Encouraged?
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1allvol
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I dont think anyone here is saying they are happy with a loss. I certainly am not. What I am saying is I am encouraged, after last year, how can you not be? I tell ya what, let's bench Ainge, fire Fulmer, and might as well go ahead and send the Chief and Cut packing, why dont we just go ahead and change the name and colors, heck, lets re-name the University and just start all over. If we cant be perfect every week there is no reason to even play at all. I hate losing, not just to Florida, to any other team, anybody who said they dont mind losing please stand up. I dont know why I even spend time here because some of you guys make me more mad than the games do. And the sad thing is, you guys are probably the ones with all of the tickets.
Sib18
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I do, and the the big picture, we didn't play great. We played ok (not good by most tennessee football standards), but it took great to win. Florida didn't impress me. We played poorly and lost by 1, and still could have easily stole a win on average play. Our best football has still yet to be played.
utvol0427
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KSVOL
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obxvol
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gsb0824
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IMO, the biggest reason to be encouraged about the Florida game is that it was clear Florida had the better team and Fulmer and crew were able to "coach up" the Vols to very nearly winning this game. Usually, in years past, Tennessee had the better team, but were usually outcoached by Meyer and Spurrier to somehow find a way to lose the game. I clearly did not see any stupid personal fouls, stupid penalties, stupid play calling, conservative defense during this game. Yes, we did show weaknesses in special teams, o-line, end of game defense. But I did not see a lot of the stupid stuff that we usually see coming from the coaching ranks. If this trend continues, I expect good things will happen to this team in the future. If this attention to detail falters after the Florida game as it has done at times in the past, then I expect we will see more close losses.
I am not encouraged by our recruiting results last year and thus far this year. This is what concerns me the most. I don't think our current coaching staff can take mediocre recruits and form them into championship teams. In years past, coaching mistakes were overshadowed by raw talent and good recruiting years. Without superior recruiting classes, I am afraid Tenn will just continue to be a mediocre team year after year. This keeps me awake at night
Has anyone else noticed that the running back who replaced Foster, i.e. Hardesty (sp?). always does a little shuffle every time he gets the ball? He needs to simply learn to put his head down and run north and south instead of dancing east and west every time a defender is in his vision.
Another thought, when you have to use a walk-on as a starting center, then chances are your o-line doesn't possess a lot of inherent talent. Given the strength of Florida's D-line, no wonder the Vols couldn't run the ball. Especially with our running back doing the Texas two-step every time he got the ball.
The good part of the game I thought was that Ainge appears to have gotten his head together and will turn into a great QB along with the receivers performance. Kicking game seems good, it's just the returning part that shows room for improvement. Linebackers seem very good as well.
And on a last note. Someone needs to give Chavis a "how to defend against the option" handbook as an early Xmas present.
I am not encouraged by our recruiting results last year and thus far this year. This is what concerns me the most. I don't think our current coaching staff can take mediocre recruits and form them into championship teams. In years past, coaching mistakes were overshadowed by raw talent and good recruiting years. Without superior recruiting classes, I am afraid Tenn will just continue to be a mediocre team year after year. This keeps me awake at night
Has anyone else noticed that the running back who replaced Foster, i.e. Hardesty (sp?). always does a little shuffle every time he gets the ball? He needs to simply learn to put his head down and run north and south instead of dancing east and west every time a defender is in his vision.
Another thought, when you have to use a walk-on as a starting center, then chances are your o-line doesn't possess a lot of inherent talent. Given the strength of Florida's D-line, no wonder the Vols couldn't run the ball. Especially with our running back doing the Texas two-step every time he got the ball.
The good part of the game I thought was that Ainge appears to have gotten his head together and will turn into a great QB along with the receivers performance. Kicking game seems good, it's just the returning part that shows room for improvement. Linebackers seem very good as well.
And on a last note. Someone needs to give Chavis a "how to defend against the option" handbook as an early Xmas present.
VolsWinRLose
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Let me say that I hate and loathe and despise losing. And I hate, loathe, and despise losing to Florida to the nth degree. I won't be truly happy until we dominate all comers right up to the NC.
That said, I think there were several things to be encouraged about last weekend. We were not "dominated" until the last quarter of the game. That is, we were competent enough to keep our heads above water, for the most part, even with having left the running game on the drawing board. Our receivers didn't spend the game doing that "I-shoulda-had-that-one" hand clap that became so familiar last year. And I didn't cringe every time Ainge went under center. The last point alone is encouraging enough to make me almost giddy.
Lord, y'all. Remember last year?? Yeah, there's no substitute for a win, but there's a lot to be said for not having to watch the game through your fingers, too. We will improve.
That said, I think there were several things to be encouraged about last weekend. We were not "dominated" until the last quarter of the game. That is, we were competent enough to keep our heads above water, for the most part, even with having left the running game on the drawing board. Our receivers didn't spend the game doing that "I-shoulda-had-that-one" hand clap that became so familiar last year. And I didn't cringe every time Ainge went under center. The last point alone is encouraging enough to make me almost giddy.
Lord, y'all. Remember last year?? Yeah, there's no substitute for a win, but there's a lot to be said for not having to watch the game through your fingers, too. We will improve.
Big Vol Nasty
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jakez4ut
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Well, this is an interesting thread...
i kind of agree with both sides.
Encouragements:
1. the skill positions are playing with much more confidence. that is easily seen...WR's are much better than last year, and thus far Ainge has improved. He's not perfect, but he is better.
2. Stupid mistakes...haven't seen the things that killed us last year. We don't self destruct in the fashion we did last season.
3. Reaction to adversity. this is probably what i'm most pleased about. Last season, this team folded like a cheap suit when things got tough. which when Ainge threw that early pick, i was immediatealy thrown back in to 2005. But to their credit, they responded to that positively and played pretty well in the pasing game the rest of the way.
4. the visual test...you can tell by looking at these guys play, they are playing better. Effort is not a problem, over all skill may be. we simply don't have ENOUGH top talent....depth is the biggest issue.
Disappointmens:
1. running game. Obviously, this is something we're just used to. you never go in to a season thinking we won't be at least decent in the running game. Thus far, we've been woefully inadequate and does cause concern for the rest of the season considering we will shortly be in the middle of SEC play.
2. Defense. Again, like with the running game, we have been pretty fortunate of late to put out a good D year in and year out. Most people though even with our losses from last season in the front 7, we'd just reload...that hasn't happened. In fact with the injuries, it should raise more concern going against teams like Bama, UGA, LSU and even ARK and USC that have decent to really good RB's.
3. Special teams. the return game is non existent and the coverage team is not very good at all. the kickers and punters though have been good.
I don't think you can look at the Vols thru 3 games and say that they aren't a better football team than in 05, cause they are. But you also can't look past the deficiencies and start talking about SEC titles and National titles We just aren't there right now.
the rest of our season depends on two things imho...
1. the development of our O line and front 7.
2. the development of Matt Stafford at UGA.
9 wins is still likely 10 is not out of the question. and either would, to me anyway, mean considerable improvement has occured.
and finally, the fact of the matter is, right now, today, as i type this, there are at least three teams that are better than us right now...Auburn, LSU and Florida, all of whom are top ten type teams. i'll hold out on UGA until we play them, but they don't suck. But no one in the East is on the same level as Auburn or LSU right now. And for those of you that think UF is not worthy of the hype, i disagree. They WON the game...they beat us up front and they were the ones that made the plays in the end to win. All of which in my mind are signs of a pretty darn good football team.
sorry for the sermon....
i kind of agree with both sides.
Encouragements:
1. the skill positions are playing with much more confidence. that is easily seen...WR's are much better than last year, and thus far Ainge has improved. He's not perfect, but he is better.
2. Stupid mistakes...haven't seen the things that killed us last year. We don't self destruct in the fashion we did last season.
3. Reaction to adversity. this is probably what i'm most pleased about. Last season, this team folded like a cheap suit when things got tough. which when Ainge threw that early pick, i was immediatealy thrown back in to 2005. But to their credit, they responded to that positively and played pretty well in the pasing game the rest of the way.
4. the visual test...you can tell by looking at these guys play, they are playing better. Effort is not a problem, over all skill may be. we simply don't have ENOUGH top talent....depth is the biggest issue.
Disappointmens:
1. running game. Obviously, this is something we're just used to. you never go in to a season thinking we won't be at least decent in the running game. Thus far, we've been woefully inadequate and does cause concern for the rest of the season considering we will shortly be in the middle of SEC play.
2. Defense. Again, like with the running game, we have been pretty fortunate of late to put out a good D year in and year out. Most people though even with our losses from last season in the front 7, we'd just reload...that hasn't happened. In fact with the injuries, it should raise more concern going against teams like Bama, UGA, LSU and even ARK and USC that have decent to really good RB's.
3. Special teams. the return game is non existent and the coverage team is not very good at all. the kickers and punters though have been good.
I don't think you can look at the Vols thru 3 games and say that they aren't a better football team than in 05, cause they are. But you also can't look past the deficiencies and start talking about SEC titles and National titles We just aren't there right now.
the rest of our season depends on two things imho...
1. the development of our O line and front 7.
2. the development of Matt Stafford at UGA.
9 wins is still likely 10 is not out of the question. and either would, to me anyway, mean considerable improvement has occured.
and finally, the fact of the matter is, right now, today, as i type this, there are at least three teams that are better than us right now...Auburn, LSU and Florida, all of whom are top ten type teams. i'll hold out on UGA until we play them, but they don't suck. But no one in the East is on the same level as Auburn or LSU right now. And for those of you that think UF is not worthy of the hype, i disagree. They WON the game...they beat us up front and they were the ones that made the plays in the end to win. All of which in my mind are signs of a pretty darn good football team.
sorry for the sermon....
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