Expectations for the 2025 Season and ESPN direspect.

#76
#76
BigOrangeTrain said:
If we only win 8 games then that’s a complete failure for this staff.
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You gotta think..When did we last win at Ala or Fla? That's 2 losses..We can't beat GA anywhere.. That's 3..Then CJH loses a game every year we have no business losing..so that's 4..8-4 it is!
 
#77
#77
Anyone know how the staff feels about Nathan Robinson? Is he good enough to get snaps as the 4th DT this year, or will we look at taking a transfer?
 
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#79
#79
TN Volunteers. said:
Hopefully, I am not jinxing anything, but I am excited about the 2025 season and do not think that it will be a transitional year. Yes, we are losing many key players, but they can be replaced. We are losing Sampson, but our RBS are good every year. I think we will do what we did in 2023 and use Star Thomas, DeSean Bishop, and Peyton Lewis. I think our o-line will be better through development and transfers. Nico will be much better. I saw his improvement throughout the season. He looked good in the second half of Alabama, great vs. Kentucky, and would have had 400 yards if not for drops, looked great vs Mississippi State, looked good vs Georgia, and looked great vs Vandy. He didn't even look bad vs OSU. The O-line just could not block, so they could just put 7 in coverage. If Nico improves his deep ball, he could become elite next season. Our receiving core has gotten worse just from looking at it, but I think our receiving core has high potential, just not much experience.
ESPN put us behind Illinois, Indiana, Kansas State, Iowa State, and BYU are the big ones. I think we should be above Florida and other teams like them, but I am not that mad about that.
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With the way we got basically no one in the portal, we might be worse than some of those teams. Really disappointed in Huep the last portal classes
 
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#80
#80
BigOrangeFanatic said:
Bama, UF, and UGA I think are greater than 50% chance we lose, based on history of how we have performed against those teams and 2 out of those 3 are on the road. Could we win one of those? Sure, but I think it's unlikely.

Then take your pick between OU, Syracuse and Arky for the 4th loss. We have just about always had an unexplainable loss under JH every year.

Could this team win 10 games? Sure but they are going to have to be better than expected in several positions groups to get there.

I think 8 wins is more likely than 10. I think Nico would have to have a Hooker like, '22 season performance for us to have 10 wins.

I don't see the defense being as good as it was last year either so the offense will have to pick up the slack like it did in '22.

Your comment about there being no excuse to win 8 games in year 5 is reasonable. We'll see if Elarbee or Pope can develop anyone this off-season.
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We have an unexplainable loss every year, but that is on the road. The teams that would be unexplainable on the road are Kentucky and Miss st. Heupel is undefeated vs Kentucky and Miss St sucks. I do not see an unexplainable loss this year.
 
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#81
#81
TN Volunteers. said:
We have an unexplainable loss every year, but that is on the road. The teams that would be unexplainable on the road are Kentucky and Miss st. Heupel is undefeated vs Kentucky and Miss St sucks. I do not see an unexplainable loss this year.
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We thought the same thing about Arkansas. We may not have the surprise loss this year. But there's a track record that shows there's a good possibility that it very well may happen.
 
#82
#82
Gonna have to be better at o-line, WR, and QB. Make big strides there and I can see 11 wins. Need depth at DB as well.
 
#84
#84
Fan Duel has the O/U at 9.5. They have Bama at 8.5. The Gators at 7.5. Those are the big 3. We’ve actually played well in Tuscaloosa under Heupel. In year 1 we didn’t have the horses, but it was a 1 score game going into the 4th. In 2023 we played very well in the first half and probably should’ve been up 28-0 or 28-7. We didn’t finish. Not saying that should be acceptable, but we haven’t gone there and just gotten smoked either . Bama has nothing at quarterback that scares anyone this season. This is our best chance to go in there and get a win since ‘07, which is still inexplicable to this day.
 
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#85
#85
Nicovfl8 said:
With the way we got basically no one in the portal, we might be worse than some of those teams. Really disappointed in Huep the last portal classes
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We are maxed out at 83. 40 freshmen will do that for you. Those are our last 2 classes, way more selective than before. Our small portal group is solid. Glad we are not going full KIFFIN turnover model.

Might add a few more IF we need to guide some elsewhere AFTER spring and create some space.
 
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#86
#86
GUNTERSVOL said:
We are maxed out at 83. 40 freshmen will do that for you. Those are our last 2 classes, way more selective than before. Our small portal group is solid. Glad we are not going full KIFFIN turnover model.

Might add a few more IF we need to guide some elsewhere AFTER spring and create some space
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#87
#87
LWSVOL said:
ranked 3rd in recruiting for 2025. Doesn't seem they are going anywhere.. As long as teams recruit in the top 5, year in and year out, they will be in contention for the SEC title which leads to playoffs. Texas, Georgia and Bama are 1, 2 and 3.
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Who’s gonna be Bama’s QB next year? Vegas has UT with better odds to win the title next year and better overall odds to have more wins than Bama. You think you know more than Vegas does? I’ve got some ocean front property to sell you in Oklahoma if you do.
 
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#88
#88
TN Volunteers. said:
Hopefully, I am not jinxing anything, but I am excited about the 2025 season and do not think that it will be a transitional year. Yes, we are losing many key players, but they can be replaced. We are losing Sampson, but our RBS are good every year. I think we will do what we did in 2023 and use Star Thomas, DeSean Bishop, and Peyton Lewis. I think our o-line will be better through development and transfers. Nico will be much better. I saw his improvement throughout the season. He looked good in the second half of Alabama, great vs. Kentucky, and would have had 400 yards if not for drops, looked great vs Mississippi State, looked good vs Georgia, and looked great vs Vandy. He didn't even look bad vs OSU. The O-line just could not block, so they could just put 7 in coverage. If Nico improves his deep ball, he could become elite next season. Our receiving core has gotten worse just from looking at it, but I think our receiving core has high potential, just not much experience.
ESPN put us behind Illinois, Indiana, Kansas State, Iowa State, and BYU are the big ones. I think we should be above Florida and other teams like them, but I am not that mad about that.
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ESPN didn’t put us behind those teams. Mark ‘Georgia Homer’ Schlabach did. I wouldn’t put much stock into those rankings. He’s always hated Tennessee
 
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#90
#90
jasonvol18 said:
You gotta think..When did we last win at Ala or Fla? That's 2 losses..We can't beat GA anywhere.. That's 3..Then CJH loses a game every year we have no business losing..so that's 4..8-4 it is!
Click to expand...
Then that’s a failure for this staff. This is going into year 5. If we only win 8 games then that’s a very disappointing season. UF is not a powerhouse and neither is Bama. 8-4 is a big step backwards.
 
#91
#91
Mullet Vol said:
Who’s gonna be Bama’s QB next year? Vegas has UT with better odds to win the title next year and better overall odds to have more wins than Bama. You think you know more than Vegas does? I’ve got some ocean front property to sell you in Oklahoma if you do.
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I don't KNOW anything. Just have an opinion that is wrong many times. Lot of people have incorrect predictions before the season. 13 of the pre-season top 25 teams didn't finish in the top 25. Polls end up like that every year..
 
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#92
#92
BigOrangeTrain said:
Then that’s a failure for this staff. This is going into year 5. If we only win 8 games then that’s a very disappointing season. UF is not a powerhouse and neither is Bama. 8-4 is a big step backwards.
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Winning on the road in this league is incredibly difficult- and hate to point out the obvious- but both of those teams have as much if not more talent returning than we do- 8 and 4 is not a bad season with what we’ve got this year. Nor is it a step backwards- in ‘26 we are looking at having an NC contender team.
 
#94
#94
TN Volunteers. said:
We have an unexplainable loss every year, but that is on the road. The teams that would be unexplainable on the road are Kentucky and Miss st. Heupel is undefeated vs Kentucky and Miss St sucks. I do not see an unexplainable loss this year.
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Syracuse. Classic trap game on the road. Fans that travel to away games are now in show me mode after the team let them down in Columbus. The Vandy game to end the season after the Florida road game will also be interesting.

If Nico doesn't step up, looking at 7-5 or maybe even 6-6.
 
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#95
#95
I am pretty sure that if the Vols can score more points than their opponents, then they will win.
 
#97
#97
BigOrangeTrain said:
Then that’s a failure for this staff. This is going into year 5. If we only win 8 games then that’s a very disappointing season. UF is not a powerhouse and neither is Bama. 8-4 is a big step backwards.
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It’s a failure of comprehension. We do not yet have the talent and depth that allow us to reload every year. You’re wrong on UF. We caught them at the right time. They were young, but very talented, and they’ll be good this year. Underestimating them is a mistake. I can see them making the BCS. Bama will have the talent and depth to beat anyone if they can gel with coaches. Our program was destroyed when Pruitt left. Heupel has done a great job, but it’ll take more time to have the kind of team Georgia or OSU has built.
 
#98
#98
Am I alone in thinking that ugaly may be the most likely win of the big 3? I think with bummer being a road game and halfway through year 2 with DeBoer they finally get their act together and make the game competitive. If fLorida continues building momentum like they did towards the end of last season that will be one hell of a difficult game for us. But jawga is very early in the season and at our place. I think throughout last season they looked shaky, especially in some of those early games. With a new qb that will be in their first SEC game in Neyland of all places, I think the intangibles may stack up really well for us in that match up.
 
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#99
#99
I say 10-2 and wildcard round in the CFP. I think we'll beat Florida, lose the other two actual rivalry games, and everyone else we beat. Go Vols!
 
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#100
#100
LWSVOL said:
I don't KNOW anything. Just have an opinion that is wrong many times. Lot of people have incorrect predictions before the season. 13 of the pre-season top 25 teams didn't finish in the top 25. Polls end up like that every year..
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I just don’t understand putting Bama third. They have no QB and Deboer looked like a deer in headlights all season long. Half the state of Alabama wants him fired right now. He’ll be a dead man walking by mid season.

Also, don’t understand the Tennessee hate. You said Tennessee overachieved last year. I say they underachieved. Lost a game they shouldn’t have. Should have finished 11-1.
 
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