Phil Steele Top 40

[HooahVol]

I like Phil Steele, I really do. I think he knows his stuff and generally has been favorable to Tennessee. But he just released his top pre-season 40 and I have a bone to pick:

1. Georgia
2. Clemson
3. Michigan
4. Alabama
5. Ohio State
6. Penn State
7. USC
8. Florida State
9. LSU
10. Notre Dame
11. Texas
12. Texas A&M
13. Wisconsin
14. Washington
15. Oregon
16. Utah
17. Iowa
18. Oregon State
19. Tennessee
20. Oklahoma
21. North Carolina
22. Toledo
23. Pittsburgh
24. UTSA
25. TCU
26. Ole Miss
27. South Alabama
28. UCLA
29. Kansas State
30. Miami
31. South Carolina
32. SMU
33. Boise State
34. Tulane
35. Kentucky
36. Air Force
37. NC State
38. Illinois
39. Texas Tech
40. Maryland

OK, I will give him the benefit of the doubt on putting LSU over us in the SEC. We play both Bama and UGA whereas LSU only plays Bama. But to put A&M above us is a slap in the face. And, honestly, to put us all the way down to #19 shows Heupel still is not getting the respect he deserves. Again, I like Steele and he probably has some statistic like Milton's lifetime completion percentage or some crap like that to justify us but I sincerely think we are a top ten team.

 

[CAVPUT]

Preseason picks are preseason picks. Where were we last year and how did we end up? I'm not saying his list is right, but I think this team has some uncertainty. It's also thin in some areas. Given the schedule, I can see 10 wins and I can see 8. At the end of the day...in July no less...it's really meaningless.

 

[VolunteerVandiver]

Where did he have us last year? Exactly.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Phil Steele hates us.

 

[cwbytruckers]

I actually like this. I would rather our guys still feel like they are getting slapped in the face and something to prove. I dont care if we start at the bottom. Win the games and see you in December Phil Steele.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Really surprised at Wisconsin being that high. I’m a big Luke Fickell fan, but that seems pretty high considering a complete change in system under a first year head coach.

 

[KTrain]

Phil Steele is very likeable so he get a lot of love from radio guys. He has been good to a point but he and I don't blame him emphasizes his right on picks and eliminates his big misses. Radio sports personality having him as a guest and they really like him so he gets softball questions, never a zinger. He has a following and these guys have a show so they want him to come back. He's selling something so he knows the landscape and a good navigator, who has a good reputation.

 

[Gandalf]

I like Phil Steele, I really do. I think he knows his stuff and generally has been favorable to Tennessee. But he just released his top pre-season 40 and I have a bone to pick:

1. Georgia
2. Clemson
3. Michigan
4. Alabama
5. Ohio State
6. Penn State
7. USC
8. Florida State
9. LSU
10. Notre Dame
11. Texas
12. Texas A&M
13. Wisconsin
14. Washington
15. Oregon
16. Utah
17. Iowa
18. Oregon State
19. Tennessee
20. Oklahoma
21. North Carolina
22. Toledo
23. Pittsburgh
24. UTSA
25. TCU
26. Ole Miss
27. South Alabama
28. UCLA
29. Kansas State
30. Miami
31. South Carolina
32. SMU
33. Boise State
34. Tulane
35. Kentucky
36. Air Force
37. NC State
38. Illinois
39. Texas Tech
40. Maryland

OK, I will give him the benefit of the doubt on putting LSU over us in the SEC. We play both Bama and UGA whereas LSU only plays Bama. But to put A&M above us is a slap in the face. And, honestly, to put us all the way down to #19 shows Heupel still is not getting the respect he deserves. Again, I like Steele and he probably has some statistic like Milton's lifetime completion percentage or some crap like that to justify us but I sincerely think we are a top ten team.

I get that nobody knows if Milton will fully replace or surpass the Hooker magic till we prove it.

But #19 is silly. Last year was not lightning in a bottle, it is the beginning of CJH’s system. I think 9-12 is probably more reasonable.

 

[DonDiego]

Clemson at #2 is a shocker to me. They better be a whole lot improved from last year if they end up that much higher than us.

 

[Cartervol]

Milton has a lot of doubters. Oline is a question mark. Secondary was just awful last year. So I get it. Different year, different team.

 

[Cartervol]

Clemson at #2 is a shocker to me. They better be a whole lot improved from last year if they end up that much higher than us.

Yeah I don't get that either, other than they don't play anyone all year for the most part.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Really surprised at Wisconsin being that high. I’m a big Luke Fickell fan, but that seems pretty high considering a complete change in system under a first year head coach.

Very easy schedule for the badgers this upcoming season. I want to know what is up with Iowa being in the top 20? They were absolute garbage last year. Notre Dame and Texas will most likely disappoint again too.

 

[HooahVol]

I think the Clemson love is from their hiring Garrett Riley at OC. It was a great hire for sure but I can't see him turning around their anemic offense in one summer.

 

[Vol$_Deep_11_9]

I’d rather start too low than too high. I think that’s a little too low but not far off.

 

[headhunter15]

That Wisconsin placement is laughable. They will be good with Fickell, but not yet.

 

[Volinnooga]

Milton has a lot of doubters. Oline is a question mark. Secondary was just awful last year. So I get it. Different year, different team.

I think the takeaway from Steele‘s ranking is that he’s not convinced Milton will play near Hooker’s level.

 

[valoisvol]

FL not even in top 40. Haven’t seen that in a long time

 

[DuckInAPen]

Phil Steele hates us.

You can't spell ESPN without P(hil) S(teele).

 

[HooahVol]

FL not even in top 40. Haven’t seen that in a long time

I am not going to lie, that made me very happy. I know you have to go all the way back to 2004 to find when we beat Florida two years in a row but I just don't see anything in Gainesville that can stop that from happening this year.

 

[allvol123]

To put us right in front of Oklahoma is all I need to see. This is absurd.

 

[OrangeTsar]

 

[VFL-82-JP]

There are some dog whistles among his picks.

Tennessee is one of those. Steele's formula (or what Steele fed into it) clearly think Milton won't come close to Hooker. There are doubters out there; he's one.

Notre Dame is another indicator. Steele lists three (THREE) of ND's opponents higher than the Irish: Clemson at #2, Ohio State at #5, and USCw at #7. Presumably, he expects each of those teams to beat the fellas from South Bend, Indiana. You don't get to #2, #5, or #7 losing many games. Then again, you shouldn't be able to get to #10 losing three games in the regular season, either. But there they are.

So Steele is clearly not "playing the season out" in his head, to see how he thinks each chip is going to land. Instead, he's using some system, some combination of metrics in a formula. And any system, no matter how good, can come up with quirky results.

That's why most folks who run ranking systems reserve the right to nudge the results after the computer finishes calculating. To get things "common sense" again.

Seems brother Steele didn't do that.

I wouldn't put too much weight on this poll. Steele's often right, sure, but he's also badly wrong on a more frequent basis than his reputation might indicate.

Go Vols!

 

[Christian Lowe]

#19 is probably right tbh.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

#19 is probably right tbh.

betcha.

You take #19. I'll take #10. Bet I'm closer to our final 2023 ranking than you.

 

[Christian Lowe]

betcha.

You take #19. I'll take #10. Bet I'm closer to our final 2023 ranking than you.

If I get 15 and above as a win, then.. How much? I’ll take that bet.