Complete Disrespect vs USU

[CubsFanTN]

99gator I usually like your posts (for the most part), but it's no more silly than a Florida fan pointing out on their own board (if one exists) to Idaho fans or media or bloggers that just because Florida sucked last year with a 4-8 season and got waxed by Georgia Southern, they might want to rethink the notion that the Vandals have a better shot than usual at winning the opener (even though they really, really sucked last year).

Your argument might be a disparity in talent, speed and strength, and it's a new year and a lot of the Gators' existing problems have been worked on and should have been taken care of or shored up somewhat, and that you're historically a better program. And still all that would not mean you are overlooking them or didn't respect them or some of their better players.

The same arguments being made here... Just some people are vocal and generally hacked off because of being weary from the past several years of sub-par Tennessee football (but still never a 4-8 ), and being constantly reminded of those years of being sub-par, and realize the first step to earning back respect is to attempt to curb stomp our first opponent - a worthy one based on last year's performance which was part of the best years of their existence.

Now granted your first three opponents this year were collectively 5-31 last year, so maybe your breathing a bit easier and are more mellow than we are because we are playing Chuckie Keeton who last year evidently proved he can walk on water - rehabbed knee and all, and can cure all the shortcomings of replacing almost as many starters as we do but with less talented players, and can single handedly nullify their historically abysmal opening game record (1-12 since 2000) - if we are looking at past performance...

But this is this year, and I will continue to be hopeful that we have improved and are on the right track until proven otherwise, and I for one am ready to tee this thing up so everybody can stop flapping their gums and we can start to sort it all out on the field... That is all.

Oh, and Go Big Orange!!!

Way to take that response to some crazy level it had no business going to.

 

[OrngeChkrboardVFL]

Question:
Do we win this game if we had last year's team and the game is at Utah States home field?

If the answer is that it would have been close, or that we win...why would we not be able to easily hand a beat down to them this year in Neyland? Our QB is older and more comfortable as a starter. Our receivers are better and there are more of them. Our run game is as good (I'm leaning toward Jalen being nothing less than above average) and now CBJ and AJ Johnson have molded a defense that, at the very least, is faster.

Yes we win, hands down.

 

[volsportsfan]

We are more talented, that's for sure. However I'm curious, and this is an honest question. If it's a close game or if USU scores a lot of points, how much of that is Jancek/Martinez vs Jones' fault?

Very interesting question. How much input and game strategy is CBJ involved in on the defensive side of the ball? Does he leave the defense in the coordinators hands completely? I have no idea, and I have wondered what the answer is. I firmly think we are running CBJ's offense. Is this his defense? IDK

 

[WinchesterVol]

Where are the Utah State girls? I am about tradition!!!!!

 

[Backwards K]

OK. Since you thought this was cute... Go on record. Are you saying that you do NOT believe that UT has a very significant talent advantage over USU? If you think it is close... then how close? I'll be interested in how you justify your response too.

IF you agree that UT is more talented and acknowledge the fact that they lost alot of contributors over the past 3 years... then how would you explain a close game or loss?

The comment apparently hit a little too close to home. lol: What was the score the last time you played them?

Now for you question: Reading is Fundamental. I have said UT should win but that the game will be close. I think the Vols have talent but it is inexperienced and you never know how they will react. USU has a lot of upper classmen who played over the past two years due to injuries to starters. Plus, the mobile QB is a bad matchup for the UT"s defense (see Worley's 50 yd TD run past Jalen Reeves-Maybin in the OW game)

On offense, the Aggies traditionally are tough against the run (could be scheme). While Worley is our best QB, he hasn't exactly reminded anyone of Peyton Manning.

As for how can USU win: they think they can and they have won some meaningful games over the past two years. Vols haven't played in a meaningful game in a while (one with any implications). Matchups, and just plain catching a team on a roll at the wrong time (see Vols vs Scarolina last year).

Again, Vols should win but USU is much better than the WKU team y'all are crowing about. I'd take a one point win right now and move on. This team will get better as the year rolls on, provided they gain confidence in these first two.

If you are so smart and so sure, bet all you can on the Vols and pay off some bills. Should be easy money, right? BTW: I hope you are right!

Plus, if you think the Vols are better off after firing Fulmer, we can't discuss that subject. You continue to side with John Adams and Mike Hamilton and I'll take the side of the former players who know what was going on.

 

[99gator]

99gator I usually like your posts (for the most part), but it's no more silly than a Florida fan pointing out on their own board (if one exists) to Idaho fans or media or bloggers that just because Florida sucked last year with a 4-8 season and got waxed by Georgia Southern, they might want to rethink the notion that the Vandals have a better shot than usual at winning the opener (even though they really, really sucked last year).

Your argument might be a disparity in talent, speed and strength, and it's a new year and a lot of the Gators' existing problems have been worked on and should have been taken care of or shored up somewhat, and that you're historically a better program. And still all that would not mean you are overlooking them or didn't respect them or some of their better players.

The same arguments being made here... Just some people are vocal and generally hacked off because of being weary from the past several years of sub-par Tennessee football (but still never a 4-8 ), and being constantly reminded of those years of being sub-par, and realize the first step to earning back respect is to attempt to curb stomp our first opponent - a worthy one based on last year's performance which was part of the best years of their existence.

Now granted your first three opponents this year were collectively 5-31 last year, so maybe your breathing a bit easier and are more mellow than we are because we are playing Chuckie Keeton who last year evidently proved he can walk on water - rehabbed knee and all, and can cure all the shortcomings of replacing almost as many starters as we do but with less talented players, and can single handedly nullify their historically abysmal opening game record (1-12 since 2000) - if we are looking at past performance...

But this is this year, and I will continue to be hopeful that we have improved and are on the right track until proven otherwise, and I for one am ready to tee this thing up so everybody can stop flapping their gums and we can start to sort it all out on the field... That is all.

Oh, and Go Big Orange!!!

One of the problems with a board is that you can't direct arguments to a small, select group of posters. Each post is seen by the entire board.

There is a small group of posters here who take umbrage to anything having the slightest bit of anything unflattering toward Tennessee.

This is why you see posts with titles like "Knoxville writer says....." and everyone gets ticked at what he said.

All I was trying to convey is I understand why Utah State people would feel like they could compete and win.

And, yes, if I was involved with the Idaho program, I would indeed let them know that Georgia Southern beat Florida, we can too. I wouldn't take offense to that either.

It's a new year. Things appear to be on the rise. But, until proven otherwise, dismissing teams for daring to think they can compete with Tennessee is a little arrogant.

 

[livefaith]

This is Western Kentucky all over again.

I hope you're not confusing WKU with USA. :whistling:

 

[JettVol]

Cliff notes: USU is a good team, and they have a good QB, could be trouble for our defense. One man does NOT make a team.

Tennessee: fielding a young team, unproven at both lines of scrimmage, are overall a more talented team(based on star rankings out of HS/JUCO transfers). Notice I didn't say better, just more talented on paper by those in the "know", if there is such a thing

Outcome: UT 38-USU 27.

I think that is a fair opinion about the upcoming game.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Serious question, how exactly do you want them to act? Scared? Tremble in fear at the mighty Vols?

If you were an Aggie fan, wouldn't you feel pretty decent about your chances? I know I would.

Like or not, this program is going to have to re-earn the reputation of being a feared program.

 

[sjt18]

Very interesting question. How much input and game strategy is CBJ involved in on the defensive side of the ball? Does he leave the defense in the coordinators hands completely? I have no idea, and I have wondered what the answer is. I firmly think we are running CBJ's offense. Is this his defense? IDK

Just a guess based on one of my favorite traits that Jones seems to be revealing about himself... but I think he coordinates EVERYTHING. I would be very surprised if he weren't fully involved with the D and assuring that the efforts of the D and O support each other.

IMO that was a strength of Fulmer's also though I tend to think Jones is more capable of coaching the details.

 

[sjt18]

Cliff notes: USU is a good team, and they have a good QB, could be trouble for our defense. One man does NOT make a team.

Tennessee: fielding a young team, unproven at both lines of scrimmage, are overall a more talented team(based on star rankings out of HS/JUCO transfers). Notice I didn't say better, just more talented on paper by those in the "know", if there is such a thing

Outcome: UT 38-USU 27.

I think that is a fair opinion about the upcoming game.

I don't think a superficial fan should feel any different based on the last few years. The same goes for Cincy, NCSU, and WKU in recent years. Their fans had good reason to think that UT was vulnerable for a loss. IMHO, USU is similar to WKU. They are neither as good nor as talented as Cincy or NCSU were. This UT team IMO is better than any of those 3.

 

[sjt18]

The comment apparently hit a little too close to home. lol: What was the score the last time you played them?

No. Not really. I don't have an XBox or play whatever NCAA game is out there.

Now for you question: Reading is Fundamental. I have said UT should win but that the game will be close. I think the Vols have talent but it is inexperienced and you never know how they will react.

Fine in a vacuum... but USU replaces more starters and lost more major contributors than UT did.

USU has a lot of upper classmen who played over the past two years due to injuries to starters. Plus, the mobile QB is a bad matchup for the UT"s defense (see Worley's 50 yd TD run past Jalen Reeves-Maybin in the OW game)

OK. So at what point if any is talent more important than this supposed experience? UT returns guys who also played last fall... but most of the time those guys are cited as reasons UT won't be any good this year- J Williams, McNeil, O'Brien, et al.

On offense, the Aggies traditionally are tough against the run (could be scheme). While Worley is our best QB, he hasn't exactly reminded anyone of Peyton Manning.

Ah, so setting up the "blame Worley" excuse?

Them being "traditionally tough" won't have any more impact on this game than the fact that UT won a NC in 98. None of the guys who made either of those things happen... are still around. Scheme is fine but if you have better players then you still have the upper hand... unless you don't take advantage of it.

As for how can USU win: they think they can and they have won some meaningful games over the past two years.

So you think they can will their way to a win over the Vols and Jones? Interesting. I don't agree... but it is interesting.

Vols haven't played in a meaningful game in a while (one with any implications). Matchups, and just plain catching a team on a roll at the wrong time (see Vols vs Scarolina last year).

I'd disagree with that. Vandy was a meaningful game last year as were USCe and UGA. Thankfully few guys who played much in '12 return with memories of the meaningful games that year...

Again, Vols should win but USU is much better than the WKU team y'all are crowing about. I'd take a one point win right now and move on. This team will get better as the year rolls on, provided they gain confidence in these first two.

USU is not more talented than WKU was last year. I respect Wells... but he's not Petrino.

If you are so smart and so sure, bet all you can on the Vols and pay off some bills. Should be easy money, right? BTW: I hope you are right!

If you are so smart then take USU and the points. FTR, I don't gamble.

Plus, if you think the Vols are better off after firing Fulmer, we can't discuss that subject.

It was the right decision at the right time to fire Fulmer. When a program has to fire a coach in order for things to start improving... there's never a guarantee that the first replacement will work... or the second... or the 3rd. The only fairly sure thing is that the guy you have isn't going to turn things around.

You continue to side with John Adams and Mike Hamilton and I'll take the side of the former players who know what was going on.

Players are often loyal and especially with a guy like Fulmer. Regardless of what they saw or heard, there is no way on earth they were going to publicly betray Fulmer... but you can be sure that his firing was discussed with some of them before it happened. They ARE major boosters in many cases.

What was "going on" was that Fulmer had lost control of discipline both on and off the field. His recruiting had fallen off significantly and even when he got talented players many of them were overrated or gone before making a contribution (see the 2007 class). The game had passed Fulmer by but instead of changing he announced to the world that he had "won alot of games doing things like we're doing them... we ain't changing now".

 

[JettVol]

I don't think a superficial fan should feel any different based on the last few years. The same goes for Cincy, NCSU, and WKU in recent years. Their fans had good reason to think that UT was vulnerable for a loss. IMHO, USU is similar to WKU. They are neither as good nor as talented as Cincy or NCSU were. This UT team IMO is better than any of those 3.

Agree, I think we win as stated. Hostile environment, home opener, Neyland will be very, very loud. Fans will have all day to drink their beverage of choice and scream their lungs out in that stadium, which will have 42,000 more thousand people than this USU team has ever played in front of in it. (I think largest crowd last year was USC which I believe had around 60,000, I could be wrong though).

Looks like a perfect storm if we show up and are ready to play mistake free football. :rock:

 

[Akaggie03]

to who started this thread, you are reading chuckies comments defensively.

What he is saying is that We are playing Tennessee, not last years team, or any year before that. The strict focus is playing Tennessee and focusing on this team. If you go into a battle thinking you are playing the a SEC team that should win, then you are already going to be defeated.

relax a little.

 

[DarthGrim]

I've seen some arguments about how USU should be reacting and I agree that there's no reason they shouldn't be confident. Nothing wrong with confidence in your ability to go out and win any football game you play, but this doesn't = confidence.

"Sounds like Tennessee is a disaster of a team" = insult

(paraphrased)"If you want to beat a power 5 team then they are the easiest target" = insult

"We are playing the current Vols, not their history" (aka... the disaster that is the easiest target of the power 5) = disrespect

 

[DarthGrim]

to who started this thread, you are reading chuckies comments defensively.

What he is saying is that We are playing Tennessee, not last years team, or any year before that. The strict focus is playing Tennessee and focusing on this team. If you go into a battle thinking you are playing the a SEC team that should win, then you are already going to be defeated.

relax a little.

I'm relaxed. This is a game. Nothing life changing. I do have some pride and comments like this change my view of a school from:
"those guys are a good team that did their best and fell short, but they'll win some games"
to
"I know we won, but put up 21 more and kick that arrogant F@%k3r in the face on your way off the field"

 

['Boro-vol]

to who started this thread, you are reading chuckies comments defensively.

What he is saying is that We are playing Tennessee, not last years team, or any year before that. The strict focus is playing Tennessee and focusing on this team. If you go into a battle thinking you are playing the a SEC team that should win, then you are already going to be defeated.

relax a little.

We heard what you said Chuckie....you can't talk your way out of it now.

Signed,

Curt Maggit and AJ Johnson

 

[BogeyVol]

One of the problems with a board is that you can't direct arguments to a small, select group of posters. Each post is seen by the entire board.

There is a small group of posters here who take umbrage to anything having the slightest bit of anything unflattering toward Tennessee.

This is why you see posts with titles like "Knoxville writer says....." and everyone gets ticked at what he said.

All I was trying to convey is I understand why Utah State people would feel like they could compete and win.

And, yes, if I was involved with the Idaho program, I would indeed let them know that Georgia Southern beat Florida, we can too. I wouldn't take offense to that either.

It's a new year. Things appear to be on the rise. But, until proven otherwise, dismissing teams for daring to think they can compete with Tennessee is a little arrogant.

Sorry if I came off ruffled...

Don't think we're far off, but I do believe a healthy dose of arrogance in fan bases coincides with success - which we were for a long time. Although some posters can go way beyond from reasonable arrogance and pride to insanity and loss of reality.

In actual playing of sports, I always used arrogance, swagger and confidence interchangeably and I think that brand of arrogance is necessary. Both UT and USU are arrogant and both should be. Theirs is arrogance in believing that they can win, and ours is arrogance in being offended that they believe they can because we expect to win. I fully expect every team we play to feel they can beat us. A level of arrogance goes with success in sports, business, politics, etc. - like it or not. And as I said, we were successful for a very long time so that arrogance is here for a while... deserved or not.

Overall, I guess I was just trying to make a point with my previous post.

Last year is last year and this year is this year - for both teams. I live in Birmingham, and constantly hear on the radio and from friends how great Chuckie Keeton "is", and their D-line "is" and how crappy we "are". All myopic observations based on last year alone with additional bias from our dumpster fire years of 2009-2012. Very few analysts I have listened to, if any, have mentioned their personnel losses on offense or defense and gloss over Keeton's injury and documented lack of real contact so far in fall camp. Those are kind of important too, right? Especially their secondary which looks very weak on paper. So then, why is USU considered to have improved and we are considered to have stayed the same or are worse? Rhetorical question... The respect will come back only with wins, but still after a while and right or wrong, it does get under my skin.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I'm kind of sick of the whining about the lack of respect. We'll get respect when we start winning.

 

[BogeyVol]

I'm kind of sick of the whining about the lack of respect. We'll get respect when we start winning.

Truth. That's why I said it in my last sentence... :thumbsup:

 

[MidTNVolunteer]

"quarterback Chuckie Keeton noted the Aggies were playing the current Vols, not their history."

And we're about to curb stomp this year's Chuckie and not last year's pre-injury Chuckie...

All I thought about when reading was this horrific movie clip and it sent chills down my spine ....

 

[MrBiggles]

Keeton, his teammates, and their fans would do well to take what he said to heart. They aren't playing Neyland's teams or Fulmer's. But they aren't playing Dooley's team either. They're playing Jones' team with now two years to change the culture and install the system.

Based on the glimpses we saw last year vs UGA and USCe... they better have their chin straps and jock straps tight... they're going to get hit on a level they're not used to.

Couldn't have said it better myself!

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Sounds like Chuckie Keaton needs a complete beat down and his nuts crushed

Remember when we destroyed that QB from UCLA who had to leave the game with a broken jaw, but we still lost? Best to just focus on playing winning football IMHO.

 

[Sarms58]

I believe they played Auburn pretty close last year and then saw AU go into the NC game...of course down here we know that AU struggled early last year and should have lost a couple of games...the team that beat Bama and played FSU was a completely different team then the one USU played...

I think it will be a good game. I'm sure our young team will make mistakes and probably give up some big plays on busted assignments but I won't be surprised if the Vols vent some frustration at USU's expense...I think we will be very physical on both sides of the ball and keep their trainers very busy...hopefully no serious injuries on either side but I expect to see folk have their bell rung...I'd take a knee if AJ was coming after me...and Curt hasn't hit an opponent in so long he might get arrested for attempted murder...just saying...`

 

[JohnMcA60]

Sounds like Chuckie Keaton needs a complete beat down and his nuts crushed

Dude is going to be in for a rude awakening if this is the way he feels. Don't overlook us because then we show up but if we overlook you then you have a chance. JMO