How important is the Oregon game to CBJ?

#1
Eddie Vol Halen

Eddie Vol Halen

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#1
Objectively, the real goal of this season should be to go bowling and to win it.

However, there are intermediate goals along the way.

I think the Oregon game is an important metric for CBJ. The Vols and Oregon actually share similar talent levels. Our strengths should exploit their youth and inexperience. A Wilcox level defense will keep the game under control. Great coaching, and the Vols should put Oregon under a lot of stress and pressure.

I don't expect us to win in the end, but I expect us to be in the game in the fourth quarter this time around. In Knoxville, Mother Nature essentially gave Dooley TWO halftime speeches. It's a wonder half the team didn't jump off Gay Street Bridge after that.

I won't be unduly surprised if we lose big, but IMHO it would be the first question marks against CBJ.

We've all been super impressed with CBJ since he arrived. Circle the Oregon game; I think that will be his - and our - arrival back "in the hunt and in the mix."
 
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#2
#2
I don't think many predict us to have much of a chance in this game. The truth is we really should. The Ducks have some things hurting them right now. We have a better chance at an upset here then some other games. But how much does it effect CBJ? Well if he wins it's huge, he'll wear a halo until a few losses in SEC play anyway.....but if he loses not many people will really be that worked up on that game either. The question is do we have a QB to play a shootout? As important, do we have an O-line that can do more then pass protect, and give us a chance at a running game? I have much more confidence in our defensive prospects then our offense at this point before the season.....
 
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#3
#3
SEC is more important. I do feel CBJ is really proud to be an SEC coach and he wants to represent the SEC to his fullest, that said we roll into Autzen and humble the little quackers.
 
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#5
#5
Few games this year are that important, as long as we don't lose eight or more of them. We need to judge CBJ by how he does in years three and four, once he's had time to recruit.

No one remembers now that Saban went 6-6 his first year at Bama.

He had bad losses that season (and I'm sure some toothless Bama fan in a trailer thought the universe was ending when he did). But it meant nothing in the long term.

In short, lets not read too much into what happens this year.
 
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#7
#7
TBH I don't think it's very important. We're a not very good team traveling across the country to play a good team at their house. Just get home without having to go too far down the depth chart
vol2002 said:
Few games this year are that important, as long as we don't lose eight or more of them. We need to judge CBJ by how he does in years three and four, once he's had time to recruit.

No one remembers now that Saban went 6-6 his first year at Bama.

He had bad losses that season (and I'm sure some toothless Bama fan in a trailer thought the universe was ending when he did). But it meant nothing in the long term.

In short, lets not read too much into what happens this year.
Click to expand...

I'll take 6-6 with an absolute beatdown of one of our main rivals in CBJ's first season
 
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#9
#9
We have no chance in this game and those saying the talent level is more or less equal as a way of legitimizing our chances are making fools of themselves imo.
 
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#12
#12
the team has to show motivation and effort, but as far as putting up a W, it doesn't mean anything if it doesn't happen, which is highly, highly likely. Like PJ said, best bets are just to escape with very few injuries. If Tennessee somehow miraculously pulls the upset, then it will be the biggest win in years and years.
 
#14
#14
fade route said:
We have no chance in this game and those saying the talent level is more or less equal as a way of legitimizing our chances are making fools of themselves imo.
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I'd like to hear some elaboration on this point. They have more proven QB and wide receivers. We don't have a proven gamechanger like CP now, but if we are relying on big plays to beat the Ducks, then I would put some serious question marks against CBJ full stop.

Where we have a huge talent superiority should have us controlling the clock and sustaining drives against their weakest units. Our defense should be better than Wilcox's last unit.

We match up well against the Ducks. The key is, despite all the "shower discipline," can the team wash off all the Dooley and Sal fail by Autzen?
 
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#15
#15
Eddie Vol Halen said:
I'd like to hear some elaboration on this point. They have more proven QB and wide receivers. We don't have a proven gamechanger like CP now, but if we are relying on big plays to beat the Ducks, then I would put some serious question marks against CBJ full stop.

Where we have a huge talent superiority should have us controlling the clock and sustaining drives against their weakest units. Our defense should be better than Wilcox's last unit.

We match up well against the Ducks. The key is, despite all the "shower discipline," can the team wash off all the Dooley and Sal fail by Autzen?
Click to expand...

If UT can go in there with a "3 yard and a cloud of dust (err ground up tire pellets)" mentality then UT has puncher's chance.

However, Oregon plays so fast that a suspect UT D will be on its heels very quickly. They toyed with a pretty good K-State team in the Fiesta Bowl.
 
#16
#16
how is our defense better than Wilcox's last unit? We don't have any secondary talent, we don't have depth at all on D and Oregon's speed will destroy us just like every fast team did last year.

I'd like to hear some elaboration on how we "match up well against the Ducks."
 
#17
#17
People just don't understand how badly the back seven is going to suck this year. The CB's aren't good and there is zero depth at linebacker. NONE. Mariota, as a frosh, threw 32 TD's and completed 68% of his passes. He's going to go for 300 yards.

Anyways, the answer to the question is...Zero. Nada. Zilch. Even if UT loses 63-0 it doesn't matter. The goal is to win seven games and go bowling and compete against UF, UGA, and USCe.
 
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#18
#18
zjcvols said:
People just don't understand how badly the back seven is going to suck this year. The CB's aren't good and there is zero depth at linebacker. NONE. Mariota, as a frosh, threw 32 TD's and completed 68% of his passes. He's going to go for 300 yards.

Anyways, the answer to the question is...Zero. Nada. Zilch. Even if UT loses 63-0 it doesn't matter. The goal is to win seven games and go bowling and compete against UF, UGA, and USCe.
Click to expand...

Dang zjc...I think I'd rather have Dr Kavorkian give the pregame speech over you.
 
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#19
#19
Eddie Vol Halen said:
I'd like to hear some elaboration on this point. They have more proven QB and wide receivers. We don't have a proven gamechanger like CP now, but if we are relying on big plays to beat the Ducks, then I would put some serious question marks against CBJ full stop.

Where we have a huge talent superiority should have us controlling the clock and sustaining drives against their weakest units. Our defense should be better than Wilcox's last unit.

We match up well against the Ducks. The key is, despite all the "shower discipline," can the team wash off all the Dooley and Sal fail by Autzen?
Click to expand...



We do not match up well with Oregon. We don't have any player on our roster on defense that can contain D'Anthony Thomas in space, and their offense is designed to do just that - get their skill players out in space. Marriota would start for any SEC team outside of A&M, Bama, and UGA and thats not really debatable. Plus, they have a system in place that plays to their strengths that they've mastered under Kelly and continues under their new HC. Our guys are playing in a whole new system on both sides of the ball with virtually no experience at the offensive skill positions. Also, if anyone thinks we can grind it out for 4 quarters and play ball control offense, ask yourself this - when was the last time we were able to do that? Not to mention playing on the road in one of the toughest venues in college football. Alot of our young guys we will be forced to play this year will have their " welcome to big time football" moment at Autzen, and it won't be pretty.
 
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#20
#20
zjcvols said:
People just don't understand how badly the back seven is going to suck this year. The CB's aren't good and there is zero depth at linebacker. NONE. Mariota, as a frosh, threw 32 TD's and completed 68% of his passes. He's going to go for 300 yards.

Anyways, the answer to the question is...Zero. Nada. Zilch. Even if UT loses 63-0 it doesn't matter. The goal is to win seven games and go bowling and compete against UF, UGA, and USCe.
Click to expand...

this is what I don't understand about all this from our fans.

do you honestly think that Oregon could play any of those three SEC teams and beat them badly if at all ?

yet you think the ducks will destroy us but we can beat
those three. It just doesn't make sense.
any of those three teams can rip Oregon apart.

Oregon is the weakest of all these teams. You let their performance in the pac 12 cloud your thinking.
 
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#21
#21
fade route said:
We do not match up well with Oregon. We don't have any player on our roster on defense that can contain D'Anthony Thomas in space, and their offense is designed to do just that - get their skill players out in space. Marriota would start for any SEC team outside of A&M, Bama, and UGA and thats not really debatable. Plus, they have a system in place that plays to their strengths that they've mastered under Kelly and continues under their new HC. Our guys are playing in a whole new system on both sides of the ball with virtually no experience at the offensive skill positions. Also, if anyone thinks we can grind it out for 4 quarters and play ball control offense, ask yourself this - when was the last time we were able to do that? Not to mention playing on the road in one of the toughest venues in college football. Alot of our young guys we will be forced to play this year will have their " welcome to big time football" moment at Autzen, and it won't be pretty.
Click to expand...

negavol. Butch hangs 50 on 'em by halftime. AJ with eleventy billion sacks
 
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#23
#23
vols4evah said:
this is what I don't understand about all this from our fans.

do you honestly think that Oregon could play any of those three SEC teams and beat them badly if at all ?

yet you think the ducks will destroy us but we can beat
those three. It just doesn't make sense.
any of those three teams can rip Oregon apart.

Oregon is the weakest of all these teams. You let their performance in the pac 12 cloud your thinking.
Click to expand...

Yeah. What he said..
 
#24
#24
Well, win, lose, or draw, I hope our Vols have a Tex Cobb mentality. Prior to his fight with Larry Holmes who was considered superior to and way above his class, he was asked a question. He lived up to his answer too.
The question had to do with whether he'd quit, fake being knocked out, or refuse to answer the bell.

Question: If Homes is beating your face to a bloody pulp, what will you do?

Cobb: "Why, I'll be slinging leather, darling."
 
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#25
#25
Doesn't Butch run an up-tempo offense? Why would we be grinding and slowing down just for one game? It's the preseason, and everyone's hopes are unrealistically high. Not saying we don't have a chance, but it doesn't look good.
 
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