I was so wrong...

[ajvol01]

We didn't knock their best player out of the game. Gurley prior to the game was injured and didn't play a down vs UT. I was proud of how we played vs Georgia but I think the outcome might've been a little different had he played.

Why use the same excuse for Marshall?

He was the #1 recruit in the country by some services

 

[sjt18]

The D lost the Mizzou game. You really couldn't expect much more from a qb than what Dobbs did that game. Him and North were pretty much the only weapons.

I love Dobbs. I really do. But his turnovers in spite of his production were killers. I agree there's not much more you can expect of a Fr and especially with WR's dropping passes and not running routes well... and OL's who always seemed to quit their blocks several counts before the whistle. I was there and the OL's lack of finish was just downright pathetic. Of all the things I don't understand from last year is how Bullard and Stone continued to start.

The D was bad. I already considered Jancek questionable... that game made me skeptical. After MU went primarily to their run game and specifically those simple sweeps... it was "same play, same result... same play, same result,...." No effective adjustments. No player changes. Just continued insanity.

I mean wouldn't you try something that didn't involve McCullers being pushed back into the LB's pursuit lanes?

 

[KBVol]

Why use the same excuse for Marshall?

He was the #1 recruit in the country by some services

Huh? It was a flukish thing that so many players went down like flies IMO. Obviously, Cam's hit on Marshall was the reason for that injury. However, no one laid a hand on the last Georgia player that went down when he was covering the punt.

Marshall is an outstanding player but I don't think anyone believes he's as good as Gurley and it's unrealistic to believe that had Gurley been healthy that their running game wouldn't have been better with him out there.

 

[sjt18]

Our Jimmy's knocked UGA's Joe's out of the stinking football game!

That ain't luck last time I checked - it's called tackle football.

No question. IIRC, they lost another RB and then 3 or 4 of their top WR's in that game. The thing most encouraging to me about that game was UT's physicality. They pushed a team with more talent in almost every position group around.

UT punched them in the mouth and they stumbled. Very soon we should see knock outs.

BTW, in my VERY strongly held opinion a teams physicality DOES start with the attitude and motivation of the HC. Jones should get major credit in that regard. If nothing else, I think he WILL make UT a very physical football team.

 

[Vol Catdaddy]

It is true that while he has had a historically ugly mess to clean up, he has benefited from legacy classes. BUT, it is also clear that someone like Dooley would have likely lost those top legacy recruits and one thing I can say about CBJ that has been PROVEN and that is he leaves nothing to chance on the recruiting trail.

And its true that the proof hasnt been on the field yet, although we did beat a top 10 team and lost to another one by 2 inches. But as the players he has to work with improves, I think you will find that his coaching "improves" as well. Like many have said before "cant coach speed (or size)".

Exactly! Doolittle would have never been able to sign a lot of these kids. And the man can coach. Uga game usce told the story for me.

 

[sjt18]

UT was the more physical team in that game KB. I noticed that even before the injuries started. They were popping UGA big time.

 

[sjt18]

Exactly! Doolittle would have never been able to sign a lot of these kids. And the man can coach. Uga game usce told the story for me.

Dooley would not have signed several of the best players in the '14 class. No question.

If not for some of the other games that point in the other direction then UGA and USCe would be more impressive. At best, those games mitigate some of the bad results. The questions remains whether he can get it done against the best coaches in the country.

 

[KBVol]

UT was the more physical team in that game KB. I noticed that even before the injuries started. They were popping UGA big time.

Perhaps, but I still contend that the blown ACLs their players suffered were flukish injuries (with the exception of Sutton's hit on Marshall) that typically don't happen regardless of which team is "more physical". I'll say this....Georgia looked plenty physical when they ran the ball down UTs throat to the tune of 230+ yds with their 3rd string 180 LB RB. I'm just trying to be honest about this. And anyone who thinks Gurley wouldn't have had a significant impact on the outcome of that game is fooling himself IMO. The "physicality" of Georgia might've just been a little bit higher had arguably the country's most physical RB been in the game.

 

[Spartacavolus]

Perhaps, but I still contend that the blown ACLs their players suffered were flukish injuries (with the exception of Sutton's hit on Marshall) that typically don't happen regardless of which team is "more physical". I'll say this....Georgia looked plenty physical when they ran the ball down UTs throat to the tune of 230+ yds with their 3rd string 180 LB RB. I'm just trying to be honest about this. And anyone who thinks Gurley wouldn't have had a significant impact on the outcome of that game is fooling himself IMO. The "physicality" of Georgia might've just been a little bit higher had arguably the country's most physical RB been in the game.

and their qb was able to run down the middle forever because we didn't have a player on d that could catch a 4.65. They couldn't catch him. Goes back to speed and the lack of talent. If you drop back and cover the receivers and the qb gets out of the pocket, of course the D closes and limits the yards. Our closing speed has been awful and lack of speed = bad angles.

 

[KBVol]

and their qb was able to run down the middle forever because we didn't have a player on d that could catch a 4.65. They couldn't catch him. Goes back to speed and the lack of talent. If you drop back and cover the receivers and the qb gets out of the pocket, of course the D closes and limits the yards. Our closing speed has been awful and lack of speed = bad angles.

Agree with this, it was obvious. I was just responding to the idea that we just physically overpowered Georgia and were directly responsible for putting all their players out of the game....we weren't. They also didn't have the best RB in the SEC playing due to an injury prior to our game. Just trying to keep it real about the circumstances of that game.

 

[Spartacavolus]

Agree with this, it was obvious. I was just responding to the idea that we just physically overpowered Georgia and were directly responsible for putting all their players out of the game....we weren't. They also didn't have the best RB in the SEC playing due to an injury prior to our game. Just trying to keep it real about the circumstances of that game.

we played hard and hit hard. That's all you can ask. Some games that's just how it goes. Crowd was hyped. With Ga injuries, their talent and depth was comparable to where we were and it was a good game in turn.

 

[Lexvol]

Will be interesting to see how the freshmen respond and how the fan base responds to taking a few more lumps this season.

I had 2 reasonable concerns about Butch coming in:

1. Can he recruit in the SEC : yes
2. Can he put together a coaching staff that can win in the SEC: time will tell.

 

[Biopsyman]

The last push to rid Dooley on the toilet will happen after the 2016 class

 

[ProfessorD]

Embarrassed to say I was a Gruden believer and was so pissed when CBJ was hired because I truly believed Hart screwed the Gruden deal up. Lol. It only took me a few weeks to get on board though. I was hooked the day Jalen Hurd committed and am full butch now. I really think we go 8-4 this year and in the SEC championship game next year. GBO!

 

[Spartacavolus]

Will be interesting to see how the freshmen respond and how the fan base responds to taking a few more lumps this season.

I had 2 reasonable concerns about Butch coming in:

1. Can he recruit in the SEC : yes
2. Can he put together a coaching staff that can win in the SEC: time will tell.

Sup Lex. Hope all is well.

 

[KBVol]

we played hard and hit hard. That's all you can ask. Some games that's just how it goes. Crowd was hyped. With Ga injuries, their talent and depth was comparable to where we were and it was a good game in turn.

I really don't want to come off sounding like a negavol on this. UT had no business staying anywhere close to even a remotely healthy Georgia team based on the respective rosters. Like you said, we couldn't catch a QB that runs 4.7 until he had covered 65 yds.

We played hard and with passion and I thought the staff coached their best game of the season. They were smart and daring with their play calling and took well calculated risks on their 4th down conversions and those risks paid off and kept us in the game. The team looked and played well coached and their intensity and focus was outstanding, specifically in the 2nd half.

All I've contended, in response to a poster who stated that we were pretty much the sole reason why they were injury depleted, is that Georgia didn't come into the game at full strength and that outside of the hit that Cam put on Mitchell, that the other injuries Georgia sustained were flukish. Yes we were physical and played hard, but neither would typically produce that many season-ending injuries. One of their starting WRs, Scott-Wesley, blew out an ACL when he was never even contacted by a Tennessee player while covering a punt.

Georgia had already lost their top WR in the Clemson game and Gurley didnt even dress out due to injury. I think they also played without their starting safeties as well. I just think that had those guys played vs UT that the outcome would've been decidedly different. And you also can't overstate what losing those players (Mitchell, Scott-Wesley and Bennett) during the game did to Georgia's confidence and psyche for the remainder of the game. Murray was at times completely out of sync with his WRs at times in the second half because Conley was the only starter left out there.

 

[sjt18]

I guess now would be a good time to mention Richt's penchant for playing down to his competition. Even with those other players, it is very possible for that game to have been close.

 

[KBVol]

I guess now would be a good time to mention Richt's penchant for playing down to his competition. Even with those other players, it is very possible for that game to have been close.

Touché.

 

[BeattieFeathers]

Touché.

That dude is ridiculous....silly.:unsure:

 

[CANNONVOLRUN]

Embarrassed to say I was a Gruden believer and was so pissed when CBJ was hired because I truly believed Hart screwed the Gruden deal up. Lol. It only took me a few weeks to get on board though. I was hooked the day Jalen Hurd committed and am full butch now. I really think we go 8-4 this year and in the SEC championship game next year. GBO!

I felt the same but now i can't imagine we could have found a better coach period.

 

[alaVOL]

I was thrilled the day Strong turned down TN I was on the Larry Fedora bandwagon, had some uncertainty when UT hired Butch. I now think Hart could not have made a better hire period.

Agreed 100%. I was very thrilled Strong turned us down as well. The hiring of Jones just it made it that much better.

 

[ImportedVoL]

I agree that he hasn't proven much yet besides the fact that he can recruit. Lane Kiffin could recruit too, but he turned out to not be a very good football coach.
I'm not saying Butch is anything like Lane, I'm just suggesting that the jury is still out on him.
It is undeniable, however, that he HAS already proven to have so much more character than either of our previous two coaches. I believe that coupled with his recruiting ability will have to amount to something in the end...won't it?
If Dormady, Dobbs, or possibly Gibson turn out to be good QBs for Tennessee, we should be in the SEC East race by 2016.

The guy beat a top 10 team with one of the top3 worst teams we have ever had at UT. I am confused as to what he has to prove he can do..

Recruit---check
Represent the school with class----check
Infuse fanbase with hope and excitement----check
Huge upset over top10 team knocking them out of SEC east championship--- check
Come an inch away from doing it TWICE in a season---check


Basically the only thing we do not know about him.. is can he keep our team motivated to dominate when we are the favored team?

So far that is a no, as he lost to vandy when that should have been a win and a bowl game for the team.

If someone can find any other knock on the guy, using actual facts instead of just some redneck "feeling" I would love to hear it.

I am positive that if Jones was not our coach last year, and we still had Fooley, we would have only won 4 games for the first time ever in school history. Possibility of only 3.. because I am not entirely sure that Dooley could have beaten Western Kentucky.

 

[sjt18]

That dude is ridiculous....silly.:unsure:

There are few higher praises someone can receive here than to have you disagree with them... It virtually assures that a person is right in their thinking.

 

[UGADawg4Life]

Personally I think this is a good coaching staff, maybe great, but only time will tell. To me the biggest question is, can Butch keep this staff together if we do start winning? What made Fulmer so good? The staff he had around him, Cutcliff and Chief made him look good. When they were gone the program crumbled. Just my opinion of course.

I liked the CBJ hire for UT from the beginning. I didn't think Gruden was coaching CFB. I was a little surprised that CBJ brought Martinez and Jancek. I know he didn't have a ton of time to assemble a staff, so the logical choice was to keep his staff in place. His loyalty is admirable, but it's a trait that has really stung our program over the years. Might work out differently for CBJ.

 

[UGADawg4Life]

There are few higher praises someone can receive here than to have you disagree with them... It virtually assures that a person is right in their thinking.

I've found Beattie to be fairly level-headed and insightful. Certainly not worthy of these kind of harsh words, IMHO.:hi: