Clarification: Tennessee is NOT competitive in the SEC

[volbound1700]

Yeah. They called it Bama fatigue. Looks like Kirby will have everyone complaining about Georgia fatigue.

In all of CFB, you never had the situation like we have with Saban. Bear Bryant had a great run but if you look, he would lose ever so often and had some 6-6 type seasons. Saban just hasn't let up. The closest he has been to a "down" year was last year when they still went 11-2.

Kirby is chasing 3 straight titles which has NEVER been done before. Definitely college football has gotten lopsided.

People will say it is the coaches being impressive but, to be honest, it is easy to stay dominant when you just keep getting all of the players. It was hard to do that prior to the internet age so coaches had to adjust a lot. In some ways, coaches like Bear Bryant are still better coaches than Saban and Smart because they didn't just have teams that were massively more talented than everyone.

The recruiting under Saban era was what made it lopsided and perhaps technology drove that as players in other states could now see and go to programs like Alabama which wasn't common in the past where TV broadcasts were more regional and you didn't have internet or streaming like we have today.

I have always been impressed with coaches like Bill Synder or James Franklin for going to programs that were absolute trash (Kansas State and Vandy) and winning there. That is more impressive than just keep winning at programs that are pulling in #1 recruiting classes year after year.

It is like playing Risk and starting with 10 more armies than everyone else, of course you are going to win most of the time.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

The good aspect of this is he will extract 10 pounds of flesh from UGA when Saban retires and Bama comes calling.

There's zero reason for Smart to jump to Bama. Zero. He's got and will get in the future everything post-Saban Bama could provide for him already in Athens AND Atlanta money, which even with the Falcons and Braves in town, will still be enough to keep up with any Alabama money.

Bama isn't Bama without Saban and Bear before him. Smart owns GA like those guys did Alabama. There's nothing for him to gain by moving anywhere.

 

[posivol]

I recollect that Georgia fired Richt when they felt sure that they could hire Kirby. Kirby is legacy, a former Bulldog player who was doing great things as coordinator for the dominant program in CFB.

he also learned how to pay players like daddy satin and get away w/ it.

 

[JRich]

Our program had every opportunity to hire a saban or Kirby. We didn’t. Now we are where we are. That’s on the admin. While I see your point, teams shouldn’t be punished for building what everyone wants to build. If TN was in domination right now your post would look a bit different.

"a Saban or Kirby" or "Saban or Kirby?"

I don't know how you can say either. One is predetermined on being able to see the future, and the other on if either wanted to coach at UT. Kirby played for UGA and Saban got poached while Fulmer was still at UT. I don't think anyone predicted the level of success either would have, Smart being his first time as a head coach, and Saban a college and NFL journeyman who didn't really have success until LSU, and even that was limited. He went 8-4, 10-3, 8-5 before winning the Natty, then went 9-3. VolNation would have considered that "mediocre" and called for his head, or at least the heads of his assistants.

 

[Volnbeers]

he also learned how to pay players like daddy satin and get away w/ it.

basically this. its not like kirby is that great of a coach. he stacked top 5 recruiting classes when paying players was taboo and built a nice foundation.

cant decide if NIL actually helps anything as far as recruiting goes.

it also helps that georgia literally only plays like 2 true road games a year against much lesser competition (yes i am including us).

 

[fossilfiction]

Tennessee competed for the in the East in 2022. In 2023, they almost competed. That's the truth of it.

Tennessee needs more brutes. Solid foundation, but there are some cracks that need addressing.

 

[WhenUrVolUrVFL]

I hear people saying this, that isn't true.

The statement should be Tennessee isn't competitive against Alabama and Georgia. Tennessee, under Heupel, has a winning record against the SEC outside of Alabama and Georgia.

The SEC outside of those two programs is a bunch of mediocre to bad teams. The fact is the sport sucks because our league is a 2-team league. We might as well not even play the games and just have Alabama and Georgia play in Atlanta and that be the SEC season.

Maybe Oklahoma and Texas will change things but outside of 2019 LSU, no one has been competitive among the other SEC in the past decade. Even Georgia really wasn't that great until 2017.

Fact is that Saban (and now Smart) have sucked all of the life out of the sport...

It isn't just Tennessee having this problem...

Our entire team is fine—for some reason tho when a coach becomes a head coach at Tennessee—the coach becomes an idiot at assessing the talent or lack thereof at the QB position.

You cannot have a QB that causes your team to lose games continue to be in the game.

Our limiting factor is at the QB position. Why we continue to stick with players like Guarantano and Miltonnand give them reps at practice when you can split reps is BAFFLING. Seriously—WTF IS GOING ON. HOW DOES MICHIGAN REALIZE MILTON IS NOT A SERVICABLE QB 3 YEARS AGO….AND WERE SITTING HERE 3 YEARS LATER STARTING THE SAME GUY WITH THE OBVIOUS OUTCOME?!?

 

[UTFranklinVol]

I hear people saying this, that isn't true.

The statement should be Tennessee isn't competitive against Alabama and Georgia. Tennessee, under Heupel, has a winning record against the SEC outside of Alabama and Georgia.

The SEC outside of those two programs is a bunch of mediocre to bad teams. The fact is the sport sucks because our league is a 2-team league. We might as well not even play the games and just have Alabama and Georgia play in Atlanta and that be the SEC season.

Maybe Oklahoma and Texas will change things but outside of 2019 LSU, no one has been competitive among the other SEC in the past decade. Even Georgia really wasn't that great until 2017.

Fact is that Saban (and now Smart) have sucked all of the life out of the sport...

It isn't just Tennessee having this problem...

Don't forget LSU and yes Texas and OK are going to make competition in the SEC that much harder. We have to up our game big time because just beating the remaining SEC teams won't ever be good enough going forward.

 

[fossilfiction]

By watching and supporting the sport, you basically give a soap box to losers like this lol. Just dial out, that would be the ultimate middle finger to Alabama, Georgia, and the SEC.

That dudes a cave and swollen eye away from just saying baby ruth all the time.

 

[LWSVOL]

I hear people saying this, that isn't true.

The statement should be Tennessee isn't competitive against Alabama and Georgia. Tennessee, under Heupel, has a winning record against the SEC outside of Alabama and Georgia.

The SEC outside of those two programs is a bunch of mediocre to bad teams. The fact is the sport sucks because our league is a 2-team league. We might as well not even play the games and just have Alabama and Georgia play in Atlanta and that be the SEC season.

Maybe Oklahoma and Texas will change things but outside of 2019 LSU, no one has been competitive among the other SEC in the past decade. Even Georgia really wasn't that great until 2017.

Fact is that Saban (and now Smart) have sucked all of the life out of the sport...

It isn't just Tennessee having this problem...

They can't lose to a Carolina and Missouri level programs every year and ever hope to compete with top programs. Plus need to end the Florida debacles.

Harder starting in 24 also. Much harder.

 

[Volnbeers]

Our entire team is fine—for some reason tho when a coach becomes a head coach at Tennessee—the coach becomes an idiot at assessing the talent or lack thereof at the QB position.

You cannot have a QB that causes your team to lose games continue to be in the game.

Our limiting factor is at the QB position. Why we continue to stick with players like Guarantano and Miltonnand give them reps at practice when you can split reps is BAFFLING. Seriously—WTF IS GOING ON. HOW DOES MICHIGAN REALIZE MILTON IS NOT A SERVICABLE QB 3 YEARS AGO….AND WERE SITTING HERE 3 YEARS LATER STARTING THE SAME GUY WITH THE OBVIOUS OUTCOME?!?

because tennessee football is a psyop

 

[volbound1700]

They can't lose to a Carolina and Missouri level programs every year and ever hope to compete with top programs. Plus need to end the Florida debacles.

Harder starting in 24 also. Much harder.

I get that but it happens when you don't have Alabama and Georgia talent.

My point is if you compare Tennessee to the other 11 SEC Programs not named Alabama and Georgia, this season, they look very similar.

Missouri is also a top ten program this year. They are basically what Tennessee was in 2022.

Joe Milton stinks, defense has issues, etc. We rolled dice on Milton and did not come up.

Issue is the sport has gotten very one mind focus and it is bad for the sport that two teams continue to win it year in and year out.

 

[WhenUrVolUrVFL]

I get that but it happens when you don't have Alabama and Georgia talent.

My point is if you compare Tennessee to the other 11 SEC Programs not named Alabama and Georgia, this season, they look very similar.

Missouri is also a top ten program this year. They are basically what Tennessee was in 2022.

Joe Milton stinks, defense has issues, etc. We rolled dice on Milton and did not come up.

Issue is the sport has gotten very one mind focus and it is bad for the sport that two teams continue to win it year in and year out.

Missouri isn’t good. They’re average. They have the type of QB that would have us in the playoff. If we had that QB from Mizzou we would have been undefeated going into the Georgia game. I don’t even think Georgia is as good as the score indicated, but our team gave up mentally by having a QB that could not score or sustain drives.

Seriously it’s infuriating seeing Milton as a starter this year. It’s the same thing as Guarantano’s last 2 years. YOU KNEW WHAT YOU HAD THERE. HOW DO HEAD COACHES OF MAJOR DIV 1 SCHOOLS MAKE THE SAME STUPID DECISIONS. I AM SO ANNOYED THINKING ABOUT IT.

 

[volbound1700]

Missouri isn’t good. They’re average. They have the type of QB that would have us in the playoff. If we had that QB from Mizzou we would have been undefeated going into the Georgia game. I don’t even think Georgia is as good as the score indicated, but our team gave up mentally by having a QB that could not score or sustain drives.

Seriously it’s infuriating seeing Milton as a starter this year. It’s the same thing as Guarantano’s last 2 years. YOU KNEW WHAT YOU HAD THERE. HOW DO HEAD COACHES OF MAJOR DIV 1 SCHOOLS MAKE THE SAME STUPID DECISIONS. I AM SO ANNOYED THINKING ABOUT IT.

Missouri is literally in the top 10 right now and will finish 10-2. I would say that is better than AVERAGE. I can't dig them up, but I thought we would have trouble with Missouri in the preseason and people told me I was dumb for it. I didn't have us losing to Florida but I was thinking 9-3 could happen with loss to Missouri.

We were worse than I thought.

 

[S.C. OrangeMan]

We have a winning record other than the two best teams in the country over the past decade.

The three best teams. We're 1-0 against Clemson. They have two Natty's in the past 7 years.

 

[WhenUrVolUrVFL]

Missouri is literally in the top 10 right now and will finish 10-2. I would say that is better than AVERAGE. I can't dig them up, but I thought we would have trouble with Missouri in the preseason and people told me I was dumb for it. I didn't have us losing to Florida but I was thinking 9-3 could happen with loss to Missouri.

We were worse than I thought.

Missouri had an extremely soft schedule.

They lost to LSU in a complete collapse. They barely beat Florida this year who wasn’t good at all. They were competitive with Georgia, but Georgia was VERY beatable. Georgia is playing with renewed confidence because they have good QB play.

Missouri is going to lose to Arkansas this weekend. When you have a QB that leads the team, everyone plays better. We don’t have that. Look how we looked last year with a competent QB…who Milton started over….

 

[volbound1700]

Missouri had an extremely soft schedule.

They lost to LSU in a complete collapse. They barely beat Florida this year who wasn’t good at all. They were competitive with Georgia, but Georgia was VERY beatable. Georgia is playing with renewed confidence because they have good QB play.

Missouri is going to lose to Arkansas this weekend. When you have a QB that leads the team, everyone plays better. We don’t have that. Look how we looked last year with a competent QB…who Milton started over….

Georgia is beatable? Who is going to beat them? Only teams that have a shot are Alabama and maybe Ohio State. Ohio State has regressed a lot though. Michigan is too much like Georgia but is a weaker version. Maybe Michigan can still Georgia's play calls and win that way.

 

[WhenUrVolUrVFL]

Georgia was down by 2 TD’s at halftime to South Carolina in Athens.

I honestly think Alabama is gonna smack the **** out of Georgia. I think Alabama wins in a complete ass whipping. Beck was careless with the football against us. And that was without any pressure on him because for some reason our DLine is incredible at stopping the run, but unable to get any pressure on the QB. It’s the weirdest phenomenon I’ve ever seen.

 

[volbound1700]

Georgia was down by 2 TD’s at halftime to South Carolina in Athens.

I honestly think Alabama is gonna smack the **** out of Georgia. I think Alabama wins in a complete ass whipping. Beck was careless with the football against us. And that was without any pressure on him because for some reason our DLine is incredible at stopping the run, but unable to get any pressure on the QB. It’s the weirdest phenomenon I’ve ever seen.

Georgia did that same crap last year. What you are seeing is teenages/early 20 year olds not getting excited about playing 6-6 Auburn or 4-8 South Carolina, etc.

Notice when Georgia walked into a game against a perceived tougher opponent like Kentucky (who was top ten at the time), Florida (rival), Ole Miss (top ten), and Tennessee (top 25 rival), they ripped and teared. They did the same thing last year.

The only team, in my book, that actually did hang with a Georgia team that was fired up was Missouri. Georgia looks just as good as last year, to be honest. I hate it, but it is true.

Alabama can beat Georgia. They are getting a lot better but I wouldn't bank on it. Georgia is the best team in the nation.

 

[WhenUrVolUrVFL]

Georgia did that same crap last year. What you are seeing is teenages/early 20 year olds not getting excited about playing 6-6 Auburn or 4-8 South Carolina, etc.

Notice when Georgia walked into a game against a perceived tougher opponent like Kentucky (who was top ten at the time), Florida (rival), Ole Miss (top ten), and Tennessee (top 25 rival), they ripped and teared. They did the same thing last year.

The only team, in my book, that actually did hang with a Georgia team that was fired up was Missouri. Georgia looks just as good as last year, to be honest. I hate it, but it is true.

Alabama can beat Georgia. They are getting a lot better but I wouldn't bank on it. Georgia is the best team in the nation.

A mediocre QB could have hung with Georgia. Milton is a bad Qb. Milton isn’t a mediocre QB. Michigan hangs with mediocre QB to a fault—looking at O’Korn, Wilton Speight, Denard Robinson and many many others.

Milton was told to kick rocks by Michigan. Let that sink in.

That being said, you give us the QB from Missouri or Florida and we at least make it a competitive game against Georgia.

Bama will beat Georgia by 2 scores.

 

[onevol74]

Successful teams in the SEC have decent offensive and defensive lines. And Tennessee is not one of them.

 

[Johnnyreb#VFL]

You must have missed Tennessee’s run last season

 

[volbound1700]

You must have missed Tennessee’s run last season

How did they do in Athens? Still the same story. No appearance in Atlanta, no Championship.

 

[SaintLouisVol]

NFL has that model.

That is why it has taken off and blown by CFB in popularity. It actual has parity and you feel like your team has hope instead of being the bitch of your rivals for multiple decades.

College football is not the NFL. Yes, there are countless arguments that have merit that says it pretty much is, but it is not on paper. If the powers that be want to officially recognize that the P5 is really just an NFL development league and that the players have zero obligation to academics and pursuing a degree, then fine. Make all the parity rules you want. But, if they continue to pretend that it is college football, then they can't tell a player that he can't go to a particular school.

Heck with NIL, you can't even really limit scholarships to control the parity. Who needs a scholarship if you have a seven figure NIL deal? You'd just have "walk ons" playing at elite levels at certain P5 schools.

 

[volbound1700]

College football is not the NFL. Yes, there are countless arguments that have merit that says it pretty much is, but it is not on paper. If the powers that be want to officially recognize that the P5 is really just an NFL development league and that the players have zero obligation to academics and pursuing a degree, then fine. Make all the parity rules you want. But, if they continue to pretend that it is college football, then they can't tell a player that he can't go to a particular school.

Heck with NIL, you can't even really limit scholarships to control the parity. Who needs a scholarship if you have a seven figure NIL deal? You'd just have "walk ons" playing at elite levels at certain P5 schools.

Good point about people should be allowed to select schools. I guess it is that frankly, CFB just isn't a great model for fans due to lack of parity.