2015: Who Will Win the East?

Who Wins the East?

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#101
#101
UGADawg, that's some pretty good analysis. I'll just fine tune a couple of points for you.

Georgia certainly has a run game to build the offense around. It is good enough, along with a solid (though perhaps not elite) defense to all but guarantee 8 games (5 SEC). QB and passing game is the trick. Find a serviceable passer and you add another win or two; don't, and you're out of competition for the SEC-E. Unfortunately for the Dawgs, I don't think you find the solution early enough in the season...you'll ID the future of the team at QB, but it'll be too late to get the Dawgs to Atlanta. The brutal Alabama - Tennessee - Mizzou - Florida - Kentucky - Auburn stretch begins a little too early for the talented but untested throwers.

Butch will indeed move the needle for the Vols. The OLine will not win any awards, but is perhaps the most improved unit on the team from 2014; its workman-like, and at times noteworthy, performances are enough to get Hurd and Kamara a combined 1,800 yards rushing and Dobbs over 2,500 passing and 600 rushing. Meanwhile, the defense is beast, top 10 in the nation and top 2 in the SEC. Many wondered before the season began if Butch has the on-field genius to match his out-of-season recruiting prowess...they forget the proof already laid down at CMU and Cincinnati ... the man can indeed coach on the field. His pattern of a showing results after a year or two of building his program* will prove out yet again as the Vols bring together all the pieces for a 9-3 or 10-2 (SEC 6-2) finish and a trip to the SEC CG.

Agree with your assessments of Mizzou and Florida, nothing to add to those. Largely agree with your look at South Carolina, but think Brother Spurrier finds very little in the form of magic this year; a train wreck season is the last straw for the old fellow, and he hangs it up after the 'Cocks go 4-8, first losing season in more than a decade.

I think one of the biggest differences n the season is that we have a clear QB/leader early on when our teams meet, while the Dawgs are still looking for theirs. It proves to be the difference for the game, which in turn is a catalyst for the two teams going in opposite directions the following weeks. Us having Arkansas at home while you have to travel to Auburn is the other significant difference, as we go 1-1 vs SEC-W in regular season but GA goes 0-2.

I'd stack them like this:

Vols
Mizzou/GA
UF
SC/KY
Vandy


*
at Central Michigan: 16-11 in first two years, 11-2 in third year
at Cincinnati: 4-8 in first year, 10-3 and 9-3 in second and third years
 
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#102
#102
VFL-82-JP said:
UGADawg, that's some pretty good analysis. I'll just fine tune a couple of points for you.

Georgia certainly has a run game to build the offense around. It is good enough, along with a solid (though perhaps not elite) defense to all but guarantee 8 games (5 SEC). QB and passing game is the trick. Find a serviceable passer and you add another win or two; don't, and you're out of competition for the SEC-E. Unfortunately for the Dawgs, I don't think you find the solution early enough in the season...you'll ID the future of the team at QB, but it'll be too late to get the Dawgs to Atlanta. The brutal Alabama - Tennessee - Mizzou - Florida - Kentucky - Auburn stretch begins too early for the talented but untested throwers.

Move the needle Butch will indeed, for the Vols. The OLine will not win any awards, but is perhaps the most improved unit on the team from 2014; its workman-like, and at times noteworthy, performances are enough to get Hurd and Kamara a combined 1,800 yards rushing and Dobbs over 2,500 passing and 600 rushing. Meanwhile, the defense is beast, top 10 in the nation and top 2 in the SEC. Many wondered before the season began if Butch has the in-season genius to match his out-of-season recruiting prowess...they forget the proof already laid down at CMU and Cincinnati ... the man can indeed coach on the field. His pattern of a showing results after a year or two of building his program* will prove out yet again as the Vols bring together all the pieces for a 9-3 or 10-2 (SEC 6-2) finish and a trip to the SEC CG.

Agree with your assessments of Mizzou and Florida, nothing to add to those. Largely agree with your look at South Carolina, but think Brother Spurrier finds very little in the form of magic this year; a train wreck season is the last straw for the old fellow, and he hangs it up after the 'Cocks go 4-8, first losing season in more than a decade.

I think one of the biggest differences n the season is that we have a clear QB/leader early on when our teams meet, while the Dawgs are still looking for theirs. It proves to be the difference for the game, which in turn is a catalyst for the two teams going in opposite directions the following weeks. Us having Arkansas at home while you have to travel to Auburn is the other significant difference, as we go 1-1 vs SEC-W in regular season but GA goes 0-2.

I'd stack them like this:

Vols
Mizzou/GA
UF
SC/KY
Vandy


*
at Central Michigan: 16-11 in first two years, 11-2 in third year
at Cincinnati: 4-8 in first year, 10-3 and 9-3 in second and third years
Click to expand...

You know your shizzz. Good read as usual.
 
#106
#106
Not an expert here just a fan- but I picked Georgia. Last year we lost to everyone we should have lost and beat everyone we should have beat with the exception of Florida. I think that was a game we should have won but we didn’t so that is that. Off the field Coach Jones has done everything at a championship level - recruiting, instilling confidence, demanding better off the field behavior and raising the academic standard for the football team. This year Coach Jones needs to do it on the field and I think he will. However, I am not convinced we have the depth at all positions to end up with a better record than Georgia. I think we can beat them- it is the other parts of our schedule that it is hard to believe at this point in the rebuild we can rise to the occasion every week. I think Coach Jones has us in position to be there in 2016- but I am going to give him another year at rebuilding. We are getting there- just hard to get in too big a hurry and have expectations that we may not meet this year.
 
#108
#108
VFL-82-JP said:
UGADawg, that's some pretty good analysis. I'll just fine tune a couple of points for you.

Georgia certainly has a run game to build the offense around. It is good enough, along with a solid (though perhaps not elite) defense to all but guarantee 8 games (5 SEC). QB and passing game is the trick. Find a serviceable passer and you add another win or two; don't, and you're out of competition for the SEC-E. Unfortunately for the Dawgs, I don't think you find the solution early enough in the season...you'll ID the future of the team at QB, but it'll be too late to get the Dawgs to Atlanta. The brutal Alabama - Tennessee - Mizzou - Florida - Kentucky - Auburn stretch begins a little too early for the talented but untested throwers.

Butch will indeed move the needle for the Vols. The OLine will not win any awards, but is perhaps the most improved unit on the team from 2014; its workman-like, and at times noteworthy, performances are enough to get Hurd and Kamara a combined 1,800 yards rushing and Dobbs over 2,500 passing and 600 rushing. Meanwhile, the defense is beast, top 10 in the nation and top 2 in the SEC. Many wondered before the season began if Butch has the on-field genius to match his out-of-season recruiting prowess...they forget the proof already laid down at CMU and Cincinnati ... the man can indeed coach on the field. His pattern of a showing results after a year or two of building his program* will prove out yet again as the Vols bring together all the pieces for a 9-3 or 10-2 (SEC 6-2) finish and a trip to the SEC CG.

Agree with your assessments of Mizzou and Florida, nothing to add to those. Largely agree with your look at South Carolina, but think Brother Spurrier finds very little in the form of magic this year; a train wreck season is the last straw for the old fellow, and he hangs it up after the 'Cocks go 4-8, first losing season in more than a decade.

I think one of the biggest differences n the season is that we have a clear QB/leader early on when our teams meet, while the Dawgs are still looking for theirs. It proves to be the difference for the game, which in turn is a catalyst for the two teams going in opposite directions the following weeks. Us having Arkansas at home while you have to travel to Auburn is the other significant difference, as we go 1-1 vs SEC-W in regular season but GA goes 0-2.

I'd stack them like this:

Vols
Mizzou/GA
UF
SC/KY
Vandy


*
at Central Michigan: 16-11 in first two years, 11-2 in third year
at Cincinnati: 4-8 in first year, 10-3 and 9-3 in second and third years
Click to expand...

We're not far apart. I think our D has the potential to be very good, and Pruitt has his guys in place now. We were young in a couple of key positions in '14.

You're have some good points about QB. I think Jacob Park, a 4-star So. will win the starting position over Brice Ramsey. Both are more talented than Mason, but not as experienced. I'd rather be in a better position at QB, but I'd feel much worse if we didn't have the running game and experienced O-line that we do. Takes a lot of pressure off a young QB.

Only time will tell who's right. If I were betting, I'd bet with the experts.
 
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#111
#111
KBVol said:
Nowhere to go but up? He was damn good last year coming off the bench vs Alabams after not having taken a snap all season because he was earmarked for a redshirt.

In my mind, he can certainly improve his accuracy with some throws, especially throwing deep. However, he completed 63% of his passes. That doesn't connote "nowhere to go but up" to me. When I read " nowhere to go but up", I think Nathan Peterman.
Click to expand...

Connote! Nice that you know the word!
OK I'll admit I am one of the Vol fans that is so used to losing I'm afraid to jump out there and predict a successful season. With that said, we are becoming a very talented team and can begin to beat these teams. I do think we will beat Georgia this year. We always play them tough and they are dealing with a new quarterback. Plus we are at home. So really other than probably Alabama, I don't see any other sure losses so I am changing my outlook and voted for Tennessee to win the east!!
 
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#112
#112
UGA is trying to find a QB. That and catching us early with our D destroys them this year. They're still trying to figure out how to play defense as well. You folks picking UGA DO realize with Gurley at his prime they ONLY won our game with a gift TD we gave them right? We will be MUCH improved, they won't be as good as last years Dawgs is my prediction.
 
#114
#114
wildorange said:
I'll stick with Butch Jones thank you very much!!! GO VOLS!!!!
Click to expand...

So your loyalty is to Jones and not the Vols? If one guy consistently loses to another guy who has less talent... you want UT coached by the underachiever rather than the overachiever?
 
#119
#119
sjt18 said:
That and a OOC schedule so lame that it never taxes their roster with injuries like most other SEC programs deal with.
Click to expand...

Wait, have we or the other SEC teams been regularly losing players to injury in the one big OOC game?

Did the OU and two Oregon games thin us out or did Bama and LSU have that happen in the West Virginia and Wisconsin games?

I'm seriously asking; it's not my area of familiarity.
 
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