Hot and Not in the SEC: Week 13

[BigOrangeTrain]

Some of the falling has been on CBJ's watch. He's outdooleyed Dooley on setting historical records to the downside. Team 117 will be in the recordbooks forever as one of the worst UT teams ever to wear the orange. That's just fact.

It will also go down as the most difficult schedule in school history. But I guess for a first year coach, that fact doesn't matter. I mean Dooley played muh better competition with a lot less right?

 

[LA Vol]

It will also go down as the most difficult schedule in school history. But I guess for a first year coach, that fact doesn't matter. I mean Dooley played muh better competition with a lot less right?

No spin. Facts. CBJ owns those records, and Dooley owns his fair share. There are no asterisked excuses in the recordbook, and first year coaches aren't exempt. You can petition to get that changed, but until then, facts are facts, even if you don't like them.

 

[Aesius]

Some of the falling has been on CBJ's watch. He's outdooleyed Dooley on setting historical records to the downside. Team 117 will be in the recordbooks forever as one of the worst UT teams ever to wear the orange. That's just fact.

The falling hasn't been on his watch.

Butch saved the program from going into a Dooley-induced tailspin from which it might never recover.

We're currently climbing back up, but not nearly where we need to be. The only way to get there is through recruiting, which he's excelling at.

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Already have 33 on the way... I see 2 more coming... glad we agree!

30 is the magic number I have seen with the back counting and such.

35 will get Jones in hot water.

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

The falling hasn't been on his watch.

Butch saved the program from going into a Dooley-induced tailspin from which it might never recover.

We're currently climbing back up, but not nearly where we need to be. The only way to get there is through recruiting, which he's excelling at.

4 wins, including victories over powerhouses Austin Peay, Western KY, and S. Alabama is "saving the program"?

I think the jury is still out on that claim.

 

[LA Vol]

The falling hasn't been on his watch.

Butch saved the program from going into a Dooley-induced tailspin from which it might never recover.

We're currently climbing back up, but not nearly where we need to be. The only way to get there is through recruiting, which he's excelling at.

Some of the downside records have been this year. Four straight losing seasons, back-to-back losses to Vandy, biggest point loss, etc. Performance in the last four games has been increasingly worse, while the schedule, though brutal, has lightened. CBJ is doing a terrific job of recruiting, but the team is not making visible gameday improvement and CBJ failed to achieve the goals that he set. Of course, he is evaluated on that-- fair game since he put it out there. It would be foolhardy to declare him a failure based on one losing season, but we can't declare him a success yet, either. So we're back to-- next year.

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

It will take outstanding recruiting AND coaching year in and year out to compete with the SEC juggernaut programs.

Assuming we achieve near parity (as in close but not surpassing) in recruiting with the upper echelon programs, do you think Jones and his staff have the coaching ability to translate that into SEC championship games within the next 5 or so years?

Not even close.

This season disintegrated into being a 13 player on the field call from being Dooleyesque.

 

[Aesius]

4 wins, including victories over powerhouses Austin Peay, Western KY, and S. Alabama is "saving the program"?

I think the jury is still out on that claim.

Very few coaches could have recruited as well as he has. In that sense, he has saved the program from completely collapsing. He hasn't resurrected it (yet), but he stopped the freefall and is in the process of bringing us out of the gutter.

How far he can take us does remain to be seen.

 

[CountVolcula]

It's a combination of last year's class and this one. Last year, it looks like the Vols took 23 then you subtract the 3 EEs (if I counted them right which those count towards the year before so last years class was actually at 20 (again, taking 247sports numbers so this is more or less just and example). That frees up 5 to EE this year counting back to last year which added to the 25 for this year is 30 .. how they will be able to do 35, I am not sure but again, some of the above numbers could be off.

Thanks

Makes sense now

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Very few coaches could have recruited as well as he has. In that sense, he has saved the program from completely collapsing. He hasn't resurrected it (yet), but he stopped the freefall and is in the process of bringing us out of the gutter.

How far he can take us does remain to be seen.

I have seen too many highly touted classes for the Vols completely bomb the last decade to put many of my eggs into the recruiting basket.

It looks nice on paper but i am more interested in what he can do with them once he gets them on campus and hopefully keep them on campus.

Based on Dobbs, doesn't look to be much at this point although Sutton has been great IMO.

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Some of the downside records have been this year. Four straight losing seasons, back-to-back losses to Vandy, biggest point loss, etc. Performance in the last four games has been increasingly worse, while the schedule, though brutal, has lightened. CBJ is doing a terrific job of recruiting, but the team is not making visible gameday improvement and CBJ failed to achieve the goals that he set. Of course, he is evaluated on that-- fair game since he put it out there. It would be foolhardy to declare him a failure based on one losing season, but we can't declare him a success yet, either. So we're back to-- next year.

General Neyland threw up in his mouth a little watching Auburn set a special teams record against us.

 

[jimallvol]

Think about this: 6 of our past 9 seasons have been losing seasons.

05, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13.

We've been bad for almost a decade.

Man when you look at it that way its down right depressing. Its hard to believe how far our once proud program has dropped.

 

[peyton4heisman]

Lane had the last winning season

No. 6-7

 

[norriscraftbasser]

I think 2007 was our last road win outside of Tennessee or Kentucky.

 

[VolDomination]

It will take outstanding recruiting AND coaching year in and year out to compete with the SEC juggernaut programs.

Assuming we achieve near parity (as in close but not surpassing) in recruiting with the upper echelon programs, do you think Jones and his staff have the coaching ability to translate that into SEC championship games within the next 5 or so years?

Based on what I seen this year his talent will have to be much better than his opponents to consistently win.

 

[sjt18]

This is how far we've fallen. You can't blame CBJ

Really? Why not?

Did someone else coach the team this year? Did someone else's coaching result in four losses by more than 28 pts for the first time in over 50 years? Did someone else gameplan and coach the Vandy game? Was someone else responsible for Dobbs not being ready to play after working with the OC/QB coach for more than 3 months? Did someone else prevent this team from improving over the course of the season? Did someone force this staff to play Srs who were performing poorly?

I most certainly do blame Jones for underachieving the potential of this roster. There is absolutely no excuse for what we've seen and all the cliches and platitudes in the world won't make up for it.

 

[sjt18]

Vandy > Tennessee. I know its hard for UT fans to grasp, but it's the truth. They've proved it the last 2 years now.

Vandy's coach has outcoached UT's coach two years straight. He has twice in a row now taken inferior rosters and beaten UT. Dooley probably has the better excuse. He had quit. His team had quit. All were resigned to the outcome.... and they played away.

Jones had his "brick by brick" mojo running... talking about how important a bowl game was to the team.... he had Vandy at home... and failed miserably.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

No spin. Facts. CBJ owns those records, and Dooley owns his fair share. There are no asterisked excuses in the recordbook, and first year coaches aren't exempt. You can petition to get that changed, but until then, facts are facts, even if you don't like them.

Hmmm and what I posted are facts. You may ignore them all you want but they are real. Try to trivialize the schedule all you want but having the toughest schedule in school history definitely affects a first year head coach.

Yes he owns the records and yes the schedule is a valid excuse.

 

[sjt18]

Hmmm and what I posted are facts. You may ignore them all you want but they are real. Try to trivialize the schedule all you want but having the toughest schedule in school history definitely affects a first year head coach.

Yes he owns the records and yes the schedule is a valid excuse.

Losing to Vandy was inexcusable. Losing to Bama, Oregon, Auburn, and Mizzou under the circumstances was not inexcusable... but failing to even show up WAS.

Dooley lost some blow outs in his first year... ALL were competitive games at the half. Jones' 4 blowouts were over from the start. He was outcoached in addition to his team being outplayed.

 

[Aesius]

Really? Why not?

Did someone else coach the team this year? Did someone else's coaching result in four losses by more than 28 pts for the first time in over 50 years? Did someone else gameplan and coach the Vandy game? Was someone else responsible for Dobbs not being ready to play after working with the OC/QB coach for more than 3 months? Did someone else prevent this team from improving over the course of the season? Did someone force this staff to play Srs who were performing poorly?

I most certainly do blame Jones for underachieving the potential of this roster. There is absolutely no excuse for what we've seen and all the cliches and platitudes in the world won't make up for it.

What potential on the roster?

Seriously. Tell me where it is. I'm really curious.

Because last I checked, the team seriously overachieved by taking UGA to OT and beating USCe. Do you think it's reasonable to expect this sorely talent-deficient team to keep up with top 10 programs week in and week out?

The Vandy loss is the only one that you can pin on him, and even that's questionable. If Pig doesn't block that guy, we win. Period.

Your blind hatred of Jones is nauseating.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

What potential on the roster?

Seriously. Tell me where it is. I'm really curious.

Because last I checked, the team seriously overachieved by taking UGA to OT and beating USCe. Do you think it's reasonable to expect this sorely talent-deficient team to keep up with top 10 programs week in and week out?

The Vandy loss is the only one that you can pin on him, and even that's questionable. If Pig doesn't block that guy, we win. Period.

Your blind hatred of Jones is nauseating.

Ignore him. He is not and never has been a Tennessee fan. If every was, he has fallen into a deep hole of crap.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Ignore him. He is not and never has been a Tennessee fan. If every was, he has fallen into a deep hole of crap.

That's why he is on my ignore list. He is a pathetic Jones hater that believes if a coach doesn't do what Malzhan has done in his first year then they are a failure.

 

[rocketskates]

To anyone bashing Jones I think it says a lot about him that despite these shortcomings he has been able to not only assemble but so far hold the no. 2 recruiting class in the nation together.

 

[CountVolcula]

To anyone bashing Jones I think it says a lot about him that despite these shortcomings he has been able to not only assemble but so far hold the no. 2 recruiting class in the nation together.

It's easy when a lot are legacy players

Let's see how he does with no legacy players in the mix

 

[WhitewaterVol]

Hmmm and what I posted are facts. You may ignore them all you want but they are real. Try to trivialize the schedule all you want but having the toughest schedule in school history definitely affects a first year head coach.

Yes he owns the records and yes the schedule is a valid excuse.

Early in the year I was undecided about Jones. After South Alabama I was actually optimistic because the team improved during the game and didn't quit in the second half. After Georgia I was really optimistic. I saw a team play for 60 minutes and try hard to win. After SC I was pretty sure we had a coach.

Then the expected losses against top 10 teams came. I expected it but we got completely destroyed three games in a row. We should have at least looked somewhat competitive in those games.

With a bye week to prepare against a Candy team with even less talent, we came out flat. Offensive game plan was just awful. Special teams was again awful. Defense did well until they disappeared on the last drive. There is no good excuse for the Candy loss and that one falls on this coaching staff. That loss has me back to wondering if Jones and company can get it done.

He appears to be a good recruiter so he should at least improve the program some. Whether or not he can get us back to competing for SEC titles - I'm not so sure of that after the last 4 weeks.