3 (for sake of discussion), won the East, and played in the Sugar Bowl.....then, it would be understandable to (with all the player departures) have a rebuilding year the next year.

There just has to be a season or so along the way where you are better than mediocre and that hasn't happened.

Another thing Butch and Mac have in common is that with all the talk about what was inherited and how long it takes to build a team, and the adversity of whatever has happened along the way.....yada, yada, yada......both of their best wins came in year 1.

Butch's best win at Tennessee is 2013 vs. South Carolina. I'm not sure there is a close second.

Mac's best win at Florida is 2015 vs. Ole Miss. There is no close second.

So, their finest moments occurred not after they built something, but with the hand they were dealt.

 

[livefaith]

The Vols may as well have come out before the game and dropped a steamy duece. I expected better than that at home against an absolutely atrocious UMASS team.

I laughed. Questioning what that means for me now.

 

[sjt18]

A month ago all the pundits said Tennessee would have a tough year replacing departed talent.

Why? This is Jones' year 5. When he arrived, people like you excused his loss to Vandy by saying he needed to install his system... excused his loss to a 4-8 UF team by saying he needed his own players... excused the chokes in '15 by saying his players needed experience... excused his losses to Vandy and USCe who were less talented even after accounting for UT's injuries. And now... UT lost too much talent?

If that's true then there is one guy and one guy alone who is responsible... the "caretaker". Why hasn't he developed the players now stepping in? Where are the upperclassmen in the WR corps? Why is LB a weakness in year 5... was it a secret that UT would need LB's 3 years ago?

The VOL fans say we get no respect and talk about winning the east etc.

Before the season starts good we loose several starters for the season. We have growing pains in several key position groups and don't look so good.

I have patience with the players. I do not have patience with Jones because it is his failure to build the roster in 5 years that requires us to now have patience with so many inexperienced players. If Jones starts QD last year vs USCe... two things would have likely resulted. UT probably would have won the game... and QD would have come out with a boost of confidence.

If QD had been given the "invaluable reps" that JG is now getting... where might he be?

At this point, every excuse you can imagine leads directly back to Jones and his decisions or actions.

Did you expect we would blow out GT or FL?

The better question is "In retrospect, could UT have blown GT and UF out?" I think the answer is yes.

If QD walks onto that field with the confidence of having played in competitive games before... maybe he trusts his reads instead of looking for JJ and Wolf on every play. Maybe UT doesn't start so slow enabling GT to quickly adjust to UT's D.

UT showed what it was capable of once the O started rolling. That was an O that could have EASILY blown GT out.... but it took them too long to get going and by then GT had figured UT's D out. A couple of long 1st half drives or at least scoring drives would have delayed GT's adjustments and maybe prevented them.

Take away the inexperienced mistakes of the WR's... and UT probably beats UF by a couple of scores with very little drama. UF's O for the day consisted of about 3 plays. Otherwise I think they totaled well under 200 yds of offense. That's a good day for the D. UT had too many drives stopped with no points due to mistakes... or missed kicks. But again... where are Vic Wharton and Preston Williams when you need them? Jones did not recruit the WR position effectively and that is why UT lost the UF game.

So yeah... I saw the talent there to win those games comfortably. Why didn't you?

Did you think UT was immune to a freak last second play. Look around it happens.

With better coaching... it wouldn't have been an issue... and I'm not talking primarily about the coaching that occurred since the new staff was hired.

Do you think it is unusual to have a let down with UMass sandwiched between Fl and GA. It has happened to the best teams.

No. I think it is stupid beyond all belief to risk the game by pulling a QB that is starting to get hot and replace him with a QB who netted 10 yards on 3 drives and 11 plays.

If Jones had stuck with QD, stopped being stubborn about running into an 8 man box, and had put the game away... JG still would have had a couple of drives at the end of the game.

We will have a slim margin in every game this year and we will be inconsistent.

Again... if Jones has been doing the job he was supposed to be doing for the past 5 years... WHY? In year 5, we shouldn't expect only 2 upperclass WR's including JJ. We shouldn't expect "inconsistency" or at least not at the level we've seen so far. We definitely shouldn't see these headscratching decisions from the HC.

 

[sjt18]

OP has started 3 threads in last 24 hours spewing Butch support. Needless to say this is probably a Butch-paid staffer and/or grad student.

Considering the avalanches that follow... probably not a good play.

 

[MADISONGAVOL]

Let me say this because we are in the same boat.

Right now, ESPN has an SEC power rankings listing. Vandy is ranked ahead of Tennessee and Florida.

Now, whether that's accurate or not really doesn't matter. For the thought to even legitimately creep into someone's head as being possibly true after Vandy just lost a game 59-0 is the textbook definition of sad.

No one should ever, at any point in time, do an eyeball test of Vandy, Tennessee, and Florida and think.....Vandy is better than the other two.

That's where we are.

Just ask yourself when the last time it was where Tennessee played 4 quarters of fundamentally sound, solid football.

If you are honest, that will tell you why people are upset regardless of any sort of expectations

Amen brother....peoples inability to see the truth is just plain ignorance. The proof is in the 5 years worth of results!!!!!he has obviously hit his ceiling he finds ways to lose games not win. I'm astonished how people can't see truth. I guess they see what they want to see and not reality

 

[sjt18]

Probably the primary thing I have against Jones is that he always finds a way to underachieve the potential of the team and has yet to have overachieved a roster.

Year 1, his poor game planning and strategy prevent UT from bowling with a loss to Vandy.

Year 2, he lost with numerous questionable decisions to Muschamp and the 4-8 UF team that got him fired.

Year 3, he has the OU and UF games won then lets them slip away by in large measure just being stubborn and not trusting his players. He tried to "manage" the game rather than letting them play it.... then if that wasn't enough loses a home game against a significantly less talented Arkansas team.

Year 4 has been pretty well scrutinized... but suffice it to say that an 11 win team was led to 8 wins including embarrassing losses to the two least talented teams in the SEC.

Year 5... he's already a game behind. UT is better than UF this year. They moved the ball better. They stopped UF better than UF stopped them. Mistakes and to an extent the failure to avoid those mistakes by better coaching decisions cost UT that game. That again goes back to a stubborn streak Jones has.

 

[sjt18]

Amen brother....peoples inability to see the truth is just plain ignorance. The proof is in the 5 years worth of results!!!!!he has obviously hit his ceiling he finds ways to lose games not win. I'm astonished how people can't see truth. I guess they see what they want to see and not reality

For me, he can still salvage it. Beat UGA or LSU... and get to 9 wins... I'll cut him a little slack... a very little. Win the East and I'll even buy the excuse that UF was due to having players in new roles and levels of responsibility.

But you are right. When we reach the end of this season, Jones needs to be evaluated on his "whole body of work".

 

[White Bread]

Let me say this because we are in the same boat.

Right now, ESPN has an SEC power rankings listing. Vandy is ranked ahead of Tennessee and Florida.

Now, whether that's accurate or not really doesn't matter. For the thought to even legitimately creep into someone's head as being possibly true after Vandy just lost a game 59-0 is the textbook definition of sad.

No one should ever, at any point in time, do an eyeball test of Vandy, Tennessee, and Florida and think.....Vandy is better than the other two.

That's where we are.

Just ask yourself when the last time it was where Tennessee played 4 quarters of fundamentally sound, solid football.

If you are honest, that will tell you why people are upset regardless of any sort of expectations

I want to hate you so much, but I can't.

 

[IluvdoubleD's]

I expected us to have an Oline that could push people around and I expected us to have a barn full of young, but uber talented receivers that could be targets for Dormady all day long. I really did think we could put up 40 points a game.

 

[sjt18]

It ultimately comes down to the record. The O/U this season was 7.5 wins.

After seeing what's on the field, I don't think that's unreasonable. We won a game we probably shouldn't have w GT and lost one w Florida. 7-8 wins is still doable if they can right the ship.

That's simply not good enough. This is year 5. Jones has more talent than 8 teams on the schedule. He's beaten two of them. He has roughly equal talent to 3 of them. He's already lost to one of them. Few expect him to beat Bama.

By now, Jones should have it figured out well enough to beat all 8 teams with less talent and at least one of the 3 with similar talent.

Coaches coach. A great coach with 4 win talent wins 5 games... maybe 6. A mediocre to poor coach will seldom beat anyone with better talent... lose most of the time to teams with similar talent... and lose regularly to teams with less talent. Which one describes Jones' first 42 games at UT?

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

It's not the year (insert # here) that's the problem. It's never reaching a peak level of success.

If last season, the team went 11-3 (for sake of discussion), won the East, and played in the Sugar Bowl.....then, it would be understandable to (with all the player departures) have a rebuilding year the next year.

There just has to be a season or so along the way where you are better than mediocre and that hasn't happened.

Another thing Butch and Mac have in common is that with all the talk about what was inherited and how long it takes to build a team, and the adversity of whatever has happened along the way.....yada, yada, yada......both of their best wins came in year 1.

Butch's best win at Tennessee is 2013 vs. South Carolina. I'm not sure there is a close second.

Mac's best win at Florida is 2015 vs. Ole Miss. There is no close second.

So, their finest moments occurred not after they built something, but with the hand they were dealt.

Unfortunately it DOES look like a peak level of success has been reached.

If Jones and his vaunted staffs can't get more than 9 wins counting the bowl out of a team with 6 NFL players on it, not sure how people can be so positive it's gonna get better with lesser talent.

 

[sjt18]

I expected us to have an Oline that could push people around and I expected us to have a barn full of young, but uber talented receivers that could be targets for Dormady all day long. I really did think we could put up 40 points a game.

I don't know if you like doing it like I do... but if you do go back and watch the UMass game and focus on the OL. UMass stacked the box and then stunted or run blitzed on virtually every play. Along with that, they decided to defend the screen and leave some quick throws and routes down field open. UT with Dormady started figuring that out in the next to last drive of the 1st half. They were KILLING UMass with short throws against man coverage.

But either Jones or Scott INSISTED on running and especially on 1st down into an 8 man box and run blitzes. Maybe they were trying to make the OL beat them anyway... but few OL's are actually good enough to have more than one OL block multiple defenders. If you are going to run into that... you put an HB into the game, go under center, and run downhill at a crease. You can't afford the slow development of the spread look. You have to have a lead blocker at the point of attack. And it really doesn't hurt to have play action off that I look against man D.

 

[sjt18]

Unfortunately it DOES look like a peak level of success has been reached.

If Jones and his vaunted staffs can't get more than 9 wins counting the bowl out of a team with 6 NFL players on it, not sure how people can be so positive it's gonna get better with lesser talent.

This is the best staff he's had... but they may not be able to overcome his decisions.

 

[CAVPUT]

That's simply not good enough. This is year 5. Jones has more talent than 8 teams on the schedule. He's beaten two of them. He has roughly equal talent to 3 of them. He's already lost to one of them. Few expect him to beat Bama.

By now, Jones should have it figured out well enough to beat all 8 teams with less talent and at least one of the 3 with similar talent.

Coaches coach. A great coach with 4 win talent wins 5 games... maybe 6. A mediocre to poor coach will seldom beat anyone with better talent... lose most of the time to teams with similar talent... and lose regularly to teams with less talent. Which one describes Jones' first 42 games at UT?

He's not a great coach and honestly, I don't even think he's a good coach. He is, however, personable and he can sell a program. If he'd recognize his limitations and role within the program and surround himself with great assistants, he could succeed here. Unfortunately, he either can't attract top assistants, won't permit the good assistants to coach their way or he's poor at evaluating coaching talent. At this point, he's got his roster. He's got his staff which is almost completely new. The season will play out like it will and the admin will take it from there. Just not confident in any aspect of this program anymore.