Savor this moment!

#26
#26
Voltopia said:
It’s been a good year. It could have been an epic year. But Tennessee blinked in the spotlight. That’s life. Enjoy while it’s here, because there are no guarantees.
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I really like the “blinked in the spotlight.” That is true and I think it is important to note we are not the only team to choke a little under expectations. USC, TCU, Clemson, etc. a lot of teams wilted in the spotlight at the end. None of that should take away the start of what should be a very exciting era for Tennessee.
 
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#29
#29
amaralfan1 said:
It's going to be hard to reflect on this season until we get a truthful accounting of what happened the week of the SC game.
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What does that even mean? What makes you think there's going to be some sort of investigation revealing these deep inner secrets, and how will that make it easier to reflect on the season? If we have a definite culprit, it will make you happier?

There was a locker room issue, and some immature players handled it badly. That said, SC played great and handed our asses to us. There, now we can hopefully reflect.
 
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#30
#30
What could have been.

But...I remember sitting here watching Pitt about to go up 17-0 midway through the 1st quarter, in game 1....................10-2 is great!
 
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#32
#32
sami said:
What does that even mean? What makes you think there's going to be some sort of investigation revealing these deep inner secrets, and how will that make it easier to reflect on the season? If we have a definite culprit, it will make you happier?

There was a locker room issue, and some immature players handled it badly. That said, SC played great and handed our asses to us. There, now we can hopefully reflect.
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It means that for the first time since Heupel arrived... He has had a Dooley moment (half the team deciding not to play). When it happened to Dooley, it cost us a bowl game (and an utterly embarrassing loss). Heupel's Dooley Moment cost us a slot in the CFP.

The question, do the top coaches in college football have these moments?
 
#33
#33
dtnvol said:
I don't know...we'll still have great players with a ton coming in...and there's the T-portal and JUCO as well...👍
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Surely it couldn't be any worse than it was when players left two years ago with the coaching change. This was a fabulous year for the Vols! Sure there was on really disappointing game but this team and coaching staff have done an incredible job.
 
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#34
#34
I am grateful. A couple decades of wishing we would just beat the teams we are supposed to makes 10-2 feel like a three peat NC.
I'm excited. We over performed. I'd rather have lost to SC then lost to Bama.
I'm proud of our boys
 
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#35
#35
amaralfan1 said:
It means that for the first time since Heupel arrived... He has had a Dooley moment (half the team deciding not to play). When it happened to Dooley, it cost us a bowl game (and an utterly embarrassing loss). Heupel's Dooley Moment cost us a slot in the CFP.

The question, do the top coaches in college football have these moments?
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Why wait, let's just fire him now and be done with it. Why take chances?

Comparing Heupel in any way, shape, or form with Dooley might be the single dumbest thing posted yet on here, and that's saying something.
 
#36
#36
It's a bittersweet moment for sure. I was holding out hope until the last moment that the committee would do the right thing and put us ahead of Bama. The agony of having a silver of hope has kept me from eating or sleeping for 2 weeks now. I've been neglecting work, family, and all responsibilities trying to think of and justify our inclusion in the top 4. Now that it's finally over, I'm hoping that I can let it go, get some rest, and enjoy the Orange Bowl.
 
#37
#37
Volos said:
It's a bittersweet moment for sure. I was holding out hope until the last moment that the committee would do the right thing and put us ahead of Bama. The agony of having a silver of hope has kept me from eating or sleeping for 2 weeks now. I've been neglecting work, family, and all responsibilities trying to think of and justify our inclusion in the top 4. Now that it's finally over, I'm hoping that I can let it go, get some rest, and enjoy the Orange Bowl.
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As it turns out all it would have done is put us at 5 and in the sugar. As it turns out I would rather be in Orange Bowl. Use the snub as motivation. We should have been 5th but the top 4 are right and deserving even though I think Ohio St gets more special treatment than Bama. And being 5th or 6th is great but don’t get you nothing. Now if Bama has made it in I would be much more upset. GBO
 
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#38
#38
dtnvol said:
I'm happy with no 6...sure it would've been nice to have beaten SC and be in the playoffs, but it didn't happen and I've moved in from that...A ton of teams have had a disappointing lost this season...we're headed in the right direction and hopefully our defense is much better next season...VFL 🏈 GBO 🧡👊🍊
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Yeah, our defense still needs an upgrade before taking that next step up. We really weren’t good enough to win the playoff. At least with the Orange Bowl, maybe we can win the last game of the year to end on a positive note. With our defense, a trip to the playoff this season would not have ended as nicely as it maybe will
 
#39
#39
Boring football, tons of losses, just hoping Tennessee can beat the tougher cupcake non conference games, Vandy and Missouri, being excited to see a score or two vs Bama

NOW competitive vs most everyone, exciting football, cupcakes are simply cupcakes, Vandy is simply Vandy, Tennessee CAN & DID beat Florida & Bama…….not just score!!!

Football is fun again

Tennessee doesn’t have to be the best in year 2……..I’m happy just being good!!! And Tennessee IS good.
 
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#40
#40
'Boro-vol said:
Losing to SC may end up being valuable as a teaching moment. I have no regrets over this season. We overachieved my expectations and can grow from the experience. With another year to prepare for the 12 team playoff, we are in a good spot for sustained success. I am enjoying the ride, and the rise back to CFB prominence for the Power T. It really reminds me of the late 80’s and early 90’s…and I believe we’ll end up at the top of the heap sooner rather than later.
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Well said. Hope you’re right. Have to take advantage of the moment while UT is top of
mind and recruit with the big boys right now. Do that and I think we keep closing the gap on depth and talent.
 
#43
#43
imavolfan said:
10-2 in JH’s second year and we helped to keep Alabama out of the playoffs. Something to be proud of.
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After 2020, I didn't care who we hired and my expectations were low for a Vols fan. I didn't care if we won at all, I simply wanted us to show up and be competitive. I didn't care if we lost as long as I could tell that everyone was giving all they had.

I was so far down the gutter I just wanted a little reason to have hope. I wanted to see a light at the end of the tunnel, even if the tunnel was 500miles long.

We all know what UT is capable of, but we had less than zero reasons to believe we were anywhere close to achieving our potential and more reasons to believe we were headed in the opposite direction.

It's easy to change expectations as the year moves along and the success begins to build. It's easy to forget just how bad we had it when you're having dinner with winners almost every single week.

The Year 2 Vols are in my top 3 favorite football teams of all time. They quickly gave us hope for the future and reached heights most of us just knew would reasonably take 5+ years to achieve.

This class of Vols have set the new standard for what's expected on Rocky Top and announced to the college football world that we're back.

We finally have hope and tangible evidence that we're on the right track and will continue to compete for a role as the best football team in America.

Thank you to the coaches, players and staff.
 
#46
#46
ohhbother said:
Maybe it's just because I'm getting older, but time has taught me disappointments can be important stepping stones. I believe our team will learn from the loss in Columbia and will be stronger for it next season.
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Let’s hope. I heard Heupel’s comments on the bowl selection and it didn’t exactly have me ready to run through a wall. After last year’s bowl disaster, I wonder how up he gets for these things. I also wonder how much can be done to really fix this defense. Of course, Clemson solves their QB problem just in time, so this Isn’t going to be Vandy we’re going against. A win, or super competitive showing will go a long way for me.
 
#47
#47
FBtime said:
Agree but it’s hard not to reflect on what we lost.
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Fanbases that feel the same way: Alabama, Clemson, Penn State, USC, Washington. Getting into the top 4 is hard. The simple truth is that we and those teams lacked the ability to either win big games or overcome adversity.

UGA, on the other hand, was good enough to win on their worst days (Kent State & Missouri). TCU defense carried the team when offense didn’t show up vs Texas. Michigan had enough depth at RB to not skip a beat when their best player was hurt in their biggest game.

We didn’t have enough depth to win without Banks. And our offense wasn’t good enough without Hooker to make up for our defense getting abused.

It is what it is, but landing in the Orange Bowl is a huge step in the right direction and a great opportunity to continue building momentum
 
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