Tennessee on the decline?

#1
Volstorm

Volstorm

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#1
Foxsports.com listed all D-1 schools and rated them as either a POTD (program on the decline) or PHS (program holding steady)

from foxsports.com:

24. Tennessee: Developing a quarterback and a better running game are priorities. If the Vols again spin their wheels on the ground, they're going to be hurting against big-time defenses. The schedule is nasty, so they shouldn't feel bad about an 8-3 season. POTD (program on the decline)
 
#4
#4
Except for LSU and Georgia, the rest of the SEC would kill to be "in decline" the way we are.
 
#5
#5
Any team who wins the MNC and doesn't immediately repeat (although that is basically impossible) will be considered to be in decline. Fox can :biteme: .
BUT.....I believe the Vols ARE getting spoiled and ARE declining in their hunger for
dominance. I miss the old Vols who didn't take ANY team for granted and appreciated every victory and didn't turn their noses up at ANY bowl bid. But that's just me.
 
#6
#6
I miss the old Vols who didn't take ANY team for granted and appreciated every victory and didn't turn their noses up at ANY bowl bid.

We took a lot of teams for granted, we just had the talent to beat them. Winning an NC will spoil any program, the trick is for the coaches to not be complacent with only 1 championship. We all miss the Fulmer of 1993, who had a hunger for this sport, and a need to win championships. And I hope he has found that spark due to the off the field stuff.

The fire for a team has to come from its leader first and foremost.
 
#7
#7
Originally posted by Volstorm@Aug 15, 2004 9:54 PM
The fire for a team has to come from its leader first and foremost.
Click to expand...

I kinda agree and I kinda don't. ( Lord, what English!)

I agree that the leader of a team SHOULD be fired up enough to motivate his/her players to play with intensity, heart, and hunger, but Pat Summit said it best when she said "You can't coach effort." These kids get out there with visions of the NFL dancing in their heads and God forbid they should play hard enough to risk an INJURY. You can lead a horse to water, but you CANNOT make him drink.
 
#8
#8
You can lead a horse to water, but you CANNOT make him drink.

But you can drown him.

Pat gets effort out of her players because they FEAR and RESPECT her. She knows they have off nights, but she can coach effort, and so can Fulmer.
 
#13
#13
Interesting - there must be an affiliation between foxsports and The Sporting News. Last Friday's Sporting News was the college football preview edition and beside each team's little write-up, they had an arrow indicating the direction the program was heading - UT's article was remarkably similar to the one quoted above and also showed us as a program on the decline.

I disagree - I think we've hit our low point and are on the rebound back up. When some of these young guys we're so excited about now get another year or two of seasoning, we're headed right back to being a top 10 - top 5 team.
 
#14
#14
Funny how one game can do so much to change perceptions. The Vols were poised to finish in the top five had they dispatched Clemson last season in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Do that, and the previous season's 8-5 looks like a minor blip on the screen. However, consecutive bowl losses to ACC teams -- which includes an 8-5 season that started with so much "unfinished business" hoopla -- and now the Vols are in decline? How many programs in decline win on the road at Florida and at Miami? How many programs win at those 2 place period! Ahh! The best way to prove those guys wrong is on the field of play. If the Vols go on and take care of business this season, all that nonsense will be forgotten.
 
#15
#15
We used to be able to take care of teams like Clemson. I never discount what we were able to do last year, but the lack of effort in 2 bowl games (and vs. GA) is too much.
 
#16
#16
How can you dispute that Tennessee has been on the decline, our last SEC Championship was 6 years ago, We haven't beaten a major rival, Georgia in 4, the bowl record over the past 5 years is pitiful.

I think it is objective to say that UT has been in a decline.
 
#17
#17
Originally posted by Volunteer@Aug 16, 2004 9:16 PM
How can you dispute that Tennessee has been on the decline, our last SEC Championship was 6 years ago, We haven't beaten a major rival, Georgia in 4, the bowl record over the past 5 years is pitiful.

I think it is objective to say that UT has been in a decline.
Click to expand...

Volunteer I think most teams would love to be considered in a decline coming off of a 10 win season. That tells me alot about the reputation of our program. Georgia has been a hot program under Richt. Not many teams have beaten them regularly.


[[4 20's baby]]
 
#18
#18
Originally posted by Volunteer@Aug 16, 2004 9:16 PM
How can you dispute that Tennessee has been on the decline, our last SEC Championship was 6 years ago, We haven't beaten a major rival, Georgia in 4, the bowl record over the past 5 years is pitiful.

I think it is objective to say that UT has been in a decline.
Click to expand...

:disappointed:

I think you could say that there have been some disappointments the last couple of years, but that's true of any season where you don't go undefeated. The fact is, last year we tied for 1st in the SEC East and other than LSU, nobody in the SEC had a better record than us.

If that's a program in decline then let me ride that ship to the bottom. :twocents:

 
#20
#20
Okay, since top 5 is kind of the status that the Vols aspire to on a consistant basis, I've posted the highest ranking at the end of each season for the Vols dating back to 1983. Going back in 5 year increments, it appears that the Vols consistantly finish with one top 5 appearance every 5 years.

And of course the Vols are in decline since 1999, anything but a National Championship after the '98 season would be considered a decline.... even a # 2 finish in the polls would be considered a decline...



1999-2003 included 1 top 5 finish. Twice had the best record, or tied for best record, in the SEC East Division.

1999 9th
2000 25th
2001 4th (SEC EAST)
2002 not ranked
2003 15th (SEC EAST-TIED)

1994-1998 included 1 top 5 finish. Twice had the best record in the SEC East Division and won the SEC Championship both times. Also won the 1st BCS championship.

1994 18th
1995 2nd
1996 9th
1997 7th (SEC Champs)
1998 1st (SEC Champs)

1989-1993 included 1 top 5 finish and also included 2 SEC Championships.

1989 5th (co-SEC Champs)
1990 7th (SEC Champs)
1991 14th
1992 12th
1993 11th

1984-1988 included 1 top 5 finish. Includes 1 SEC Championship.
1984 nr
1985 4 (SEC Champs)
1986 nr
1987 13
1988 nr

The Vols were only ranked one season between 1979-1983. However, did include 2 victories over Alabama.
1979 nr
1980 nr
1981 nr
1982 nr
1983 17
 
#21
#21
Starting quarterbacks and final ranking:

1983 17 Alan Cockrell
1984 nr Tony Robinson
1985 4 Tony Robinson/Daryl Dickey
1986 nr Jeff Francis
1987 13 Jeff Francis
1988 nr Jeff Francis
1989 5 Andy Kelly
1990 7 Andy Kelly
1991 14 Andy Kelly
1992 12 Heath Shuler
1993 11 Heath Shuler
1994 18 Peyton Manning
1995 2 Peyton Manning
1996 9 Peyton Manning
1997 7 Peyton Manning
1998 1 Tee Martin
1999 9 Tee Martin
2000 25 Casey Clausen
2001 4 Casey Clausen
2002 NR Casey Clausen
2003 15 Casey Clausen
 
#22
#22
Decline? No

Far and away best in the East? Yes

We can hate UGA all we want but Richt is putting together a damn good team every year.
 
#23
#23
Originally posted by allvol@Aug 17, 2004 4:38 PM
1988 nr Jeff Francis
Click to expand...

5-6 with an 0-6 start . . . Now THAT was a year in decline!
 
#25
#25
What I remember most about Sanders was throwing 3 interceptions in one game!
 
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