Will the 2025 Season be a BUST?

#101
#101
OldVol said:
If we let Merk and Mac fight it out and go with the best, we will be fine. Not a fan of agular.
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A skinny 18 yo and a 19 yo w barely any game experience isn’t at all a good idea to go into a sec schedule … and extremely unfair to those 2. They both need a veteran to be here to learn form and preferably sit behind this year. Get lots of work vs Etsu etc
 
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#103
#103
cherokeeeVOL said:
I have no idea what to expect. Lots of unknowns. Replacing QB, RB, almost the entire starting O-line, and almost the entire WR room. Some new pieces on defense as well.
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The unknown is certainly a scary proposition, but I think it’s entirely possible we’re actually better in each of those rooms, except maybe running back. I think the 1-2 punch of Lewis and Bishop is going to be very formidable though. Honestly, these were my thoughts before the chaos of the past few weeks.
 
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#104
#104
TheVolunteer002 said:
Realistically, the schedule now has several question marks:

- Syracuse: this team is no slouch, and it's the first game. Idk what the odds are, but this game can easily be lost if we aren't ready.

- vs ETSU: W

- vs Georgia: L

- vs UAB: W

- @ Mississippi State: They aren't good, but it's an SEC game on the road. Should win this, but you know.

- vs Arkansas: They beat us last year when they had no business. It's in Neyland, but who knows.

- @ Alabama: L

- @ Kentucky: W

- vs Oklahoma: They kept it within striking distance last year, and they look to be improved this year. It's at home, but easily another game that could go either way.

- vs NM State: W

- @ Florida: L

- vs Vanderbilt: W
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This is about where my head is. 5 solid wins, 3 losses, and the rest toss ups.
 
#105
#105
TheVolsFrog said:
I think Bama may be taking a step forward this year from what little I've seen and reports I saw.
Guess we'll see
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Interesting how Bama can take a step forward by replacing a mediocre QB…. But Vols must take a step back by replacing a mediocre QB.

I think we will get better production from the QB position this upcoming season because it won’t take much. Nico’s numbers last season were less than pedestrian.

So, if the other position groups can be similar or better? Then this team actually could be pretty good.
 
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#106
#106
RDU VOL#14 said:
The unknown is certainly a scary proposition, but I think it’s entirely possible we’re actually better in each of those rooms, except maybe running back. I think the 1-2 punch of Lewis and Bishop is going to be very formidable though. Honestly, these were my thoughts before the chaos of the past few weeks.
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My hope is the WR room is this year's version of the DB room from last year. For the running backs, Lewis flashed at times and this staff has proven to be able to plug and play RBs so I do think we're probably good there. O-line is my biggest question mark for this year. Having only 1 returning starter is usually not a good thing and this will also be the first year since Heup and company got here that Cooper Mays isn't the starting center. Add to all of that breaking in a new starting QB out of nowhere. That's a LOT of change. But to your point maybe it turns out to be the good kind of change. I sure hope so.
 
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#107
#107
Lady_Vol said:
I support what Heupel did and think it was in the best interest for the team and for College football.

Unfortunately, this late BAIL by Nico (Kiffin 2.0), could cause this season to be a bust. You basically flush the work from Spring practice on offense and start over from Square One.

Looking at the schedule, given the current QB situation, there are no lock wins (with the exception of the patsy games).

I hope people are patient this year and don’t start calling for heads to roll if this season goes bust. We could take a big step back this year.
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I can’t grasp why people think we’re going to fall on our faces? Nico was mediocre at best against teams with a pulse. Sometimes the word mediocre was a stretch. If I’m not mistaken he had 9 TD against SEC teams. Keep in mind 4 of those came against Vandy. He rarely eclipsed 200 yards in any game against real competition. The hyped Nico we expected was a heisman contender, the real Nico we got was a subpar bottom tier QB for SEC play. Truth is we got into the playoffs due to our schedule. Nico was truly a 7-8 win QB which is where we prob land this coming season as well.
 
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#108
#108
I"m no analyst of football. You would think the line is worse and of course Sampson is gone. The team should not be as good as they were last year, which obviously was a playoff year. We don't see the Jimmies and Joes. Maybe I'll be wrong.

For 95% of Vol fans, I guess this year will be a huge failure. That's my perception of our fans anyway. I think we will have threads this year about Heupel "hitting his ceiling" after taking the team to the playoffs. FWIW.
 
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#111
#111
Shirleyudontmeanthat said:
A skinny 18 yo and a 19 yo w barely any game experience isn’t at all a good idea to go into a sec schedule … and extremely unfair to those 2. They both need a veteran to be here to learn form and preferably sit behind this year. Get lots of work vs Etsu etc
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We have seen true freshmen QBs win big in this league. It depends on the player. Merklinger has put on weight and muscle. He’s at 215 now. He’s plenty big enough for the league. How good? Yet to be seen. Last I heard Aguilar is only 220.
 
#112
#112
FranklinVFL said:
Yeah, if Bama takes ANOTHER step back, they will likely be coach searching in the offseason. Fans will be taking to the streets if they do worse this year vs. last year.
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I don't think that is too much to ask . Pretty sure, God owes me a favor. Would love to see the gumps suck their way to a 6-6 year.
 
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#115
#115
Lady_Vol said:
I support what Heupel did and think it was in the best interest for the team and for College football.

Unfortunately, this late BAIL by Nico (Kiffin 2.0), could cause this season to be a bust. You basically flush the work from Spring practice on offense and start over from Square One.

Looking at the schedule, given the current QB situation, there are no lock wins (with the exception of the patsy games).

I hope people are patient this year and don’t start calling for heads to roll if this season goes bust. We could take a big step back this year.
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I think we gain by having JA. Lazy year the offense totally relied on Sampson and the running game. QB play was implied and not good. I believe Joey has a quick release and can see the field. Ir will take a minute field he and the receivers to get adjusted but he will be fine. Now Merk might be the QB if he is ready. Either way we didn't lose anything with nico leaving.
 
#121
#121
We will be 8-4 and go to a bowl. Meanwhile Georgia, Oregon, Ohio State and maybe even Clemson will be at the top…. again.
Aren’t we supposed to improve each year and eventually be a top contender? Always one step forward and two steps back.
 
#122
#122
This thread seems to be a safe place for all opinions. I don’t expect more than a winning season and “pretty good” bowl game. Whether that’s 8 wins, more or less - I couldn’t even guess.

Apart from the Nico drama, I’m just not sold on the offensive system. 2022 looks more like an exception rather than something repeatable. The defense and Sampson carried the team in 2024. Can those units be as effective this year? Will the QB/WR combo be better despite the personnel losses? I just don’t feel very positive about that.

Gonna be a pivotal season for the Heupel era. Does the team overachieve despite the drama or does it start to look like the beginning of the end?
 
#123
#123
I'm with crowd that does not see Nico leaving as a big QB drop-off. I believe there are good serviceable QB(s) in the room. IMO the bigger unknow issues are the obvious, O-line, receivers and who is going to play safety with all transfer losses there. Players there need to step up to SEC level and things will be fine. If they do 9 wins realistic.
 
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#124
#124
If 8-4 or 7-5 is defined as a bust, then yes. I don’t think the QB change has much of an impact. I don’t see us beating Bama or Florida on the road as CJH hasn’t really given me confidence that he is capable of winning those games on the road. Likewise I don’t feel confident that he has figured out how to beat Georgia and there is always an inexplicable loss so 8-4 seems likely which would have been my prediction with Nico.
 
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