How I believe our focus should be: forget blowouts

#1
Other_Guy

Other_Guy

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#1
I keep seeing predictions against the top teams on the schedule, my own included. I also see "negavols" coming back and talking about how we should expect blowouts, and all of this is fine.
Yet I think we need to focus away from the projected point spread in "guaranteed" losses.
There are always 3 groups to a conference: bottom pack, middle and best teams.
Look at last year or 2 and projection of this year. UT IMHO is at the top of the bottom of the group. They are better than UK, Auburn, Arkansas and CJB could have taken a dump on his playbook and burnt it and still beat Mizzu (I know that doesn't really make sense, but I wanted to use fecal matter in the same equation as Dools). This is MHO.
The 1st step THIS season is to continue to be above those teams by beating those 3 and staying above Arkansas. Get to 6-6 and win their bowl game to creep into the middle of the pack teams.
As last year's results show, Vandy, Miss St and Ole Miss were the middle of the pack (had winning %). The Vols need to show they are at the same level (entering NEXT year) as what these 3 teams are expected to do this season.
NEXT year is when they should be at the top of the middle teams. If Vandy and Ole Miss are going to have solid seasons these upcoming years, and Arkansas or Auburn is headed back up in the next few years as well, they need a very solid season with 8 wins.
Year 3 is when we worry about if Alabama or Georgia is going to blow them away. Let's stop worrying about point spread in these games this year. Let's focus on getting from this bottom pack (under .500) to top of the middle pack.
Of course in no way am I saying "skip" the toughest games. I'm merely asking that we not judge or scale this team THIS year by how they play against the Tide or Dawgs or Ducks. Save that for later. The outcome is important, but blowouts or no blowouts are not IMO important this year by these top 10 teams.
Flame away for thinking I'm not putting enough importance on these hardestr games.
 
#3
#3
:)When we are a 28 point dog i would like to cover, just for 1 of them so called moral victorys.
 
#4
#4
Look all kidding aside all i wont is for the BIG ORANGE go out every game and give it there all and the rest will take care of it self, just play hard, Butch is not GOD it will take a couple of years.
 
#5
#5
i think it's like anything else.

to use school as an example, you pay attention in class, take proper notes, do your homework, correct mistakes made on homework and quizes and study for the test.....and the good grades will come.

but, i agree with the basic premise of what you are saying. as such, i think the 4 immediate goals are in no particular....

1. end the "stuck on stupid"

2. defend neyland stadium

3. beat the teams "you are supposed to beat"

4. recruit like crazy.
 
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#6
#6
Game by Game, Brick by Brick,day by day....We are coming up!(surprised negavols have'nt started 2014 prediction threads yet)
 
#7
#7
GrowVol said:
Game by Game, Brick by Brick,day by day....We are coming up!(surprised negavols have'nt started 2014 prediction threads yet)
Click to expand...

Give them time they will be predicting 5-7 6-6 in 14 as well! That nega stuff just in their blood!
 
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#8
#8
OLEVOLFAN said:
Give them time they will be predicting 5-7 6-6 in 14 as well! That nega stuff just in their blood!
Click to expand...

If cbj has two years of this type record he is the wrong guy.. no way u double a staffs salary to come in and have the first two years with 500 or worse winning percentages. If he is the coach to take us to the top we will know well before year 3.. it's been posted many times the great coaches make a big difference by year 2... otherwise they stay average.
 
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#9
#9
92volalum said:
If cbj has two years of this type record he is the wrong guy.. no way u double a staffs salary to come in and have the first two years with 500 or worse winning percentages. If he is the coach to take us to the top we will know well before year 3.. it's been posted many times the great coaches make a big difference by year 2... otherwise they stay average.
Click to expand...

You missed my point I was saying the mega vols will start a 2014 thread before long predicting those records.
 
#13
#13
OLEVOLFAN said:
How about we focus on them winning each and every game just like the coaches and players focus on?
Click to expand...

Well of course I'm saying they need to stop wanting this team to take huge steps and be super competitive in these big games. Focus on beating these other .500 under .500 teams.
 
#14
#14
If we do not at least make a lower tier bowl and show gradual improvement throughout the season....I'M GONNA BE PISSED!
 
#16
#16
I say 7-5 this season, MAYBE 8-4 if we can steal a game..next season......hmmmmmm we will have to wait and see how this one goes :)
 
#17
#17
Hehe. Ole' Phil just keeps looking better and better. I remember Vol fans calling for his head in the 90s when he kept losing to UF. Wow, how perspectives change.

Kinda like me ... the older I get the greater I was. :-D

I do agree with the above poster .500 over the next two years is really not acceptable IMO. Need to pop a 7 or 8 incl bowl win season in at least one.
 
#18
#18
92volalum said:
If cbj has two years of this type record he is the wrong guy.. no way u double a staffs salary to come in and have the first two years with 500 or worse winning percentages. If he is the coach to take us to the top we will know well before year 3.. it's been posted many times the great coaches make a big difference by year 2... otherwise they stay average.
Click to expand...


Have you seen next year's schedule? We lose most of our o and d lines and play at OK, UGA, and USCjr.
We have Fla and Bama at home. I think 6-6 this yr and 6-6 or 7-5 in 2014 is respectable. 2015 should be a better yr and 2016 the yr we compete for sec east. Two years is not enough time.
 
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#20
#20
Other_Guy said:
I keep seeing predictions against the top teams on the schedule, my own included. I also see "negavols" coming back and talking about how we should expect blowouts, and all of this is fine.
Yet I think we need to focus away from the projected point spread in "guaranteed" losses.
There are always 3 groups to a conference: bottom pack, middle and best teams.
Look at last year or 2 and projection of this year. UT IMHO is at the top of the bottom of the group. They are better than UK, Auburn, Arkansas and CJB could have taken a dump on his playbook and burnt it and still beat Mizzu (I know that doesn't really make sense, but I wanted to use fecal matter in the same equation as Dools). This is MHO.
The 1st step THIS season is to continue to be above those teams by beating those 3 and staying above Arkansas. Get to 6-6 and win their bowl game to creep into the middle of the pack teams.
As last year's results show, Vandy, Miss St and Ole Miss were the middle of the pack (had winning %). The Vols need to show they are at the same level (entering NEXT year) as what these 3 teams are expected to do this season.
NEXT year is when they should be at the top of the middle teams. If Vandy and Ole Miss are going to have solid seasons these upcoming years, and Arkansas or Auburn is headed back up in the next few years as well, they need a very solid season with 8 wins.
Year 3 is when we worry about if Alabama or Georgia is going to blow them away. Let's stop worrying about point spread in these games this year. Let's focus on getting from this bottom pack (under .500) to top of the middle pack.
Of course in no way am I saying "skip" the toughest games. I'm merely asking that we not judge or scale this team THIS year by how they play against the Tide or Dawgs or Ducks. Save that for later. The outcome is important, but blowouts or no blowouts are not IMO important this year by these top 10 teams.
Flame away for thinking I'm not putting enough importance on these hardestr games.
Click to expand...

I am predicting we get blown out less this season than we did in many of the seasons by teams from the past decade. I am not talking about the last few. Heck, we've had a seasons when we got embarrassingly blown out by most of our biggest rivals and ended up in a pretty decent bowl game.
 
#21
#21
99gator said:
i think it's like anything else.

to use school as an example, you pay attention in class, take proper notes, do your homework, correct mistakes made on homework and quizes and study for the test.....and the good grades will come.

but, i agree with the basic premise of what you are saying. as such, i think the 4 immediate goals are in no particular....

1. end the "stuck on stupid"

2. defend neyland stadium

3. beat the teams "you are supposed to beat"

4. recruit like crazy.
Click to expand...

By the way on your no. 3 The Florida Gators are included in that group!!
 
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#22
#22
vol94 said:
Have you seen next year's schedule? We lose most of our o and d lines and play at OK, UGA, and USCjr.
We have Fla and Bama at home. I think 6-6 this yr and 6-6 or 7-5 in 2014 is respectable. 2015 should be a better yr and 2016 the yr we compete for sec east. Two years is not enough time.
Click to expand...

If CBJ is 6-6 the next 2 years, our recruiting will stink and we made a terrible hire. 6 or 7 wins this year and at least 8 wins next year should be what is expected or we'll be in the same boat we were in with CDD. 3rd year hot seat looking for another coach. That's the bottom line. I think that would have been the expectations or even higher if we would have hired Gruden. Lets not hold CBJ to a lower standard. UT should be one of the top 3 teams in the East every year excluding this year and possibly next year.
 
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