Josh Pate - Is Tennessee the next CFB tier 1 program?

[cherokeeeVOL]

Here's another solid one from Josh Pate. Starting around the 36 minute mark, he spends a good 10 minutes or so on Tennessee as the next premier program. As long as recruiting continues as it currently is and we continue to see solid on-field results, we should be in for another nice run around here . Sure is nice to be in the conversation again with a coach who knows what he's doing!

 

[volbound1700]

I am excited about the direction of Tennessee football but at the same time, I still have some reservations. A lot of it relates to the Florida game last year. They were there to beat and we choked heavily. Still left bad taste in my mouth with 2023 team. I didn't expect them to beat Alabama and Georgia but still having the Florida monkey there was frustrating (Missouri was as well).

I think the 2024 team is ready to explode but we will wait and see.

 

[SDV]

Josh loves the Vols

 

[Orange-U-Glad]

I saw this. It’s encouraging to think that the Vols are stepping up. Watching Tennessee win some recruiting battles against the blue bloods gives reason to hope he is correct. We’ve seen JH and company begin to win recruiting battles against the elite teams. Flipping a Bama recruit in the past would been a fantasy. Now, I think it can happen again.

 

[ntxVOL]

I am excited about the direction of Tennessee football but at the same time, I still have some reservations. A lot of it relates to the Florida game last year. They were there to beat and we choked heavily. Still left bad taste in my mouth with 2023 team. I didn't expect them to beat Alabama and Georgia but still having the Florida monkey there was frustrating (Missouri was as well).

I think the 2024 team is ready to explode but we will wait and see.

I agree those games are very frustrating but it's also part of the journey.

Florida will always be there, they will hire a good coach soon enough that gets them back on track.

Over time, hopefully, the program keeps improving to the point that those kind of games become fewer and farther between.

 

[AstonRoyal]

UT love aside, I honestly love Pate’s show. He’s very insightful and has a way of giving proper context to situations.

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

I am excited about the direction of Tennessee football but at the same time, I still have some reservations. A lot of it relates to the Florida game last year. They were there to beat and we choked heavily. Still left bad taste in my mouth with 2023 team. I didn't expect them to beat Alabama and Georgia but still having the Florida monkey there was frustrating (Missouri was as well).

I think the 2024 team is ready to explode but we will wait and see.

I do share some of that frustration with Florida but not because our coaching isn't good enough. Had Pili and Cooper been in that game, I think it's a different story. Last year we had catastrophic injuries at key positions throughout the year and still went 8-4 (9-4 with the bowl game). Lost Cooper to injury for the first few weeks of the year, lost Pili, lost Bru, lost Hadden, lost Thornton right when he had caught on, lost Carter, and lost Spraggins. Outside of Cooper, losing Pili right off the bat was a massive loss. It just seemed like every single key player we needed healthy got hurt at the worst possible time. I'm betting that was an anomaly.

 

[Volador]

He is wise to state that in-state recruiting means less today than it ever has. (obviously due to so much that has changed over the past few years in NCAAF)

UT Football is now global, and not just worrying about the best recruits out of Chattanooga, Nashville and Memphis.

Good stuff - thanks for sharing link CherokeeVol !

 

[adam.vol]

I agree those games are very frustrating but it's also part of the journey.

Florida will always be there, they will hire a good coach soon enough that gets them back on track.

Over time, hopefully, the program keeps improving to the point that those kind of games become fewer and farther between.

None of us have witnessed a time in which TN was the most dominant team in the SEC or college football for more than a year. I think as fans we want to get back to the 1990’s relevance, but in the 1990’s we wanted to be where Nick Saban eventually took Alabama. Fulmer had the talent, but his teams didn’t have the discipline to do what Saban did and I believe we all struggle with knowing we could have won more.

 

[overseasorange2]

It is frustrating to know that UT had the better team many times, but UF wins. Do they have an angel on the field?

 

[volbound1700]

I agree those games are very frustrating but it's also part of the journey.

Florida will always be there, they will hire a good coach soon enough that gets them back on track.

Over time, hopefully, the program keeps improving to the point that those kind of games become fewer and farther between.

That is what is so frustrating about last year and some of the Butch Jones matchups with Florida. We can't even beat them regularly when they are down and we are up. I agree that last year felt like growing pains just like UGA and South Carolina in 2022.

 

[volbound1700]

None of us have witnessed a time in which TN was the most dominant team in the SEC or college football for more than a year. I think as fans we want to get back to the 1990’s relevance, but in the 1990’s we wanted to be where Nick Saban eventually took Alabama. Fulmer had the talent, but his teams didn’t have the discipline to do what Saban did and I believe we all struggle with knowing we could have won more.

To me, Fulmer's worse year was 2002. The stars were aligned for us to win at least 11 games that year and it all blew up. That started the downfall of Fulmer. Georgia was real good that year and I could tolerate them beating Tennessee but going 8-5 was just bad.

 

[volbound1700]

I do share some of that frustration with Florida but not because our coaching isn't good enough. Had Pili and Cooper been in that game, I think it's a different story. Last year we had catastrophic injuries at key positions throughout the year and still went 8-4 (9-4 with the bowl game). Lost Cooper to injury for the first few weeks of the year, lost Pili, lost Bru, lost Hadden, lost Thornton right when he had caught on, lost Carter, and lost Spraggins. Outside of Cooper, losing Pili right off the bat was a massive loss. It just seemed like every single key player we needed healthy got hurt at the worst possible time. I'm betting that was an anomaly.

Good post. This is why we are building depth. This was a major problem with Butch Jones era as well. We had the stars aligned to win the SEC East in 2016 and blew it with loses to South Carolina and Vandy.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

That is what is so frustrating about last year and some of the Butch Jones matchups with Florida. We can't even beat them regularly when they are down and we are up. I agree that last year felt like growing pains just like UGA and South Carolina in 2022.

Florida have been a bunch of underachievers for a decade or more. Mailing it in, most of each season. They've had a lot of talent (less so lately), but no focus or drive.

Except once a year, playing us. They come together for the game against the Vols.

That has been enough in the Dark Ages to keep beating us. Even as their strength has waned and ours has grown in Heup's first three seasons, it has been enough if they were playing in the Swamp.

But the times, they are a changin'. I firmly believe their run against our lads is over. We're gonna beat them this year in our house, AND next year in their house, and we're finally gonna be able to put the curse behind us.

Go Vols!

 

[volbound1700]

Florida have been a bunch of underachievers for a decade or more. Mailing it in, most of the season. They've had a lot of talent (less so lately), but no focus or drive.

Except once a year, playing us. They come together for the game against the Vols.

That has been enough in the Dark Ages to keep beating us. Even as their strength has waned and ours has grown in Heup's first three seasons, it has been enough if they were playing in the Swamp.

But the times, they are a changin'. I firmly believe their run against our lads is over. We're gonna beat them this year in our house, AND next year in their house, and we're finally gonna be able to put the curse behind us.

Go Vols!

One item to note is that despite UF's struggles, they do have more talent than us when it comes to average star rating of recruits almost all of those years. This was even true last year. Even with Napier, UF still is in the top 6 or so in the SEC when it comes to the ranking of their recruits. They are just not showing it on the field.

I kind of hope Florida drops off our schedule in the future. Tired of the series because it has been the most disappointing series for Tennessee as a program.

 

[25vol]

I am excited about the direction of Tennessee football but at the same time, I still have some reservations. A lot of it relates to the Florida game last year. They were there to beat and we choked heavily. Still left bad taste in my mouth with 2023 team. I didn't expect them to beat Alabama and Georgia but still having the Florida monkey there was frustrating (Missouri was as well).

I think the 2024 team is ready to explode but we will wait and see.

Same. Florida last year was awful to watch. Our offense had no answers against them and it was pathetic. Cooper was also out that game and it freaking showed on the results too. That second quarter though? Freaking disaster dude our secondary really screwed that up.

 

[volbound1700]

Same. Florida last year was awful to watch. Our offense had no answers against them and it was pathetic. Cooper was also out that game and it freaking showed on the results too. That second quarter though? Freaking disaster dude our secondary really screwed that up.

Thanks and I appreciate this thread as I love Heupel and current program. I was kind of worried I would get immature responses about "fire Heupel" or stuff you get when you cite to this. It isn't that. It is just when I hear that Tennessee is tier I or getting there, I want to see us beat Florida consistently, I want to see us not get blown out by Missouri or keep a matchup with Georgia competitive first. Then I will start to see it more. Overall program is heading in right direction and even Smart, Saban, and others had hiccups in their early seasons.

 

[LittleVol]

It is frustrating to know that UT had the better team many times, but UF wins. Do they have an angel on the field?

Man,
It has to be Florida uniforms.

There needs to be some type of mass hypnosis done before that game, telling us that its just a regular game, and to play loose.

 

[volbound1700]

Man,
It has to be Florida uniforms.

There needs to be some type of mass hypnosis done before that game, telling us that its just a regular game, and to play loose.

I personal think that a lot of it is WHEN we play Florida vs. the fact that it is Florida. We will see. Having them later in the year likely breaks the curse. Outside of 2020 (when we were horrible), Tennessee has done well against them when not played as the first SEC game.

Tennessee has also been less talented than Florida in 90% or more of those matchups.

 

[25vol]

Thanks and I appreciate this thread as I love Heupel and current program. I was kind of worried I would get immature responses about "fire Heupel" or stuff you get when you cite to this. It isn't that. It is just when I hear that Tennessee is tier I or getting there, I want to see us beat Florida consistently, I want to see us not get blown out by Missouri or keep a matchup with Georgia competitive first. Then I will start to see it more. Overall program is heading in right direction and even Smart, Saban, and others had hiccups in their early seasons.

“First you lose big. Then you lose close. Then you win close. And finally, you win big.” -Bobby Bowden

I believe 110% that Heupel has us going in the right direction. The results on the field, the coaching and development, culture and the recruiting are all surging right now like I’ve never seen before. CJH obviously has a vision for what he wants this team to be, and I don’t think last year was close to that. The personnel last year was always going to hold us back.

 

[volbound1700]

“First you lose big. Then you lose close. Then you win close. And finally, you win big.” -Bobby Bowden

I believe 110% that Heupel has us going in the right direction. The results on the field, the coaching and development, culture and the recruiting are all surging right now like I’ve never seen before. CJH obviously has a vision for what he wants this team to be, and I don’t think last year was close to that. The personnel last year was always going to hold us back.

Agree. I just don't like all the hype. Granted it is offseason and this comes with the territory. I want Tennessee to prove it more on the field and then we get the hype.

Had we gone 10-2 last year with wins over Florida and Missouri, I would probably be embracing it more. Perhaps the 2015-2017 run where we got hype under Butch Jones or even going into the 2020 season with Pruitt scarred me a little. Fulmer's last hype collapses in 2002 and 2005 didn't help either.

 

[saxvol]

UT love aside, I honestly love Pate’s show. He’s very insightful and has a way of giving proper context to situations.

Don't ever leave UT love aside my friend.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

I am excited about the direction of Tennessee football but at the same time, I still have some reservations. A lot of it relates to the Florida game last year. They were there to beat and we choked heavily. Still left bad taste in my mouth with 2023 team. I didn't expect them to beat Alabama and Georgia but still having the Florida monkey there was frustrating (Missouri was as well).

I think the 2024 team is ready to explode but we will wait and see.

Bad take. We had some absurd gaps from injuries and they took advantage. With Pilli in, we win by 14. Can’t judge coaching based on that game. We were still built out of toothpicks and duct tape. I don’t see us having a problem with them this year.

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

Vols have to beat Florida, Georgia and Bama with some regularity to be Tier 1, recruiting is awesome ATM but the results on the field is the only metric that matters.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Vols have to beat Florida, Georgia and Bama with some regularity to be Tier 1, recruiting is awesome ATM but the results on the field is the only metric that matters.

Take Bama, UGa, Texas, Oklahoma, LSU, and _____ (fill in the blank with the current hot middle tier team, lately Ole Miss).

That's 6 challenging programs. In a given year, we'll play about 3 of them. Once in a while, we'll also play a challenging OOC team. So 3 or 4 significant--major--challenges a year in the regular season.

Beating 2 of the 3 (or 3 of the 4) will always be an excellent season. 11-1 regular season, probably going to Atlanta, almost definitely in the playoffs. That is truly excellence. 12-0 would be beyond; it's not something even the best team in the nation does with regularity (ask Bama this past decade and a half).

So beating our top rivals "with some regularity," that's when things are going great. They won't go great every year. There will be ups and downs.

Our floor is 8-4, and our ceiling 12-0, as long as Josh Heupel is our head coach. Hopefully for decades to come. 9-3 to 11-1 will be the most common outcomes.

That's what we "have to do." That's what I'm pretty sure we will do.

Go Vols!