Compare Alabama 22 and UGA 25

[Wahoooo]

As much as I feel like the Bama game in 22 put us over a major hump, did the UGA game this year knock our program back several notches? After the UGA game, it seems the team and program were not the same. If you feel like you are a legit blue blood in the SEC. You don’t lose that game, Rinse and repeat, you don’t lose that game. We lost 3 home games, only win vs a team over 500 was ETSU. This seems like the type of season we should have had in JHs first year, not his fifth.

I feel the aura around this program was relatively positive the last 3 years, even with the OSU beating last year, we still won the games needed to make the playoffs,

I don’t feel the same at this point and time, I hope I am wrong come next fall.

 

[Big Orange Captain]

As much as I feel like the Bama game in 22 put us over a major hump, did the UGA game this year knock our program back several notches? After the UGA game, it seems the team and program were not the same. If you feel like you are a legit blue blood in the SEC. You don’t lose that game, Rinse and repeat, you don’t lose that game. We lost 3 home games, only win vs a team over 500 was ETSU. This seems like the type of season we should have had in JHs first year, not his fifth.

I feel the aura around this program was relatively positive the last 3 years, even with the OSU beating last year, we still won the games needed to make the playoffs,

I don’t feel the same at this point and time, I hope I am wrong come next fall.

Yep i think the Ohio St blowout loss hurt too, but at least we were still in the playoff. We absolutely should’ve beat Georgia and losing that game seem to take the wind out of the sails. We could’ve lost to Miss.St as well , we def regressed this season after the Georgia loss and Heupel will need a bounce back season in 2026 but the schedule will be the hardest he’s ever dealt with since being here. I’m not very optimistic about next season we are looking at a 7-5 or 6-6 type year imo hope i’m wrong but hey at least we ended the losing streak at the swamp this year.

 

[Wahoooo]

Yep i think the Ohio St blowout loss hurt too, but at least we were still in the playoff. We absolutely should’ve beat Georgia and losing that game seem to take the wind out of the sails. We could’ve lost to Miss.St as well , we def regressed this season and Heupel will need a bounce back season in 2026 but the schedule will be the hardest he’s ever dealt with since being here. I’m not very optimistic about next season we are looking at a 7-5 or 6-6 type year imo hope i’m wrong but hey at least we ended the losing streak at the swamp this year.

I agree with all your points. The win at Florida this year would, in past years, be more impactful. However, UF is in a mess so that win, from a program perspective, is very neutral, almost like beating Kentucky.

 

[#1fulmerite]

In before the probation and scolly reductions are used for excuses.

 

[207 others]

an aura of dominance

 

[Titans4Vols]

No singular game in any singular season is any sign of getting over a hump or regressing. An entire season isn't even a surefire sign of getting over a hump or regressing.

Football is not a game played on stat sheets. There is nuance and context to every decision, play, win, loss, etc.

If you look at football with that absurdly blind viewpoint, if Max Gilbert hits a field goal and Oklahoma doesn't return a 70 yard fumble for a TD or whatever it was, no one is having these discussions and we probably were playing in a playoff game the other weekend. So two plays change and suddenly our season was great.

Or you can just be reasonable, stop letting your mind be ruined by this 24/7 news cycle and social media ******** that requires everyone to leave their brains at the door and have a hot take about everything, and break down the season for what it actually was, and break down the program for what it actually is.

The offense made strides in it's scheming and finally got over the Kirby Smart hump. Aguilar's known turnover issues reared it's ugly head a couple times, but that wouldn't have been nearly as impactful as it ended up being had the defense not fallen to pieces. Not getting McCoy back and losing Gibson in week 1 was a death knell the rest of the defense sadly could not overcome, even with a really good pass rush for most of the year. That resulted in getting Banks fired. We're bringing in the best recruiting class of this coaching staff's tenure, we're bringing in one of the most respected defensive minds in the country, and reports are we're going to spend big at key spots in the portal.

The program is still what it was prior to this season. Pretty good. Can generally expect 9-10 wins and should be around a top 10 to 15 team. Can it take the next step and become a national title contender? Maybe. The better recruiting and the upgrade at DC gives some hope for that, but we won't know til we see it on the field.

 

[VolCalls]

No singular game in any singular season is any sign of getting over a hump or regressing. An entire season isn't even a surefire sign of getting over a hump or regressing.

Football is not a game played on stat sheets. There is nuance and context to every decision, play, win, loss, etc.

If you look at football with that absurdly blind viewpoint, if Max Gilbert hits a field goal and Oklahoma doesn't return a 70 yard fumble for a TD or whatever it was, no one is having these discussions and we probably were playing in a playoff game the other weekend. So two plays change and suddenly our season was great.

Or you can just be reasonable, stop letting your mind be ruined by this 24/7 news cycle and social media ******** that requires everyone to leave their brains at the door and have a hot take about everything, and break down the season for what it actually was, and break down the program for what it actually is.

The offense made strides in it's scheming and finally got over the Kirby Smart hump. Aguilar's known turnover issues reared it's ugly head a couple times, but that wouldn't have been nearly as impactful as it ended up being had the defense not fallen to pieces. Not getting McCoy back and losing Gibson in week 1 was a death knell the rest of the defense sadly could not overcome, even with a really good pass rush for most of the year. That resulted in getting Banks fired. We're bringing in the best recruiting class of this coaching staff's tenure, we're bringing in one of the most respected defensive minds in the country, and reports are we're going to spend big at key spots in the portal.

The program is still what it was prior to this season. Pretty good. Can generally expect 9-10 wins and should be around a top 10 to 15 team. Can it take the next step and become a national title contender? Maybe. The better recruiting and the upgrade at DC gives some hope for that, but we won't know til we see it on the field.

I appreciate your rational take. However, the resources this program has at their disposal and the amount of money invested every year by the school, the Pilots and Food Cities of the world, and thousands upon thousands of individual donors and season ticket buyers are not just “pretty good.” They’re elite. And the ROI is far from elite.

When was the last time anyone talked about Tennessee Football and classified our resources as only “pretty good?” I’m guessing never.

 

[Titans4Vols]

I appreciate your rational take. However, the resources this program has at their disposal and the amount of money invested every year by the school, the Pilots and Food Cities of the world, and thousands upon thousands of individual donors and season ticket buyers are not just “pretty good.” They’re elite. And the ROI is far from elite.

When was the last time anyone talked about Tennessee Football and classified our resources as only “pretty good?” I’m guessing never.

From the reports I've seen the last few years, Tennessee is around the 10th highest paid roster in the sport each year. Results generally match that, this year aside obviously. This year specifically I think we were the 9th highest paid CFB roster, believe it was Nakos who put that out before the season started. But have been in that range each year under Heupel to my understanding.

Considering the improved recruiting class and the transfer portal reports, maybe we see that bump up higher this year. Hopefully the results have a similar bump.