Vols "Underrated" or "Overrated"?

[SpookyAction]

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.

I had completely forgotten that tidbit of info.
You are right. It happened more than two times (just from my memory).
I was watching that game on ESPN.
It was one of those times where 3-4 great Syracuse players were almost enough against a great UT team stacked 3-deep at every position.

 

[Bearkat_Vol]

I am happy with Heupel, regardless of whether we are overrated or underrated. These last three years have been the best years for Tennessee football since the early 2000s. Our offense is productive and our defense has improved each year. I still remember the elation I felt when we put up fourteen points on Bowling Green in the first quarter after three years of Pruitt teams that average twenty to twenty-five point per game!

Comparing the 2021 - 2023 period to the 2000 - 2020 period:
Heupel's teams have won almost two more games, on average, and
Heupel's three-year average of games won (based on twelve games) is close to the same metric during Fulmer's years (2000 - 20008)
Only one Tennessee team in the last twenty-four years, the 2001 team, won eleven games. Heupel's 2022 team won eleven games
The 2021 and 2022 teams are ranked second and first, respectively, in offensive points-per-game (PPG) scored
Despite the offensive drop off in 2023, that year ranks seventh out of the last twenty-four years in offensive PPG scored
Heupel's defenses have improved each year in PPG given up, going from twenty-first, to the fifteenth, and finally ninth in PPG given up in the 2000 -20223 period
Heupel's defenses gave up fewer points per game than Pruitt's defenses, despite spending more time on the field

Tennessee Football Stats, 2000 - 2023

Rk	Year	W	L	T	Winning Percentage	Offensive Points Scored	Defensive Points Given Up	Average Offensive PPG Scored	Average Defensive PPG Given Up	Average Offensive PPG Rank	Average Defensive PPG Rank	Avg. Number of Wins, Last 3-Seasons
1	2023	9	4	0	0.692	413	264	31.8	20.3	7	9	8.3
2	2022	11	2	0	0.846	599	296	46.1	22.8	1	15	6.7
3	2021	7	6	0	0.538	511	378	39.3	29.1	2	21	5.8
4	2020	3	7	0	0.300	215	301	21.5	30.1	20	23	5.3
5	2019	8	5	0	0.615	314	282	24.2	21.7	16	10	5.5
6	2018	5	7	0	0.417	273	335	22.8	27.9	19	18	5.8
7	2017	4	8	0	0.333	238	349	19.8	29.1	22	22	6.9
8	2016	9	4	0	0.692	473	375	36.4	28.8	3	19	7.7
9	2015	9	4	0	0.692	457	260	35.2	20.0	5	8	6.6
10	2014	7	6	0	0.538	342	296	26.3	22.8	14	15	5.5
11	2013	5	7	0	0.417	286	348	23.8	29.0	17	20	5.0
12	2012	5	7	0	0.417	434	428	36.2	35.7	4	24	5.2
13	2011	5	7	0	0.417	244	271	20.3	22.6	21	12	5.7
14	2010	6	7	0	0.462	351	326	27.0	25.1	13	16	5.7
15	2009	7	6	0	0.538	381	289	29.3	22.2	9	11	6.7
16	2008	5	7	0	0.417	208	201	17.3	16.8	24	1	7.3
17	2007	10	4	0	0.714	455	382	32.5	27.3	6	17	7.4
18	2006	9	4	0	0.692	362	254	27.8	19.5	12	7	7.7
19	2005	5	6	0	0.455	205	205	18.6	18.6	23	6	8.0
20	2004	10	3	0	0.769	378	295	29.1	22.7	10	13	8.6
21	2003	10	3	0	0.769	365	239	28.1	18.4	11	5	8.9
22	2002	8	5	0	0.615	296	227	22.8	17.5	18	2	8.5
23	2001	11	2	0	0.846	335	234	25.8	18.0	15	4
24	2000	8	4	0	0.667	359	212	29.9	17.7	8	3
	Period	Avg. Wins	Avg. Losses	Avg. Win Pct	Average Wins, based on Twelve Games	Average Losses, based on Twelve Games	Avg PPG Scored	Avg PPG Given Up
	2000 - 2020	7.1​	5.4​	0.561​	6.73​	5.27​	26.4​	23.4​
	2021 - 2023	9.0​	4.0​	0.692​	8.30​	3.70​	39.1​	24.1​

GO BIG ORANGE!

 

[WillisWG]

1st practice notes says UNDERRATED

 

[Volador]

Don't look or listen to ratings prior to the season. They are all meaningless. Just a bunch of people trying to sell papers.

 

[EZE]

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 see the moronic takes have already started.

I think any sane fan understands the challenges faced last season. The program lost a lot of contributors, including QB, and was not yet at a place to simply reload. 10 wins would have been an A, but 9 were more than satisfactory given the challenges.

Now, we have similar challenges because we have a very young QB and this is not a stacked enough team to carry the load. I think 10 wins would again be an A and should be the goal, but I will not grumble with 8-9.

Next year should be the year for loftier expectations.

 

[sami]

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.

Let's say we go 9-3, don't make the playoff, and lose a bowl game. Only a complete fool who should never be taken seriously would be calling for a guy's head who has brought the program back from the dead and back into the national conversation in four years.

 

[LadyVolette]

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.

IKR.. ice cream sandwiches, WWE, sushi, our FANs who obviously can’t be bothered to watch it It’s cute.. people need to watch it

 

[#1fulmerite]

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?

Lose four games, one or two of which he should not have (Florida/Missouri) then blow out some meddling B10 overrated school in a bowl game.

 

[MemphisVol77]

Lose four games, one or two of which he should not have (Florida/Missouri) then blow out some meddling B10 overrated school in a bowl game.

I think that's a stretch or a glass half full/half empty perspective at this point. I'd argue the glass is at least 2/3rd - 3/4th full. If we lose 4 games next year, I'll probably be open to Butch comparisons.

My baseline is - Do we think the HC has us on a trajectory to compete for the SEC Championship/Playoff in the next 2-3 years?

Outside your view of losing 1 or 2 we should not, I'd posit stupendously blowing 3 leads (OK, AR, FL) in 2015 (Butch's year 3) was the biggest tell Butch wasn't the guy. I was wrong and didn't see it then, but a very vocal contingent of our fan base (and on VN) did.

Even though I'm not hearing the noise now, if I'm wrong again, I'll admit it. I humbly ate my crow after Vandy in 2016.

 

[#1fulmerite]

I think that's a stretch or a glass half full/half empty perspective at this point. I'd argue the glass is at least 2/3rd - 3/4th full. If we lose 4 games next year, I'll probably be open to Butch comparisons.

My baseline is - Do we think the HC has us on a trajectory to compete for the SEC Championship/Playoff in the next 2-3 years?

Outside your view of losing 1 or 2 we should not, I'd posit stupendously blowing 3 leads (OK, AR, FL) in 2015 (Butch's year 3) was the biggest tell Butch wasn't the guy. I was wrong and didn't see it then, but a very vocal contingent of our fan base (and on VN) did.

Even though I'm not hearing the noise now, if I'm wrong again, I'll admit it. I humbly ate my crow after Vandy in 2016.

I so knew after that Ok game and especially that Arkansas game he was not going to get it done! I posted my thoughts on here and got completely lambasted. Number one reason was because it was so early in his tenure and everyone wanted to give him a pass for what he walked into (much like CJH).

I do think to accomplish what he did in year two is hurting him in a way. Now that us fans have a taste of what it’s like being on top, it is difficult not to hold that standard each year.

 

[GleasonVol]

Glad to be rated.

 

[calban]

Ax me after Nico plays in Norman. if he burns down their house he'll win 10 games . Nico = Under rated (in my book)

 

[TAF]

,,,it is difficult not to hold that standard each year.

maybe you should listen to ALL of the player interviews from Monday...That IS the New Standard...THEY are playing for a Championship...EVERY DAY!

and THEY EXPECT IT!!!

 

[#1fulmerite]

maybe you should listen to ALL of the player interviews from Monday...That IS the New Standard...THEY are playing for a Championship...EVERY DAY!

and THEY EXPECT IT!!!

Well, lets see what we have come first of December.

 

[pimo1]

I mean did anyone expect a single player to say overrated?

 

[87&91ALUM]

I hope a whole lot, like 50 points offense and 5 points per game average offense and defense. Ifs….if d line gets 5 sacks, 2 fumbles, and 10 plays for loss and Offense gains 250 yards every game I’ll be crazy good happy. Bottom line, win them all by one point, NATTY, and I’ll be exctatic.