If we go 8-4 this season...

[BanditVol]

It will be inline with my expectations, which were 9-3, but 8-4 could happen. If so, it will be considered a bad year for Heupel, and rightfully so.

Vs. the previous years all the way back to 2007, all 15 of them, when our best records were back to back 8-4 years under Butch Jones. That was the BEST we could do. Now 8-4 seems very disappointing.

That's a big difference, and I will take it. I didn't expect us to go 11-1 this year, and 9-3 is still very much possible.

Team has to play better, but...for whatever reason, we rarely play well in the Swamp.

On to the next game....

 

[Tnman1]

Settle down, nothing is 8-4 just yet.

 

[zeppelin128]

I was at 9-3 preseason with losses to Georgia, Bama, and one of TAMU/South Carolina/Florida.

I'm at 8-4 now. I suspect we will drop one to TAMU or South Carolina. Too much talent at TAMU and as much as it pains me to say, Rattler will carve our secondary up if things remain the same.

Of course we could go 11-1. But we will need to see some fire from the players and way better play-calling on offense.

Or the wheels could come off and we drop 6 including Kentucky.

Weird team this year. I can't put my finger on it, but something just feels "off". Of course that could be BVS flare-up.

A good start would be blowing the doors off the Roadrunners.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Alot of over/under's preseason had us at 9 wins, so that's why people are disappointed. Really though, most of us on here knew over the summer, that our fortunes this season rode on how Milton panned out. If Milton didn't morph into an all-conference, Heisman candidate type player, 9 wins was more like the ceiling than an average of likelihoods. As Milton does not appear to have made that kind of jump in his on the field performance, 8-4 would be a decent year actually.

 

[Panthro]

At this point, I’d be pretty impressed with 8-4. To win 8 games, that will mean we made some serious adjustments.

 

[JGS III]

8-4 would be a gift with what I’ve seen so far.

 

[vols 30]

8-4 is better than 4-8. Based on the last 2 games, that would be acceptable

 

[davethevol]

I think this is a 7-5 team.

 

[EZE]

I think this is a 7-5 team.

I think so, too, and it’s not the end of the world that many will claim it to be. CJH just needs to land another solid recruiting class.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

It will be inline with my expectations, which were 9-3, but 8-4 could happen. If so, it will be considered a bad year for Heupel, and rightfully so.

Vs. the previous years all the way back to 2007, all 15 of them, when our best records were back to back 8-4 years under Butch Jones. That was the BEST we could do. Now 8-4 seems very disappointing.

That's a big difference, and I will take it. I didn't expect us to go 11-1 this year, and 9-3 is still very much possible.

Team has to play better, but...for whatever reason, we rarely play well in the Swamp.

On to the next game....

I predicted 9-3 with losses to FL, GA, and AL. However the WAY we lost in Gainesville leads me to think this could very well be an 8-4 or worst case 7-5 season. I hope they get things figured out quickly. Suddenly the SC and A&M games look very shaky.

 

[Volbrando]

At this point, I’d be pretty impressed with 8-4. To win 8 games, that will mean we made some serious adjustments.

That’s exactly what I was thinking. Early on I was thinking 9-3, now 8-4 would be an amazing year based on what we’ve seen so far

 

[GreyWolf1129]

Lots of truth in this thread. Rare.

Go Vols.

 

[Volbrando]

Lots of truth in this thread. Rare.

Go Vols.

yeah reality is hitting... our fanbase (me included) loves to have high expectations, but... yeah... we'll see. So much to improve on so far. Could happen though.

Suddenly the SC game that was thought to be a for sure win with the revenge factor, now appears questionable (both teams have weak olines)

 

[Walkman]

I’m not worried about our end of year record right now. Let’s get things better and cleaned up against UTSA. Then beat the cocks. That’s 4-1 with a bye week, get healthy and continue to improve.

 

[hardyemt_p]

For what I've seen so far, 8-4 would be a great year.

 

[SpaceCoastVol]

Time to fahr Josh?

 

[The Tall Gguy]

Well, we pretty much schedule to guarantee 4 wins each year with OOC games. That leaves 8 SEC games. Already lost 1 of those. I see 4 OOC wins, wins vs Vandy, Misery, Kentucky. Unfortunately uscjr and A&M are toss ups. Georgia and Bama will see us as underdogs.
I see the final record as 8-4. Not the year I was expecting, but hopefully our Vols will get it together and surprise us!

 

[CAVPUT]

It will be inline with my expectations, which were 9-3, but 8-4 could happen. If so, it will be considered a bad year for Heupel, and rightfully so.

Vs. the previous years all the way back to 2007, all 15 of them, when our best records were back to back 8-4 years under Butch Jones. That was the BEST we could do. Now 8-4 seems very disappointing.

That's a big difference, and I will take it. I didn't expect us to go 11-1 this year, and 9-3 is still very much possible.

Team has to play better, but...for whatever reason, we rarely play well in the Swamp.

On to the next game....

I'll take 8-4 and be tickled. That's the ceiling for this roster and QB.

 

[Matt2496]

8-4 isn’t that bad of a season TBH considering the talent we lost.

 

[KTrain]

This team especially and last years teams were not loaded. After the starters there's a big drop off. First losing Pili this year hurt, having to play young LBs that have a high upside but were & are making mistakes left & right. Losing Mays & now Mincey we had no chance vs UF I had that a toss-up pre season & you can look back, I listed UF as 3rd hardest game behind Bama & UGA in a hardest to easiest list.. Some on here scoffed. If Mays don't play vs USCe we lose because I've seen nothing that says we can stop Rattler and we will need to outscore them in a O high score game. I figure if Mays don't come back by USCe he should just Medical RS. He needs more playing time to translate to NFL IMO.
This could easily end up 7 & 5 with out the 1s through the year the plate was bare when Hueple got here and there was and is little room for losing a starter or team disruptions it has to be a perfect storm to go 9+ wins. This team has no deep talent that's SEC ready. As Aerosmith said "living on the Edge" .

 

[Voldawg1970]

It just means we at least won 8 games....

 

[tbh]

Time to fahr Josh?

No, but we do need to "free" Willie at the end of the season.

 

[TucsonVol]

It will be inline with my expectations, which were 9-3, but 8-4 could happen. If so, it will be considered a bad year for Heupel, and rightfully so.

Vs. the previous years all the way back to 2007, all 15 of them, when our best records were back to back 8-4 years under Butch Jones. That was the BEST we could do. Now 8-4 seems very disappointing.

That's a big difference, and I will take it. I didn't expect us to go 11-1 this year, and 9-3 is still very much possible.

Team has to play better, but...for whatever reason, we rarely play well in the Swamp.

On to the next game....

We will be lucky to go 7-5.

 

[volbound1700]

I have NOT been impressed with South Carolina or Texas A&M and we have them at home so I think we can win those.

I am more worried about Missouri.

 

[GrayWaterCanine]

This is now a 6-6 team at best. Recruiting is likely to collapse due to that. The portal won't be fruitful because of that, also. That means next year will be rough also. The OL and defensive backfield woes are the downfall of this mini upswing that we witnessed. The same dynamics that continue to plague the program proved unavoidable by Heupel.