I mean this with all respect, but thats a pretty big jump for the UT team. UT doesn't necessarily lose anyone from last year's team, but they didn't add any impact players either. This is in essence the same team that dropped two of it's last three to Ole Miss and MTSU (at home, in a postseason, single-elimination tournament).
The SEC should be a little softer than last season. UK and Vandy will be down, Vandy down A LOT. Florida is tougher, Arkansas is way tougher. I honestly don't know who Bama returns from a really solid team last season.
It's hard to argue that UT won't be better, but a 6 seed is a rather large jump for what should be Martin's first visit to the dance. I know I'll get flamed for this because I'm not technically a vol fan, but this isn't meant to be a slight against Martin or his team.
They don't add any impact players? Technically true, but I don't think the jarnell stokes you saw last year is the same guy you'll see this year. Also, we only had him for half a season, you include him the first half of the year and Tennessee was dancing last year.
I also personally think dmontre will be an impact guy. Not anyone who will blow you away, but a good defender, great rebounder and someone who probably is going to get you 8&6 from the 3 spot every night.
Yes this is the same team that lost to those teams, its also the same team that beat Florida twice, curb stomped vandy, and handled UCONN pretty easily.
The things that hurt Tennessee were that bad losses early on, you take away AP and Oakland losses and swap those to wins and this team was in the tourney.
Bama IMO is probably about the same, lost some gained some, see the around the same. Florida is tougher, but we also only play them once now, at TBA this year. Our OOC schedule is much easier than last years, not cupcakes, but good teams who we should be favored against(not Memphis).
I said 6/7 seed, many have vols in the top 25, those that don't have them very close. A 6/7 seed is 20-28 best teams(I'm aware it doesn't work that way). So I don't think it's really that unrealistic all things considered.