Is this team, preseason really different?

Is this preseason any different from other preseasons?

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#76
#76
I voted too much hype. We'll all know a little more after they run through the T in August.
 
#77
#77
Not really.... Probably the same record with a younger team. Could this mean big things in the future???? Maybe but time will tell.... :)
 
#79
#79
volfaninutah said:
Checked your profile, this old dinosaur is older than you. I hate gators too..:thumbsup:
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Checked your profile youngun and I dislike the Gators but Bama is at the top of my list for teams that need to be beaten often...........again......like we used to.:)
 
#81
#81
It feels different (better) since there is more talent (young, however), and some sort of consistency in the staff/players. However, with the schedule, youth, and strength of the other teams on the schedule, I would take a 6-6 season + bowl game at this point.
 
#83
#83
99gator said:
It's a little bit different, but not as much as everyone thinks.

I can't believe the things people believe about this past year's recruiting class. Tennessee is going to win the Super Bowl in two years because of this class.

I have said on numerous occasions that recruiting is important because it makes these games a fair fight and Tennessee hasn't been in a fair fight in a long time. But, a quick look at the recruiting rankings will tell you that five or six schools on Tennessee' s schedule bring in the same kind of recruiting class every year.

The light can be seen at the end of the tunnel. But, the talent is in the freshman class and you don't win with freshman.

Bottom line, Tennessee is still going to be an underdog in a lot of games and will still lose more games than anyone here would like. It's still going to be a fairly mediocre year, imo.

However, better times are coming as these kids grow up and these games become more and more of a fair fight. At that point, Tennessee will win its share.
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How about giving us a prognostication of how those mighty gators will perform this year? With the deck stacked with "experienced" four and five star players, the gators always manage to un-impress. Why is this?

With the innovations of diet, weight training, and coaching in high school, I think that we are in a paradigm shift in terms of younger-player contributions. Archaic phrases like "...you don't win with Freshmen..." originated during the days of leather helmets. As for me, I would prefer to have talent on the field (regardless of experence), team cohesiveness, and effective coaching, as opposed to outstanding players being underserved by a position coach posing as a head coach.

But, I guess, these are the things that put the fun into dysfunctional.

Go gators?
 
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#84
#84
This one is different. The wins may not increase much for this coming season, since we do play one of the toughest schedules in the country. What Jones is doing should really start showing in 2015, but we are hopeful for a big upset or two indicating we are on the edge this season. The light is shinning brighter at the end of the tunnel.
 
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#85
#85
T_man_J said:
How about giving us a prognostication of how those mighty gators will perform this year? With the deck stacked with "experienced" four and five star players, the gators always manage to un-impress. Why is this?

With the innovations of diet, weight training, and coaching in high school, I think that we are in a paradigm shift in terms of younger-player contributions. Archaic phrases like "...you don't win with Freshmen..." originated during the days of leather helmets. As for me, I would prefer to have talent on the field (regardless of experence), team cohesiveness, and effective coaching, as opposed to outstanding players being underserved by a position coach posing as a head coach.

But, I guess, these are the things that put the fun into dysfunctional.

Go gators?
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I'm hoping the gators win 7. Don't think the players are outstanding (there is some outstanding talent) and certainly question the coaching.

Let me ask this question.

Will the 2014 recruiting class of Tennessee be better in 2014 or 2016?
 
#86
#86
99gator said:
I'm hoping the gators win 7. Don't think the players are outstanding (there is some outstanding talent) and certainly question the coaching.

Let me ask this question.

Will the 2014 recruiting class of Tennessee be better in 2014 or 2016?
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I think that you are missing the point of player development (from the perspective of team cohesion and effective coaching).

Sure we will recruit good players, but for now, Florida will recruit better players. A very important unknown is as follows: how will our 2014 class progress as opposed to your 2014 class? This quandary will be resolved by the more empirical question:

Will WM be the head coach of the mighty gators in 2015?

My conclusion is that our program is in an uptrend (with all factors considered); your program, my friend, is in a down trend.
 
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#87
#87
T_man_J said:
I think that you are missing the point of player development (from the perspective of team cohesion and effective coaching).

Sure we will recruit good players, but for now, Florida will recruit better players. A very important unknown is as follows: how will our 2014 class progress as opposed to your 2014 class? This quandary will be resolved by the more empirical question:

Will WM be the head coach of the mighty gators in 2015?

My conclusion is that our program is in an uptrend (with all factors considered); your program, my friend, is in a down trend.
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I don't remember stating otherwise

That wasn't really the topic at hand
 
#88
#88
99gator said:
I don't remember stating otherwise

That wasn't really the topic at hand
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The intent of your question regarding recruiting classes was your subtle way of implying that the gators will be better than us. I am simply saying that there are many other factors to consider, especially with the gators.

I don't mean to offend, but you have to concede the point that anything you post here (you being a gator fan), will be viewed in a more critical manner.

I am just saying, regardless of your intent, that things in the SEC East are changing.
 
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#89
#89
The "right" coach for UT will make players with below avg talent avg, players with avg talent good, and players with good talent NFL prospects. The one best thing on CBJ's resume is that he's done that.

The "right" coach would have used this past off-season and all of the past two years to prepare guys like Crowder to "surprise" everyone. IOW's, the team will be a "surprise" because players that most don't expect much from will perform above expectations.
 
#90
#90
LWSVOL said:
I don't DAJ, but Phil Steele has Tennessee with less percentage returning lettermen than any other SEC team.

IMO, youth and inexperience makes things very difficult even when talented. JMO
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As I stated, I don't altogether disagree. But Daj claims that a composite of Rivals ratings without any modification predicts winners 70% of the time and that when it doesn't coaching is the biggest other factor.

Based on his model, UT has more talent than 8 opponents this fall. At 70% of that... 6 is a reasonable expectation. IMO, the difference between six wins and 7 or 8 or 5 or 4 is quality of coaching.
 
#91
#91
99gator said:
In that regard, what I was alluding to is that several have posted expectations of this group that surpass the legendary feats of Rod Wilks.

This kind of thing happens every year, it's just that this year there is some legitimacy to it.

But, every year the new class of freshman are loaded with studs, while apparently no one else signed any freshman who are any good.

It's a good crop of players. Something Tennessee hasn't had in a while. They are not the 93 Cowboys as no class is.
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When I read stuff like this my opinion is....you have to give Butch credit for all the positive...but you still gotta kick'em down because your team may be headed in the direction of where this program has been....so you'll remind us we are average at best and blah, blah, blah...but we MAY be good in the future but we will never be Florida good because of talent.

Well you're head coach....like Lane Kiffin's USC...inherited a roster of top level talent 2-3 deep and has added to it right....yet gone 22-16 in 3 seasons just like Lane Kiffin at USC 28-15....so as Tennessee is loading up with that level of talent which you have admitted we do not have....your HC is pissing your program away with having it.

That is my evaluation and realist breakdown of your program right now...but you are in a talent rich state so you should always have athletes and be competitive.....see what I just did there?
 
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#92
#92
T_man_J said:
The intent of your question regarding recruiting classes was your subtle way of implying that the gators will be better than us. I am simply saying that there are many other factors to consider, especially with the gators.

I don't mean to offend, but you have to concede the point that anything you post here (you being a gator fan), will be viewed in a more critical manner.

I am just saying, regardless of your intent, that thinks in the SEC East are changing.
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Some of you have battered wife syndrome or something.

The Gators have nothing to do with anything. What I am posting has nothing to do with the Gators. Absolutely nothing.

What I basically said in my original post (stated differently) is that Tennessee is headed in the right direction but is still too young to have the kind of season that people would not consider mediocre. A 7 win season is mediocre. That's all I am saying.

So, things are different, but they aren't. They are different because there is talent on campus. It's different because there's a coach who knows what he's doing. It's different because the program is finally headed where people here want it to go.

It's not different because THIS SEASON, Tennessee still is not ready to have the kind of season everyone here has been waiting for.....IMO.

I may end up being wrong, but that's how I see it.

None of this has anything to do with the Gators. Everyone else keeps throwing the Gators into this. But, the quality of the roster and how long it will take to develop into a ranked football team has nothing to do with the Gators.
 
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#93
#93
BeattieFeathers said:
Missouri has more talent.
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If you believe this then you are either ignorant of their roster or else just so determined to lower the bar that you have blinded yourself. Even WITHOUT the '14 class... UT is more talented than what returns for Mizzou. There was a HUGE, not small, drop off from Franklin to Mauk last year. Franklin started 10 games for them. He threw for over 60% in 8 of those games. Mauk started 4 games for them. He threw for UNDER 50% in 3 of them... and that's BEFORE he lost their top 3 and by far most talented WR's.

The players they lost accounted for 2700 of their 3540 receiving yards and over half of their rushing yards to include their 1000+ yd back.

They lose 7 of 11 starters on D including their best two DL's, best LB, and best DB.


If Jones loses to Mizzou again... it will NOT be because MU has more talent. Not even close.
 
#94
#94
99gator said:
Some of you have battered wife syndrome or something.

The Gators have nothing to do with anything. What I am posting has nothing to do with the Gators. Absolutely nothing.

What I basically said in my original post (stated differently) is that Tennessee is headed in the right direction but is still too young to have the kind of season that people would not consider mediocre. A 7 win season is mediocre. That's all I am saying.

So, things are different, but they aren't. They are different because there is talent on campus. It's different because there's a coach who knows what he's doing. It's different because the program is finally headed where people here want it to go.

It's not different because THIS SEASON, Tennessee still is not ready to have the kind of season everyone here has been waiting for.....IMO.

I may end up being wrong, but that's how I see it.

None of this has anything to do with the Gators. Everyone else keeps throwing the Gators into this. But, the quality of the roster and how long it will take to develop into a ranked football team has nothing to do with the Gators.
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Are you speaking from experience? Do you wear jorts and wife-beater T's?
 
#95
#95
Here's my thoughts:

I think this pre-season is different, because there are so many unknowns, and we are leaning towards positive unknowns. Also, some things that were unsure in previous years seem to be more sure this year. Let me explain.

1. Normally at the end of July, we are sitting here wondering who is going to make it in. "Is Eddrick Loften ever gonna get here? John Clark can't play?! What??" That is not the case. Every. Single. Recruit. Made it in. That is a huge relief to hear. It shows that Butch and Co. are not taking risks academically. Which makes you think that most of these guys will be here for 4-5 years, which lends you to think they'll continue to get better, and thus, the program will as well.

2. We are bringing in 32 brand new recruits. 32 new faces that have not donned the orange before. 32 new faces that have not played SEC ball before. And really, we should say 33, because Kameel Jackson is no regular walk on. We brought in a class that was highly ranked nationally, has national respect, and that seems to be truly in love with UT, and that has great chemistry. You'd have to be seriously depressed to not at least be somewhat optimistic. It's not about that we got some highly rated recruits. It's that it's a whole overhaul of our roster.

3. There does seem to be an attitude change. Which started with the head coach and has trickled down. Nobody wanted the job, but Butch called it his dream job. It seemed as though the UT brand was fading out, these guys have brought it back. They're re-educating these young men on what it means to play for UT. Not to mention, the stink of losing is going away. Gone are the days of being a team that only played one half of football, and then at the first sign of adversity, laid down and died. I think finally the desire to win is back. You can see that in the criteria Butch recruits by. One of the thing he looks for is guys who are used to winning. If you're used to winning, then you will never take well to losing. Guys under Dooley got used to losing, and therefore, we got what we expected.

4. I don't think anyone expects that we will have an amazing year this year. I will be tickled for a bowl game personally. But I think this season is going to give us what we have wanted since 2008: Hope. Brand new coaching staff. Brand new roster (57%+ is brand new). But the same Tennessee. The same Rocky Top. The same Orange and White . The same Neyland Stadium. And seeing players with the last names of Berry, Kelly, Bates, Creamer, Wharton, will bring back a little hope that things really aren't that different here. We're still Tennessee...and we're still around. And it's only a matter of time.

So, I think the hype is different. In other years, the hype was for a great year. 2012, we thought we'd have a great year. Last year, we thought we'd have a better year.

This year, I think it's just about looking at where we are, and enjoying the fact that no matter where we end up this year, we won't stay there long. Even if we get drummed by Oklahoma or Bama...there's going to be PLENTY of moments this year where we look and say "Wow, we get 4 years of that?"

It's going to be a good year. It's gonna be the start of something that we're going to be glad we witnessed.
 
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#97
#97
T_man_J said:
Are you speaking from experience? Do you wear jorts and wife-beater T's?
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He's probably speaking from watching FL beating TN 9 years in a row and TN has only beat FL 9 times in the last 60+ years. That would make him an expert.... :hi:
 
#98
#98
99gator said:
Some of you have battered wife syndrome or something.

The Gators have nothing to do with anything. What I am posting has nothing to do with the Gators. Absolutely nothing.

What I basically said in my original post (stated differently) is that Tennessee is headed in the right direction but is still too young to have the kind of season that people would not consider mediocre. A 7 win season is mediocre. That's all I am saying.

So, things are different, but they aren't. They are different because there is talent on campus. It's different because there's a coach who knows what he's doing. It's different because the program is finally headed where people here want it to go.

It's not different because THIS SEASON, Tennessee still is not ready to have the kind of season everyone here has been waiting for.....IMO.

I may end up being wrong, but that's how I see it.

None of this has anything to do with the Gators. Everyone else keeps throwing the Gators into this. But, the quality of the roster and how long it will take to develop into a ranked football team has nothing to do with the Gators.
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99 is starting to make sense.
 
#100
#100
99gator said:
It's a little bit different, but not as much as everyone thinks.

I can't believe the things people believe about this past year's recruiting class. Tennessee is going to win the Super Bowl in two years because of this class.

I have said on numerous occasions that recruiting is important because it makes these games a fair fight and Tennessee hasn't been in a fair fight in a long time. But, a quick look at the recruiting rankings will tell you that five or six schools on Tennessee' s schedule bring in the same kind of recruiting class every year.

The light can be seen at the end of the tunnel. But, the talent is in the freshman class and you don't win with freshman.
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I agree with much of what you said but I'd rather have a depth chart with some seniors and a load of talented freshmen (what we have this year) over a thin roster of some upperclassmen and walk-ons (what we've had over the last couple of years).

People are excited because this is the first time, legitimately, that UT actually has the talent to be able to at least dream of competing. Dooley was incompetent but the team he was left was very thin and suspect at many positions.

We have loads of young talent. It's not the 2014 season that has most excited.

99gator said:
Bottom line, Tennessee is still going to be an underdog in a lot of games and will still lose more games than anyone here would like. It's still going to be a fairly mediocre year, imo.
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I'd say this is very true. And you and I have different definitions of "mediocre". I think 6-6 or 7-5 would be a completely mediocre year for UGA, LSU, Auburn, USC, etc given their recent success. But for a UT team in the 2nd year going 7-5 and pulling itself out of the KiffinDooley fiasco? That's a brilliant year, actually.

99gator said:
However, better times are coming as these kids grow up and these games become more and more of a fair fight. At that point, Tennessee will win its share.
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And this is why most are excited. The current FR class combined with the incoming 2015 class is below where some other SEC foes are at but it's the first time in a long time we've strung together 2 successive good classes. This is the first time since 2004/2005 that UT has had 2 back-to-back classes this strong.

And, unlike most of UT's classes since 2005... we might actually keep half of them.

https://rivals.yahoo.com/vanderbilt/football/recruiting/commitments/2007/tennessee-71

The 2007 class, outside of Eric Berry and Denarious Moore (who was a 3* anyway so not heralded), is just depressing to look at.
 
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