Meltdown in progress

[TucsonVol]

I came straight here for the drama queens and y’all ain’t disappointing! So far I’ve seen a call for almost every coach to be replaced and most every player position blamed for the loss. Bright spot- punt team was awesome!
We’re three years away from a total program melt down and mass exodus. CJH has gotten expectations raised this high, this fast. I ain’t ready to give up on none of it yet.

A new Quarterback would do wonders for this team! They have no leader!

 

[turbovol]

We'll never get enough talent to win the SEC. There are just too many good programs in SE/SW states where people
sadly live for college football. And texas and oklahoma coming soon! And after them maybe clemson and fsu! And what is recruiting becoming? A bribery contest for the best talent? Seriously? A bunch of rich men at 16 SEC schools trying to outbid one another--and other programs from Big12/Big10!-- for five-star players, many of whom will be busts or transfer after a year or two? The only way we'd win the conference--and this applies to most SEC schools--is lightning in a bottle, which we almost had last year, and lightning-in-bottle years are obviously rare. The whole sport has become ridiculous. TV money has made it insane--and then the networks have to comically overhype games (for the insane fans), more than a few of which turn out to be duds.

 

[sami]

I think they can be team leaders as well. What I'm curious to see is:  will they be?

They're the guys that need to be the leaders. It has to be those who were recruited here who have been in the program and are on board that establish the culture, not transfers who are here for one season and move on.

Right now, this is still a program far too dependent on Pruitt recruits and transfers, but that should begin to change next season, when it will be CJH recruits who are carrying the load. At that point is when we will truly find out how elite this program can be.

Yesterday was a terrible, embarrassing loss, but it can't be a total shock other than how much we were dominated. This was always going to be a transition season, and other than those fooled by last year into thinking we had already arrived at UGa and Bama's level, most of us understand that consistent year-to-year excellence doesn't happen overnight.

 

[OrangeTsar]

It was a terrible loss, but to compare us to Georgia or Alabama right now is absurd. We're a couple years removed from the garbage heap and you're using the two best programs in CFP as a measuring stick? C'mon now.

I think it’s fair. If we would have lost a close game and fought till the end I might agree with you. That game yesterday though was garbage effort just like the Florida game. That was a failure of culture and leadership, not just getting beat by a better squad.
Zero passion or sense of urgency and zero in game adjustments
I still support Heupel 100% but he can’t let this sort of thing continue

 

[loservol]

We'll never get enough talent to win the SEC. There are just too many good programs in SE/SW states where people
sadly live for college football. And texas and oklahoma coming soon! And after them maybe clemson and fsu! And what is recruiting becoming? A bribery contest for the best talent? Seriously? A bunch of rich men at 16 SEC schools trying to outbid one another--and other programs from Big12/Big10!-- for five-star players, many of whom will be busts or transfer after a year or two? The only way we'd win the conference--and this applies to most SEC schools--is lightning in a bottle, which we almost had last year, and lightning-in-bottle years are obviously rare. The whole sport has become ridiculous. TV money has made it insane--and then the networks have to comically overhype games (for the insane fans), more than a few of which turn out to be duds.

Most of games have been duds this year. I'm really disapointed over this season.

 

[Volnbeers]

I'm sure this fan base isn't a lot different than others, but the amount of butthurt and fatalism on here is incredible. For the first time in a decade and a half we're playing meaningful games late in the season and recruiting well, and this only a couple years removed from being in the gutter.

It takes time to turn a roster over and build quality depth after losing a third of your roster, but so many were spoiled by last season that they've completely lost sight of that, and are expecting Georgia and Bama results when those schools have been recruiting at an elite level for a decade plus.

If we are having these same conversations in 2-3 seasons, then there might be a valid point, but until a coach has a chance to turn a roster over and establish his system and culture completely it is ridiculous to make comparisons with the few ultra-elite programs in CFP.

We’re currently ranked 8th in the SEC in recruiting

 

[tbh]

They're the guys that need to be the leaders. It has to be those who were recruited here who have been in the program and are on board that establish the culture, not transfers who are here for one season and move on.

Agreed, particularly on the bolded point. One and done portal mercs can be great gap-fillers, but I'd think the players who have the greatest chance of developing into leadership roles are multi-year members of the team. I'd love to see Iamaleava/Sampson and Pearce/Gibson become grow into that on their respective sides of the ball.

 

[Proud Army Wife]

Meh, I’m so numb to head-scratching losses at this point, I know longer allow them to ruin my weekend.

 

[Mccage]

I came straight here for the drama queens and y’all ain’t disappointing! So far I’ve seen a call for almost every coach to be replaced and most every player position blamed for the loss. Bright spot- punt team was awesome!
We’re three years away from a total program melt down and mass exodus. CJH has gotten expectations raised this high, this fast. I ain’t ready to give up on none of it yet.

It would be nice if football school was required before becoming a fan. I believe section 19b in the study guide book explains that sometimes **** just happens.

 

[livefaith]

I came straight here for the drama queens and y’all ain’t disappointing! So far I’ve seen a call for almost every coach to be replaced and most every player position blamed for the loss. Bright spot- punt team was awesome!
We’re three years away from a total program melt down and mass exodus. CJH has gotten expectations raised this high, this fast. I ain’t ready to give up on none of it yet.

This is awesome!

 

[livefaith]

This post makes the most sense!

Yet, had he posted it on Friday night and said we haven't really done anything yet, he would have been flamed mercilessly by those pushing us toward the playoff this year.

 

[sami]

We’re currently ranked 8th in the SEC in recruiting

Recruiting is only part of it - the development of talent is probably more critical. If recruiting was all that mattered, A&M would already have a national title. Heupel proved with Hooker that he has the developmental skills, and we'll see how this staff fares with the kids coming in the next 2-3 years.

 

[Orange931]

Our record through 10 games is about where most folks expected it to be…..

Every year is a different set of circumstances. Predictions are worthless with the movement of rosters and how good teams actually are. There are games that we should’ve won, not “it’s ok because we were gonna be 8-4 anyway”.

 

[sami]

I think it’s fair. If we would have lost a close game and fought till the end I might agree with you. That game yesterday though was garbage effort just like the Florida game. That was a failure of culture and leadership, not just getting beat by a better squad.
Zero passion or sense of urgency and zero in game adjustments
I still support Heupel 100% but he can’t let this sort of thing continue

If he lets this sort of thing continue he won't be long for the job, obviously.

I'm sorry, but blowout or close game, it's crazy to compare this program as it stands to the two premier programs in CFB. If you are saying the same thing in 2026, it'll have some merit. To make a judgement like that based on the results of whether one game is close or not makes zero sense.

I don't disagree a bit with the comments about the effort, coaching, adjustments, or execution yesterday - it was abysmal all around. But to me, making judgments about a program's standing that has so recently been dead in the water relative to the best football schools in the country is ridiculous.

Look at Kentucky, Florida, and USCjr, three programs who were all picked by many to finish high in the SEC East this season. You think any of them wouldn't be thrilled to end up 8-4 in an off year? Hell, those are historic seasons for USCjr and UK. Let's see how Missouri does next season.

We obviously set our sights higher, and hopefully will be able to make those comparisons to the blue blood programs in the not too distant future. Doing it now is just not fair to Heupel or the program, regardless how painful that loss was.

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

It's called seeing trends.

It’s called kneejerk reactions

 

[TnVol!]

NegaVolNstion. So predictable.

 

[Firebirdparts]

We'll never get enough talent to win the SEC. There are just too many good programs in SE/SW states where people
sadly live for college football. And texas and oklahoma coming soon! And after them maybe clemson and fsu! And what is recruiting becoming? A bribery contest for the best talent? Seriously? A bunch of rich men at 16 SEC schools trying to outbid one another--and other programs from Big12/Big10!-- for five-star players, many of whom will be busts or transfer after a year or two? The only way we'd win the conference--and this applies to most SEC schools--is lightning in a bottle, which we almost had last year, and lightning-in-bottle years are obviously rare. The whole sport has become ridiculous. TV money has made it insane--and then the networks have to comically overhype games (for the insane fans), more than a few of which turn out to be duds.

Glad it ain’t my money.

 

[BADGER_VOL]

We are exactly what we are a 8-4 football team.
Next year will be 8-4 , following year 9-3, following year 10-2 with possible playoff appearance. Then back to 8-4 and repeat cycle.

Well then you’re gonna be filthy rich cuz you can make lots of money gambling. Dang you’re good

 

[Chickenfarmer]

Did anyone really believe Milton would be another Hendon Hooker? This is his sixth collegiate season. He won the body lottery, but distance between the ears is too great to overcome to be an elite QB. We need an elite QB to overcome talent deficiencies in a lot of positions and not nearly enough depth when our #1’s go do down. Yesterday was embarrassing. So was second half in Tuscaloosa, Gainesville, Texas A&M was an ugly game. We are not there yet. May take 41 years to get there. That is how long it took UGA. Richt was a great coach and person. He had plenty of 10 plus win seasons. But he couldn’t win it all. I will be satisfied with 9-4.