Are we as good as the ‘22 team?

[volfan102455]

This poll is pre-mature.

 

[DinkinFlicka]

Our defense is lights out. The offense tonight showed just how much we missed Lance Heard.

Yep. Our OL performance was rock bottom since UGA in '22.

 

[Heupel's Offseason Beard]

If you voted No, you don't watch enough football

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

Overall we’re better because of D. Offense has a chance to be just as good or better. Right now 22 offense might still be more polished but this O is dangerous and going to keep getting better. I thought our D would be strong this year and our O would be good and get better as the year goes on. This game should help Nico out a lot, he will be able to see things he missed. He had a few runs for the taking in the first half. Has to get the ball tucked away under pressure. But Nico is going to be a great quarterback, these types of games well only help him. Overall he handled things very well and made 2-3 great throws. GBO

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

I think we have a higher ceiling as defense is clearly better and the offense will continue to get better

This! GBO

 

[joevol33]

Defense is better but not offense yet

This is the right answer

 

[DirtyDawg]

Too early to know for sure. I think yes though, and like most posters here, I believe this because of the vast improvement on defense. Y’all’s defense has been impressive

 

[knox73]

Defensive line depth is absolutely incredible. I had forgotten about Jackson Moi. They come at you in waves of physicality and ill intent. Heupel has brought Nico along masterfully. Nico was able to be a game manager vs. OU while striking for big plays when necessary. His first SEC road win is now in the books and he will develop immensely from that experience.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Thus far into the season, do you think we are as good as we were in 2022?

Better

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

If Heard and Campbell are back and healthy soon I think we will be better. We could not run our offense how we wanted to because of the risk of strip sack.

Risk?

 

[rdk4121]

The defense is so much better, and the offense will continue to get better. Remember that the '22 offense struggled on the road at Pitt early in the year as well.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Defense is better, Offense is not. Hooker as a senior > Nico as a freshman (unsurprisingly).

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Yep. Our OL performance was rock bottom since UGA in '22.

OU has a good defense. That's probably the best defense we will play besides Bama and Georgia.

 

[ZZ13]

2022? More like the 1998 team with a more intelligent head coach.

 

[Evet Vols]

We are better. We have a defense this year.

 

[Volbrando]

Defense is better but not offense yet

This

 

[titansvolsfaninga]

Defensively we are light years better. We're better at every position group.

 

[Flipdaddy]

They did… we had a good offense in 2021 and gave good teams problems even then. And do you really think Bama didn’t take us seriously when we were #6 playing them at home? They had 5 games that season to watch film on us, as well as the year prior

Actually I don’t think Bama did because they had been hammering us for almost two decades. I think they began to respect us late 3rd quarter because they didn’t pull away like usual.