If we go 9-3

#101
#101
WilcoVolsFan said:
UK is ranked in the Top 25 still. Our common opponent is Florida, and they beat them by more and on the road. The slipped up a bit against South Carolina, but also without their starting QB. That's not a gimmee.

We should beat USC and Mizzou and will almost certainly be favored. But the favored team doesn't always win, even if it's also the better team. Georgia nearly found that out against Mizzou. South Carolina has a future NFL QB throwing the ball. If he has a great day and Hooker has an off one like the Purdue game..... who knows?

That said, I probably couldn't help feeling a little bit disappointed if we do lose 3 games at this point. At the start of the season I'd have been f'n overjoyed if you told me 9-3, but after the LSU beatdown, my expectations have been reset too.
Click to expand...
Okay first off

Hendon Hooker threw for 378 yards and 5 TD's against Purdue and had 59 rushing yards. He did not have an off game. He missed some throws, but if he has a day like that against any of the teams you listed we blow them all the hell out.

We ain't losing to UK at home. Not happening. Probably won't be that close. They really aren't very good.

Mizzou and USCjr are going to struggle to not get absolutely run out of the building.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HeadVol77, Mr. Lofton and Rickyvol77
#102
#102
WilcoVolsFan said:
UK is ranked in the Top 25 still. Our common opponent is Florida, and they beat them by more and on the road. The slipped up a bit against South Carolina, but also without their starting QB. That's not a gimmee.

We should beat USC and Mizzou and will almost certainly be favored. But the favored team doesn't always win, even if it's also the better team. Georgia nearly found that out against Mizzou. South Carolina has a future NFL QB throwing the ball. If he has a great day and Hooker has an off one like the Purdue game..... who knows?

That said, I probably couldn't help feeling a little bit disappointed if we do lose 3 games at this point. At the start of the season I'd have been f'n overjoyed if you told me 9-3, but after the LSU beatdown, my expectations have been reset too.
Click to expand...

Calling Spencer Rattler a future NFL QB is like calling Jarrett Guarantano a future NFL QB....... Spencer Rattler is most overrated QB that came out of the portal. Guy is buns.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HeadVol77 and DC_Vol
#103
#103
I was thinking about this today. I said I would be ecstatic at 10-2, very happy at 9-3 and ok with 8-4 if I saw progress.

Now, I think 10-2 is the floor, sky is the limit. But if we go 9-3, Heupel still deserves a lot of credit, and if we win our bowl game, it should exceed most every rational humans expectations at 11-2 or 10-3. We beat Bama or Georgia, along with everything that’s been accomplished already, and we are BACK to the late 90’s.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HeadVol77 and Proud Army Wife
#104
#104
I’ll be disappointed if we lose to Bama, however I’ve grown accustomed to expecting it over the years. A loss will by no means ruin the season. TN is leaps and bounds better than ANYONE expected. I’ll say it again, 10-2 is a certainty at this point. We’re NOT losing to KY, Mizzou, or USCjr. It’s just not happening unless the injury bug hits and we lose like half of the team. To say those programs are awful is an understatement. Heupel is just too good at preparing the team to allow that to happen. Period.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HeadVol77, PlanetVolunteer and LordVOLdemort
#105
#105
I'm certainly not going to tell anyone to temper expectations or anything like that. Personally I'm tired of using bowl eligibility as a marker for success so it feels good to see people with such high expectations. The coaches, players, and administration should take note that this is what normal should be for UT Football.

Having said that, I feel like winning 9 or more games this year should be considered a resounding success in year two. It may mean that we lost one we shouldn't have, and while every loss is painful, its all about perspective.

We still have a pretty thin roster and even if we are not thin, we are young and inexperienced. We are talented but not plug and play at most positions like the AL and GAs of the world.

We are a very good team, on the verge of being great. But I do not think we should take any game for granted. A couple of key injuries or a bad performance combined with a couple of bad bounces and anything can happen. At the stage we are in, we could beat AL and UGA and lose to USCe and it wouldn't surprise me. So far we have been amazingly consistent and I hope that continues, but it is a long season and we play in the SEC. It is remarkably hard to go undefeated and there is a reason that two 1-loss teams from the SEC can go to the CFP.

I hope we go undefeated and win it all, but I agree with the OP that I hope if we drop a game, or two, or unlikely three, that everybody can keep some perspective and realize how remarkable it is that we are disappointed in a three loss season when it wasn't that long ago that we were bracing for a three win season.
 
#106
#106
9-3 would be great progress from last year. However, this team has exceeded expectations so far and the floor has been raised at a faster pace than we can keep up with. Those suffering from long BVS are screaming “we haven’t beaten anybody” or our defense sucks!” Personally, I think 10-2 is the floor at this point. Why can’t we just enjoy the ride and see how this all plays out. I don’t know about anyone else, but watching this team is fun for the first time in a long time.
 
#110
#110
I’m just living in the moment. Really enjoying every week with all the positivity our Vols are getting on the national stage. Been a long time since we’ve been a serious contender and I’m not trying to look ahead.

Our Vols are a joy to watch. Fun brand of football. Awesome style of offense with a Coach that knows how to scheme and develop his players. Ton of likable players on the team that enjoy watching get better every week.

I think we finally found our coach for the long haul unlike the past 3 idiots. Go Vols!!!
 
#115
#115
There's a difference between being happy about 9-3 and being confident in CJH. Anyone who would be happy with 9-3 on 10/11/22 has no pulse. We have a great team and chance to do something.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeff Clark
#116
#116
Kentucky with Levis is certainly a different team then what we saw last Saturday. We should still absolutely beat them, particularly at home, but weirder things have happened. Obviously the big 2 are the big 2, so whatever happens in those games happens.
 
Last edited:
#118
#118
rdk4121 said:
Kentucky with Levis is certainly a different team then what we saw last Saturday. We should still absolutely best them, particularly at home, but weirder things have happened. Obviously the big 2 are the big 2, so whatever happens in those games happens.
Click to expand...
Kentucky this season with Levis is a 6-7 win team. In my opinion Will Levis has regressed and Kentucky's offensive line this season is putred.
 
#119
#119
PlanetVolunteer said:
Well 9-3 means we lose to Bama, Uga...not terrible at all and either UT Martin, Vandy, UK, Mizzou or USC Jr


A loss to the latter half would require quite the failure.

9-3... may not be all that acceptable
Click to expand...

Wouldn't group Kentucky with UTM, Vandy, Mizzou, or USC. They've had a weird season but they're still 4-2, and for as inconsistent as he has looked Levis will be healthy again by the time they roll into town. Would be a big letdown, but wouldn't be shocking.
 
#120
#120
DirtyBirdEarl said:
Whoa there, pump the brakes brother. Pre season most fans seemed in agreement that 9-3,8-4 was the most likely outcome. Yeah the teams been amazing so far, but to put the floor at 11-1 is IMO setting the stage for alot of upset unrealistic fans. Anything above 8-4 at seasons end is a blessing.
Click to expand...
8-5 was the expectations in some places, stating Tennessee would have a harder challenge in year two then the first year.
 
#121
#121
VolFanInHawaii said:
Wouldn't group Kentucky with UTM, Vandy, Mizzou, or USC. They've had a weird season but they're still 4-2, and for as inconsistent as he has looked Levis will be healthy again by the time they roll into town. Would be a big letdown, but wouldn't be shocking.
Click to expand...
This Kentucky team has a slow poor defense,horrible offensive line and Will Levis has regressed from last season. I think Kentucky is a 6-7 win team at best that will probably go to the Music City Bowl or Birmingham Bowl.
 
#122
#122
volfanhill said:
You bleep holes better be happy. This program was a train wreck less then 18 months ago. CJH has us on the right path.
Click to expand...
I agree, but let's just see what happens with the Bama game. Then let's just see what happens with the Georgia game. We lose both of those, then it's time to worry about the crazies.
 
#123
#123
TucsonVol said:
It is horrible actually! Look at the numbers! We are almost at the bottom of the barrel in all of CFB.
Click to expand...

In ONE stat

One stat don’t tell the whole story.

Folks are passing because they have to. Teams are passing 45 times per game…….all of them.

Tennessee’s yards per attempt given up is around 49th.

Tennessee’s yards per completion given up is 39th.

Tennessee’s scoring D is 22nd.

Tennessee’s red zone D is 6th.

Tennessee’s passing efficiency D is 52nd.

All of those are also part of the passing defense………it’s WAY better than what you think or trying to tell everyone. Not saying it’s great…….but it’s certainly not “bottom of the barrel”……..you simply looking at one stat and that one stat is because Tennessee has been up 3 scores on everyone except Pitt, so everyone has been forced to pass more than they normally would.

Bama has the 8th rated pass D……….specifically because teams pass between 20-34 times per game. Good pass D no doubt but helped simply by the numbers. A&M threw the ball 47 times, and Bama gave up 2 passing TD’s and nearly 100 more passing yards than normal……..and A&M is NOT a good passing team…….again it was simply because of the numbers.

Every single team has passed for close to that on Tennessee………because they “had” to.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top