How Do You Explain Such Improvement in Just Two Years?

#76
#76
VFL-82-JP said:
1. Roster talent was better than we thought; it was disguised behind some god-awful coaching in previous years.
2. The Portal. Reflect on who we got from the portal the past two off-seasons. A lot of the names we shout on Saturdays, those are portal arrivals.
3. Heupel & Crew are no-joke next level genius at patterning the Xs and Os to make the absolute most of what the lads can do.
4. They are also incredibly talented leaders, who can mold extremely cohesive teams.

Think it's as simple as that.
Click to expand...

There is one more thing that I think has helped - - the extra time allowed by COVID. Some of these guys have been around for quite a long time. This extra time has helped in many guys maturity as a player and just plain growing into a man.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Raebo, VolDave53, headhunter15 and 2 others
#77
#77
Everybody wanted a winning team, all the way from the coaches and players to the waterboy.
 
#78
#78
Band Of Brothers playing fighting for each other . We've not had that in a long time . CJH is an awesome leader. They have fun.GBO
 
#79
#79
9876543vol said:
you are very wrong off course:)
Click to expand...
Eye test. Past bama teams don’t win last second games against a meh Texas and a bad bad A&M. Worse than vandy A&M. Also, a “top 25” UK lost to vandy. The only reason that UK team was ranked so late in the year is because they were in the SEC and had “good” losses.So yeah, conference is overall down. This LSau team shouldn’t be west champions. It’s an average team at best.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MemphisVol77
#81
#81
2 factors...Danny White and CJH. Especially CJH's ability to manage a program which has been exquisite given the locker room culture was a dumpster fire with Butch and then Pruitt threw gasoline on it.
 
#82
#82
As I’ve stated here before, a family member who was one of the best coordinators in all of college football, once told me this…”football boils down to two things…spacing and mismatches”. I personally think CJH and his staff are the best we’ve seen in years at doing both! But… I’ve always said “it’s much easier to create spacing and mismatches with extremely talented players”. So IMO both are important.
 
#83
#83
I'll say it once and I'll say it again: Wait till we get even better recruits in here. Working on a top 10 class this year and another top 10....maybe top 5 class for next year. I expect around a 10 - 2 team next year and in 2024 and 2025 we should be once again in the playoff hunt. Even some of the lower ranked players currently committed to us have elite measurables.

This staff know how to develop players and put them in the places where they will have the greatest success. They do not try to fit a square peg in a round hole. That is very important, and part of the reason for our success this year.
 
#85
#85
JohnTN said:
We were 3-7 before Heupel was hired and we lost 25 or so players to transfers, some of them starters. I don't remember how Heupel's first recruiting classes were ranked but don't remember them being real high. We did get a great QB transfer in Hooker plus some others.

So is this success due to getting Hooker plus a few talented receivers plus a coach with a system/scheme that fit perfectly?

And, what will we look like with Hooker gone next year? If we are good next year then more credit to the coaching staff.
Click to expand...
There are a few other factors to be considered but firstly,
1. Yes it is good coaching and a good offensive scheme that will take teams time to adjust to
2. The portal has helped significantly esp at the QB position. Good receiving corps recruited and via portal
3. The truth as well (and no disrespect intended) is that the SEC is having a down year. Florida and Alabama are not as good this year as in previous years. LSU is coming together but inconsistent. UK not good this year. So Tennesse is improved this year while other teams have taken a step back.
4. Next year will be interesting with hooker and his receivers gone and with Florida and Alabama most likely improved from this year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Raebo
#86
#86
VFL-82-JP said:
1. Roster talent was better than we thought; it was disguised behind some god-awful coaching in previous years.
2. The Portal. Reflect on who we got from the portal the past two off-seasons. A lot of the names we shout on Saturdays, those are portal arrivals.
3. Heupel & Crew are no-joke next level genius at patterning the Xs and Os to make the absolute most of what the lads can do.
4. They are also incredibly talented leaders, who can mold extremely cohesive teams.

Think it's as simple as that.
Click to expand...
100% this. I was going to comment but it would’ve been a repeat of this. One thing I think we’ve gotten away with is confusing some really good teams in their secondary. Hopefully we’ll continue to do that.
 
#88
#88
The only thing we’ve ever been missing was a coach, and in administration they supported football. We now have both and it’s made all the difference in the world.
 
#89
#89
It’s simple…we have a coach who is 1) able to develop and correctly utilize talent and, 2) has an aggressive and creative offensive scheme that is able to score a lot of points in a hurry.

This is what I was hoping for. We are no longer simply talent reliant, and more importantly not attempting to pattern ourselves after some other successful program (Alabama).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sudden Impact
#91
#91
Coaching and the portal we didn't hit the portal hard but the ones we took we nearly hit on all of them.
 
#92
#92
Actual development of the roster and players genuinely enjoy playing for Heupel. You always hear “players have bought into staff” during previous times here but this time around it’s for real. The best thing Heupel ever did was he never put a ceiling on what this team could accomplish. I think that tends to go unnoticed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MemphisVol77
#93
#93
It’s a lot of factors. And they’re all breaking our way—for the most part—for the first time in 20 years.

Can they keep it rolling for multiple years? That is the real question at this point.

I’d bet the landslide majority of VolNation agrees that regardless of the finish, this year was a HUGE success and exceeded expectations.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Raebo
#94
#94
I’m not sure what the explanation is but the fact I’m seeing analysts saying Brian Kelly or Sonny Dykes should be Coach of the Year is insane. We’ve gotten so good, so quickly that the media has practically forgotten that we were a dumpster fire for 20 years. How Josh Heupel isn’t the unanimous COTY is wild to me.
 
#98
#98
Coaching, coaching and more coaching. For the opposite end of that spectrum look at Oklahoma. Could have their first losing season since ‘98.
 
#100
#100
Not the first time, Saban turned around Bama on year 2. Good coaching and player development are the biggest keys. GBO!
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top