Vols "Underrated" or "Overrated"?

[The Original Fade]

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.

Laying the groundwork for you to call of Heupel’s head I see.

 

[hUTch2002]

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.

I don’t recall that PI being bogus. Granted, it was a long time ago and I was drunk at the time. I do recall thinking it could’ve gone either way but there are 50/50 calls throughout games.

 

[Frozevol]

I don’t recall that PI being bogus. Granted, it was a long time ago and I was drunk at the time. I do recall thinking it could’ve gone either way but there are 50/50 calls throughout games.

Like Blake Burke’s half swing. Don’t get that 50-50 and we probably don’t win the natty.

 

[hUTch2002]

Like Blake Burke’s half swing. Don’t get that 50-50 and we probably don’t win the natty.

Exactly. We all would’ve been upset had that gone the other way but that wasn’t a bogus call. We’ve had our fair share of bogus calls over the years of course, generally on the wrong side of course.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

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.

Almost all teams that go undefeated need a break or two along the way to accomplish that feat. Just was the season all the breaks went our way.
Lets just still enjoy the NC without making excuses for why we won it.

I lived in FL for many yrs around FL St. fans. They all 100% believe Vols won only because they had 2nd string QB. It is all a debate that can never be resolved.

 

[hatingbamaisawayoflife]

8-4 expected.. 9-3 got a bounce.. 10-2 got many bounces. 7-5 major injury and or screwed. 8-4 would honestly be blah

 

[SpookyAction]

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.

I do have a concern that some fans have their expectations too high for Nico. There will be painful plays, series, and games this season. He is still learning the game at the SEC level. It is a brand new game coming at him faster than ever and learning the speeds of SEC-level, and NFL-level with some teams and elite players.

He has to accommodate the closing speeds of DBs on WRs, and DL and LBs who are just as fast as RBs. He will play some games in pain and feeling rushed. He has to learn to delegate responsibilities for execution to the entire offense. He has to learn to carry the team at moments, but not rely solely on himself too much.

I expect him to do all these things well in the coming seasons. The maturity needed to focus the offense and believe his players will win every play and recognize both opportunities and traps in matchups will come. That was Hendon Hooker's key to success. He and the receivers were locked in together, and Hooker was really good at anticipating his receivers' next move before they split the safeties.

 

[KnoxToTheBoro93]

Did nobody watch the actual video lol? They are giving the player a word and asking them if that word is overrated or underrated lol go Vols.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Almost all teams that go undefeated need a break or two along the way to accomplish that feat. Just was the season all the breaks went our way.
Lets just still enjoy the NC without making excuses for why we won it.

I lived in FL for many yrs around FL St. fans. They all 100% believe Vols won only because they had 2nd string QB. It is all a debate that can never be resolved.

This is accurate. 1995 Nebraska is about the only team I recall not needing any luck and just killing everyone they played.

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

I don’t recall that PI being bogus. Granted, it was a long time ago and I was drunk at the time. I do recall thinking it could’ve gone either way but there are 50/50 calls throughout games.

If the Syracuse players would have simply kept their pants/kneepads pulled over their knees, we likley would have lost that game. For some reason the NCAA had the refs focused on that penalty that season and being the opener,their players apparently couldn't remember to do so. If im not mistaken there were at least two and maybe three of those penalties called at crucial spots in the game againt Syracuse.

 

[hUTch2002]

If the Syracuse players would have simply kept their pants/kneepads pulled over their knees, we likley would have lost that game. For some reason the NCAA had the refs focused on that penalty that season and being the opener,their players apparently couldn't remember to do so. If im not mistaken there were at least two and maybe three of those penalties called at crucial spots in the game againt Syracuse.

Wow. I don’t recall that at all but I hate that kind of stuff. That’s like when suddenly a couple years ago the officials started calling everything a charge in basketball. Now it’s gone back to “normal”. That was a great win for the ‘98 Vols though. Most NCs don’t start on the road out of conference in a tough environment against a quality opponent but we sure did that year. The Carrier Dome was tough back then and they had some stud players in key spots. Luckily, so did we! That was such a fun game and that led to a fun year.

 

[hUTch2002]

Almost all teams that go undefeated need a break or two along the way to accomplish that feat. Just was the season all the breaks went our way.
Lets just still enjoy the NC without making excuses for why we won it.

I lived in FL for many yrs around FL St. fans. They all 100% believe Vols won only because they had 2nd string QB. It is all a debate that can never be resolved.

I’m proud of them then. They finally acknowledged he was the backup and not 3rd string. We would be saying the same if the situation were reversed but Outzen was good enough to beat an outstanding Florida team. We were just better.

 

[therealitytheory]

Nico gets a practice game, then a NC St team that only brings back 3 starters on defense. Then comes cupcake #2. His 1st big test comes @ OK...imo he'll be seasoned and up to the challenge.
And on that last note, OK has to replace everybody on their OL. Could be a great day for our All-American rush DE.

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

Wow. I don’t recall that at all but I hate that kind of stuff. That’s like when suddenly a couple years ago the officials started calling everything a charge in basketball. Now it’s gone back to “normal”. That was a great win for the ‘98 Vols though. Most NCs don’t start on the road out of conference in a tough environment against a quality opponent but we sure did that year. The Carrier Dome was tough back then and they had some stud players in key spots. Luckily, so did we! That was such a fun game and that led to a fun year.

They definitely had a couple of NFL players on their roster, Donovan McNabb being the mast notable.

The heat in the Carrier Dome (oddly enough in a dome named for/sponsored by an HVAC company) that day was miserable. The resilience that team showed that day was a pretty good indicator that this team had zero quit in them.

 

[hUTch2002]

They definitely had a couple of NFL players on their roster, Donovan McNabb being the mast notable.

The heat in the Carrier Dome (oddly enough in a dome named for/sponsored by an HVAC company) that day was miserable. The resilience that team showed that day was a pretty good indicator that this team had zero quit in them.

They still had Dwight Freeney too right?

 

[hUTch2002]

Nico gets a practice game, then a NC St team that only brings back 3 starters on defense. Then comes cupcake #2. His 1st big test comes @ OK...imo he'll be seasoned and up to the challenge.
And on that last note, OK has to replace everybody on their OL. Could be a great day for our All-American rush DE.

I haven’t heard much about NC State’s D but most folks have them at least ranked. Nico might have his way but they’re not an easy game by any stretch so I’d say that’s his first test. OU on the road will be another level for sure though.

 

[utvols74]

If UT will take a page out of Alabama's history with their "game manager" type play at QB, I think we'll be fine. Don't put too much pressure on Nico. Rotate backs, misdirection handoffs, throw to the TE in the flat/middle, hit the long slant to keep DBs honest in a predictably 60/40 spilt between ground game and air.

If we start going 60/40 air/ground, I think we might be in trouble as only 1 good thing happens when you throw the football - a catch. Two bad things can happen - incomplete pass or interception.

 

[Tman44]

 

[Ernie McCracken]

Whew ....NO Husker fan here but those teams were beasts, Maybe CFB G.o.a.t.s! Talk about smash mouth ball. All they did was either run left, right, or up the gut and didn't care if you knew!

GBO

This is accurate. 1995 Nebraska is about the only team I recall not needing any luck and just killing everyone they played.

 

[orangeblooded2]

Based on what I've seen underated, but yet seeing the fear of what we may be!

 

[VOLLeeann]

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 .

 

[VOLLeeann]

I do have a concern that some fans have their expectations too high for Nico. There will be painful plays, series, and games this season. He is still learning the game at the SEC level. It is a brand new game coming at him faster than ever and learning the speeds of SEC-level, and NFL-level with some teams and elite players.

Fair.

I expect him to do all these things well in the coming seasons.

Your expectations are too high for Nico.

 

[MemphisVol77]

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 think you may be the first I've heard refer to last year as a 'Butch Jones type year'.

Why do you make that comparison?

 

[UTblood4life]

If Nico is as advertised, and the D can get off the field, sky is the limit

 

[UTblood4life]

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 don't remember seeing a garbage can on the sidelines, or running down the field at the end of the quarter