I'm glad calmer heads are prevailing here on the board...

[HoopCreekVol]

I needed to hear from all of you guys with calmer heads and get to settle down to actually understand what just happened. As one poster said, the emotions are raw right now. If we would have lost by a field goal or a few points, the loss would have hurt but to be annihilated like that is devastating. Now we are being laughed at and ridiculed because we have fallen back down to mediocrity.

 

[JMSqb11]

I needed to hear from all of you guys with calmer heads and get to settle down to actually understand what just happened. As one poster said, the emotions are raw right now. If we would have lost by a field goal or a few points, the loss would have hurt but to be annihilated like that is devastating. Now we are being laughed at and ridiculed because we have fallen back down to mediocrity.

The women on here are the only calm ones.

 

[VolGirl05]

I needed to hear from all of you guys with calmer heads and get to settle down to actually understand what just happened. As one poster said, the emotions are raw right now. If we would have lost by a field goal or a few points, the loss would have hurt but to be annihilated like that is devastating. Now we are being laughed at and ridiculed because we have fallen back down to mediocrity.

Agree the emotions are raw, but if anything it’s further evidence of our re-emergence. Not only is this not slipping back to mediocrity, it’s being back to the point of two losses being devastating, and teams rushing the field when they beat us. When the dust settles, we’ll see we’re on the right path despite how much this stings.

 

[dduncan4163]

I'm calm because I'm still in shock. I honestly don't know what happened out there. That was the worst defensive performance I've seen in all my years of watching TN Football. I just can't wrap my brain around it.

 

[JFBanicki]

I’m calm cause i seen this game coming. Our secondary had been atrocious for 2 years now. We need to reevaluate our entire defensive scheme before we get serious about contending for a title. As bad as it sounds I’d rather lose this way to this team than to get to the playoff and have OSU hang over 70 on us

 

[RabunRaven]

Look, this game will either be the greatest single growing pain of all time or we will be whack-a-moled back into the middle pack for more purgatory. These next 2 games, bowl included, will go a long way in making that determination. And perhaps how recruiting ends the year.

But whose SEC prospects look better than ours going forward? GA and Bama for sure. Perhaps LSU. Maybe TX with the recruiting base? But then who? FL? KY? SC? AUB? A&M, ARKY? Either MISS? OU?

Right now we are #11 in the polls. There are only 3 SEC teams in front of us. And we beat 2 of them. One like a drum. IMO this will be a the greatest growing pain one could imagine. Self inflicted. And in the end, this program will be better off for it.

EDIT: we are #9 in the just released AP.

 

[GreyWolf1129]

I watched the game. All of it, painful as it was. I also watched the UGA game. Same. Fact is, I have watched every UT game this season. And there is one glaring, consistent weakness in this team. With few exceptions, it has been a weakness since last season, and has continued into this one.

Defense. Cut, paste, spin, parse the numbers any way you want, but the bottom line here is that UT brings out the best in opposing offenses in almost every game. When lower level FBS and even FCS QB's are having a "career day" against your defense, well...that's what the FBI would call a clue.

I have neither the time nor the inclination to lay out my case here. But I am of the firm opinion that UT is in desperate need of (a) better talent and (b) better development and coaching on the defensive side. Until and unless they get it, we will continue to see more of what happened last night.

Simple as that. Go Vols.

 

[Enki_Amenra]

I'm calm because I'm still in shock. I honestly don't know what happened out there. That was the worst defensive performance I've seen in all my years of watching TN Football. I just can't wrap my brain around it.

Rattler played like a Heisman and we gave a generationally terrible performance on d. It would've been a tough game if just 1 of those facts were true. Both happened, lights out.

We're gonna see what our guys are made of, from top to bottom, with how they respond.

 

[GreyWolf1129]

Look, this game will either be the greatest single growing pain of all time or we will be whack-a-moled back into the middle pack for more purgatory. These next 2 games, bowl included, will go a long way in making that determination. And perhaps how recruiting ends the year.

But whose SEC prospects look better than ours going forward? GA and Bama for sure. Perhaps LSU. Maybe TX with the recruiting base? But then who? FL? KY? SC? AUB? A&M, ARKY? Either MISS? OU?

Right now we are #11 in the polls. There are only 3 SEC teams in front of us. And we beat 2 of them. One like a drum. IMO this will be a the greatest growing pain one could imagine. Self inflicted. And in the end, this program will be better off for it.

Yes, of course...getting smoked by 25 points as a 21 point favorite always makes for a better team, no?

 

[TnVol!]

We are not back to mediocrity. We are being hunted now. It's part of growing.

 

[volfan4evr]

I'm calm because I know we were not as bad as we showed last night. We got ambushed last night and I not surprised that happened. For the last three weeks, I've specifically not read a lot of posters calling for "fiddy" cause I know that these words come back to haunt you, which is the reason people on here are so upset today.
However, we need to be who we are, and not try to change other peoples views. IMO.

 

[m1al]

Who's calm...

 

[vol94]

I'm calm because I'm still in shock. I honestly don't know what happened out there. That was the worst defensive performance I've seen in all my years of watching TN Football. I just can't wrap my brain around it.

Gave you a like. This win attendance said their receivers were open on every play. TN body language was supposedly poor for the beginning of the game. The defense looked lost and had no hustle at all. The Dline got whipped. While the offense scored, our wide receivers were very frustrated. They can’t stand contact and Tillman complained the entire night instead of fighting off the defender to run his routes. Hooker looked very irate when he was sitting alone on the bench late third qtr or early 4th.

I thought TN would play well as our fans traveled and our band was loud during the pregame. There had to be something going on internally but this makes two games where we didn’t take the field.

 

[joevol33]

The women on here are the only calm ones.

Idk if they're calm, but they are good looking, so that helps

 

[RabunRaven]

Yes, of course...getting smoked by 25 points as a 21 point favorite always makes for a better team, no?

You are so right. One game and just like that its all over. Let's tear down the VOLS letters. Smash the new lights. Fire everybody. Burn down the practice field.

Good grief dude. Have you ever learned from adversity? Did you even read the post? Losing can make you better - IF YOU ALLOW IT. That was my point. The next 2 games will tell us at least some of that. You come across like I wanted them to lose because of what a great lesson it would be. You read what you wanted is what you did, Sir. No?

 

[Sara Clark]

This is as calm and honest as I can be. Vandy is going to take us to school next weekend. Can't believe what we witnessed. Banks...I know, several people on here say he's bad, he's the leader of the Defence and was missed by his team. When Hooker is off, I'm not sure he ever recovers from that. Milton has NOT improved from last year. He's fine if he's on cleanup duty, no pressure, he's not going to win a game. There, that's my post. Again, I feel like I'm coming from a place of rationality...maybe not...I 've yet to make it home, pretty tired.

 

[WoodsmanVol]

I needed to hear from all of you guys with calmer heads and get to settle down to actually understand what just happened. As one poster said, the emotions are raw right now. If we would have lost by a field goal or a few points, the loss would have hurt but to be annihilated like that is devastating. Now we are being laughed at and ridiculed because we have fallen back down to mediocrity.

When one is blatantly arrogant, humility has a Shasta Daisy flavor. It's best to keep both out of your mouth. But we humans are a stubborn lot, you know.

 

[vols 30]

Idk if they're calm, but they are good looking, do that helps

Need pics to confirm TBH

 

[LittleVol]

I watched the game. All of it, painful as it was. I also watched the UGA game. Same. Fact is, I have watched every UT game this season. And there is one glaring, consistent weakness in this team. With few exceptions, it has been a weakness since last season, and has continued into this one.

Defense. Cut, paste, spin, parse the numbers any way you want, but the bottom line here is that UT brings out the best in opposing offenses in almost every game. When lower level FBS and even FCS QB's are having a "career day" against your defense, well...that's what the FBI would call a clue.

I have neither the time nor the inclination to lay out my case here. But I am of the firm opinion that UT is in desperate need of (a) better talent and (b) better development and coaching on the defensive side. Until and unless they get it, we will continue to see more of what happened last night.

Simple as that. Go Vols.

Take out Will Levi's(he sucks) and THE AVERAGE SEC QB is getting against us is 385 yards and 4 fricken TDS a game....

That is absolutely unacceptable.

 

[Orangepantsforever]

Calmer heads!?! Never heard of such.

 

[Vols91]

We’ve come ways forward in two years. The defense is as bad can. On the player? Maybe, most definitely on the coaches. We most definitely need a new db coach in a very bad way. I’m still very proud of the team and to be called a volunteer fan.

 

[GreyWolf1129]

You are so right. One game and just like that its all over. Let's tear down the VOLS letters. Smash the new lights. Fire everybody. Burn down the practice field.

Good grief dude. Have you ever learned from adversity? Did you even read the post? Losing can make you better - IF YOU ALLOW IT. That was my point. The next 2 games will tell us at least some of that. You come across like I wanted them to lose because of what a great lesson it would be. You read what you wanted is what you did, Sir. No?

Not what I said. You're looking for the silver lining, and the fact is that there isn't one to be found here. Sometimes you just have to accept the facts for what they are.

This game won't make UT any better on defense, or as a team. Do you honestly think anyone on the defense will use this game for motivation? What, did the "UGA lesson" wear off already? Purdue? Any of those "lessons" last year? How 'bout the QB's this year who lit up the secondary? Where's all of that learning from adversity?

Look up where UT's pass defense stands out of 130 FBS teams. That's who they are. Again, simple as that.

I never said it was all over. Never said a word about the stadium or the lights. I did say that UT needs better talent, and better coaching on defense. And I'll stick by it. You hang out where you are waiting on the Motivation Train to arrive.

Banks probably gets another year. Martinez I'm not so sure about. But if they are here next year, then they have the opportunity to prove me wrong. If not, then all I did was state the obvious to anyone not wearing the sunglasses and swimming in the Kool-Aid.

Go Vols.

 

[Batman1948]

I needed to hear from all of you guys with calmer heads and get to settle down to actually understand what just happened. As one poster said, the emotions are raw right now. If we would have lost by a field goal or a few points, the loss would have hurt but to be annihilated like that is devastating. Now we are being laughed at and ridiculed because we have fallen back down to mediocrity.

People laughing at us is our own fault. Our fans have done a lot of talking prior to every game since we beat Bama and Florida. They thought we were unbeatable and refused to pay attention to our weakness on defense. If we play with the same attitude next Saturday night, we may find another L to Vandy. They have nothing to lose next week and will play like their hair is on fire.

 

[UTFanHades]

People laughing at us is our own fault. Our fans have done a lot of talking prior to every game since we beat Bama and Florida. They thought we were unbeatable and refused to pay attention to our weakness on defense. If we play with the same attitude next Saturday night, we may find another L to Vandy. They have nothing to lose next week and will play like their hair is on fire.

63 pts was the fault of the fans? Really tired of the fans missing tackles, lining up wrong, taking bad angles, not showing up prepared and motivated, and calling bad plays.

 

[vol94]

I watched the game. All of it, painful as it was. I also watched the UGA game. Same. Fact is, I have watched every UT game this season. And there is one glaring, consistent weakness in this team. With few exceptions, it has been a weakness since last season, and has continued into this one.

Defense. Cut, paste, spin, parse the numbers any way you want, but the bottom line here is that UT brings out the best in opposing offenses in almost every game. When lower level FBS and even FCS QB's are having a "career day" against your defense, well...that's what the FBI would call a clue.

I have neither the time nor the inclination to lay out my case here. But I am of the firm opinion that UT is in desperate need of (a) better talent and (b) better development and coaching on the defensive side. Until and unless they get it, we will continue to see more of what happened last night.

Simple as that. Go Vols.

Well articulated. I made a similar comment but chastised for it.

But there is more to last night’s story as i confirmed there are locker room issues. I’m not going to lose trust in the young men who are my son’s friends but will copy-paste :

Yes, we watched the game with a few walk on receivers and they said Banks was mad about NIL money. He stepped on the Power T in the locker room and wouldn't do push-ups so Hendon got mad. Banks bowed up and went after Hooker, wanting to fight him.