ESPN thinks we go 4-8 next year

#377
#377
If Worley doesn't get hurt last year, we would have beat Vandy soundly and played Auburn, bama and Mizzou more competitively. Might be a stretch to say we would have beaten Auburn or Mizzou but we were building up confidence and motivation after UGA and USCe games.

Our offense had to take a couple of steps back with Dobbs and it took time to get him on track (no surprise). He had nice rushes but low passing yards and too many ints/sacks. Our defense, particularly against those fast offenses was not in a position to take up the slack.

Our return team fell apart at mid season too.

This year we have much more talent. We don't have the experience but we will be better than last year. All the QBs are better this year, even Peterman. We have great RB stable. Best secondary and LB corps in years as we have at least two good CBs and a NB. This Summer we get Randolph back and three prized safety recruits. We get LB depth, but most of all we Saulsberry, and those new Dlinemen for which at least one will shine.

Oline, we will be fine, especially up the middle. Blair gets the Summer to learn the offense and get in shape. Then he will need to adapt to the game speed. Gillam is a good one, Carr will be good too. If necessary, we can move a guard over to LT such as Jackson, Crowder or Wiesman. Coleman Thomas is impressive and has a high ceiling. Oh and we have the best WR/TE combination in the SEC!

5-7 is low end and 9-3 is high end of reasonable expectations. I truly believe we beat: USU, ARKST, Chat, UK, Vandy, and Mizzou and all of those will be played in TN borders. Between UF, UGA, USCe, and OK and Ole Miss, we beat one or two. I put OK in there because they are inconsistent.

So 7-5 or 8-4 plus a bowl win!
 
#379
#379
HuntlandVolinColo said:
If Worley doesn't get hurt last year, we would have beat Vandy soundly and played Auburn, bama and Mizzou more competitively. Might be a stretch to say we would have beaten Auburn or Mizzou but we were building up confidence and motivation after UGA and USCe games.
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We would have lost by less - like for example, Missouri wouldn't have been able to take their foot off the gas up 31-3 early in the third quarter and literally just run the ball the rest of the game- but we most likely still would have lost those two. The defense was a mess in each...especially the Missouri game.


(Not saying you were saying we would have definitely beaten them or anything like that.)
 
#380
#380
HuntlandVolinColo said:
If Worley doesn't get hurt last year, we would have beat Vandy soundly and played Auburn, bama and Mizzou more competitively. Might be a stretch to say we would have beaten Auburn or Mizzou but we were building up confidence and motivation after UGA and USCe games.
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Agree. I believe that Mizzou is much more competitive. Auburn possibly. "Game manager" is almost an insult here as if that means a guy has no talent. The value doesn't seem to be lost on Jones however.

A "game manager" vs Auburn would have limited their O possessions more. Same with Mizzou except a guy with the knowledge to get UT in the right protections and plays might have resulted in more consistency on O.

Our offense had to take a couple of steps back with Dobbs and it took time to get him on track (no surprise). He had nice rushes but low passing yards and too many ints/sacks. Our defense, particularly against those fast offenses was not in a position to take up the slack.
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The biggest issues IMO were his head... his inexperience. Physically, he brought a dimension that Worley didn't AND he does throw a nice ball.

This year we have much more talent. We don't have the experience but we will be better than last year. All the QBs are better this year, even Peterman. We have great RB stable. Best secondary and LB corps in years as we have at least two good CBs and a NB. This Summer we get Randolph back and three prized safety recruits. We get LB depth, but most of all we Saulsberry, and those new Dlinemen for which at least one will shine.
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To me, Saulsberry is the make or break player for the D. If he returns playing at the level he was when injured... the D has a chance to improve significantly.

Oline, we will be fine, especially up the middle. Blair gets the Summer to learn the offense and get in shape. Then he will need to adapt to the game speed. Gillam is a good one, Carr will be good too. If necessary, we can move a guard over to LT such as Jackson, Crowder or Wiesman. Coleman Thomas is impressive and has a high ceiling. Oh and we have the best WR/TE combination in the SEC!
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I like the interior line. UT MUST find a LT. No disrespect intended but I'd rather not see UT start a walk on at LT against a bunch of future NFL DE's.
 
#381
#381
Let's face it, the one thing that killed us last year was speed on defense and special teams. Thankfully, we have addressed that issue.

Also, last year, over the course of about 10 days we lost our two best DTs...Couch and Saulsberry...And we could have had Sentimore, if he wasn't was silly enough to declare for the draft that left him behind.
 
#382
#382
HuntlandVolinColo said:
Let's face it, the one thing that killed us last year was speed on defense and special teams. Thankfully, we have addressed that issue.
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We have; there's also that unfortunate time component.


It's a lot to ask of more than 1 or 2 true freshmen to come out and play full potential immediately (esp. at some positions more than others).
 
#383
#383
HuntlandVolinColo said:
Let's face it, the one thing that killed us last year was speed on defense and special teams. Thankfully, we have addressed that issue.
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Been debated alot. I don't think speed was the main issue in the back end. I am more and more coming to the belief that the issues were DL primarily and a lack of speed there and especially inside. McCullers and Hood were just flat slow.

Also, last year, over the course of about 10 days we lost our two best DTs...Couch and Saulsberry...And we could have had Sentimore, if he wasn't was silly enough to declare for the draft that left him behind.
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Couch and Saulsberry IMO were definitely better players than the guys who ended up starting most of the year.
 
#384
#384
HuntlandVolinColo said:
If Worley doesn't get hurt last year, we would have beat Vandy soundly and played Auburn, bama and Mizzou more competitively. Might be a stretch to say we would have beaten Auburn or Mizzou but we were building up confidence and motivation after UGA and USCe games.

Our offense had to take a couple of steps back with Dobbs and it took time to get him on track (no surprise). He had nice rushes but low passing yards and too many ints/sacks. Our defense, particularly against those fast offenses was not in a position to take up the slack.

Our return team fell apart at mid season too.

This year we have much more talent. We don't have the experience but we will be better than last year. All the QBs are better this year, even Peterman. We have great RB stable. Best secondary and LB corps in years as we have at least two good CBs and a NB. This Summer we get Randolph back and three prized safety recruits. We get LB depth, but most of all we Saulsberry, and those new Dlinemen for which at least one will shine.

Oline, we will be fine, especially up the middle. Blair gets the Summer to learn the offense and get in shape. Then he will need to adapt to the game speed. Gillam is a good one, Carr will be good too. If necessary, we can move a guard over to LT such as Jackson, Crowder or Wiesman. Coleman Thomas is impressive and has a high ceiling. Oh and we have the best WR/TE combination in the SEC!

5-7 is low end and 9-3 is high end of reasonable expectations. I truly believe we beat: USU, ARKST, Chat, UK, Vandy, and Mizzou and all of those will be played in TN borders. Between UF, UGA, USCe, and OK and Ole Miss, we beat one or two. I put OK in there because they are inconsistent.

So 7-5 or 8-4 plus a bowl win!
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I really hope folks projecting 8-4 seasons don't abandon Butch if we go 4-8 which is possible. While it's true we have more talent, it does not mean we will see the benefits on the field. People projecting 8-4 are totally ignoring the fact that we are starting a true freshman at rt and at best will start a juco at lt. In fact, we might start a former walk on at lt if the juco is a bust, which is perhaps a possibility, given the early returns. Our qb of the future may not yet be on campus. Really concerned about that position and what is not being said.
On defense, how are we going to get out of the cellar in the sec in terms of producing sacks? Corey Vereen and curt are far from proven commodities. I can see why we are picked to be terrible again and would not be shocked. Butch needs a pass for this coming season. Dooley makes mike Shula look like Knute Rockne.
 
#385
#385
TrueOrange said:
We have; there's also that unfortunate time component.


It's a lot to ask of more than 1 or 2 true freshmen to come out and play full potential immediately (esp. at some positions more than others).
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Won't be necessary. UT does not have to start Fr anywhere in the back 7 to field a solid group. Unless the Fr just beat the experienced guys out (which would be a "good" thing) then they can be worked in as depth.

Much is made over McNeil... I think he still ends up a starter. He's being challenged and people are reading that as they will. There's a good chance we see a Fr at on CB... but that's not terrible if you have Coleman, Randolph, McNeil, and Sutton there to help them.

I'd expect Vereen, Saulsberry, O'Brien, and Willams across the front with new guys in most back up spots. Again, not that bad of a situation from a development standpoint. The starters, particularly Williams and O'Brien, won't stand up to the better teams on the schedule but hopefully some new guys can push them up or out before the meat of the schedule.

At LB, Maggitt, JRM, and AJ sound like a pretty core group. Add Weatherd and the Fr... and it might sound even better. I'm not ready to write King off.

The D has some potential if they get Saulsberry back and can answer a few other questions on the DL.
 
#386
#386
BeattieFeathers said:
I really hope folks projecting 8-4 seasons don't abandon Butch if we go 4-8 which is possible. While it's true we have more talent, it does not mean we will see the benefits on the field.
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Why? At what point does great coaching kick in if they are great coaches? If he goes 4-8 then that will be a MASSIVE underachievement unless UT is subjected to extraordinary injuries. How can you set a bar that low? Are you a Vol fan or a Jones fan? I like Jones but I am a UT fan.

People projecting 8-4 are totally ignoring the fact that we are starting a true freshman at rt and at best will start a juco at lt.
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The Fr is apparently beating out some talented upper classmen. LT is a major concern but UT wouldn't be the first SEC team to succeed with a JUCO or even Fr LT. And few if any are "projecting" 8-4. Most just see it as a possibility against this schedule. It is.

In fact, we might start a former walk on at lt if the juco is a bust, which is perhaps a possibility, given the early returns. Our qb of the future may not yet be on campus. Really concerned about that position and what is not being said.
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So the team has four physically talented options at QB... you are projecting the position to be an problem... Jones did NOT make signing a QB a '13 priority... but the coaches should get a pass if this causes them to lose 8 games for the first time in school history? A record that would require them to lose to Chatt, USU, ASU, UK, or Vandy plus all of the others. You can seriously think of that as a possible result that should in no way reflect on the coach?

Those are results that VERY MUCH deserve to get a guy abandoned. He WILL get a 3rd year regardless. But a 4 or 5 win season in '14 should have him on a serious hotseat going into '15.

On defense, how are we going to get out of the cellar in the sec in terms of producing sacks? Corey Vereen and curt are far from proven commodities. I can see why we are picked to be terrible again and would not be shocked. Butch needs a pass for this coming season. Dooley makes mike Shula look like Knute Rockne.
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No passes. EVER.

Coaches... coach. They make terrible tolerable, tolerable good, good great, and great elite.

You are making excuses already and setting the bar so low that there's absolutely NO accountability for the coaching staff. That is utterly ridiculous.
 
#388
#388
IluvdoubleD's said:
Still have T v.s. SC and T v.s. Georgia recorded on DISH hard disk. Guess what I'm doing today.
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Two best... hope inspiring games of the year.

Aside from the result, I actually like the UGA game better. Great hitting. UT was the more physical team. I like that.
 
#389
#389
6-6 to 8-4 is where we should end up.

Wins:
Vandy, UK, Chatanooga, Ark St

Likely wins:
Missiouri, Utah St.

Potential wins:
Florida, Ole Miss
 
#390
#390
sjt18 said:
Why? At what point does great coaching kick in if they are great coaches? If he goes 4-8 then that will be a MASSIVE underachievement unless UT is subjected to extraordinary injuries. How can you set a bar that low? Are you a Vol fan or a Jones fan? I like Jones but I am a UT fan.

The Fr is apparently beating out some talented upper classmen. LT is a major concern but UT wouldn't be the first SEC team to succeed with a JUCO or even Fr LT. And few if any are "projecting" 8-4. Most just see it as a possibility against this schedule. It is.

So the team has four physically talented options at QB... you are projecting the position to be an problem... Jones did NOT make signing a QB a '13 priority... but the coaches should get a pass if this causes them to lose 8 games for the first time in school history? A record that would require them to lose to Chatt, USU, ASU, UK, or Vandy plus all of the others. You can seriously think of that as a possible result that should in no way reflect on the coach?

Those are results that VERY MUCH deserve to get a guy abandoned. He WILL get a 3rd year regardless. But a 4 or 5 win season in '14 should have him on a serious hotseat going into '15.


No passes. EVER.

Coaches... coach. They make terrible tolerable, tolerable good, good great, and great elite.

You are making excuses already and setting the bar so low that there's absolutely NO accountability for the coaching staff. That is utterly ridiculous.
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Unfortunately, your attitude is a problem with this fan base. You are trying to say a coach should make a silk purse out of a sows you know what. Coach majors would not have made it here. We all know that butch is recruiting lights out but he needs time. But we all know how much our fans are enamored with coaching hot boards and coaching searches.
 
#392
#392
sjt18 said:
Won't be necessary. UT does not have to start Fr anywhere in the back 7 to field a solid group. Unless the Fr just beat the experienced guys out (which would be a "good" thing) then they can be worked in as depth.

Much is made over McNeil... I think he still ends up a starter. He's being challenged and people are reading that as they will. There's a good chance we see a Fr at on CB... but that's not terrible if you have Coleman, Randolph, McNeil, and Sutton there to help them.

I'd expect Vereen, Saulsberry, O'Brien, and Willams across the front with new guys in most back up spots. Again, not that bad of a situation from a development standpoint. The starters, particularly Williams and O'Brien, won't stand up to the better teams on the schedule but hopefully some new guys can push them up or out before the meat of the schedule.

At LB, Maggitt, JRM, and AJ sound like a pretty core group. Add Weatherd and the Fr... and it might sound even better. I'm not ready to write King off.

The D has some potential if they get Saulsberry back and can answer a few other questions on the DL.
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Randolph,sutton,and aj Johnson are quality,proven sec players. Magitt and Vereen are all hype so far. The rest of the guys mentioned are pedestrian. I am hoping Jim will be a good player.
 
#393
#393
Originally Posted by Vol8188 View Post
6-6 to 8-4 is where we should end up.

Wins:
Vandy, UK, Chatanooga, Ark St

Likely wins:
Missiouri, Utah St.

Potential wins:
Florida, Ole Miss,USC,UGA

bama is going doooowwwwwwnnnnn.

fyp
 
#394
#394
Really hard to gauge UGA, FL and USCe this year.

USCe should be solid, they only lost about 8-10 players but they were mostly stars/starters (Clowney, Quarles, Connor Shaw, WR-Ellington?, CB, etc).

UGA and FL are coming off horrendous injuries from last year. UGA also graduated a lot of offensive stars but they still have Gurley/Marshall and some kid named Chubb. UGA Defense wasn't too good last year but they were all young and now have another year of experience. FL also has new OC and DC...new schemes and offense to learn.

Which OK team do we play? I'm hoping it is the one that almost lost at home to WV verses the one that spanked bama. This game will be the biggest test of our Oline, particularly tackles.

Ole Miss is not without their problems either. Two star LBs are a police incident away from being booted off team.

Vandy and Mizzou are a shell of last years teams, especially Mizzou. You can count returning Mizzou starters on two hands, sans the thumbs. Vandy had sucky recruiting class and new coaches. Those should definitely be wins.

USU is no team to look over and for that reason I'm glad it is the first game of the year. We have the talent to beat them by 17, torching former Vol Grey.
 
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#397
#397
MFL said:
With you 100 percent. We will see if he's the right man this year.
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This is absolute bologna. Our record will have nothing to do with whether butch is the right guy or not. We have holes all over the field that you guys are ignoring. A walk on lt and freshman rt alone would keep most coaches up all night. Furthermore, I don't expect butch to be a great coach. I expect great recruiting because great coaches fail with average talent. I expect butch to be a solid coach that recruits great players. There is nothing on his resume to suggest he was ever a great coach. Let's not fire up the hot board because of unrealistic expectations and 6-6 might be unrealistic this year.
 
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#398
#398
BeattieFeathers said:
This is absolute bologna. Our record will have nothing to do with whether butch is the right guy or not. We have holes all over the field that you guys are ignoring. A walk on lt and freshman rt alone would keep most coaches up all night. Furthermore, I don't expect butch to be a great coach. I expect great recruiting because great coaches fail with average talent. I expect butch to be a solid coach that recruits great players. There is nothing on his resume to suggest he was ever a great coach. Let's not fire up the hot board because of unrealistic expectations and 6-6 might be unrealistic this year.
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I'd say 4 conference championships in 6 years is pretty great.
 
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