It's happened before.....

#1
DeusExMachina

DeusExMachina

I am not a nice person.
Joined
May 15, 2009
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#1
I see a lot of folks on here, especially in the "predict the W/L record" type of posts, saying "we're relying on a lot of freshmen to come in and make an immediate impact". Ladies and gentlemen, I'm not comparing anyone to anyone here.....but lightning's struck Neyland Stadium before. Here's some proof.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc31NCsGbv0[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-Ot6zhcdVI[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-PG04d4-sI[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjEQfkx7TS8[/youtube]

(*because I love y'all, and because IIRC Travis Henry was a freshman in that game. Might be wrong.*)

and now for something a little "newer".....if you watch it, be warned that you might wanna turn your sound off, there's some bad language in the music.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj5Sy1z-620[/youtube]


Who's to say that lightning can't strike again?? Go Vols.
 
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#2
#2
I expect a couple of newcomers to break out, but asking that of 5, 6, 7, may be setting us up for disappointment.
 
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#4
#4
UT Hill Man said:
I expect a couple of newcomers to break out, but asking that of 5, 6, 7, may be setting us up for disappointment.
Click to expand...

Completely understandable. However, would you be happy with this stat line for, say, Jalen Hurd??

116 for 682, 5.87 YPC and 4 TDs
12 receptions for 133, 2 TDs

(*EDIT: I found the information I needed to further this.....*)

Or, how about this stat line for say, Charles Mosley??

26 total tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 FF and 1 FR??

How about this for Dillon Bates??

31 tackles, 5 sacks, 7 TFL, 1 FF and 2 PBU??


It ain't gotta be a full on lightning strike. Hurd's stats are half of what Jamal Lewis did his freshman year. Mosley's stats are half of what Reggie did his freshman year. Bates' are half of what Leonard Little did his freshman year. Food for thought, maybe.
 
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#6
#6
I *expect* Jones to take this year's team to a bowl game, and I don't care who steps up or how it happens. Anything less could be severely detrimental to future recruiting efforts.
 
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#7
#7
It is one thing to expect 2 or 3 Freshmen to come in and play at a high level. It is another to expect 10 or 15 of them to perform at a high level.

Look at it this way. Would you bet money in Vegas on the Under Armor All America team over Bama? I'm hoping for some miracles this year, too. I'm just staying realistic.
 
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#8
#8
Jamal Lewis had a Sr. Peyton Manning at QB. Jamal had all the tools and an offense that could exploit them to their fullest.
 
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#10
#10
I'd be happy if Hurd does a little more than what Bryce Brown did. Only because I don't think Lane is as good as Hardesty, and Hurd should see the field more than BB did because of that.
 
#11
#11
jeffmcflurry27 said:
It is one thing to expect 2 or 3 Freshmen to come in and play at a high level. It is another to expect 10 or 15 of them to perform at a high level.

Look at it this way. Would you bet money in Vegas on the Under Armor All America team over Bama? I'm hoping for some miracles this year, too. I'm just staying realistic.
Click to expand...

Who's asking for 10-15 freshmen to play? Or start for that matter.
 
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#12
#12
UT Hill Man said:
I expect a couple of newcomers to break out, but asking that of 5, 6, 7, may be setting us up for disappointment.
Click to expand...

They don't need that many to have break outs. Lane will be fine if Hurd is just a solid second option and there are other options. Same with Malone at WR.

Thomas at RT has already "broken out" in a way. He stepped in a took the position away from guys who have been around awhile. He's probably that good rather than it being a desperation move by the staff.

It would be nice to think that a Fr could break out on the DL but it is unlikely. Hopefully, UT can get solid play from the older guys with the new guys giving depth. Having JRM/Weatherd, AJ, CM at LB wouldn't worry me much if I were UT. Again, depth provided by new guys would be nice but none of those guys "must" start.

UT needs a corner. That is the one place that some does need to step up out of the newcomers. More than that, they need Randolph to stay healthy. He makes other players better. McNeil, Sutton, and Coleman need Randolph in there. The other starting CB will also regardless of who it is.
 
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#13
#13
IndianapolisVol said:
I'd be happy if Hurd does a little more than what Bryce Brown did. Only because I don't think Lane is as good as Hardesty, and Hurd should see the field more than BB did because of that.
Click to expand...

I understand what you mean but to this point in his career... Lane has been MUCH better than Hardesty was before his Sr year. He's even been healthier. I don't think MH played a whole year before his Sr year.
 
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#16
#16
sjt18 said:
I understand what you mean but to this point in his career... Lane has been MUCH better than Hardesty was before his Sr year. He's even been healthier. I don't think MH played a whole year before his Sr year.
Click to expand...

I agree completely, but with that said I don't expect lane to have 1300 yards rushing this coming year and to be a 2nd round draft pick like Hardesty.
 
#18
#18
VolFan4Life87 said:
LOL this has always been my position. Should he be fired if he doesn't make it to a bowl game in 2014? No. Should the AD kick his seat warmer on? Yes. He's getting paid millions to win.
Click to expand...


I don't know why Butch's contract is constantly used as tool to demand he win now. The expectation to win should be the same whether he was making 7mil a year or if he was making $500,000 a year, shouldn't it? Or would you be ok with a few more 5-7 seasons if he was making 500K?
 
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#20
#20
VolFan4Life87 said:
LOL this has always been my position. Should he be fired if he doesn't make it to a bowl game in 2014? No. Should the AD kick his seat warmer on? Yes. He's getting paid millions to win.
Click to expand...

I may say it different and be somewhat more "verbose" :) but we seem to be on the same chord here.
 
#21
#21
fade route said:
I don't know why Butch's contract is constantly used as tool to demand he win now. The expectation to win should be the same whether he was making 7mil a year or if he was making $500,000 a year, shouldn't it? Or would you be ok with a few more 5-7 seasons if he was making 500K?
Click to expand...

I think you are reading too much into that reference. Yes. If he signs a contract to be the UT HC then the expectation should be that he wins. OTOH, when you pay more for someone... you expect a better "quality" hire. More talented guys generally chase the better career opportunities which often involves better initial compensation.

I think many folks fail to think it through when taking a new job. Every future raise is based on the baseline you start with.
 
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#22
#22
fade route said:
I don't know why Butch's contract is constantly used as tool to demand he win now. The expectation to win should be the same whether he was making 7mil a year or if he was making $500,000 a year, shouldn't it? Or would you be ok with a few more 5-7 seasons if he was making 500K?
Click to expand...

I'm never ok with 5-7 seasons. The best coaches in college football are paid well to win and Jones is among those coaches with his salary. I anticipate he is of their caliber and I expect wins to follow. Had we hired another Derek Dooley, I would expect Derek Dooley results and would not be ok with it.
 
#23
#23
there is a lot of young "Juice" coming in, more than we have had in one class in a long time. There will be guys that will step up and I personally think we will see a HUGE improvement from a lot of second year guys. GBO
 
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#24
#24
if ole miss can run 6 freshman and a newcomer JUCO DT out there in the SEC West then i think we will hold our own in the East. Our division has nothing on the West. More specifically there was times they were using a freshman OT, Freshman OG and a freshman TE. i think we will be okay.
 
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#25
#25
Understanding the difference between "possible" and "probable" is the difference between "hope" and "koolaide"
 
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