Clawing back to the top

#1
Lexvol

Lexvol

I'm Your Huckleberry
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Jan 22, 2005
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#1
I was listening to the animal and agreed with the following assessment. I think that as the season plays out, UT fans will find that UT is probably now the 5th best team in the SEC. I would say that is a pretty good indicator of the talent on this team. What do the Vols have to do to get back on top?
 
#2
#2
I think they are in the process of doing it. Let the season play out lex. Like I said in an earlier post, most of us had UT losing 2-3 games. This is one. We will finish with a strong season and the recruiting will pick back up. We didn't get down over night and we won't get back up over night. It's a long season and a lot can and will happen before the 1st Saturday in December.
 
#3
#3
Lexvol said:
I was listening to the animal and agreed with the following assessment. I think that as the season plays out, UT fans will find that UT is probably now the 5th best team in the SEC. I would say that is a pretty good indicator of the talent on this team. What do the Vols have to do to get back on top?
Click to expand...
5th behind...Auburn, LSU, Georgia, Florida...that's about right.

as to what they need to do? we need depth, and that's recruiting. I think our starters are pretty good, and we have a few back ups that are capable. but by and large, we dont' have the depth across the board that separated us in the 90's.

a few key injuries (and we've already experienced a few of those) can really show how thin we are in some places.

We need to get a little older...we're young in several spots on the O line and Front 7 on defense. I can't help but think they'll get better in the future, and i hope to see improvement as this season goes along.

i think getting the majority of the guys we have this year back in 07 will be a nice lift, plus given how this year is playing out we should come in to next year with a lot more players with a lot more experience.

Recruiting can get better, and i think it will. Beating UGA would help that out, Beating Bama and USC would help...and if we were to upset LSU....who knows.

I think our upside for the next couple of years is good. How good? debatable. i think we can win the conference in the next two years, don't know if we're NT contenders though.

the thing i do know is that Auburn, LSU, Bama, Florida, Georgia show no signs of dropping off so it will be a dog fight in the conf. and we'll all likely beat up on each other meaning none of us will probably win a NT anytime soon.
 
#4
#4
jakez4ut said:
5th behind...Auburn, LSU, Georgia, Florida...that's about right.

as to what they need to do? we need depth, and that's recruiting. I think our starters are pretty good, and we have a few back ups that are capable. but by and large, we dont' have the depth across the board that separated us in the 90's.

a few key injuries (and we've already experienced a few of those) can really show how thin we are in some places.

We need to get a little older...we're young in several spots on the O line and Front 7 on defense. I can't help but think they'll get better in the future, and i hope to see improvement as this season goes along.

i think getting the majority of the guys we have this year back in 07 will be a nice lift, plus given how this year is playing out we should come in to next year with a lot more players with a lot more experience.

Recruiting can get better, and i think it will. Beating UGA would help that out, Beating Bama and USC would help...and if we were to upset LSU....who knows.

I think our upside for the next couple of years is good. How good? debatable. i think we can win the conference in the next two years, don't know if we're NT contenders though.

the thing i do know is that Auburn, LSU, Bama, Florida, Georgia show no signs of dropping off so it will be a dog fight in the conf. and we'll all likely beat up on each other meaning none of us will probably win a NT anytime soon.
Click to expand...

All valid points. The last paragraph is my biggest concern. My two questions are this:

1. How soon will UT begin to reload rather than rebuild? All four programs you mentioned are doing that. IMO they need a top ten recruiting class this year.

2. When will the number 1 or 2 recruiting class from 04 really begin to pay dividends? Other than Morely, Rogers and Briscoe when does someone else from that class step up?

What happens if 1 and 2 do not come to fruition?
 
#5
#5
being 5th which i agree sucks, its so frustrating, i want to go back to the glory days of sec championships, like in the early 90's, the '85 sugar bowl, the manning era, n shuler era, and the NC. ever since then other than the one year w/ clausen, but it's not because of him, and ainge's frsh yr, so that's 2 yrs n the past like 7 or 8 where we were good. that blows
 
#6
#6
We are 5th in the SEC. Not like 5th in the Big 12. The SEC will always be competitive, and you will have down years. Three years from now, the picture could be completely different. We will see, but 5th behind all those teams is still top 15.
 
#8
#8
tvolsfan said:
We are 5th in the SEC. Not like 5th in the Big 12. The SEC will always be competitive, and you will have down years. Three years from now, the picture could be completely different. We will see, but 5th behind all those teams is still top 15.
Click to expand...

What makes people think 9-3 season will springboard the Vols back to the top? Especially considering what happened between the 04 and 05 season.
 
#9
#9
Everyone has them.

Florida had them for ever prior to Spurrier. Georgia was down for a bit. Auburn appeared out of nowhere to be a contender. LSU was a has been for many years. Alabama is a has been. It all happens.
 
#10
#10
tvolsfan said:
Everyone has them.

Florida had them for ever prior to Spurrier. Georgia was down for a bit. Auburn appeared out of nowhere to be a contender. LSU was a has been for many years. Alabama is a has been. It all happens.
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How long will UT fans continue to say "it all happens"? It makes it sound like it happens by accident. What did AU, GA, LSU and Fla all do to turn their programs around?
 
#11
#11
Firing after firing with disaster. I don't see why we can't wait until the end of the year to talk about our football program's regression.
 
#12
#12
Florida is still up in the air, if we were florida fans we would be saying the same thing. Other than last years "aberration" the two teams are pretty much in the same situation. The only thing Florida is doing better than us right now is recruiting. At least we've had a shot at the SEC championship since the "glory days" that people keep refering to.
 
#14
#14
I think we'll have a big win this season at either GA or home against LSU. I really believe we can get away with only one more loss. Florida has a long road ahead of them and their luck at the cocktail party against GA is going to end this year. Auburn going to beat them and LSU has a chance too. Yes, we play two of those three teams, but it isn't like FL beat us by three touchdowns. A couple things go the other way and we would have won and wouldn't be crying about the glory days. They would be the here and now.
 
#15
#15
I believe that TN is building depth now. At QB, Ainge is just a junior, but we know the odds on favorite to take his place is Crompton. He will come in as a Junior and take over the team. We have a stable of young backs, Hardesty, Foster, Coker. The O line is very young and we have some talent there. The D line is young and will only get better.
 
#16
#16
Donatello said:
I believe that TN is building depth now. At QB, Ainge is just a junior, but we know the odds on favorite to take his place is Crompton. He will come in as a Junior and take over the team. We have a stable of young backs, Hardesty, Foster, Coker. The O line is very young and we have some talent there. The D line is young and will only get better.
Click to expand...
The only great lineman is Sears and he graduates. The other guys may step up yet. but I remember the great ones in the past like Cosey Coleman and Chad Clifton were already stalwarts by their freshman or soph, year.
 
#17
#17
Donatello said:
I believe that TN is building depth now. At QB, Ainge is just a junior, but we know the odds on favorite to take his place is Crompton. He will come in as a Junior and take over the team.
Click to expand...


I don't see that, unless Ainge reverts back to last year.
 
#18
#18
He said crompton will take over as a junior, meaning Ainge would've graduated. Not that Crompton took the starting job from him.
 
#20
#20
Well, maybe if we win all of our games we would be....... IF, Maybe, lets see...... I know, all we need are pixies and fairy dust.... no wait, that what Florida uses..... huh!!! Maybe prayer, or if we all have the same dream at the same time, or better yet! no wait.... coaching, recuriting,training ...naw!!! That won't do at all!!!!
 
#21
#21
Lexvol said:
All valid points. The last paragraph is my biggest concern. My two questions are this:

1. How soon will UT begin to reload rather than rebuild? All four programs you mentioned are doing that. IMO they need a top ten recruiting class this year.

2. When will the number 1 or 2 recruiting class from 04 really begin to pay dividends? Other than Morely, Rogers and Briscoe when does someone else from that class step up?

What happens if 1 and 2 do not come to fruition?
Click to expand...
1. we could be reloading as soon as 08...lots of sophs and frosh players getting some experience now.
2. that class, i agree needs to step up, and we need to land a good class this year to sustain anything past the next two years.

but it's funny...as we all groan and moan....you think UGA's assention to to the top of the SEC east had anything to do with the TN's and UF's regression the last few years? i do. it will come back around to us again too...in this conference it's cyclical...i don't like it, but it's the truth.
 
#22
#22
Lexvol said:
What makes people think 9-3 season will springboard the Vols back to the top? Especially considering what happened between the 04 and 05 season.
Click to expand...

Because the 05 season has only happened once in Fulmer's tenure.
 
#23
#23
vol_freak said:
Because the 05 season has only happened once in Fulmer's tenure.
Click to expand...

If you were to speculate who are the players on the O Line and D line that are going to be ready to play next year? Is UT going to have to go to the JUCO ranks?
 
#24
#24
I will add that a bowl game this year will help us out tremendously for next year. Not having that extra practice is holding us back this year. They are obviously confused on the blocking assignments.
 
#25
#25
Lexvol said:
I was listening to the animal and agreed with the following assessment. I think that as the season plays out, UT fans will find that UT is probably now the 5th best team in the SEC. I would say that is a pretty good indicator of the talent on this team. What do the Vols have to do to get back on top?
Click to expand...

I think we are about the 4th best team. I disagree with those who think GA is better- mainly because they are still largely un-tested this year, and have had the luxury of playing cupcakes (with the exception of a troubled SC team).

The Vols, on the other hand, have played 2/3 of their season against Top 10 teams- beating the stew outta one and nearly beating the other.
 
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