Joel Klatt brings the truth

[BowlBrother85]

I agree with some of his points and disagree with others.

Agree
FL loss is inexcusable if we are the program we thought we were or going to be. The manner in which they dominated the majority of the game is not a good sign.

Disagree
Hooker - Great year. Is he a Cam Newton program changing player? I'm not sure that's close to the case. He was benched at Tech and didn't beat out Milton in camp here. Good gamer and did a great job for us though.
Hyatt - Had one breakout year and two forgettable ones. Program changing player? I don't think so.
Tillman - Low rated recruit. Improved each year. Solid player. Program changing? I don't think so.

My concerns
Was Heup's downward trend at UCF a forecaster? I'm in no way familiar with his run there other than replacing Frost and having great offense. It's clear that we lack discipline on both sides of the ball. Not a good look for a team loaded up with upper classmen. Does he have the demeanor and skills to continually build the infrastructure of a program?
For an offensive guru, I think it's a bad sign that our OL is as bad as it is. In year 3, it should be better. I can live with a bad defense, if the offense is producing. To this point, it's not.

Once again, he didn't have a signing class in 2021. It isn't really year 3 when you take that into consideration. Most coaches are hired at least 3 weeks he was. He had no time to put a class together. Should he have worked the portal for O-linemen more aggressively? Possibly.

 

[bigorangecrush89]

I agree with some of his points and disagree with others.

Agree
FL loss is inexcusable if we are the program we thought we were or going to be. The manner in which they dominated the majority of the game is not a good sign.

Disagree
Hooker - Great year. Is he a Cam Newton program changing player? I'm not sure that's close to the case. He was benched at Tech and didn't beat out Milton in camp here. Good gamer and did a great job for us though.
Hyatt - Had one breakout year and two forgettable ones. Program changing player? I don't think so.
Tillman - Low rated recruit. Improved each year. Solid player. Program changing? I don't think so.

My concerns
Was Heup's downward trend at UCF a forecaster? I'm in no way familiar with his run there other than replacing Frost and having great offense. It's clear that we lack discipline on both sides of the ball. Not a good look for a team loaded up with upper classmen. Does he have the demeanor and skills to continually build the infrastructure of a program?
For an offensive guru, I think it's a bad sign that our OL is as bad as it is. In year 3, it should be better. I can live with a bad defense, if the offense is producing. To this point, it's not.

The downward trend each year at UCF was the biggest thing that concerned me when he was hired. First year was great with Frost’s players. Regressed every year after that. I know the last one was the COVID year, but thats no excuse since every program had to deal with that too. It’s still disconcerting to me.

 

[BowlBrother85]

I can agree with that but I think you are missing the point. Strictly based off last year there is not one person that would have thought they we were going to look how we have looked through the first 3 games (we were ranked 11 for a reason). It has be embarrassing.

We should be better on both sides of the ball than what we put on the field on Saturday night. Yes, it was embarrassing. Heupel does deserve some of the heat he is getting. I just think Klatt's analysis was superficial.

 

[UTFanHades]

I’m extreme BVS but it’s your regular idiotic media extremist take when Klatt says stuff like the system is figured out. We have no offensive line and not a lot at qb. It’s players and coaching recruiting failures on offense and NOT a system problem. We don’t run nearly any of the same plays and the same level of speed and game mgmt because we literally can’t due to personnel limitations. Lazy hot take clickbait by a garbage “journalist”.

 

[UTFanHades]

I’m extreme BVS but it’s your regular idiotic media extremist take when Klatt says stuff like the system is figured out. We have no offensive line and not a lot at qb. It’s players and coaching recruiting failures on offense and NOT a system problem. We don’t run nearly any of the same plays and the same level of speed and game mgmt because we literally can’t due to personnel limitations. Lazy hot take clickbait by a garbage “journalist”.

I’m going to self reply here because I’m so po’d at this fool Klatt. Heup runs a better system than most of the oc’s you see in the NFL, who don’t have to put up with the administrative and recruiting time sinks that college coaches do. They have literally all waking hours except for practice and game time to figure this ish out and most of them aren’t running half the system our guy is. You can easily criticize our guy for recruiting errors and portal laziness but you can’t reasonably argue his system is the problem. If you had him calling plays with the talent that UNC or FSU has at those positions and the defense keeps up, we have a playoff team and probably a trophy this year.

 

[Boston Vol]

A “Gimmick” offense is a non-conventional, uncommon style that goes against current football orthodoxy. Some other offenses that were considered gimmicky:

Bill Walsh’s West Coast Offense
Mouse Davis Run n shoot
Steve Spurrier’s Fun N Gun
Joe Tiller’s Basketball on Grass
Hal Mumme and Mike Leach’s Air Raid
Rich Rod’s Spread Option
Urban Meyer’s Spread Offense
Art Briles Baylor Veer and Shoot

So it Seems like Heupel is in good company.

 

[EZE]

I actually agree with what he said and he said he was duped as well. Based off last year we were on the rise but after 3 games in it’s obvious that we are not. I think he speaking facts.

We can still be “back” and step back a bit this season. Protecting this year’s recruiting class is the key. If we do that, the pieces will be in place to continue trending upward…including the biggest piece who is already wearing the uniform.

In reality, we all shoulda seen a pullback this season.

I’m not worried about the long term…but I’m not expecting great things this season. I suspect that it will be a grind.

 

[KeyVol14]

Last week it was LSU that was over rated now their the best team in the SEC again. The media and the network flunkies are used car salesman and carnival acts!
Use your own brain people you don’t need to cater to these fools.

It's always not as good and not as bad as fans seem to make it out to be. I knew LSU was going to be fine.

There's plenty of season left for us to sort out our problems. First and foremost is offensive line

 

[JGS III]

We can still be “back” and step back a bit this season. Protecting this year’s recruiting class is the key. If we do that, the pieces will be in place to continue trending upward…including the biggest piece who is already wearing the uniform.

In reality, we all shoulda seen a pullback this season.

I’m not worried about the long term…but I’m not expecting great things this season. I suspect that it will be a grind.

Trust me I want to be back, for me what is odd is how much better we looked against Clemson than we have so far this year. I know we don’t have some of the same guys but Hyatt and Tillman were both out and we looked great. I think it is fair to say that we have looked nothing like what we did against Clemson and for me that has been the biggest concern. I think Heupel is the best coach we have had in years and I do not think his offense is a fluke but something is amiss right now.

 

[KeyVol14]

The downward trend each year at UCF was the biggest thing that concerned me when he was hired. First year was great with Frost’s players. Regressed every year after that. I know the last one was the COVID year, but thats no excuse since every program had to deal with that too. It’s still disconcerting to me.

His 2019 team lost 3 games by a total of 9 points combined. 2020 team had 10 opts before the season started. Every year he was there, his offenses were top 10 nationally with almost zero drop off from previous season.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

If the link doesn't start at the right place, skip to 9:36

Someone spouting BS that you agree with isn't "truth". Education 101. You're welcome

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

I can agree with that but I think you are missing the point. Strictly based off last year there is not one person that would have thought they we were going to look how we have looked through the first 3 games (we were ranked 11 for a reason). It has be embarrassing.

It's only embarrassing for weak minded, thin skinned folks

 

[JGS III]

Someone spouting BS that you agree with isn't "truth". Education 101. You're welcome

So is it BS because you call it BS, little bit of a contradiction.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Trust me I want to be back, for me what is odd is how much better we looked against Clemson than we have so far this year. I know we don’t have some of the same guys but Hyatt and Tillman were both out and we looked great. I think it is fair to say that we have looked nothing like what we did against Clemson and for me that has been the biggest concern. I think Heupel is the best coach we have had in years and I do not think his offense is a fluke but something is amiss right now.

Who started at offensive line in the bowl game? Who started in Gainesville? To me it’s that simple.

 

[JGS III]

It's only embarrassing for weak minded, thin skinned folks

You must be a bad…, I’m glad you got all that from a post tough guy.

 

[xpsyclonex2002]

We duped ourselves. I think he's wrong about us having elite talent last year that left. They weren't elite in anybody's eyes prior to last year. They became elite talent because the team chemistry was so good. The team leadership was on point. The players all were rowing the boat the same direction except for the SC game. Toxic personalities prevailed and the team suffered. The team is collectively as talented as last year. The chemistry is wrong and the team leadership is non-existent.

 

[Nationdom]

Once again, he didn't have a signing class in 2021. It isn't really year 3 when you take that into consideration. Most coaches are hired at least 3 weeks he was. He had no time to put a class together. Should he have worked the portal for O-linemen more aggressively? Possibly.

Those are no longer valid excuses after what Deon is doing. It’s year 3 and we have major holes. Can’t happen. I’m not tossing him to the wolves just yet. Let’s see if he goes 10-2

 

[sami]

It's not Golesh's system. It's the system that Heupel has been running since he was the OC at Utah State in 2015. Golesh wasn't even with Heupel until his 2nd season at Central Florida and it's unclear how much play-calling responsibility Golesh ever actually had.

This guy doesn't really say much except that Hooker isn't as good as Milton (duh) and Hyatt and Tillman haven't been replaced by quality WR's ... and our offensive line is not as good. While all true, it ignores the fact that we have a 5 star QB waiting in the wings (Iamaleava), and a 5 star WR committed (Mike Matthews).

I don't believe that Tennessee fans thought we had elevated to the point of being a program which reloads. We lost too much to attrition during the coaching change to have the kind of depth you need to lose quality talent without skipping a beat. The real test for Heupel will come with how the offense looks with players that he has signed (in other words, Iamaleava). Just like Tennessee fans, this guy is going overboard way too soon.

Absolutely. Last year was a magical season, but one which anyone with a clue understood was way ahead of schedule given the dumpster fire Heupel inherited. Anyone who thought it meant that we were back as a perennial power was kidding themselves.

Again, anyone with a clue understood going in that a program needs 3-4 recruiting cycles minimum to build the proper depth to get a program established, especially given the loss of talent Heupel had to deal with. We were replacing a QB that had a generational season, plus a 1st round OL and a couple of pro WR's - there was every chance that this could be a reset kind of season, yet so many are taking it as a personal affront that we aren't CFP contenders again.

Recruiting has been amazing - we are now competing for the kind of talent we had no shot at before. As you said, we have elite talent on deck at QB and WR, and depth coming across the board. So we go 8-4 this season - does that mean that every d-bag butthurt media hack like Klatt is going to be praised for ripping us now? F***k all of them.

 

[GAVol]

Those are no longer valid excuses after what Deon is doing. It’s year 3 and we have major holes. Can’t happen. I’m not tossing him to the wolves just yet. Let’s see if he goes 10-2

Let's see some slightly better competition before we declare Deion's method a success. Not everyone happens to have a son who is a 5* QB.

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

I actually agree with what he said and he said he was duped as well. Based off last year we were on the rise but after 3 games in it’s obvious that we are not. I think he speaking facts.

I think he is speaking like someone who thinks two starting Olineman out doesnt make a difference.

In other words, speaking like a dumbass.

 

[VolForLife83]

That's a pretty tough pill to swallow. Hope he's wrong. The fear is CJH runs a 'gimmick' offense that can light you up, but once good d-cordinators figure out a solution, you're toast. FL figured out a solution. But it's also alarming that we were so out-manned and beat up on the O & D lines.

AP shut it down too

 

[JGS III]

I think he is speaking like someone who thinks two starting Olineman out doesnt make a difference.

In other words, speaking like a dumbass.

You are entitled to your opinion, but if that is all you see that was wrong you probably need to get pick up another sport to watch. We got owned in all facets.

 

[EZE]

Trust me I want to be back, for me what is odd is how much better we looked against Clemson than we have so far this year. I know we don’t have some of the same guys but Hyatt and Tillman were both out and we looked great. I think it is fair to say that we have looked nothing like what we did against Clemson and for me that has been the biggest concern. I think Heupel is the best coach we have had in years and I do not think his offense is a fluke but something is amiss right now.

We didn’t look that great against Clemson in reality. Their QB just isn’t very good and kept making huge mistakes.

Clemson way outgained us by 484-375. First downs were 34-20. Time of possession was 36-23.

Tennessee had 8 punts in that game!

But Clemson had 2 costly picks and other bad mistakes in the red zone.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Kind of hard to trust a guy when his last name rhymes with Shat.

 

[BowlBrother85]

Those are no longer valid excuses after what Deon is doing. It’s year 3 and we have major holes. Can’t happen. I’m not tossing him to the wolves just yet. Let’s see if he goes 10-2

OMG. ... I will be glad when this Deion fixation is over. Let's see how they do the next two weeks. They looked like $hit against Colorado State.

It is year 3 and we are coming off an 11-2 season, where we lost 5 of the top 78 draft picks. It is not reasonable to expect every year to look the same, with how inconsistent Tennessee's recruiting classes have been due to attrition.