How important is the Pitt game?

#1
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GoodmanVol

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#1
On a scale from 1 to 10, how important to you is it that the Vols get this win?
1: (Not important at all, we could lose and it doesn't mean much, you know, growing pains and such...)
10: (This game is critical to show the fans, recruits, and the world that we're on track with Heupel. If we lose I'm burning all my Vol gear.)
 
#6
#6
It’s a 9 to me if we win then a bowl and winning record is strongly in play even 8-5 is possible but if we lose 5-7 is much more realistic perhaps even 4-8 this a big game. Going into this season the two biggest games were Pitt and South Carolina IMO
 
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#7
#7
BigOrangeAl 1979 said:
It’s a 9 to me if we win then a bowl and winning record is strongly in play even 8-5 is possible but if we lose 5-7 is much more realistic perhaps even 4-8 this a big game. Going into this season the two biggest games were Pitt and South Carolina IMO
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That's a good point... If anything this game has been a "swing" game for most predictions on whether or not the Vols will go bowling this post-season.
 
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#8
#8
7ish. It would be great momentum builder for the season but the Vols are on the steep part of their improvement curve. Guys with very little experience will be "crusty veterans" even by the USCe game.
 
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#10
#10
If they go out and get throttled by Pitt it is gonna start feeling like WVA beating Pruitt his first season to me.

SSDD with a new coach.

This program has got to start creating some forward momentum in terms of wins.

If they struggle against Pitt then I'd expect the SEC schedule to be a struggle across the board this season.
 
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#13
#13
sjt18 said:
7ish. It would be great momentum builder for the season but the Vols are on the steep part of their improvement curve. Guys with very little experience will be "crusty veterans" even by the USCe game.
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Yep. Not terribly concerned about the game. Personally I don't see us beating Pitt. Just want to see us play our best and keep improving. Not much difference between 5 and 6 wins. Six was my ceiling this year anyway.
 
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#14
#14
9...Lets not kid ourselves that this isn’t a big game. I’d put Pitt on the same level as perhaps UK in talent...likewise, with an experienced HC and system. A win this Saturday goes a long way in regards to this team’s buy-in of Heupel, imo. Lots of newer faces on the 2-deep, but just as many experienced vets....and on the flip side, with a bad loss on Saturday, faint whispers of doubt could be trying to sneak into the mind.

This program needs this win. The confidence going forward will be huge and possibly the difference in 5 wins or possibly 8.
 
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#15
#15
CAVPUT said:
Yep. Not terribly concerned about the game. Personally I don't see us beating Pitt. Just want to see us play our best and keep improving. Not much difference between 5 and 6 wins. Six was my ceiling this year anyway.
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I have higher expectations than that. UT is more talented than Pitt. My only point is that a team with a 5th year QB and other experienced players can get the best of an inexperienced team early on even though they shouldn't.

Much of my expectations have less to do with UT than with the opposition. I assume that Heupel and staff will do a "good" job. If they do then UT has more talent than Mizzou and UK which you are probably counting as losses. According to the 247 roster composite... UT actually has quite a bit more talent than either of them. This is a 6 to 8 win roster against this schedule. That's the "realistic" range if Heupel and staff can coach. Less then get ready for trouble. More... well... we can cross that bridge later.

The reason is pretty simple. Five wins will not provide the recruiting momentum needed right now. Six might not. He's already behind due to the '21 class and the current '22 class. To survive he has to get to 7 wins IMO. So if he's under what is "realistic" based on composite talent then he will be on a path to being fired with very low chances of turning it around.
 
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#17
#17
Depends.

If you want any hope of beating anyone down the line on the schedule that has a pulse......9.5.

If you don't give a rip, and and are content going into the meat of the SEC with not a sliver of hope........ 3.5.

I'd like to keep the dream alive until October at least, so for me 9.5
 
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#18
#18
It can have a big impact on the season. Win this game, and the odds of making a bowl go up 50% or more.
A win would also be a big confidence boost for all the guys new to the program.
If they lose, and assuming it's not some bone headed Dooley endgame coaching gaffe or a blowout, it's not that big of a deal to me.
 
#19
#19
Pacer92 said:
9...Lets not kid ourselves that this isn’t a big game. I’d put Pitt on the same level as perhaps UK in talent...likewise, with an experienced HC and system. A win this Saturday goes a long way in regards to this team’s buy-in of Heupel, imo. Lots of newer faces on the 2-deep, but just as many experienced vets....and on the flip side, with a bad loss on Saturday, faint whispers of doubt could be trying to sneak into the mind.

This program needs this win. The confidence going forward will be huge and possibly the difference in 5 wins or possibly 8.
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According to 247's composite roster rankings, UT is 19th in the country. UK is 31st. Pitt is 37th. Mizzou is 45th. Ole Miss is 27th.

If I counted right, six of Pitt's 12 4* players are not currently in their 2 deep.
 
#20
#20
A win would be a great morale boost for everyone associated with Vol football. But it won't necessarily indicate anything about how the rest of our season will go. We could win this game and still finish with a losing record -- or lose this game and still go on to have a great season. The arc of a season can follow a lot of different trajectories. That's especially true with a team in transition, like ours.

I really want to win this game (just like I want to win all of them). But I won't jump to any conclusions based on the outcome of this one game. Only time will tell.
 
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#21
#21
sjt18 said:
According to 247's composite roster rankings, UT is 19th in the country. UK is 31st. Pitt is 37th. Mizzou is 45th. Ole Miss is 27th.

If I counted right, six of Pitt's 12 4* players are not currently in their 2 deep.
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I think we are the more talented team...as 247’s composite ranking shows.

The one concern I have is familiarity with what each team is trying to do. Pitt and Narduzzi’s system are established...ours, not so much. It’s worth something.

With that said though....I still think we will come in ready to play, limit mistakes, fire on all cylinders and win this game by 2 TD’s....which will be a huge credit the Heupel and staff.
 
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#22
#22
Pacer92 said:
I think we are the more talented team...as 247’s composite ranking shows.

The one concern I have is familiarity with what each team is trying to do. Pitt and Narduzzi’s system are established...ours, not so much. It’s worth something.

With that said though....I still think we will come in ready to play, limit mistakes, fire on all cylinders and win this game by 2 TD’s....which will be a huge credit the Heupel and staff.
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Pitt is favored by 3 on CBS.
 
#23
#23
It's importance could have different meanings.
  • JH's job security: 0
  • Indicator of program's future under JH: 2
  • Vol fans' "faith" in staff/roster at the present time: 8
  • Impact to overall "success" for this season: 7
Obviously, it's a big game in the context of this season and the first opportunity for significant fan "buy-in" of this staff and players.
 
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#25
#25
CAVPUT said:
Yep. Not terribly concerned about the game. Personally I don't see us beating Pitt. Just want to see us play our best and keep improving. Not much difference between 5 and 6 wins. Six was my ceiling this year anyway.
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Huge difference - bowl game and continued practice vs sitting at home during off season. We need 6 wins this year.
 
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