SEC Network is drunk.
- Thread starter WhyNotBBN
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Tennessee is going to be a huge bust this year (relative to expectations). Media setting them up for a fall. Keep in mind that their best win last year was against either iowa or south carolina. Would be hilarious to see them finish .500 or worse.
Our OL is the only question mark on our team and early reports are its much improved from last year.
Tennessee is going to be much better than most of you guys think. And I hate to say that, but it's true.
The addition of Dobbs and his playmaking ability is what set us apart from the first half of the year. Also the two 5* DT's we add are legit.
I'm not sure that's a crazy prediction. There is likely a huge gap between the top 3 and the rest. I would put other teams ahead of Tennessee but even they can end up being busts. It's not unrealistic for UT to take a big step forward. I still think it would be a huge reach for them to be in the playoffs even if they do win the SEC east.
They will be right behind uga in the east. I hate it too but they got better 2nd half of last year and return a whole lot.
UT should be pretty good this year, the addition of Alvin Kamara who is much more of a threat than Hurd makes their offense pretty scarey. They still have some question marks on the OL and with the loss of their most experienced OL doesn't help that at all. Dobbs is an elusive qb, his passing isn't elite but he makes enough plays with his feet to offset that. Defensively they will be young inside, the kid they are so high on will be limited in the number of snaps he gets but the other frosh OT will be tough and likely have better snaps if for no other reason being able to get more snaps. They have very good outside rushers, LB is the biggest question on defense. Like UK, they don't have many questions, but their OL is and will be a concern for them most of the season. They could win 9-10 games, or could lose 6, they have a tough schedule. And Powervols I said COULD, not would and those 6 are OU, Bama, Arky, UGA, SC, Missouri.
Tennessee is going to be solid, but great? No..I think they'll be 8-win team or so..if you consider that great then more power to you, but they're just not on the level of Georgia or Alabama or Auburn..not yet anyways.
The reason the media are pumping them up is because most of these people treat them like they do the Dallas Cowboys and Notre Dame. They pump them up a ridiculous amount in the offseason and preseason because they grew up idolizing those teams with Phil Fulmer and Peyton Manning.
The thing is it would be different if they hadn't done this every single offseason for the last decade. Heck, there were media members last year that were saying last year was "the year" Tennessee would finally step back up and win the East. I think some of you might be getting a little carried away with how good you THINK Tennessee is based on the score of last year's game against us. That game and that score were a fluke, sorry. If you look at the season as a whole and common opponents you can see that us and Tennessee were more similar than we were different. To deny that based on one game just isn't being truthful. Now you can point to how they've raked in these recruiting classes and what not, but how is that different from any other year for the last decade and what did they do on the field last year that blew you away? Beat us badly? Beat Iowa badly? I mean that just doesn't scream SEC East champ to me...not when you have teams like Georgia, Mizzou, South Carolina that have all at least shown us they can win big games since the last time Tennessee won big.
Tennessee lost to the teams that we lost to (and many times played worse than us against common opponents) snuck into a bowl game (which they treated like a Super Bowl and had a month to prepare for) and then demolished a so-so Iowa team. You have to be really careful in getting carried away with those bowl scores..they're about as flukey as they come many times when a team that isn't fully motivated is playing another team that's pumped up and has a month to prepare. I mean if they hadn't lucked out and snuck by South Carolina they would've likely had the EXACT same record as us..think about that. Would you call that over-achieving or under-achieving considering the level of recruit they've brought in? Does that scream great coach to you? I mean, it's not like they had 9 or 10 wins last year, they had 7 and got blown out by Oklahoma, lost to Florida at home (and didn't even play as good as we did against them) lost to Missouri (and didn't even play as good as we did against them) lost to Georgia, barely, barely snuck by South Carolina even closer than we did. I mean they blew us out, but I think EKU would've blown us out if you would've stuck them on the back half of our schedule last year..we were just a totally different team that didn't even resemble the team we looked like for most of the year.
I mean I understand excitement going into the season and I think Tennessee will be a solid team overall, but they just aren't on the level of Alabama or Georgia or Auburn..not yet. Some people are acting like it's a foregone conclusion that Tennessee is just going to come in and be great this year. If they were in any other conference I would say that could very well be the case, but you all know as well as I do that in the SEC there have been a whole lot of teams with a whole lot of talent that can't get past 7 or 8 wins..it's a battle EVERY SINGLE WEEK in the SEC and to get past 8 wins you basically have to be one of the top-15 teams in the nation. Let them at least show us something on the field before we crown them.
I'm not denying that Tennessee will be solid this year, but in the SEC, unlike other conferences, there are 4 or 5 teams in your division alone that will be just as motivated and just as talented and just as well coached. Tennessee COULD take the next step this year, but it's far from a given. They're lumped in with a bunch of teams that COULD do it, but how is that different from any other year in the SEC? It's far from a given that they'll be great. In the SEC you can start the season as a top-10 team and midway through the season you could be unranked because of the grind an SEC schedule puts on you (aka South Carolina last year). And that doesn't even begin to factor in that the better you are in the SEC the more teams will be gunning for you and it almost negates any gains you've made. It's just SO SO hard to take that next step in the SEC. It's not as simple as: better recruiting=wins. If you don't have an ELITE coaching staff that talent won't count for more than 8 wins or so in the SEC.
The reason the media are pumping them up is because most of these people treat them like they do the Dallas Cowboys and Notre Dame. They pump them up a ridiculous amount in the offseason and preseason because they grew up idolizing those teams with Phil Fulmer and Peyton Manning.
The thing is it would be different if they hadn't done this every single offseason for the last decade. Heck, there were media members last year that were saying last year was "the year" Tennessee would finally step back up and win the East. I think some of you might be getting a little carried away with how good you THINK Tennessee is based on the score of last year's game against us. That game and that score were a fluke, sorry. If you look at the season as a whole and common opponents you can see that us and Tennessee were more similar than we were different. To deny that based on one game just isn't being truthful. Now you can point to how they've raked in these recruiting classes and what not, but how is that different from any other year for the last decade and what did they do on the field last year that blew you away? Beat us badly? Beat Iowa badly? I mean that just doesn't scream SEC East champ to me...not when you have teams like Georgia, Mizzou, South Carolina that have all at least shown us they can win big games since the last time Tennessee won big.
Tennessee lost to the teams that we lost to (and many times played worse than us against common opponents) snuck into a bowl game (which they treated like a Super Bowl and had a month to prepare for) and then demolished a so-so Iowa team. You have to be really careful in getting carried away with those bowl scores..they're about as flukey as they come many times when a team that isn't fully motivated is playing another team that's pumped up and has a month to prepare. I mean if they hadn't lucked out and snuck by South Carolina they would've likely had the EXACT same record as us..think about that. Would you call that over-achieving or under-achieving considering the level of recruit they've brought in? Does that scream great coach to you? I mean, it's not like they had 9 or 10 wins last year, they had 7 and got blown out by Oklahoma, lost to Florida at home (and didn't even play as good as we did against them) lost to Missouri (and didn't even play as good as we did against them) lost to Georgia, barely, barely snuck by South Carolina even closer than we did. I mean they blew us out, but I think EKU would've blown us out if you would've stuck them on the back half of our schedule last year..we were just a totally different team that didn't even resemble the team we looked like for most of the year.
I mean I understand excitement going into the season and I think Tennessee will be a solid team overall, but they just aren't on the level of Alabama or Georgia or Auburn..not yet. Some people are acting like it's a foregone conclusion that Tennessee is just going to come in and be great this year. If they were in any other conference I would say that could very well be the case, but you all know as well as I do that in the SEC there have been a whole lot of teams with a whole lot of talent that can't get past 7 or 8 wins..it's a battle EVERY SINGLE WEEK in the SEC and to get past 8 wins you basically have to be one of the top-15 teams in the nation. Let them at least show us something on the field before we crown them.
I'm not denying that Tennessee will be solid this year, but in the SEC, unlike other conferences, there are 4 or 5 teams in your division alone that will be just as motivated and just as talented and just as well coached. Tennessee COULD take the next step this year, but it's far from a given. They're lumped in with a bunch of teams that COULD do it, but how is that different from any other year in the SEC? It's far from a given that they'll be great. In the SEC you can start the season as a top-10 team and midway through the season you could be unranked because of the grind an SEC schedule puts on you (aka South Carolina last year). And that doesn't even begin to factor in that the better you are in the SEC the more teams will be gunning for you and it almost negates any gains you've made. It's just SO SO hard to take that next step in the SEC. It's not as simple as: better recruiting=wins. If you don't have an ELITE coaching staff that talent won't count for more than 8 wins or so in the SEC.
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Have you been drinking? Never seen UT play last season? Your not drink are you? Just checking you know.
After all UT dog stomped us last season in the ground, they lost to Florida in the same manner we did so that would of been another win for them. They also played at Georgia and should have won that game but instead lost 35-32. Played. Missouri well but lost a closer game than one would read on here. Played a decent Big 10 team and destroyed them. They finished the season on a strong note and will be bringing in talented players who have red shirted in the fold. We are proclaiming ours as outstanding players so why can't they?
If they have a serviceable line they will be 2nd in the east
I would rank Mizzou more likely, their "big" OOC game is hosting BYU. That's 5 guaranteed wins counting Vandy who I think is gonna go winless in the SEC. Tennessee will be a good team, but the odds of Mizzou beating BYU are greater than the odds UT beats Oklahoma IMO.
Personally, with the way you've been recruiting, what you have coming back and what the hype is, I'd say 6-7 wins would be a bust when measured against expectations. No way on paper you shouldn't win 8+
Ok.... Why do you think we are going to bust? Only Alabama on paper will have a talent advantage over us.
UT is getting better and could easily win 9 games. Just glad to have them at home. UK will have to be near perfect to knock them off
Dobbs vs Mizzou and Vandy in the second half of the year was shaky.
These "reports" of improvement are so silly - it's great that either coach speak or a media clown says there is improvement but until you play then no one knows.
How many schools around the country and saying "reports from camp are bad" - people fall for it every year however and then are shocked when play is poor.
I hate UT as much as the next guy, but be realistic. They should be on a higher trajectory than us and many are predicting our ceiling at 7-8. They have what amounts to 8 home games with only 2 games where I expect them to lose. They should be on a higher trajectory than us and I'm sure they will be. Their recruiting points to their rise much like ours does. The issue is coaching and they looked pretty good late last year. I think the OP needs to reconsider this one.
Dobbs also has accuracy problems and will never be on an NFL roster. So despite what he brings to the table in palymaking, it's also a very big unknown how he will respond when D coordinators have a full year and a bunch of game tape to game plan for him.
And you will be replacing a 4 year starter at MLB that was the leader of your defense with someone with very little experience. Your defense wasn't as good after he was a used of raping someone as it was before. There will be growing pains from that too
Sounds about right to me. There is a big gap from Alabama and maybe Auburn to teams like UT IMO, but the east is a cupcake league in comparison to the west so that helps their chances. Even all that said, other than at Alabama, they get UGA at home and avoid Auburn all together which is a nice plus.
I didn't say I did think you were, I only said what I believe would be a "bust" vs the hype and expectations, and to me, that's 7 wins or less. Arkansas and Oklahoma will both be serious challenges early if your rush defense isn't much improved. If you happened to drop both those games and start the season 3-4 with a win against Florida, It'd be tough to call that anything but failing to met expectations. As you've just said yourself, you think Bama is the only team with more talent than you, so if you've got all that talent and don't win 10, what went wrong?
I don't disagree with some of this. I have said 8-9 wins seems likely for UT this season, I stand by that prediction. I do disagree with the contention that the media hypes Tennnessee every year. It may feel that way being a UK can, but I can assure you it's not actually true. Tennessee hasn't been this hyped since Fulmer roamed the sidelines. The media last season was predicting between 4-6 wins (from any source I saw, feel free to give some evidence that someone predicted them to win the east). I think the reason a lot of people think UT will take a step forward is because of the youth and inexperience on the team last season. It was one of the youngest rosters in the FBS and had replaced nearly every starter on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Experience is key in the SEC so for that reason alone I say the number of wins improves. Plus, Tennessee has the easiest schedule they have had since Butch Jones arrived. Tennessee didn't sneak by South Carolina, they made one of the best comebacks I saw last season and did so on the road to beat SC for the second year in a row. Barely lost to Florida and probably wouldn't have if the game had been later in the season. Lost to Mizzou by a touchdown, and lost to UGA by 3 points for the second year in a row. I tend to think anytime someone out coaches Spurrier they are an alright coach. When UK beat USC last season, I started to believe that Stoops actually was the right guy for the job. The key thing that impresses me with UT last season is the improvements they made as the season went along. If a team improves over the course of a season that is a mark of a great coach.
UT went 6-6 last year and beat no one in the process. LSU, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Arkansas are all better then UT. People forget UK should have had a better record then UT last season. I don't even buy that UT finishes 2nd in the Easy. Fools gold from last year. I think they go 7-5
UK went 5-7 last year and beat no one in the process. LSU, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Mizzou, etc are all better than UK. See how that works? If you know football you know that you can't base this years projections on last year's record. That's a lesson that many in the national media haven't learned, unfortunately. When you look under the hood, UT was incredibly young. UK was also very inexperienced. Unlike in basketball where one and done works, football players need time to grow and develop. The fact that Tennessee still managed to win 6 games with the schedule they had and the roster they had was a pretty good achievement, as was the fact that they came within 3 points of beating UGA, 1 point of beating Florida, 1 touchdown of beating Mizzou, 2 touchdowns of beating Alabama. UK shouldn't have a better record because UK didn't have a better record. Football isn't horseshoes or hand grenades, close doesn't cut it.
The experience that both teams got last year is why I think both teams take a step forward this year.
Both UK and UT will be better this year. The Vols tradition trumps us, but our recruiting, coaching and player development is on a par with them. Are they a step ahead of us? I would say yes. But, it is not a big step. Both teams will soon be more competitive than our rivals believe.
UT's recruiting has been exceptional. The primary difference between the job Jones has done recruiting and the job Stoops is doing does come down to that tradition. It's been easier to recruit with the history and facilities. UK is improving quickly. When finished, UK's facilities will, like UT, have some of the best facilities in the East. That will be an enormous boon for recruiting.
It wouldn't actually surprise me if Tennessee has one of the best defenses in the SEC this season. Derek Barnett was the best freshmen defensive end I have seen. Myles Garrett got more hype, but if you actually watch the two Barnett was better and was better against better opponents. They brought in two DTs in the last recruiting class, one of which is freakishly large. I expect UT's offense to be better than it was last year, primarily because the offensive line will be better, but I also expect UK's offense to be better than it was last year, primarily because the offensive line will be better. I look forward to that matchup being more interesting going forward than it has been in my 29 years.
The Vols have a lot of talent and a very good coach so why shouldn't they be good? I bleed blue but I don't let that taint my view. I hope they are a huge bust, and lose to us. But, they have a legit shot at a very good season if things fall into place.
WOW all I can say is that you have given UT and its upcoming season ALOT of thought ... we'll see how everything plays out. I do disagree on one point with you and that is that while comparing UT football to UK basketball is not exactly the same it is very similar in this regard : both schools have rich successful traditions , even championships, both have the facilities, and both has deep support and money, both have tremendous recruiting, etc. I don't think that it is a stretch to say that UT - in football -can rise up quickly and take its place where we rightfully belong even in today' competitive world, just as UK did in basketball. See Derek Dooley to Billy Gillespie to Jones to Calipari. Also, lastly, this stretch of UT football (5 years) is the worst in its history, so this has been slowly building under Butch and now it is about to be where we typically are historically - competing for division and championship banners
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