CBJ on 2014 challenges ...

[SmokinBob]

I enter this season the same way I enter every season... We are playing for the NC up until the point it is impossible numbers wise.

You let me worry about my own disappointment. Unlike most around here I know how to deal with a little disappointment without thinking the sky falling.

Team 118 is undefeated at this time - well said Imported :rock:

 

[PureVol]

honestly...I think everyone is sick of that word...patience. We have gone through that word for the past what....7 years minimum? "Patience" has caused us to minimize our hopes and dreams. "patience" has caused us to say "we sucked this season but next year it will be better, we sucked this season but next season it will be better, we sucked this season but next season we will be better."

I'm out of "patience." I'm not asking for anything crazy, I'm just asking for a regular winning season and a bowl game. I believe Butch can do it. Next year my limit of patience will be higher.

 

[jimallvol]

Butch and his staff are going to get it done at TN but its not going to happen over night. If we can get a few more signing classes like we did this yr I truly believe we will be competing for sec champions again. Go vols!

 

[KoachKletus]

Its funny other teams always see an increase in wins the 2nd year of good coaching but only at tn it takes a min of 4 years to even expect some improvement... This includes fb n bb because the talent left behind is always worse than what others started with...lol classic

Anything less than 6 n 6 and we are in trouble long term. This staff has to show why cbj considers them the best staff in america and get us to a bowl game min.

Tennessee plays a brutal football schedule. Every year. And for the past 5 years we have been in limbo as far as continuity goes. Fortunately we should be out of the limbo stage and back into development. Unfortunately, team development will have to rely on a mass influx of young talent. I won't say all of this young talent is raw, but they will be tested early and often. 5 wins is doable but more importantly, and one of CBJ's big hurdles will be to keep this team together mentally. Get to 6 wins, play in a bowl, hell win a bowl, then I think that these young men will not only realize what it is to be a Volunteer - but also come to love the sound of 100,000 plus cheering them on. Oh what a feeling.:yahoo:

 

[Falcons02]

So you wouldn't compare them with Cincinnati in 2011, or NC State in 2012, or Western Kentucky with Petrino in 2013?

I was thinking more about Montana/Buffalo/MTSU from 2011, GA St./Akron/Troy from 2012, and Austin Peay/S. Ala from 2013.... but nice try there, boss.

 

[Roustabout]

Are you serious? I'm glad you're not you're in charge of marketing for UT football.

Don't ask questions if youre gonna be offended by answers.
Had nothing to do with marketing. Has to do with Jones response. I assure you, a year in the SEC and getting your azz pounded has tempered expectations. He has a completely unproven Oline. The QB is anything but settled.
Who are the LBs on this team other than AJ? Last I've seen all have been moved to DE. Maybin? An every down defender is a lot different than Special teams. Dline also doesn't look SEC caliber. Kicking game?
WR is the only position I see SEC caliber players.

BTW, how many wins does marketing account for.

My opinion. 5-7
OU game should have been bought out.
I love butch but he is blue collar. He'll work hard to build the team and culture. I don't see them out scheming anyone.

 

[ChattaTNVol]

I was thinking more about Montana/Buffalo/MTSU from 2011, GA St./Akron/Troy from 2012, and Austin Peay/S. Ala from 2013.... but nice try there, boss.

Hey that's pretty weak. The games I listed were all early season opponents as you specified, either first or second games. Montana was a season opener followed by Cincinnati, but Buffalo was #4 and MTSU was #9, hardly consistent with being an early season opponent. Georgia State was a #2 game AFTER we opened with NC State. Akron again was #4 and again Troy was #9 on the schedule. Peay was #1 and WKU #2. USA was #5. The games I reference were either the 1st or 2nd games of the year, much more consistent, imo, with early season opponents.

If we're just talking OOC schedule then given that last year we were on the road at Oregon and this year will be on the road at Oklahoma I'd absolutely agree we have a tougher OOC schedule than 2011 but I'm not scared of USU or Arkansas State.


I think Ark State is comparable to USA or WKU or Troy in 2012. I think USU is at best comparable to Cincinnati in 2011 or NC State in 2012 but I don't think they could beat either one of those teams, then or now. We did. As to Austin Peay, I'll agree with you in that I expect Chattanooga to be a seriously much more formidable opponent in our 6th game of the season this year. The mighty mocs will be fired up!!!

 

[gnm53108]

I enter this season the same way I enter every season... We are playing for the NC up until the point it is impossible numbers wise.

You let me worry about my own disappointment. Unlike most around here I know how to deal with a little disappointment without thinking the sky falling.

:rock:

 

[Quaint88]

OU game should have been bought out.

No, I don't want to see this kind of crap. I'm still not over how we paid to keep from playing the mighty Tarheels. I would rather not make a bowl than to buy our way into one that we didn't think we could earn.

 

[Boca Vol]

Don't ask questions if youre gonna be offended by answers.
Had nothing to do with marketing. Has to do with Jones response. I assure you, a year in the SEC and getting your azz pounded has tempered expectations. He has a completely unproven Oline. The QB is anything but settled.
Who are the LBs on this team other than AJ? Last I've seen all have been moved to DE. Maybin? An every down defender is a lot different than Special teams. Dline also doesn't look SEC caliber. Kicking game?
WR is the only position I see SEC caliber players.

BTW, how many wins does marketing account for.

My opinion. 5-7
OU game should have been bought out.
I love butch but he is blue collar. He'll work hard to build the team and culture. I don't see them out scheming anyone.

Marketing sells tickets, not win games. So how excited are you for the 2014 season when all you see are wins over?:

UK
Ark. St.
USU
Chatty
Vandy/Mizzou

That sucks! In fact, winning all 6 of those isn't impressive.

And no, UT shouldn't have bought out of the OU game. Man up and play the game.

I agree with you about Jones out-scheming anyone. That was evident last year in the UF game. After facing the best DT QB in the country the week prior he allows a converted WR/ benchwarmer in Murphy to shred his D. He could have at least learned something from the Oregon game.

 

[FBtime]

No, I don't want to see this kind of crap. I'm still not over how we paid to keep from playing the mighty Tarheels. I would rather not make a bowl than to buy our way into one that we didn't think we could earn.

Not me...I would rather beat a middle of the road team not from a BCS conference than to get embarrassed on national TV. e.g. Oregon. At the end of the year when we are getting the younger players the extra practice time from our bowl game no one will care we bought the game out.

 

[butchna]

We lose to arkansas state and we might as well tear the stadium down. Football is over.

Period

I dare you to get that started...kick and gnaw at some stadium seats and wait for the deluge of fan support. :banghead2: :banghead2: :banghead2:

Doubledog dare ya!!!!opcorn:

 

[Boca Vol]

I dare you to get that started...kick and gnaw at some stadium seats and wait for the deluge of fan support. :banghead2: :banghead2: :banghead2:

Doubledog dare ya!!!!opcorn:

:lolabove:

That would be hilarious in a sad way. I could just see every fan breat out his wrenches and start taking out the rows of seats.

 

[butchna]

No, I don't want to see this kind of crap. I'm still not over how we paid to keep from playing the mighty Tarheels. I would rather not make a bowl than to buy our way into one that we didn't think we could earn.

Thank you. :clap:

 

[Quaint88]

Not me...I would rather beat a middle of the road team not from a BCS conference than to get embarrassed on national TV. e.g. Oregon. At the end of the year when we are getting the younger players the extra practice time from our bowl game no one will care we bought the game out.

I have to admit that extra practice time for a young team is the best point I've ever heard in favor of buying out of tough non-conference games to make a bowl, but I still don't want to see it. I would rather be embarassed on the field on national TV until we not only have nothing to be embarassed about, but we have something to be proud of. Plus, our young team should be able to use this season's result as motivation when OU comes to Neyland next season.

 

[walkenvol]

Why can't this team win 7 of these games?

USU
Ark St.
Chatty
UK
Vandy
UF
Mizzou
Ole Miss

Why leave GA and SC off this list? Do you think we're worse than last season?

 

[Boca Vol]

Why leave GA and SC off this list? Do you think we're worse than last season?

I think we have more playmakers than last season. Whether or not, we can get the ball to them is the question.

The reason I left those 2 games off is they're on the road. I know Ole Miss is on the road as well, but IMO that's the easiest of those 3.

At some point UT needs to win a decent road game. They knocked on the door at both UGA and SC in 2012.

 

[butchna]

Not me...I would rather beat a middle of the road team not from a BCS conference than to get embarrassed on national TV. e.g. Oregon. At the end of the year when we are getting the younger players the extra practice time from our bowl game no one will care we bought the game out.

I CARE...And I'm more important than you!!!

 

[Boca Vol]

I think the extra practice time is overblown. Sure, there is some benefit but not as much as some seem to think.

It's in the middle of December, it's cold, and you're preparing to play a Conf USA team in a 3rd tier bowl. I promise, the players are taking to the practice field like it's August 1st.

 

[Falcons02]

Hey that's pretty weak. The games I listed were all early season opponents as you specified, either first or second games. Montana was a season opener followed by Cincinnati, but Buffalo was #4 and MTSU was #9, hardly consistent with being an early season opponent. Georgia State was a #2 game AFTER we opened with NC State. Akron again was #4 and again Troy was #9 on the schedule. Peay was #1 and WKU #2. USA was #5. The games I reference were either the 1st or 2nd games of the year, much more consistent, imo, with early season opponents.

If we're just talking OOC schedule then given that last year we were on the road at Oregon and this year will be on the road at Oklahoma I'd absolutely agree we have a tougher OOC schedule than 2011 but I'm not scared of USU or Arkansas State.


I think Ark State is comparable to USA or WKU or Troy in 2012. I think USU is at best comparable to Cincinnati in 2011 or NC State in 2012 but I don't think they could beat either one of those teams, then or now. We did. As to Austin Peay, I'll agree with you in that I expect Chattanooga to be a seriously much more formidable opponent in our 6th game of the season this year. The mighty mocs will be fired up!!!

Right you are, my friend. My mistake. i guess my overall point is that, in my opinion, these 2 games specifically (USU/Ark ST) shouldn't be overlooked. Historically these should be Vol W's but we all know how rough things have been the last few years

 

[Roustabout]

Marketing sells tickets, not win games. So how excited are you for the 2014 season when all you see are wins over?:

UK
Ark. St.
USU
Chatty
Vandy/Mizzou

That sucks! In fact, winning all 6 of those isn't impressive.

And no, UT shouldn't have bought out of the OU game. Man up and play the game.

I agree with you about Jones out-scheming anyone. That was evident last year in the UF game. After facing the best DT QB in the country the week prior he allows a converted WR/ benchwarmer in Murphy to shred his D. He could have at least learned something from the Oregon game.

What you want and what will happen are two different things.
Regarding OU. UT is in no state to get in a peter measuring contest. Consider last year. Take out Oregon and replace that game with (fill the blank). Guess what? UT goes to a bowl.
It may be depressing but I think its realistic. UT faces the #2 schedule. It ain't gonna be pretty.

 

[Boca Vol]

What you want and what will happen are two different things.
Regarding OU. UT is in no state to get in a peter measuring contest. Consider last year. Take out Oregon and replace that game with (fill the blank). Guess what? UT goes to a bowl.
It may be depressing but I think its realistic. UT faces the #2 schedule. It ain't gonna be pretty.

UT beats Vandy AT HOME and they go bowling!

 

[Aesius]

honestly...I think everyone is sick of that word...patience. We have gone through that word for the past what....7 years minimum? "Patience" has caused us to minimize our hopes and dreams. "patience" has caused us to say "we sucked this season but next year it will be better, we sucked this season but next season it will be better, we sucked this season but next season we will be better."

I'm out of "patience." I'm not asking for anything crazy, I'm just asking for a regular winning season and a bowl game. I believe Butch can do it. Next year my limit of patience will be higher.

It's best to just pretend the Dooley years never happened.

 

[NotoriousB-I-G]

Why can't this team win 7 of these games?

USU
Ark St.
Chatty
UK
Vandy
UF
Mizzou
Ole Miss

It's doable, and you can even add SC in there. The only problem is that it requires UT to be perfect in toss-up games while also avoiding upsets the entire year.

Being perfect in toss-ups and avoiding upsets is a tough proposition for a team with this many young players.

I'm thinking/hoping for 6-7 wins.

 

[NotoriousB-I-G]

Utah St. won 9 games last year and beat a ranked N. Illinois team in their bowl game. They have been to a bowl game 3 straight years and have won 2 of the 3.

Arkansas St. won 8 games last year, including their bowl game. They have had 3 straight winning seasons and, like Utah St. have been to 3 straight bowls, winning 2 of the 3.

It is hard for me to fathom UF again being as bad as they were last year. On the other hand, I can't see UM being as good as they were last year, Vandy too for that matter.

These are all winnable games assuming we get good freshmen contributions on defense and the OL steps up. But from a depth standpoint, UT's margin for error/injury will be much, much smaller than Bama/LSU/Auburn et al. I am really hopeful for a bowl season, but I think CBJ is still 1 recruiting class away from a breakout season.

If UT loses to Utah St and/or Arkansas State, this will go down as the worst season in the history of UT football and year 3 suddenly becomes very hot for CBJ. As sorry as Dooley was, his one redeeming quality is he usually beat holy hell out of UTs non-conference patsies.