What’s so frustrating about this season…

[Vol Farmer]

Why is this so frustrating ?

Because there is not one member of Volnation who doesn’t love Tennessee Football. It’s our passion, we dream of the big wins, and toss and turn over the losses. It’s just who we are. We tend to cry and whine about everything. It’s because we expect a win every game but it’s not always going to happen. Go Vols, stand up for Rocky Top and we’ll try our best to be happy

 

[vavolfan6]

The most frustrating aspect to me about this season was the performance at WR. Bru's injury was devastating. Keyton was not the player I hoped he would be this year. Donte Thorton was out of position and a nonfactor most of the seseason. On top of that, Milton and his receivers seened to be out of syn until midseason.

Also, I wonder how different the offense could have been if Milton was incorporated more as a runner the first half of the season. It wasn't until the Bama game that he was consistently given the ball to run with.

Both could have made a difference in the Florida game and changed the trajectory and expectations of the offense.

 

[Southeastern VFL]

The most frustrating thing is the passing game is no where near where it was last year. JM has not even top 300 yrds one time this year that has to be a first for a Josh Hepuel offense. This whole offense doesn't even look like last years offense and sometimes becomes way to run heavy on 3rd down when it a long shot with the run.

 

[PowerWookie]

Is that it was always going to go this way, but didn’t have to. We all saw Milton play prior to this year and he just can’t consistently hit wideopen deep shots. Nor does he consistently make intelligent/savvy plays. We’ve seen him running out of bounds with no time on the clock, throwing the ball away on fourth down, and sliding shot of the 1st down line.

Some of us (myself included) convinced ourselves, that if anybody can turn a “JG-esc”quarterback into an all American, it’s hypo. But the truth is, nobody can’t mold a guy that doesn’t have that it factor into a stud qb.

Now, you might say the Mizzou loss isn’t on Milton look at his stats bla bla. But I beg to differ. Heupel’s offense isn’t designed to be a smash mouth/run between the tackles all day offense. It’s designed to take constant deep shots down the middle of the field. But after the uf loss and a couple of close games (that included tons of horrible missed throws)…Heupel had to go to the run heavy offense because Milton can’t hit a high enough percentage of those throws. However, mizzou sold out to stop the run by loading the box and playing a lot of man to man coverages. We couldn’t take advantage.

Milton isn’t capable of putting the team on his back and going looking for dinner. And you can’t beat really good teams without that capability. He even got away from running against Mizzou which has helped the offense tremendously over the latter part of the season. When he did run he was often timid and indecisive which prevented him from picking up the available yardage.

The positive is that I believe Milton will be the only qb heupel put out on the field during his time here that doesn’t end up putting up monster numbers. But this year sucks. And it didn’t have to…

The MOST FRUSTRATING

ANOTHER ONE of THESE POST….

 

[AlsaceFreak]

The most frustrating thing is the passing game is no where near where it was last year. JM has not even top 300 yrds one time this year that has to be a first for a Josh Hepuel offense. This whole offense doesn't even look like last years offense and sometimes becomes way to run heavy on 3rd down when it a long shot with the run.

If you go back and watch the Orange and White game, it was a precursor to our season. Milton was not the best QB that played that day. Neither was Nico in my opinion.
Agree with your post--- no 300 yds games. I remember Manning having a 500 yd game versus Kentucky. Even Tyler Bray had a 500 yd game when he was our QB.

 

[Tin Man]

Of great comfort to me is that Danny White pays no heed to the ramblings of VN’s Whining Wilmas and Negative Nancies.

But please know that you’ve always got a forum here in which to vent. Thanks, Freak.

 

[Behr]

.....Officiating.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

For me, the most frustrating part of this team is they look soft, and they've looked soft since game 1. I said it earlier in the year, but this team looks like Heupel ran a very soft, lethargic fall camp. They don't seem like their mental and physical toughness was tested in fall camp whatsoever. Did we even tackle at all in August? I guess I'm just too old school but I'm very turned off by the fact that I never see anybody, coach or player, get in anybody else's face. I don't see any intensity out of these players or coaches at all. It's been a weird season for sure. On one hand we are 7-3 in mid-November and will most likely finish 8-4. Not a terrible year and certainly better than the typical year we've had to endure over the last 15 years. But I have to admit, this has not been one of my favorite teams to watch. We've had seasons where we finished with worse records that I actually enjoyed more to be honest. I just don't like this team's makeup very much at all.

 

[KTrain]

Your “Bulldog” buddy sounds just like every Bulldog fan I’ve ever known…an obnoxious *sshole.

He used to be pretty calm guy , then married a UGA Dog moved down there and he has been a bit un-bearable. He barks before walking to the game and after if they win and he said all we do is win, win win. Really needs a comeuppance.

 

[Cartervol]

I think Heupel thought he could fix Milton's flaws. Teams have a lot of film on this squad and see our tendency to avoid the middle of the field.. Bama just bodied the outside receivers and loaded the box in the second half of that game. Got away with mugging us a bunch like they always do against everyone.. It's just the repetitiveness of what this offense does that bogs them down.. They don't keep teams guessing very much and this oline isn't the type of line to just drive you off the ball.. Vols need to make a goal of getting more physical in the offseason because when teams got physical with them they folded like a cheap lawnchair.

 

[KTrain]

For me, the most frustrating part of this team is they look soft, and they've looked soft since game 1. I said it earlier in the year, but this team looks like Heupel ran a very soft, lethargic fall camp. They don't seem like their mental and physical toughness was tested in fall camp whatsoever. Did we even tackle at all in August? I guess I'm just too old school but I'm very turned off by the fact that I never see anybody, coach or player, get in anybody else's face. I don't see any intensity out of these players or coaches at all. It's been a weird season for sure. On one hand we are 7-3 in mid-November and will most likely finish 8-4. Not a terrible year and certainly better than the typical year we've had to endure over the last 15 years. But I have to admit, this has not been one of my favorite teams to watch. We've had seasons where we finished with worse records that I actually enjoyed more to be honest. I just don't like this team's makeup very much at all.

I feel the same way just cannot put the difference on it. I'm not sure when this happened with this team but some teams are just so easy to rally behind and some not so much. Its like everyone loved Hooker but not so much for Joe and I've heard Joe is just an all around great guy. Hard to explain some times, I'll use this example Hooker throws a pass to Keyton last year vs UF really overthrown RK lays out for the catch but all you heard was great play. Nothin about hitting him in stride etc..
Joe throws the pass to Thornton in the endzone for a TD and I saw some post where said terrible throw Donte saved Joe on that one. They just couldn't say great play and leave it at that.
So some ppl come off as likeable from afar and some teams come out likeable from afar, some just don't, it is just how life works.

 

[82_VOL_83]

Talked to my Bulldog buddy, actually texted, he said all summer they were talking about how loud Neyland would be but now they think you will be able to hear a pin drop. They said after the Mizzo beatdown every Vol has given up and realized SEC will always belong to the big Dogs and Vols goal is to be an 8-win team. He said everyone should be quiet when the Dogs have the ball like the same courteousy Dogs showed for the Vols last year.

Time to get a new friend. Or get him blind drunk and paint him Orange & White with Krylon.

 

[daj2576]

Of great comfort to me is that Danny White pays no heed to the ramblings of VN’s Whining Wilmas and Negative Nancies.

But please know that you’ve always got a forum here in which to vent. Thanks, Freak.

There are three types of people on VN. One type wants a coaching change after every loss; one type ascribes omnipotent status to a coach/administration and cannot believe their golden calf isnt the answer, and the 6 other people that don't fit in either category.

 

[b_gann]

The most frustrating aspect to me about this season was the performance at WR. Bru's injury was devastating. Keyton was not the player I hoped he would be this year. Donte Thorton was out of position and a nonfactor most of the seseason. On top of that, Milton and his receivers seened to be out of syn until midseason.

Also, I wonder how different the offense could have been if Milton was incorporated more as a runner the first half of the season. It wasn't until the Bama game that he was consistently given the ball to run with.

Both could have made a difference in the Florida game and changed the trajectory and expectations of the offense.

I would've liked to have leaned more on Jaylen Wright and seen a little more pass game involvement from the TE's. To me, Jaylen should be touching it 20 times per game and Warren and McCastle should have 5-7 touches combined. Easier said than done of course, but a more tailored game plan would've been nice.

 

[savannahfan]

Do they think that because the players on last years team were the right ones to run the system, and were special in that regard? Or do they think the system caught people off guard, and having the players that could run it, made the system effective but not repeatable?

One seems like it could be mitigated by recruiting, the other seems like a string of 8 - 4ish seasons.

Good defensives and sound game plans will slow down any offense ever thought of. But this talk about Hipe's offense being "unstoppable" is just that, talk. Back in the day of the General (I was told by one of his players) that sometimes the UT lineman would tell the defensive guys here is where we are gonna run the ball (point it out) then do it for big gains. The General has been know to say if a play is run right it will succeed. So will Hipe's.

 

[teeball]

Milton hasn’t had a terrible year his stats are pretty good he’s just not a top level QB and he can’t carry the team on his shoulders like Hooker did. His QB awareness is also a little slow sometimes.

Joe’s stats are so misleading. If you could plot all of Joe’s throws it would look like a cat’s whiskers … all straight out to the side either behind the LOS or 3 yards beyond the LOS. The yardage totals are primarily yards made after the catch. It’s just hard for me to understand why CJH has not even tried Gaston Moore since playing Nico is obviously just not an option for some reason. I’ve seen enough Guarantano and Milton poor QB‘kin to last a lifetime. Here’s hoping for a better next year. GBO!

 

[Volnuck]

How many times over the last 15 years, minus last year, would we have hoped to be 7-3 by November? Pretty sure it’s at least 13.

This is not a fair statement. I keep seeing this example and you must remember, WE HATED THOSE YEARS, & WE CHANGED COACHES TO FIX IT. Yes, we do need to keep things in perspective, but to simplify it to that degree is not logical. Of course we all want the better record.

 

[volbound1700]

The play calling at times (especially on defense) has been baffling. What is frustrating is that it is good at times as well and we have a good staff but there are spaces in games where I am like WTF. Most of Florida and Missouri fit that bill.

The offense comes off as predictable at times and the defense plays too far off receivers and apparently cannot cover running backs going out of the flat for passes. The counter run play also seems to be a killer for our defense.

 

[CAVPUT]

The team showed up at Alabama. I can’t complain about the first half. Hell, up 13 at half was impressive. It was when Bama decided to get real physical was the issue.

True but my point remains. Bama "got real" and UT folded. You also highlighted another problem...we continue to forget that games are 4 quarters. I still say that this team doesn't have enough "dog" in 'em to help offset a lack of talent. They no show at the absolute worst times. It's at the core of BVS. I just see this team as being a bit soft and somewhat mentally fragile. They run well from the front, but when adversity presents, they don't respond, they wilt.

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

Your “Bulldog” buddy sounds just like every Bulldog fan I’ve ever known…an obnoxious *sshole.

Fact

 

[volbound1700]

7-3 seems nice but you do have to look at the competition... we have beaten only three teams that will likely make a bowl game (UTSA, UK, and Texas A&M). None of those teams are ranked.

However, we really only lost one game that I feel like we should have won this year (Florida). Missouri looks a lot like Tennessee from last year in that they have all the pieces together and will likely go 10-2 (I don't think they had quite the schedule of 2022 Tennessee though).

The most disappointing season in modern history was likely 2019. We finished 8-5 but should have been 10-3. No reason to have lost to Georgia State and BYU. 2016 was another dagger that was probably worse as we had SEC East potentially locked up and lost to South Carolina and Vandy...

 

[Big Orange Rob]

I predicted 8-4 before the season started due to our lack of overall talent and depth. I also thought there would be some dropoff at quarterback. However, I am disappointed in the way we lost the florida and missouri games. I can handle losing if you play a good game with maximum effort and come up short. However, we had horrible game plans in those games and the team played with no energy, passion or toughness. I like Coach Hype and think he has done a good job of bringing the team out of the wasteland, but he needs to improve in a few areas if we are going to take the next step. Specifically the team's mental & physical toughness, ability to make in-game adjustments, defensive coaching, recruiting.

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

The Florida loss was bad anyway you look at it.

The Alabama loss stings because of the good first half, fans on the ropes, then the team no shows in the 3rd. Unacceptable “how” that loss happened.

Missouri IS a better team all around than the Vols. No question. But in a dead road environment, to not put up any resistance from the get go is unacceptable. That should have been a close game into the 4th.

Add all 3 losses to the SC debacle from last year and you get a wash against the home AL win of 2022. Sorry, Heupel apologists. I like the guy and hope he gets it done. But this season was a bigger step backward than it needed to be.

 

[Sarms58]

You obviously haven’t taken the time to rewatch the game looking at the rest of the team. We were trying to run against a 3 man front and couldn’t block them.

Yes. Our OL is average at best. The Missouri DL manhandled our line all day long.

 

[TNStudMuffin]

"What is so frustrating"..... Is the amount of people complaining and whining. We aren't a SEC championship roster. We haven't been one in decades. Nico will be the first high school recruit QB our coach rolls out there. You haven't even seen Huepels offense yet. You saw the Hooker & Hyatt show last year. &

We aren't an SEC championship coaching staff.