The Official #9 Tennessee @ #8 Ohio State Game Thread, 8:00 PM ET, ABC/ESPN

[tnvols72]

If this game was in Warm and Sunny Knoxville, would the result have been different ?

nope , we still have the same offense and defense

 

[Anti-shunshinepumper]

OSU fans now get Day for another year. Not sure they are happy about that but probably should be. Crazy how he was on the hot seat after that Michigan loss and programs like ours are happy with mediocrity. I'm not saying we necessarily need to fire Heupel but some heat under his seat next year may not be such a bad thing if we regress.

 

[DC_Vol]

Going back 26 years to find one says how disappointing this game was.

Hey bro, the question was asked and I have a few others to chew on. We’ve been here before. This is just recency bias.

 

[Memphisvol87]

Portal isn’t going to solve our issues.

Yes it is.

 

[patrick]

I think it will be best for some of us to check out after this. Just let the team quietly make adjustment and try to forget like this ever happened.

Team has

Too bad we saved Pittman's job and we're stuck with Elarbee. I doubt it happens but there needs to be some staff moving. Pope, decent recruiter but crap developer. Elarbee is playing a damn walk on at tackle and Oline roulette. Martinez needs to be nixed. Most importantly, you have two years of Hazle sucking. He obviously can't help building a game plan against an opponent which was a big thing Golesh did as "OC"

Yeah - I wanted Pittman. But Heupel wouldn’t fire his boy Elarbee even if Pittman was available.

Heupel isn’t a mercenary like Saban or the other top coaches.

 

[C-south]

Legit question for Danny - does the talent fee go towards coach upgrades also?

Is it refundable?

 

[Chattahooligan]

Let's see..

Do you feel validated that you were miserable….and now you’re still miserable?

 

[nomads-11]

To win championships you might want to invest in an elite defense that means all levels . We are sooooo far away.

Well basd on tonight's performance you'd definitely think so. IMO, we aren't that bad....just mis-used when it counts w/o adjustments.

 

[Vawlk Tuah]

Also, for Heupel to take that next step is to become a CEO and hire an OC he trusts to do their job. He doesn't need to be involved with playcalling every offensive snap. Good news, We finally did what it took to get to the dance, now they got a real look at what a playoff team is and playing in it. Take the next step,

 

[CAVPUT]

We’re almost there, just 32 points shy so far

We were so close tonight.

 

[Dergibvol]

If this game was in Warm and Sunny Knoxville, would the result have been different ?

Team plays better at home. Not sure the temperature had anything to do with it as much as a heupel team on the road. Still think OSU wins. Honestly OSU was the one team I didn't want.

 

[orangerush]

Do we have any coaching depth, that’s where it all starts.

 

[VolCalls]

Herbie grasping at straws to try and say something positive about the Vols. He’s doing better than I could.

 

[GiveHim6InSC]

Respectfully, it doesn't appear to be going down the tubes at Ohio State, Texas, Oregon, etc.

I’m referring to the portal and quitting with adversity. Those teams had their time too.

 

[Cornvol]

Many playoff teams have embarrassing loss. ND had the worst one. UT faced UGA at their house after an embarrassing loss to OM and now OSU after their embarrassing loss to Michigan, which they took heat for a couple weeks to stew now. Both teams UT faced played lights out the game after. Unfortunately UTs embarrassing loss happened in the playoffs with no redemption potential game. Had UT had this game tape for OSUs last game, I think it would be a much better gameplan. Hopefully they take this beat down in the offseason to improve. I remember the 97 team did with that 42-17 beat down Nebraska gave them.

And pretty good following year

 

[Steinlöwen]

I hope we dont have a ton of players entering the portal after this

The portal is already full of mediocre talent.

 

[Cartervol]

That talent tax for 10th ranked classes will fix it..

 

[tnvols72]

Pope, Martinez, and Elarbee have to go this off-season. If not, heupel isn't serious about taking that next step.

I said the same thing. His friends will end up getting him fired and if he is not willing to make changes then he deserves to be fired

 

[TrueOrange]

Finally over 200 yards of total offense…with like 5 minutes left in the game.

 

[Bainx]

If this game was in Warm and Sunny Knoxville, would the result have been different ?

I dare say Vols would have stood a chance

 

[BeardedVol]

To be fair, TN will never be able to recruit at the level of Texas or UGA. I don’t think we’ll ever fall to the laughing stocks of the coaches before him, but he has to be able to make some staffing changes, and one of these qb’s he’s recruited has to hit. I’m pretty friking pissed off that we can’t produce a complete team at this point and Nico still looks like a deer in headlights with our fanbase traveling to support them. We deserve more than this showing.

We probably can't get the same level of talent out of high school, but with the right assistants, Heupel could build a consistently competitive team with NIL money and the portal.

He's not going to with the likes of Martinez, Elarbee, and Halzle being kept on staff year in and year out.

If you are trying to get to the NFL you are not going to go to a school where you are getting coached by guys like that.

 

[BreatheUT]

This game broke me as far as confidence where the program is. We got abused without vaseline.

 

[LLcoolDave]

damn brazzell

 

[The Original Fade]

Portal isn’t going to solve our issues.

Why not? Players are just following the money. Just call up the best 10 players in the country and offer them 10 mil per year. Welcome to college football in 2025

 

[tnvols72]

lol Brazzle