Vols No. 6 in Preseason SP+ Rankings

#32
#32
Godfatha said:
I don't understand Penn State where they are at.
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The problem is that OSU, MU, and PSU have pathetic schedules aside from the games against each other, insuring three 1-loss teams or a 2-loss team, 1-loss team and an unbeaten one, like last season.

Given the committee's Big 10 bias and reluctance to penalize the fact that Big 10 schedules are inherently weak, those three will be in the top 10, and a couple in the top 5 year in and year out.

SEC teams have to go through a meat grinder schedule (well, aside from Georgia at least through 2023) which will only get tougher in 2024 and beyond. I hate the expanded playoff, but without an emphasis on schedule strength the Big 10 would have been ensured of 1-2 teams in the current setup every year moving forward
 
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#34
#34
You know, I'm just glad that Tennessee is back in the conversation. My worry is that we had a unicorn season and the Vols don't fix the problems with the secondary, which, to me at least, was/is, our most glaring fault.
 
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#35
#35
mudhen said:
You know, I'm just glad that Tennessee is back in the conversation. My worry is that we had a unicorn season and the Vols don't fix the problems with the secondary, which, to me at least, was/is, our most glaring fault.
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If I am being honest, that is my biggest fear too..
 
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#36
#36
I think number 6 is too high and it’s way too early. Unfortunately I’m afraid we will regress back some next season to 9-3 or 8-4 but I don’t see us going worse than 8-4 but we do have a more challenging schedule. Florida on the road, A&M at home, Bama on the road and Georgia at home we could easily lose all four of those games.
 
#37
#37
Boston Vol said:
They return 13 starters from last years Rose Bowl winning team. They return one of the best offensive lines in the country and added a couple of key pieces in the portal. Plus they have a five star QB ready to take over for Sean Clifford. Still don’t think they’re on the level of OSU/Michigan, but should be good nonetheless
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They have a young qb ready to ball out. Did ok in the portal too. They should challenge for the B1G title.
 
#40
#40
mudhen said:
You know, I'm just glad that Tennessee is back in the conversation. My worry is that we had a unicorn season and the Vols don't fix the problems with the secondary, which, to me at least, was/is, our most glaring fault.
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I strongly believe we have much better talent the secondary this Fall than we had in 2021 and 2022 And not all of it is incoming Freshmen. Being here for Winter workouts and Spring practice will be of great benefit for those who entered school this semester. As a result, I expect our defense to be much improved by mid October. The defense will just get better and better as the season progresses.
 
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#42
#42
LittleVol said:
We'll see.

Kentucky has been recruiting at a top 25 level for 6 years now.

Also they got some really good transfers.
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Dunno about their transfers, but a few things are certain:

(1) Kentucky has not been recruiting at a top 25 level. Their average ranking (247 Sports) over the past six classes is 29th. That consists of one really good (by KY standards) class, ranked 14th ... another ranked 25th ... and all the rest are between 30th and 37th. The best you could say of them is that they are consistently a top-40 recruiting power.

(2) Since you and Spooky were comparing them to South Carolina's roster: USCe recruited better than Kentucky four of the past six seasons. In fact, the Gamecocks' recruiting classes were ranked in the top 25 most of the past six years (one really bad year in '21 kept them from sweeping it). What you said about KY, that's actually more true of USCe.

(3) You weren't comparing either team to the Vols in this part of the conversation, but since our #6 pre-season ranking is the subject of this thread, I'll just point out that the Vols out-recruited BOTH the Wildcats and the Gamecocks most of the past six seasons. Yes, even through the disaster-ridden Pruitt years and the rough transition to Heupel, we were still out-recruiting both those programs most years. And our average class ranking for the six-year stretch, at #15, beats both handily.

Go Vols!

source used: 2023 Recruit Football Team Rankings (and associated pages from other years)
 
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#43
#43
I would rather be 1st at the end of the bowls and Championship games. Watching UT teams this year, high rankings are a poison pill even if temporarily. One game at a time mentality is best. One neutral site to warm up on and then four games to build a consistent performing team should work in our favor. I like our odds against Mizzou and then Florida on the road before one heck of a game at Bama. Let's all hope the injury bug stays away from our team this coming season.
 
#44
#44
VFL-82-JP said:
Dunno about their transfers, but a few things are certain:

(1) Kentucky has not been recruiting at a top 25 level. Their average ranking (247 Sports) over the past six classes is 29th. That consists of one really good (by KY standards) class, ranked 14th ... another ranked 25th ... and all the rest are between 30th and 37th. The best you could say of them is that they are consistently a top-40 recruiting power.

(2) Since you and Spooky were comparing them to South Carolina's roster: USCe recruited better than Kentucky four of the past six seasons. In fact, the Gamecocks' recruiting classes were ranked in the top 25 most of the past six years (one really bad year in '21 kept them from sweeping it). What you said about KY, that's actually more true of USCe.

(3) You weren't comparing either team to the Vols in this part of the conversation, but since our #6 pre-season ranking is the subject of this thread, I'll just point out that the Vols out-recruited BOTH the Wildcats and the Gamecocks most of the past six seasons. Yes, even through the disaster-ridden Pruitt years and the rough transition to Heupel, we were still out-recruiting both those programs most years. And our average class ranking for the six-year stretch, at #15, beats both handily.

Go Vols!

source used: 2023 Recruit Football Team Rankings (and associated pages from other years)
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1) Check Rivals.


2) DON'T check Rivals because I hardly give a damn about recruiting rankings anyway. I'm talking about the actual talent and how it's being developed relative to the rest of the country.

3) I was talking about UKs talking talent (half of which you aren't even aware of) vs South Carolinas. So why are you bringing up Tennessee? You're just being a big drama bug for damn reason. Shut up...
 
#45
#45
pimo1 said:
9 of the top 25 plus Oklahoma and Texas are ranked.. quite interesting. I have a feeling that UT vs UT is gonna shape up into a big rivalry over the next decade or so.
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Personally, I’d like UT to own UTx in every sport for the next quarter century.
 
#46
#46
VFL-82-JP said:
Dunno about their transfers, but a few things are certain:

(1) Kentucky has not been recruiting at a top 25 level. Their average ranking (247 Sports) over the past six classes is 29th. That consists of one really good (by KY standards) class, ranked 14th ... another ranked 25th ... and all the rest are between 30th and 37th. The best you could say of them is that they are consistently a top-40 recruiting power.

(2) Since you and Spooky were comparing them to South Carolina's roster: USCe recruited better than Kentucky four of the past six seasons. In fact, the Gamecocks' recruiting classes were ranked in the top 25 most of the past six years (one really bad year in '21 kept them from sweeping it). What you said about KY, that's actually more true of USCe.

(3) You weren't comparing either team to the Vols in this part of the conversation, but since our #6 pre-season ranking is the subject of this thread, I'll just point out that the Vols out-recruited BOTH the Wildcats and the Gamecocks most of the past six seasons. Yes, even through the disaster-ridden Pruitt years and the rough transition to Heupel, we were still out-recruiting both those programs most years. And our average class ranking for the six-year stretch, at #15, beats both handily.

Go Vols!

source used: 2023 Recruit Football Team Rankings (and associated pages from other years)
Click to expand...

I would also like to point out, as you said, we had decent recruiting during bad years. Just goes to show recruiting classes don't equal success alone. You still need a good coach.
 
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#47
#47
LittleVol said:
1) Check Rivals.


2) DON'T check Rivals because I hardly give a damn about recruiting rankings anyway. I'm talking about the actual talent and how it's being developed relative to the rest of the country.

3) I was talking about UKs talking talent (half of which you aren't even aware of) vs South Carolinas. So why are you bringing up Tennessee? You're just being a big drama bug for damn reason. Shut up...
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Friend, you take things too personally. Your facts were wrong, that doesn't mean I think you're a terrible person or anything. Just you got your facts wrong. Kentucky is no recruiting power house. They had one good year (for them).

Rivals is barely different, by the way. That one good recruiting class, ranked 14th by Rivals just like 247. Another class barely in the top 25. Then several years ranked between 27th and 34th.

They're not a Top 25 recruiting program. Consistently top 40, sure, but not Top 25.
 
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