Vols "Underrated" or "Overrated"?

[TAF]

 

[adam.vol]

Underrated by the media. Overrated by the fans? I’m trying to manage my expectations because we are in the SEC.

 

[WillisWG]

Pearce is the real deal...they're spot on.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

Most media outlets I've seen are predicting 9-3, which I agree with. My answer is neither. They are rated pretty much where they actually are.

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

Misunderestimated. But, either way, they'll be entertaining.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Properly rated.

 

[#1fulmerite]

After the Butch Jones type year we just had, if we lose three games and do not make the playoffs, many on here will be calling for CJH’s head.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

After the Butch Jones type year we just had, if we lose three games and do not make the playoffs, many on here will be calling for CJH’s head.

The difference is that we had Butch Jones type years w/ a lot of nfl talent on the team. Last years team was 9-4 w/ a lot of injuries and we only lost one game we shouldn’t have, even then we were missing a huge piece of the offense w/ Mays out .

 

[TAF]

After the Butch Jones type year we just had, if we lose three games and do not make the playoffs, many on here will be calling for CJH’s head.

 

[SpookyAction]

Most media outlets I've seen are predicting 9-3, which I agree with. My answer is neither. They are rated pretty much where they actually are.

I don't make predictions often, but I think this is about right.
We could be a couple of great plays away from something special, and could lose a couple sneaky ones. We have to be 100% every game. I expect our staff to have the team ready this year.

One of them losses better not be Florida. That would be embarrassing.

 

[CaliVol2009]

After the Butch Jones type year we just had, if we lose three games and do not make the playoffs, many on here will be calling for CJH’s head.

Then we can bring back your messiah, Fulmer?

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Most media outlets I've seen are predicting 9-3, which I agree with. My answer is neither. They are rated pretty much where they actually are.

Vegas has us at 9.5 wins. We have to go 2-2 against OU, UF, Bama and UGA to make the CFP IMO. I think that’s entirely possible . I think 11-1 is possible, but unlikely . We’ve been competitive with everyone in the conference except UGA since Heupel got here. Until we make it a 4 quarter game against them I don’t see us going to Athens and winning .

 

[Volfan1000]

The Big Orange are UNDERRATED.

 

[superdave1984]

I don't make predictions often, but I think this is about right.
We could be a couple of great plays away from something special, and could lose a couple sneaky ones. We have to be 100% every game. I expect our staff to have the team ready this year.

One of them losses better not be Florida. That would be embarrassing.

This is how I feel about the 98 team. It came down to literally a couple of plays, both by the opponent. The Syracuse bogus PI call and the Stoerner fumble. Granted we still had to finish, but without those 2 plays we do not go undefeated and don't even get close to playing for the BCS championship.

 

[25vol]

After the Butch Jones type year we just had, if we lose three games and do not make the playoffs, many on here will be calling for CJH’s head.

I really don’t think it’s fair to compare an obvious down year of last year to any of Bitch Jones’ seasons.
Heupel is still doing a lot more with a lot less. Jones had NFL level talent at nearly every key position and the best he could do was lose to Vanderbilt 60% of the time. Let’s not forget that Heupel is a REAL LIFE football coach and not a lying, incompetent reject like Butch.

To your point, I have listed the reasons I think we could lose 3 games or more, and my thoughts on them. From most likely to least likely:

1. Injury: I would never blame Heupel for this. Injuries are impossible to predict and positions like QB or Center like last year can be backbreaking. If Nico went down(god forbid) or Cooper went down again, it would be a great year and a miracle to get 9 wins. That’s just how hard this conference is now.

2. Defensive Regression: This scenario doesn’t seem all that likely to me, considering how stacked we are at DL and LB. But our secondary is a big question mark yet again. It’s actually an even bigger question mark now because we “gently nudged” the upperclassman in these positions out the door and now we have a group of talented but unproven FRs and SOs.

3. Nico being an outright bust: I could definitely see people blaming CJH for this. Maybe he would deserve it, even. I think this is a distant possibility from what I’ve seen of the kid.

With our schedule and the talent we have, I believe 10 wins is the most likely. That gets us in the playoffs and that’s not a bad year at all imo.

 

[WillisWG]

After the Butch Jones type year we just had, if we lose three games and do not make the playoffs, many on here will be calling for CJH’s head.

The Legion always wants someone's head

 

[LittleVol]

After the Butch Jones type year we just had, if we lose three games and do not make the playoffs, many on here will be calling for CJH’s head.

It was a hell of a lot better than those Philip Fulmer years of 2006 and 2008

Every year Heupel has coached have been better than those years.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Pretty sure Fulmerite is Fulmer or a close relative of Fulmer.

 

[tennesseeduke]

After the Butch Jones type year we just had, if we lose three games and do not make the playoffs, many on here will be calling for CJH’s head.

Nope

 

[tennesseeduke]

Ball bounces our way and Nico has a break out season then we are underrated!10-2

 

[PEPPERJAX]

After the Butch Jones type year we just had, if we lose three games and do not make the playoffs, many on here will be calling for CJH’s head.

Butch’s ceiling was 8-4. Moving forward, it is likely Heupel’s floor is 8 or 9 wins.

 

[Behr]

"Sushi. Overrated. It's cold."

Lulz.

 

[bicenTENNial]

I have to question someone's sanity that doesn't like ice cream sandwiches

 

[stolitonic]

Honestly, have no clue-and sometimes that is for the best. I expected another 7-5 or 8-4 type building year in 2022 and look what we got.

Our season boils down to 4 games (OU, FL, Ga, and Bama). Win 2 and we go to the playoffs.

 

[Jaxon_Vol2017]

9-3 sounds right. Properly rated