VFLPastor
Follow King Jesus, cheer for the Vols.
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- Jan 20, 2011
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I've come to terms that its going to take a few seasons before we are seen as legitimate contenders. We just arent in the upper echolon of CFB in most of these recruits minds. Though we are certainly capable of getting back there. The only way we change it is with time. We have to earn our way by building a culture of success. Unfortunately its crowded at the top.
Everybody in the West expects to be good. Everybody outside of Vandy in the East at least has some momentum. Florida eventually will again. We're competing in the toughest conference and its only getting tougher. There is no overnight success. There are no magic tricks. We have to be patient and build quietly and efficiently. Take the best players we can and build a solid team that plays for each other and can compete with anybody.
The good news is we finally have a coach that's a bull in the ring. Nobody is going to enjoy playing us for the foreseeable future. We will eventually become synonymous with speed and scoring a lot and doing it fast. We have to finish the job on the big stage. We have to beat UGA or Bama. Thats the path out of this. Once that happens the floodgates can open again. The top talent will believe in the vision. Right now there's just been too much damage to the brand for these players that can go anywhere they want.
That being said, there's plenty of paths to improving the roster before next year. We just can't expect to be strolling right into every big dog battle and coming out on top just yet.
I agree with this take.
We're all eager to get to the top of the East. I know I certainly am. But I remember back when Spurrier (*spits words out of mouth*) built USCe to a regular threat in the East. He got them in that range around 10 wins pretty regularly, a few more quality recruits started showing up, and eventually, they were near the top of the discussion regularly. I could certainly be wrong, but it seems like that's our path.
I know everyone wants win-the-East-or-bust. And I think that's the right goal. But getting back is going to take building a history and pattern of winning. If we plateau at 9-11 wins for a few years, that's a marked improvement on the trash records we've been posting. But if we did that for a few years in a row, while being a real threat in big games, recruits would understand that they're coming to a place where winning is normal and they can expect it. We just haven't had that for a long time.
Building a "winning culture" (a proven history that our teams can regularly expect to win) will take us where we want to be. And then, by the time Napier's clock runs out and Saban retires and Dabo is in the NFL, we'll be back in the conversation as a power to contend with.
With regards,
One of those eternal sunshine pumpers...