It Just Takes Time

[BernardKingGOAT]

If I told you 4yrs ago that we would be playing in the playoffs with a first year QB, but we're going to get hammered in the first round, I'm 100% certain that we all would have said sign me up. We were a doormat in the SEC. I don't remember anyone saying we would finish with 9+ wins for the next 3 years back in 2021.

We would have made the current format with a home game in his second year

 

[ForMyLosses]

Yep. We need a few more quality studs to compete consistently with a team like Ohio St. when they are playing well

we need some Albert haynesworth stomp on your helmet less head, and John Henderson psycho I’ll kill you defensive tackle monsters Tossing olineman out the club every snap.

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

Here's the thing about talent level - there are maybe 3-4 programs in the country who are able to consistently attract that level of elite talent, and we played one of them last night. I'm realistic enough to realize that we may never be able to recruit on that level, but if we can bring in top 10 classes every year, are smart about portal acquisitions, and can get better at developing players, we will be able to at least be on the same playing field.

I'd be very surprised if Josh looks at the film and can just pass last night off as a lack of execution on our part that was the difference. We're still dealing with scholarship limits (I believe), and we're just now beginning to build the depth to be able to compete at the highest level. Josh is just four years removed from inheriting the worst kind of train wreck program, and has delivered two top 10 seasons and a playoff appearance. Let's give the man a chance to do the things necessary to get to that next level.

He’s a great coach, best since Fulmer by far. He might even be better than Fulmer when all is said and done. The problem isn’t coaching, we need better players period to compete in games like that. It would be one thing if that game the other night had been somewhat competitive but it sure looked like we were outclassed at almost every position. They were faster, played sound and were more physical. Just my opinion but until they’re willing to spend at the level Oregon, Georgia, Ohio State and Texas do, we’ll be a very good 9-10 win team just outside of elite. That’s nothing to scoff at and obviously light years ahead of the previous 15 years or so.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

We're getting there, slow but sure. Have some patience. Keep demanding championships, but have patience about it.

Rick Barnes has been our head basketball coach for going on ten seasons. In his third season, he started showing real progress (tied for first in conference regular season), but it wasn't until his ninth year, last year, that we outright won the conference and broke through the Sweet Sixteen into the Elite Eight. He's on the verge of national championships, after a lot of work and climbing.

Tony Vitello has been our head baseball coach for seven seasons. It wasn't until his fourth that we got to the College World Series. And it wasn't until his seventh season, last year, that we won the national crown.

Josh Heupel is in his fourth year. Four years from when we were a train wreck of a program. And he's showing the same progression as our other two major-sport men's coaches. Steady climb.

This year, we made the playoffs for the first time. We were a contender for the national championship for the first time since 1998, even if only briefly.

There's room to improve, for sure. It will come. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither were any of our athletic programs.

A bit of patience. Even better things coming.

Go Vols!

p.s. And remember, it wasn't until her fifth season that Pat Summitt won the conference, her eighth season that she got to the Final Four for the first time, and her thirteenth season that she won her first national title!

General Neyland was exceptional in that he tied for the conference title his second season, but even he didn't win his first national crown until his twelfth year.

We're all hoping Kim Caldwell is even more exceptional and can do something amazing in her first year, but generally speaking...it takes time to grow a champion.

Go Vols!

I hear you, but it has to start showing in recruiting or progress will stagnate. In order to close the talent gap with the elite programs, we HAVE to start pulling top 5 classes and making a bigger splash in the portal consistently, or we will not progress any further than where Huepel has gotten us. That's just the long and short of it. At the end of the day, it's all about players; who has them and who doesn't. Right now this staff is not recruiting at the level they need to be in order to take the next step. Bottom of the top 10, or just outside the top 10 will not get it done.

 

[NighthawkVol]

We're getting there, slow but sure. Have some patience. Keep demanding championships, but have patience about it.

Rick Barnes has been our head basketball coach for going on ten seasons. In his third season, he started showing real progress (tied for first in conference regular season), but it wasn't until his ninth year, last year, that we outright won the conference and broke through the Sweet Sixteen into the Elite Eight. He's on the verge of national championships, after a lot of work and climbing.

Tony Vitello has been our head baseball coach for seven seasons. It wasn't until his fourth that we got to the College World Series. And it wasn't until his seventh season, last year, that we won the national crown.

Josh Heupel is in his fourth year. Four years from when we were a train wreck of a program. And he's showing the same progression as our other two major-sport men's coaches. Steady climb.

This year, we made the playoffs for the first time. We were a contender for the national championship for the first time since 1998, even if only briefly.

There's room to improve, for sure. It will come. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither were any of our athletic programs.

A bit of patience. Even better things coming.

Go Vols!

p.s. And remember, it wasn't until her fifth season that Pat Summitt won the conference, her eighth season that she got to the Final Four for the first time, and her thirteenth season that she won her first national title!

General Neyland was exceptional in that he tied for the conference title his second season, but even he didn't win his first national crown until his twelfth year.

We're all hoping Kim Caldwell is even more exceptional and can do something amazing in her first year, but generally speaking...it takes time to grow a champion.

Go Vols!

I posted this on the recruiting board as a reply, but I’ll paste this comparison to Jim Harbaugh here. Yes. It takes time:

Like Heupel, he turned things around pretty quickly, winning 10 games year 1. But he didn’t win any championships for awhile. He sprinkled in 8 and 9 win seasons with 10 win seasons He couldn’t beat Ohio State. Critics said he was at his ceiling.

Finally, in year 7 (after a losing season during COVID), he won a Big 10 title and lost to Georgia in the CFP. Then repeated that the next year. Then he won a NC in Year 9.

 

[SCRocket]

We gotta get more star players. We are going to have to pay more to contend with the OSU's. Our olinemen and wide receivers are average at best.

 

[sami]

He’s a great coach, best since Fulmer by far. He might even be better than Fulmer when all is said and done. The problem isn’t coaching, we need better players period to compete in games like that. It would be one thing if that game the other night had been somewhat competitive but it sure looked like we were outclassed at almost every position. They were faster, played sound and were more physical. Just my opinion but until they’re willing to spend at the level Oregon, Georgia, Ohio State and Texas do, we’ll be a very good 9-10 win team just outside of elite. That’s nothing to scoff at and obviously light years ahead of the previous 15 years or so.

I hear you, but it has to start showing in recruiting or progress will stagnate. In order to close the talent gap with the elite programs, we HAVE to start pulling top 5 classes and making a bigger splash in the portal consistently, or we will not progress any further than where Huepel has gotten us. That's just the long and short of it. At the end of the day, it's all about players; who has them and who doesn't. Right now this staff is not recruiting at the level they need to be in order to take the next step. Bottom of the top 10, or just outside the top 10 will not get it done.

There's no question that a major talent upgrade is necessary to play on that level, but establishing the kind of program that the most elite talent will be attracted to doesn't happen overnight. And think about it - it's really only 3-4 programs that recruit at that level, and has been that way for at least the last decade.

Development of talent and being able to retain that talent is maybe a bigger factor for us right now. We're getting some elite talent - Nico, Sanders, Boo, Matthews, etc. - but this is still a program in its infancy when compared to the big boys, despite what many in the fan base want to believe. Stay the course and give it time.