Does it feel like ‘98 yet?

#5
#5
For me no.

Don’t get me wrong. This team is really……REALLY good. I feel their D is better than most think. They give up tons of yards because all the teams are getting down by 3 scores and their passing the ball 46 times per game on Tennessee. You throw the ball 46 times……you give up yardage nothing you can do (it can be better over all no doubt). I think this team has a “chance” to win the SEC and go further.

However back in 98 Tennessee had been great…….really great for years. Also in the SEC it wasn’t like you had a bunch of dominant teams……..you had Tennessee and Florida.

This year Tennessee had to take down a west team on the road, they had to take down Florida and they had to take down what had been a dominant Bama team……..then you still got last year’s National Champion and current #1 team.

The road just seems harder.

Also now days offenses are much better. Because of that to me it seems easier for a good team to have a slip up………simply because someone could just have a great O day.

don’t get me wrong I’m believing this team is really good. However for me at least in 98 Tennessee had been on a decade of dominance………….most of that year felt like destiny. Maybe this one should……..but for me it just feel really, really good.
 
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#7
#7
Who thinks this team would destroy the 98 team if coached by respective coaches?

Or do you think 98 would destroy? Or be close?
 
#10
#10
JoAllan said:
Who thinks this team would destroy the 98 team if coached by respective coaches?

Or do you think 98 would destroy? Or be close?
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That’s a tough one. I believe the 98 team would end up winning. Much, much better defense and the offense was good enough. The 98 team had NFL talent in both sides of the ball. Not only that but they had better depth and special teams.
 
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#12
#12
BigOrangeTrain said:
That’s a tough one. I believe the 98 team would end up winning. Much, much better defense and the offense was good enough. The 98 team had NFL talent in both sides of the ball. Not only that but they had better depth and special teams.
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I hate to say it but for me that 98 “team” was better…….probably by a good margin.

The only thing I question is Heupel’s O playing a team from back then. Would be something way different than anything they would be used to seeing…….and Tennessee certainly has “the” QB to run it.

Because of that I think it would be closer than people may assume.

Basically talent vs scheme
 
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#14
#14
Feels like '98 only if we play UGA in a misty rain and Bennett fumbles the ball in the 4th qtr to allow UT to get a winning TD!
 
#16
#16
hmanvolfan said:
Starting to get a deja vu feeling all over again.
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Feels like 2004 for me. Last time we had chance to sweep the big 3.

We beat Florida and Bama at home that year by a combined 6 points

This year it was 8 points

Now to complete the sweep, we go on the road against a top rated Georgia team. I just hope the scoring is better than 19-14
 
#18
#18
While I have not been to a UT game this year, I was at the Syracuse game and Arkansas game in 1998. I think that team, the fans and the players felt that we almost weren't supposed to be doing that good. Peyton left and who was Tee Martin? How could he lead us to the promised land when the biggest name to ever throw a pass at UT had recently left for the NFL?

This year has a similar feel to it. Nobody was picking the Vols to be undefeated after Bama and only a handful of optimistic VN fans before the season began felt HH had a semi/real chance at the Heisman (HH4H). Not supposed to being here though, IMO, is helping us just like it did in 1998. There were very little expectations on either team and therefore, we really have not had a #1 ranking pressure on us while climbing the polls.

What I see is different from the 98 team is the belief this team has in their coaching staff. I like Fulmer but, he was no offensive genius or world class strategist. He did have some hungry and talented players on the field no doubt but, I feel this years coaching staff is superior to the 98 staff.

Go Vols!! One game at a time.
 
#19
#19
BigOrangeTrain said:
That’s a tough one. I believe the 98 team would end up winning. Much, much better defense and the offense was good enough. The 98 team had NFL talent in both sides of the ball. Not only that but they had better depth and special teams.
Click to expand...
The ‘98 squad is something like this years UGA if they had a better offense and Nakobe Dean hadn’t graduated.
 
#24
#24
Like the Vols have a shot? Yes!!!!

But this is completely different. UT won then with absolutely smothering D. I enjoyed that but was always nervous someone would get a lead that UT couldn't overcome. I HATED Fulmer's "play not to lose" strategy though for one golden year it didn't bite the Vols.

I absolutely LOVE the aggression UT plays with now. When the Vols load up with more talent on D... this is going to be a BLAST.
 
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