What we do in the next 5 years depends on what happens at the OC position. If Cutcliffe hangs around, get ready for another run. If he doesn't, then who knows what will happen. It all depends on who replaces him. The last 2 years are perfect examples of how recruiting and fortune goes. In 2004 we aren't expected to do alot, and with what everyone called "Fulmer's greatest coaching job" behind him, we had a really good year and because of that, we had the #1 recruiting class by some. Then last year after all of the hype and then the meltdown, we had a below UT standards recruiting class and were written off and people were calling for Fulmer's head again......a year after possibly "his best coaching job ever".....irony.
The only thing that has changed in the SEC East NOW than 10 years ago is the emergence of Georgia. They hung around the role that Tennessee and Florida are playing now while we were taking turns winning the East. That 3rd power has come up and both teams have suffered. Coaching changes, bad coaching, and a few poor decisions play a role as well. Then there is the emergence of LSU and Auburn to dominance to replace Bama. The West was always up in the air back then and no one was on the level of UT and UF. That's different now. There are 4 top 10 sec schools and 5 top 15. Sometimes being Top 15 is acceptable. Ask 104 other schools if they'd have a problem being 15th.
The thing is, everyone is caught up in this USC and Texas craze where they have their weak conferences and Heisman Candidates and they're jealous and expect us to be there. We don't have Peyton Manning and we havn't had any legitimate Heisman Candidates in a long time, other than him. We aren't the "IN" thing anymore, but we aren't some flash in the pan like Miami obviously is.
All it takes is a little bit of luck, patience, and comprehension that you can't win it all or the SEC every year. We're good, we're always going to have a chance, and above all else, we're Tennessee!
