Heupel has got to be one of the smartest football coaches I’ve ever seen

#26
#26
…..of the smartest football coaches I’ve ever seen. One week he airs it out. The next week he does nothing but shovel pass on third and long. The 3rd week he’s just runs the football. The next week he called a total of 5 plays and wins. You just don’t know what all to prepare for. He scared me a lot last Saturday tho, I felt like we were seeing the Butch days. VBS ( Vol Battered Syndrome) First game he opens the play book is obviously Alabama. Where do you guys see us struggle in the future? Go Vols!!!!
I agree, very good at adjusting to in game stuff. Plus when he recruits, he seems to identify people early, and gets the guys he wants for his system. And sneaky good at the portal.
 
#27
#27
I think Heup now has the depth and personnel to call the offensive game plan however he needs to to get the W while protecting young Nico and other key position players and others during this long, difficult stretch of games that will be physical. If we stay relatively healthy for most of the season at key positions, we can beat anyone in the country and Heup knows that. We are high enough in the rankings and have such a difficult schedule ahead with an energized fan base that we don't have to win by 5 touchdowns to impress pollsters or fill the stands. If we have to get into a shoot out, he'll open up the playbook for sure, but until we have to, he's going to save most of the playbook for Fla, Ala, Ga and do enough to get us into an SEC championship game. Arkansas, can score too, so I bet we see a lot more balls in the air and find out more about Nico's arm talent and decision making, which hasn't been on full display because we of such lopsided scores, with the exception of last week. But it was clear that once we were up by 3 scores, the game was out of reach due to an inept OU offense and a dominant defensive effort from the get go.
 
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#29
#29
We are a legitimate 12-team playoff contender, yes. But no, we are not a legitimate NC contender yet. Ive seen enough football and enough Tennessee teams in my lifetime to know what that looks like and this team isnt quite that.
So who (and why), in your learned opinion, are the true NC contenders based on the first 4 weeks?
 
#32
#32
We are a legitimate 12-team playoff contender, yes. But no, we are not a legitimate NC contender yet. Ive seen enough football and enough Tennessee teams in my lifetime to know what that looks like and this team isnt quite that.
And you can tell that at game 4? One game at a time. There is nobody we can’t beat if we play our best. We still have to keep improving but to say we aren’t a contender to win it all, well that’s just your opinion I will leave it there. GBO!!!!!
 
#33
#33
The only thing that bothered me was Oklahoma's first TD drive. It seemed that we settled into zone D and the D line wasn't really pressuring the QB. Oklahoma was able to drive the length of the field and score. I think they may have miscalculated, because the defense ramped it up in subsequent series. Did anyone else notice this or am I wrong? It possible, because my wife tells me I'm wrong all the time.
 
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#35
#35
And you can tell that at game 4? One game at a time. There is nobody we can’t beat if we play our best. We still have to keep improving but to say we aren’t a contender to win it all, well that’s just your opinion I will leave it there. GBO!!!!!

I could turn that question around and ask you and tennesseeduke, "and you can tell we're a national championship team at game 4? One game at a time."
 
#36
#36
Where's the dingus that is assuring us all we're doomed against anyone with a pulse on the schedule because Oklahoma provided the blueprint to shut down our offense?
Well the Sooner's did... sort of. Just fall behind 3 scores and have negative yards rushing against our D and CJH will back off you a bit in the second half. Then you can tell your fan base you won the second half 12-6. ;)
 
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#37
#37
At the time I just wanted to score a few more TDs and put the game away in epic fashion. The more I’ve thought about it, I agree with him being a very cerebral coach. What he did Saturday was exactly what some of the greats would’ve done in those same conditions. Until you prove that you can score on us, we’re just going to grind the clock out and play sound defense.

Had OU gotten it down to one score, I guarantee we would’ve opened it back up.
You dog on right! Mane it great to a Tennessee Vol! I do not know about you, but all of the positivity on Vol Nation and our team is winning! My God!
 
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#38
#38
…..of the smartest football coaches I’ve ever seen. One week he airs it out. The next week he does nothing but shovel pass on third and long. The 3rd week he’s just runs the football. The next week he called a total of 5 plays and wins. You just don’t know what all to prepare for. He scared me a lot last Saturday tho, I felt like we were seeing the Butch days. VBS ( Vol Battered Syndrome) First game he opens the play book is obviously Alabama. Where do you guys see us struggle in the future? Go Vols!!!!
I knew that when he took whatever scraps he could find and made us a competitive football team in his first year. He should of been coach of the year. Not to worry. All the worry in now dressing in the "visitors" lockerroom.
 
#39
#39
We are a legitimate 12-team playoff contender, yes. But no, we are not a legitimate NC contender yet. Ive seen enough football and enough Tennessee teams in my lifetime to know what that looks like and this team isnt quite that.
Lots of variables between now and at end of the regular season. Our offensive line is going to have to figure out a way to meet some new challenges and. Nico is going to have to get better at setting up protection before this team can qualify as a potential NC contender.

Arkansas has enough talent to cause us problems if those two issues are not addressed.
 
#40
#40
So who (and why), in your learned opinion, are the true NC contenders based on the first 4 weeks?
No one knows yet. Still a lot of football to be played and opinions at this stage are insignificant. It will be the teams that can just keep winning. Right now Heupel is just one of the bachelors on the show and still competing for the pretty girl.
 
#41
#41
I could turn that question around and ask you and tennesseeduke, "and you can tell we're a national championship team at game 4? One game at a time."
I have been saying one game at a time. That doesn’t mean we aren’t capable. I didn’t say anything was a slam dunk but I am not going to say we aren’t a contender either which is what you did. I have been warning folks not to get ahead of themselves. We must also keep improving. At the same time if we stay focused we got as good as chance as anyone from what I have seen so far. But it’s a long season we cannot get to cocky, as long as we stay focused and take one at a time I like our chances. Injuries and luck sometimes rear their head one way or the other. Your the one that pretty much said we aren’t a contender period. I laid out the process. GBO
 
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#43
#43
I must admit, I really like CJH. I believed he was a very good coach before he got to TN. The first two seasons at TN cemented that for me. Now I think he may very well be a great coach.

Also, and this is tough for an old Dawg to say, after seeing his interviews and clips of him coaching and interacting with his players and how his players interact with him, I’ve come to the realization that I actually very much like CJH. Even if he is the dirty stinkin Vols coach!🤣😂🤣. Seriously though, he seems like a good man, I like him.
 
#44
#44
I dunno, I've thought a lot about this.

I randomly saw a Pruitt :vomit: clip on social media. The clip in question was Guarantano's fumble at the 2 yard line in a play that would have brought us to 28-20 at Bama.

This was 2019, well into the peak dominance for them and we were a 2-5 football team.

Bama was conservative most of that game because they didn't need to be flashy. Tua was 11/12 for 155 yards and an INT. Bama only put up 373 yards, only 119 total in the 2nd half.



Point is, it was a very similar game to the Bama staff that I think this OU game was to the Tennessee staff. They looked across the field and weren't worried. The players got a little sloppy but weren't worried either.

Also in that game we benched JG for Maurer who was 5/7 for 62 yards. Cries of "yeah what if we were playing our backup that Bama didn't scheme for all game, what then?" which were nothing but cries of coping.

While Bama scoop/scored that fumble for a TD and went up 35-13 instead of a tight 28-20 game I see some parallels. I think we just have to realize that Heupel, unlike the last 3-4 coaching staffs and especially Head Coaches is competent.



And he doesn't seem worried, he seems deservedly confident. And his team is with him.
Didn’t Tua get his bell rung in that game?
 
#45
#45
The only thing that bothered me was Oklahoma's first TD drive. It seemed that we settled into zone D and the D line wasn't really pressuring the QB. Oklahoma was able to drive the length of the field and score. I think they may have miscalculated, because the defense ramped it up in subsequent series. Did anyone else notice this or am I wrong? It possible, because my wife tells me I'm wrong all the time.
They ran clock too!
 
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#46
#46
Well the Sooner's did... sort of. Just fall behind 3 scores and have negative yards rushing against our D and CJH will back off you a bit in the second half. Then you can tell your fan base you won the second half 12-6. ;)
That is the Vandy bottom feeder of the SEC moral victory approach. If OU wants that tag so be it.
 
#47
#47
Let's talk again after Alabama, Georgia and Florida. My bet is you're right.

Pessimistic take, but even if we go 2-1 in those games we will get a high playoff seed. I think we beat Florida by several scores, squeak out a close one at home against Bama, and drop the Georgia game. I'd be thrilled to be wrong, Athens against a good team will be tough.
 

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