Why I think Butch is Going to Win...This Year

[voladdiction]

I'm as sick and angry at today's loss as anyone on this board.

But, I'm also convinced Butch is going to bring us enough WINS to be bowl eligible this year. Here's why.

1. He's a True Leader. He acknowledges the problems, even to the point of saying that it was "the worst half of football" he's ever seen on offense. But he spreads the blame, doesn't single out one person (i.e. Nathan Peterman), and truly embodies the reality that football is a TEAM sport.

2. He's relentless about demanding EFFORT. If you watch his post-game presser, he is single-minded in his focus on the resiliency and perseverance of his team. No quit. Passion. Team chemistry. He exemplifies it and he sees it growing in his team. I love that he seems defensive of his players, even as he recognizes their mistakes and failures. That will go a long way.

3. Butch knows that the CULTURE you establish is one of the most important things you do as a Head Coach. You have to manage emotions and attitudes (something Dooley absolutely sucked at), and you have to get your players to believe that "brick-by-brick" is not a fancy slogan, but a mentality you take to every single aspect of playing football (technique, effort, preparation, snap and clear, recruiting, etc...)

He says this team is "growing up", and I believe him.

 

[Escape Goat]

Agreed. There is a lot of promise here. It's young promise, but it's there.

 

[DEFENDTHISHOUSE]

Great post. Agree 100%

This team has to learn how to win, it is a process.

 

[govols105]

we have been hearing this for 10 years ( as far as the why i think we win and it is a process)... but all we can do is cheer the team and coaches. go vols!

 

[Special Ed]

I'm building a new house with checkerboard bricks.

 

[DEFENDTHISHOUSE]

I'm building a new house with checkerboard bricks.

Be patient with the builder, he's gonna build it brick by brick.

 

[Reivax26]

He has a formula for success that has worked so far in his coaching career, I see no reason why it can't work here.

 

[rlntlss]

I'd bet a dollar to a donut he's dang sure tired of explaining himself though..You know that's got to suck...that's why he's paid the big money I guess ....

 

[Sgt_Nick_Fury]

I'd bet a dollar to a donut he's dang sure tired of explaining himself though..You know that's got to suck...that's why he's paid the big money I guess ....

Never feel too sorry for a millionaire...and truly even if he is coach of the decade the hard times are yet to come.....he'll have worse heat then this....

I guess some forgot what our schedule looks like.

Florida we had a chance with, but it was going to be an upset....we didn't get an upset.....hardly a deal breaker.

 

[savage_orange]

It's good to see a bit of optimism here. Butch is the guy that'll bring us back to the top and it's only a matter of time before we start to see changes in the team.

 

[govolzgo]

I believe Butch is the guy for the job, and am thrilled to have him as our coach for many reasons, including those op cited. However, I do have a couple of major concerns associated with winning "this year".

My first concern is where did the up-tempo offense go yesterday? There was no sense of urgency in getting the ball back to the ref, and into the next play briskly. If we are going to beat teams with more talent than us "this year", it is most likely going to be because we were able to wear them down for three quarters and beat them on conditioning down the stretch. I saw no signs of a team prepared to do that against a top-tier SEC opponent.

And of course, my second concern is quarterback. I don't shoulder the entire blame of the last couple of weeks on the quarterbacks who have played, but that is the primary weakness of this team. If we can't get consistent play at quarterback, we have absolutely no chance against Georgia, against South Carolina, against Bama ... hell, even against Candy???

I am all Butch. I am optimistic about the future. But if we can't figure out something at the quarterback position, it is going to be tough to win this year. Or next for that matter. We must have better quarterback play period. If Riley Ferguson cannot help this team right now, then we need to be on the recruiting trail HARD for someone who can next.

 

[OrangeInKy]

we have been hearing this for 10 years ( as far as the why i think we win and it is a process)... but all we can do is cheer the team and coaches. go vols!

I hear you. I tire of the slogans as well, but we are also on the 4th coach in 10 years, so the process keeps starting over. Can't expect a continuation of "process" when the coaches are changing so often.

If CBJ can keep these guys focused this year and keep recruiting like he is, I think he will be fine.

 

[Cartervol]

We're going to find out how good a coach he is over the course of this year.. Dooley lost his team when things got bad, let's see how Butch does with it..

 

[MWAVolfan]

I believe Butch is the guy for the job, and am thrilled to have him as our coach for many reasons, including those op cited. However, I do have a couple of major concerns associated with winning "this year".

My first concern is where did the up-tempo offense go yesterday? There was no sense of urgency in getting the ball back to the ref, and into the next play briskly. If we are going to beat teams with more talent than us "this year", it is most likely going to be because we were able to wear them down for three quarters and beat them on conditioning down the stretch. I saw no signs of a team prepared to do that against a top-tier SEC opponent.

And of course, my second concern is quarterback. I don't shoulder the entire blame of the last couple of weeks on the quarterbacks who have played, but that is the primary weakness of this team. If we can't get consistent play at quarterback, we have absolutely no chance against Georgia, against South Carolina, against Bama ... hell, even against Candy???

I am all Butch. I am optimistic about the future. But if we can't figure out something at the quarterback position, it is going to be tough to win this year. Or next for that matter. We must have better quarterback play period. If Riley Ferguson cannot help this team right now, then we need to be on the recruiting trail HARD for someone who can next.

These players coached and recruited by Derek Doolittle are truly horrible and dont deserve to put on SEC uniforms. Sorry, I know they are "trying the best they can" but at some point talent is talent and no talent is no talent.

 

[Biopsyman]

Never feel too sorry for a millionaire...and truly even if he is coach of the decade the hard times are yet to come.....he'll have worse heat then this....

I guess some forgot what our schedule looks like.

Florida we had a chance with, but it was going to be an upset....we didn't get an upset.....hardly a deal breaker.

I only feel sorry for Billionaires

 

[MWAVolfan]

Never feel too sorry for a millionaire...and truly even if he is coach of the decade the hard times are yet to come.....he'll have worse heat then this....

I guess some forgot what our schedule looks like.

Florida we had a chance with, but it was going to be an upset....we didn't get an upset.....hardly a deal breaker.

The thing that makes me so sad and disappointed is not THAT we lost, but HOW we lose. We dont even look like an FCS team right now. I have no clue where Derek Dooley got these awful players. We had the chance of a century to beat Florida. And we may never have that same chance ever again. Florida will damn sure be back and Im sure it will happen when Tennessee is back, which means more losing to Florida. We blew the chance of a lifetime.

 

[volfanbill]

I just fear that with all the starters we lose next season things will be worse next year.

 

[OrangeWayOfLife]

If we just protect the ball we would have been right there for the upset, but we didn't. This defense is not as bad as the Oregon game and we fought Florida to the end yesterday. If we can just get something going on offense we can win enough to at least make a bowl, maybe more

 

[CountVolcula]

I just fear that with all the starters we lose next season things will be about the next year.

Its going to be unbearable next year

Unless a QB gets it quick, we are in for a long haul.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Not trying to be a downer, but I think we'll get enough wins to be bowl eligible alone because we play at least 6 teams we still should beat.

I do not believe this team will beat Georgia, South Carolina, and especially not Alabama. The first 2 the only chance is catching them on a very bad day for them and us playing almost perfect.

But even as down as we are, we shouldn't lose to South Alabama or Kentucky. So that's 4 wins. That leaves Auburn, Missouri, and Vanderbilt. Auburn right now is a pick 'em I believe. They aren't good but they are better than last year, and there's no way I'm chalking that one up a W. Missouri is also improved, and the game is at their place. By then we'll know how much they've improved. Vandy I think is clearly worse this year.

As down as we are, I still expect to end 6-6. I think we probably are still good enough to beat Missouri and Vandy, because I don't think either of those teams are very good this year.

 

[volfanbill]

Its going to be unbearable next year

Unless a QB gets it quick, we are in for a long haul.

I'm not so much worried about offense as I am defensively.

 

[jaxvol]

I just fear that with all the starters we lose next season things will be worse next year.

Losing starters from a bad team isn't all bad.

 

[MWAVolfan]

If we just protect the ball we would have been right there for the upset, but we didn't. This defense is not as bad as the Oregon game and we fought Florida to the end yesterday. If we can just get something going on offense we can win enough to at least make a bowl, maybe more

The defense actually looked decent. They have no speed and cannot make high school level tackles, but they were keeping an inept Florida offence mostly in check.

Our offense is the worst I have personally ever seen it. I have been following the Vols since the early 90s.

 

[MWAVolfan]

I do not believe this team will beat Georgia, South Carolina, and especially not Alabama. The first 2 the only chance is catching them on a very bad day for them and us playing almost perfect.

Our team just proved we are not even close to beating a team that is having a very bad day. That may have been one of the worst home games for Florida in decades.

 

[vavolunteer]

Our team just proved we are not even close to beating a team that is having a very bad day. That may have been one of the worst home games for Florida in decades.

We get it. Everyone gets it. It was a dissappointing loss. Now can you go menstruate somewhere else. All this crap you keep posting won't change that and sure as hell won't change how our coaches coach or their plan for the rest of the season.

Christ Almighty, go have a drink or something. You're wasting everyone's time. :banghead2: