Nothing has really changed, IMO

[Chilmonty]

We are pretty much where almost everyone predicted we would at this point in the season 4-5.

The problem is almost every late season SEC team on our schedule is way better than at the start! Was Auburn even ranked at the beginning of the season?? Mizzou?? Now they are both top ten! Yikes!

The fact is that I have always seen this as a "throwaway" year due to all the changes in coaching, schemes, roster, etc.

We are the same team as last year, but with with less talent on offense! The D is pretty much the same with only a few freshman and walk-ons! Clearly, we just don't have the talent to compete with top SEC teams. So what do you expect? And our schedule...OMG! Name the other team that plays #1 and #2 on the road this season.......

Winning in the SEC, for better or worse, comes down to one primary thing...RECRUITING! AL has had the #1 class 3 years running, and how has that worked out for them?? And now Butch has the #2 class in the country behind only...guess who?

I think we can still get to a bowl with the 2 game home stretch (thank the Lord) we have coming, and that is all I have wanted since this season began.

Come on guys, play Auburn tough, and beat Candy and KY Jelly and all is well! If you can't see how bright the future is, get to an Ophthalmologist! Butch has so much positive going, after being here less than a year, it is mind blowing!

Just a side note about Dobbs, if Smith catches that easy TD pass, Dobbs has almost 300 yds passing for the game! Just an observation, don't Taze me!


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[UNAVol89]

I'd rather not see Smith anywhere near the field after that disaster.

 

[RonBnTennessee]

We have NO depth!

 

[RockyTop411]

Dobbs wasn't the problem, as you stated. Hell he could've been 28/42, 280 yds, 2 tds and 2 ints. Not too bad for being on the road vs a top 10 team. We will be 6-6 with a bowl.

 

[fade route]

Fanbase abandoned all reality after the UGA and USCjr games. Too many people used those 2 games to convince themselves we were really a top 25 team, which is ridiculous.

 

[oregonvol]

The problem (to me at least) isn't the record. It's the blowout losses where we didn't even muster any competition. When is the last time a great coach took over a program and just got blown out and embarassed repeatedly? It doesn't seem to happen very often with quality coaches. Even James Franklin only had one real blowout loss (to Alabama) his first year at Vanderbilt (having taken over a team that went 2-10 the year before, had hardly any talent, and played an SEC schedule).

 

[dblutfan]

We are pretty much where almost everyone predicted we would at this point in the season 4-5.

The problem is almost every late season SEC team on our schedule is way better than at the start! Was Auburn even ranked at the beginning of the season?? Mizzou?? Now they are both top ten! Yikes!

The fact is that I have always seen this as a "throwaway" year due to all the changes in coaching, schemes, roster, etc.

We are the same team as last year, but with with less talent on offense! The D is pretty much the same with only a few freshman and walk-ons! Clearly, we just don't have the talent to compete with top SEC teams. So what do you expect? And our schedule...OMG! Name the other team that plays #1 and #2 on the road this season.......

Winning in the SEC, for better or worse, comes down to one primary thing...RECRUITING! AL has had the #1 class 3 years running, and how has that worked out for them?? And now Butch has the #2 class in the country behind only...guess who?

I think we can still get to a bowl with the 2 game home stretch (thank the Lord) we have coming, and that is all I have wanted since this season began.

Come on guys, play Auburn tough, and beat Candy and KY Jelly and all is well! If you can't see how bright the future is, get to an Ophthalmologist! Butch has so much positive going, after being here less than a year, it is mind blowing!

Just a side note about Dobbs, if Smith catches that easy TD pass, Dobbs has almost 300 yds passing for the game! Just an observation, don't Taze me!


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Well said OP.....Nice to see somone understands the process that has to take place.

 

[oregonvol]

Fanbase abandoned all reality after the UGA and USCjr games. Too many people used those 2 games to convince themselves we were really a top 25 team, which is ridiculous.

Where are all these posts claiming we are a top 25 team? I can't find any.

 

[PACKERVOL]

I was really upset about the outcome being as bad as it was, too. We just got dominated on both the O and D lines. As stated above, "We have NO depth!" I think that is a big part of the problem at MO. Many of these guys have started simply wearing out. I know the team was put on a pre-season of conditioning that was pretty severe so they would be the "best conditioned" team in all games we would play. Also, due to team depth issues, they aren't doing full go practices in pads because players are simply worn out and banged up. I just hope the guys can get it done against Aub., Vandy and/or KY to get 2 wins out of 3. The excitement after beating SC has just fallen off the cliff.

 

[sjt18]

We are pretty much where almost everyone predicted we would at this point in the season 4-5.

Nope.

The problem is almost every late season SEC team on our schedule is way better than at the start! Was Auburn even ranked at the beginning of the season?? Mizzou?? Now they are both top ten! Yikes!

Same rosters we knew they would have when the season started.

The fact is that I have always seen this as a "throwaway" year due to all the changes in coaching, schemes, roster, etc.

ABSOLUTELY NOT. At a minimum, most expected "improvement" across the season. The last two games have been steps backwards... not forwards.

We are the same team as last year, but with with less talent on offense!

But supposedly better coaching. The OL is not as good as it was last year regardless of the other positions

The D is pretty much the same with only a few freshman and walk-ons!

There is enough talent on D to NOT have Mizzou's 2* OL's push them around all game and beat them with essentially ONE PLAY... which they frequently ran 2 or even 3 times in a row with success.

Clearly, we just don't have the talent to compete with top SEC teams. So what do you expect?

A credible effort against teams with equal or less talent... like Mizzou.

And our schedule...OMG! Name the other team that plays #1 and #2 on the road this season.......

Did anyone expect to beat them? No. But some sign of life would have been nice.

Winning in the SEC, for better or worse, comes down to one primary thing...RECRUITING!

Oh, I guess that explains why Mizzou with at least two former walk-ons and several 2* players just thumped UT, right?

AL has had the #1 class 3 years running, and how has that worked out for them??

Who expected UT to beat Bama? Mizzou has had only ONE top 25 class in the last 4 seasons. How did that work for them?

And now Butch has the #2 class in the country behind only...guess who?

I think we can still get to a bowl with the 2 game home stretch (thank the Lord) we have coming, and that is all I have wanted since this season began.

Underperformance with this roster does not make me feel any better about the future. Talent may get you to 9 or 10 wins. It takes elite coaching to get you to championships.

Six wins is what I would have expected of a Dooley level HC... not someone who will lead UT to championships.

Come on guys, play Auburn tough, and beat Candy and KY Jelly and all is well!

If you set the bar low enough... maybe we can tear down the goal posts after beating Vandy?

COME ON GUY, if you want to be a 2nd tier also-ran then expecting 6 wins from a roster capable of more is fine. If you want to see championships in K'ville then you want to see a staff that wins more games than it "should" have.

If you can't see how bright the future is, get to an Ophthalmologist!

This is nothing but blind faith my friend. You must recruit... and you must coach. The recruiting looks fine... there are MAJOR questions and especially on D concerning the coaching. The OL coaching doesn't look that strong right now either.

Just a side note about Dobbs, if Smith catches that easy TD pass, Dobbs has almost 300 yds passing for the game! Just an observation, don't Taze me!

Dobbs was thrown into a tough situation and made some great plays. Unfortunately, he made mistakes that were very costly. One TO set up a score for Mizzou. The other two stopped potential scoring drives. OTOH, the OL played badly... and I'd really love to use some more colorful descriptions. Neal played horribly. The D played badly and was coached badly.

The ONLY positive I really took away from the game was the play of Dobbs. Mistakes can be corrected. He just needed more help.

 

[Gramps]

I believe it was said in the summer if Butch Jones went 6-6 with this team he should be SEC Coach of the year.

 

[Recoil]

I was really upset about the outcome being as bad as it was, too. We just got dominated on both the O and D lines. As stated above, "We have NO depth!" I think that is a big part of the problem at MO. Many of these guys have started simply wearing out. I know the team was put on a pre-season of conditioning that was pretty severe so they would be the "best conditioned" team in all games we would play. Also, due to team depth issues, they aren't doing full go practices in pads because players are simply worn out and banged up. I just hope the guys can get it done against Aub., Vandy and/or KY to get 2 wins out of 3. The excitement after beating SC has just fallen off the cliff.

In before:

'but, but, but, look how many 4 star recruits we've had over the past 6 years.'

 

[OSVolFan]

I agree OP and FTR I am full Butch, but I think most Tennessee fans are ready for a football team that consistently overachieves instead of just being where they are suppose to be. Go Vols.

 

[BeardedVol]

Fanbase abandoned all reality after the UGA and USCjr games. Too many people used those 2 games to convince themselves we were really a top 25 team, which is ridiculous.

I don't think the fanbase abandoned reality, because it honestly seemed like we were making improvements as the season came along.

The Alabama game was a beatdown by superior talent in a well-established system, but that is not what we saw this past Saturday. It was a regression: dropped passes, high snaps, procedural penalties, poor tackling, poor blocking, and bad angles on nearly every defensive play.

Two steps forward and one step back every week just will not cut it in the SEC.

 

[sjt18]

Where are all these posts claiming we are a top 25 team? I can't find any.

There were some questioning if UT would be ranked if they had won this or that game.

Fade Route has a really, really bad habit though of falsely exaggerating someone else's position to create strawmen he can then burn down easily. He's a one trick pony... that's his trick.

 

[VeeOhElEsYes]

I just want to go bowling. "Lets roll Donny" 6-6. 7-5 would make me attempt an unsuccessful backflip.

 

[sjt18]

I agree OP and FTR I am full Butch, but I think most Tennessee fans are ready for a football team that consistently overachieves instead of just being where they are suppose to be. Go Vols.

EXACTLY... and THAT is what gets you to the top tier.

 

[oregonvol]

Nope.

Same rosters we knew they would have when the season started.

ABSOLUTELY NOT. At a minimum, most expected "improvement" across the season. The last two games have been steps backwards... not forwards.

But supposedly better coaching. The OL is not as good as it was last year regardless of the other positions There is enough talent on D to NOT have Mizzou's 2* OL's push them around all game and beat them with essentially ONE PLAY... which they frequently ran 2 or even 3 times in a row with success. A credible effort against teams with equal or less talent... like Mizzou.

Did anyone expect to beat them? No. But some sign of life would have been nice.

Oh, I guess that explains why Mizzou with at least two former walk-ons and several 2* players just thumped UT, right?
Who expected UT to beat Bama? Mizzou has had only ONE top 25 class in the last 4 seasons. How did that work for them?

Underperformance with this roster does not make me feel any better about the future. Talent may get you to 9 or 10 wins. It takes elite coaching to get you to championships.

Six wins is what I would have expected of a Dooley level HC... not someone who will lead UT to championships.

If you set the bar low enough... maybe we can tear down the goal posts after beating Vandy?

COME ON GUY, if you want to be a 2nd tier also-ran then expecting 6 wins from a roster capable of more is fine. If you want to see championships in K'ville then you want to see a staff that wins more games than it "should" have.

This is nothing but blind faith my friend. You must recruit... and you must coach. The recruiting looks fine... there are MAJOR questions and especially on D concerning the coaching. The OL coaching doesn't look that strong right now either.

Dobbs was thrown into a tough situation and made some great plays. Unfortunately, he made mistakes that were very costly. One TO set up a score for Mizzou. The other two stopped potential scoring drives. OTOH, the OL played badly... and I'd really love to use some more colorful descriptions. Neal played horribly. The D played badly and was coached badly.

The ONLY positive I really took away from the game was the play of Dobbs. Mistakes can be corrected. He just needed more help.

Usually, I don't go in for all the "virtual bro hugs/OMG you made my points for me!" back patting here, but I have to say, this is an excellent post.

 

[fade route]

There were some questioning if UT would be ranked if they had won this or that game.

Fade Route has a really, really bad habit though of falsely exaggerating someone else's position to create strawmen he can then burn down easily. He's a one trick pony... that's his trick.

Thanks Dr. Phil.

 

[oregonvol]

There were some questioning if UT would be ranked if they had won this or that game.

Fade Route has a really, really bad habit though of falsely exaggerating someone else's position to create strawmen he can then burn down easily. He's a one trick pony... that's his trick.

Yeah, I remember the hopeful speculation that we might be ranked if this or that were to happen. But yeah, I also google searched through the last month and couldn't find anyone claiming we were a top 25 team. But yet fade route claims to have seen alot of them. Weird.

 

[sjt18]

Thanks Dr. Phil.

Dr Phil? LOL... you prove my point with only 3 words. OUTSTANDING.

 

[sjt18]

On a positive note... UT plays another "beatable" team this weekend. They have a better roster but they also have weaknesses that can be exploited with a good gameplan and execution.

 

[TucsonVol]

We should not concern ourselves with loses, after all it is just a game. We should make sure the players have enough to eat and that they are tucked in at night. We should have focus groups to interview the players to make sure the facilities are good enough and that the coaches say things to the players that are pleasing to hear. The players should not be tied to performance goals or have any accountability. Our players should be considered as the practice squad for the SEC and be happy about any losses they incur. Geez......we don't expect this team to win! What is wrong with us???? Just showing up is good enough....right?

 

[wmcovol]

Mental letdown after beating sc. Team hasnt responded yet. they better this week or it will be very embarassing.

 

[fade route]

Dr Phil? LOL... you prove my point with only 3 words. OUTSTANDING.

I guess you missed the joke.......figures.