Does anyone think that we will be back to being a top 5 team in the next few years?

#1
Vol Mania 21

Vol Mania 21

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#1
I was just wondering, we have young rb's, have ainge for another year, and mayb meachem, swain will b gone, we r kind of young, just wondering what everyone else thought
 
#5
#5
As long as UT has to compete with GA and FL for the SEC East, its going to be very difficult. Fulmer is struggling to beat either Richt or Meyer.

GA and FL football programs have gotten noticably better the last couple of years. UT's program is trying to reestablish itself.
 
#7
#7
Our Dline and Oline have either got to be coached much better or have an infusion of great talent or a combination of both for this to happen. I don't think Dline is a coaching problem, more of a talent problem. But both lines need drastic improvement. The fact that we could not push AF or Marshall around is alarming.
 
#8
#8
oklavol said:
As long as UT has to compete with GA and FL for the SEC East, its going to be very difficult. Fulmer is struggling to beat either Richt or Meyer.

GA and FL football programs have gotten noticably better the last couple of years. UT's program is trying to reestablish itself.
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I think that analysis is spot on. Its not just a question of you getting better, its also a question of what your competition does because its all relative. You could get twice as good but if the other teams do, as well, then that doesn't help you.

To me, the single biggest problem you have right now is recruiting. You have got to get some Top 5 classes for a couple of years, and preferably some with more offensive firepower and speed.

Seems like UT always recruits well on defense (thin there now, due to injuries and youth). Now you need to get yourselves three or four guys with top flight speed at WR.

allvol123 said:
Our Dline and Oline have either got to be coached much better or have an infusion of great talent or a combination of both for this to happen. I don't think Dline is a coaching problem, more of a talent problem. But both lines need drastic improvement. The fact that we could not push AF or Marshall around is alarming.
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AF is tough to push around because they aren't playing straight ahead run blocking. They push in directions and that is easier for them to do, even if outsized. Marshall has good talent at Oline, don't fool yourself. A lot of these mid-tier teams do, like Southern Miss and Marshall. They just aren't as deep and end up wearing out by the 4th quarter.
 
#9
#9
lawgator1 said:
AF is tough to push around because they aren't playing straight ahead run blocking. They push in directions and that is easier for them to do, even if outsized. Marshall has good talent at Oline, don't fool yourself. A lot of these mid-tier teams do, like Southern Miss and Marshall. They just aren't as deep and end up wearing out by the 4th quarter.
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So we could not push AF's o line around because of what?

Marshall does not have the talent level that a UT team from the late 90's could not obliterate. And that is the talent level we should be at.
 
#10
#10
LG, have you seen Robert Meachem, Austin Rogers, or Lucas Taylor play? What makes you think we don't have "top flight speed at WR." ????
 
#11
#11
LG, have you seen Robert Meachem, Austin Rogers, or Lucas Taylor play? What makes you think we don't have "top flight speed at WR." ????
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I was fixin' to say the same thing. The year before last we had what some people considered the #1 recruiting class in the country (Demetrius Morley, LaMarcus Coker). Last year's wasn't as good but we have young talent at just about every position. It's hard to get a top flight QB when you have a solid junior starting and a fantastic freshman waiting for Ainge to leave. TN's recruiting has been fine.
 
#12
#12
That being said, I think we have the talent to be top 5 next year (especially if Meachem sticks around). We could get into the top 10 this year with a win against LSU.
 
#14
#14
salutethehill said:
I was fixin' to say the same thing. The year before last we had what some people considered the #1 recruiting class in the country (Demetrius Morley, LaMarcus Coker). Last year's wasn't as good but we have young talent at just about every position. It's hard to get a top flight QB when you have a solid junior starting and a fantastic freshman waiting for Ainge to leave. TN's recruiting has been fine.
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Didn't Florida look faster at nearly every position? They did to me. IMO Auburn and LSU are one notch above that on D.
 
#16
#16
I also forgot Josh Briscoe, Quintin Hancock, and Slick Shelley. Hancock is a freshman that has been VERY impressive in practice all around. Briscoe and Shelley are very quick, the rest of their game just needs to come around.

The Vols have speed at WR.
 
#17
#17
I'm going to need to see some SERIOUS improvement at the line position on both sides of the football before I start calling us a BCS team.
 
#19
#19
Right now we have a freshman and a sophomore starting on our OL, we will have another junior return next year. Our OL therefore should be pretty tough to deal with in 2007. On D, we lose Harrell, but we replace him with Bolden and Mapu...

I think we are a Top 5 team next year.
 
#21
#21
TuskALoosa said:
You.......Maybe. Us........No!!!
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Bama is still transitioning on D from the great group that has left over the last two years. I can't believe how many times I've turned on a game on Sunday just to see a kid playing D that was at Alabama last year, or the year before.

Definitely not top 10, but I think the tide will still be floating around the top 25.
 
#23
#23
biganbad said:
We are a top 5 team now, most people just dont know it yet
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I love your enthusiasm, but I just don't see it with our line issues. Top 10 is a possibility, but I need more proof in our lines to say we are top 5. Love the thought though:thumbsup:
 
#24
#24
rwemyss said:
Agreed. The potential is there though.
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Amen! We have the talent in spades...does it get developed...million dollar question...I don't see Urban Meyers beating us again for awhile...he doesn't rock our world like Spurrier...If Florida is that good...then we are only one point and one quarter away from the same level...The beauty of college football in the new millenium is that programs rise and fall at the drop of the hat...aka Miami....I think Tennessee can return to the Top Ten...possibly this year with a couple of fortunate bounces.....
 
#25
#25
biganbad said:
We are a top 5 team now, most people just dont know it yet
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We will probably be around 6 or 7 when we play LSU. We will probably be around 10 or 11 when we play Auburn in Atlanta. We will be ranked in the upper teens for the Peach Bowl...against Miami.
 
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