The value of our strong OOC schedules

#1

GoVols876

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#1
Another year brings another attempt to educate you heathens about the disaster that these high-caliber OOC games have been to our beloved program.

- Over the past 12 years, Tennessee is an astounding 3-8 (.2727%) in these high-caliber OOC games.
- Tennessee isn’t just losing these games, they are getting trashed. Tennessee average margin of defeat is a horrifying 18.5 points.
- 3 times in the past 12 years, these games have prevented Tennessee from attending a bowl game.

Missing a bowl game doesn’t just hurt recruiting; it also closes the door to 12-15 additional practices with the team. That’s crippling! It equates to almost a full spring practice schedule that we are missing out on. For what? What did we gain for signing up to get drummed by the Ducks by 45 points last year? A little bit more name recognition? About 15 minutes of excitement for the fan base until Oregon starting taking it seriously? Not having to listen to the grumblings about another boring scrimmage game?

The truth of the matter is that these games are crippling Tennessee’s ability to rebuild. They are hindering the efforts to build confidence within our program and ripping 12-15 practices away from us when we need them most.

You don’t have to look too far to see the wisdom in avoiding these games, just look down the road in Nashville when a historically horrid Vanderbilt program starting being competitive. How did they turn the program around so quickly? Because of great coaching and avoiding preventable embarrassments by scheduling wins instead of more exciting trashings.

Don’t come here posting about how these game are scheduled years in advance and unavoidable at this point. The fact that we cleared UNC off our schedule in 2011/2012 tells you everything you need about how unavoidable these games truly are.

Predictions for the 2014 season point to a very similar result. A 5-7 team missing out on another bowl game because we opted to get trounced by another high-caliber opponent, this time Oklahoma. Tennessee will move to 3-9 (.250%) and will once again miss 12-15 invaluable practices when we need them most.

Hopefully our athletic department can figure out how to help this program rebuild instead of continuing to hinder them for the sake of their pride.
 
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#4
#4
Yeah, I don't think the Coach who openly says regularly "we expect to compete for national championships at UT" is going to bail on high profile games to squeak into a low-level bowl at 6-6. How bout if we beat vandy and mizzou at home we will be fine. something a bowl worthy SEC team should do.
 
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#5
#5
Yeah, I don't think the Coach who openly says regularly "we expect to compete for national championships at UT" is going to bail on high profile games to squeak into a low-level bowl at 6-6. How bout if we beat vandy and mizzou at home we will be fine. something a bowl worthy SEC team should do.

Competing for NC is all fine and well but it is not done by winning against the nastiest schedule. Almost all the top caliber teams we need to play against are in the SEC already and now with the playoff system, there is NO need to play hideous OOC teams, especially not at first. Look at Bama's schedule - look at Auburn's schedule.

Also, every time you play a tough OOC, you risk more injuries = less chance at stacking wins. Bottom line, if you are in SEC and you can win 10+ games, nobody cares if your OOC games were creampuffs.
 
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#6
#6
Look at the upside. What happens if we beat Oklahoma or keep it fairly close? Every talking head in the country will take notice.
 
#7
#7
Competing for NC is all fine and well but it is not done by winning against the nastiest schedule. Almost all the top caliber teams we need to play against are in the SEC already and now with the playoff system, there is NO need to play hideous OOC teams, especially not at first. Look at Bama's schedule - look at Auburn's schedule.

Also, every time you play a tough OOC, you risk more injuries = less chance at stacking wins. Bottom line, if you are in SEC and you can win 10+ games, nobody cares if your OOC games were creampuffs.

That is fair and true. That being said, UT has won a NC with a tough OOC schedule before and Butch and ADDH (Athletic Director Dave Hart) look poised to do it that way again...

Also I'll never do anything Bama's way. Shuck em'
 
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#10
#10
That is fair and true. That being said, UT has won a NC with a tough OOC schedule before and Butch and ADDH (Athletic Director Dave Hart) look poised to do it that way again...

Also I'll never do anything Bama's way. Shuck em'

Nothing says you can't go back to a tough OOC opponent after the program gets back on its feet.
 
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#12
#12
Yeah, I don't think the Coach who openly says regularly "we expect to compete for national championships at UT" is going to bail on high profile games to squeak into a low-level bowl at 6-6. How bout if we beat vandy and mizzou at home we will be fine. something a bowl worthy SEC team should do.



Who the hell wants to be like Notre Dame and play the likes of Army every year then get thrashed by "O Bama" in the National Championship game in front of the whole free world?????????????

I would rather have the formula that we currently have.

6 S.E.C. East opponents ( USC, UGA, Vandy, Missouri, Ky, & Florida,

2 S.E.C. West opponents ( "O Bama & and a rotating opponent) and

4 non conference opponents, 3 being from smaller conferences and 1 being from the ACC, Pac 12, Big 10 or Big 12.
 
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#13
#13
Nothing says you can't go back to a tough OOC opponent after the program gets back on its feet.


You realize how long in advance you have to schedule a tough OOC opponent?

Ok la homo, Nebraska, Southern Cal, F.S.U., etc. are scheduled about 6 seasons in advance.

Keep it like it is and we will eventually get to the point in which we are competitive in all of the games we play; regardless of the opponent....
 
#14
#14
Look at the upside. What happens if we beat Oklahoma or keep it fairly close? Every talking head in the country will take notice.


What happens if we lose to Ok la homo? That will serve as a good recruiting tool.

"Son, I know we lost to Oklahoma but we are just a few players short of beating teams like that. Are you that difference maker that we are looking for? Come to Tennessee and help us turn this thing around"

"Okay coach, where do i sign"
 
#15
#15
You realize how long in advance you have to schedule a tough OOC opponent?

Ok la homo, Nebraska, Southern Cal, F.S.U., etc. are scheduled about 6 seasons in advance.

Keep it like it is and we will eventually get to the point in which we are competitive in all of the games we play; regardless of the opponent....

Keep it classy. You just said we weren't bama. Prove it.
 
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#16
#16
You realize how long in advance you have to schedule a tough OOC opponent?

Ok la homo, Nebraska, Southern Cal, F.S.U., etc. are scheduled about 6 seasons in advance.

Keep it like it is and we will eventually get to the point in which we are competitive in all of the games we play; regardless of the opponent....

true.

there were a bunch of reasons people scheduled this way in the past but as we head to the future, ticket sales will be another.

people are having a hard time paying for these cupcakes.

there are rumors popping up that Florida will be adding a second OOC opponent in the future. They have a game scheduled with Michigan already, however it is at a neutral site.
 
#17
#17
The value of our strong OOC schedules

Thread title fooled me big time. I thought the OP was going to tell me why getting our brains beat in by top 5 teams was good for us.
 
#18
#18
I agree that we would have been better off not playing Oregon in 2010 and 2013, and most likely, Oklahoma this year.

When we are a national power again, sure, but right now all it does is give us losing seasons. Even without those non-conference games we would probably have had a top 25 schedule each year because of Alabama and Florida being annual opponents.
 
#19
#19
Yea, because Florida had to drop FSU from their schedule in order to rebuild from the Zook years....SMH.

We can't drop the strong OOC opponent. I just think we were unlucky that we got Oregon and Oklahoma in top-5 seasons. Had we scheduled Texas 5 years in advance it would have looked like a nightmare matchup, but in reality would end up being something very different.

Some years we'll get an Oklahoma, some years we'll get a WVU or Ga Tech. You just play the team that's in front of you and do your best to come away with a victory. SOS does count.
 
#20
#20
We just need to be patient and give CBJ 6 more years to recruit the talent he needs. By then we should get a bowl game.
 
#22
#22
I think the bowl practice "benefit" is way over-valuated. A 6-6 UT team isn't going to bust their ass in bowl practice for a game in Shreveport or B'ham. Do you really think UT would be that much further along on 8.8.14 if they played in a bowl last year?
 
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#23
#23
I think the bowl practice "benefit" is way over-valuated. A 6-6 UT team isn't going to bust their ass in bowl practice for a game in Shreveport or B'ham. Do you really think UT would be that much further along on 8.8.14 if they played in a bowl last year?

I don't think Butch would have let UT just lollygag during those practices last year, so yes, I do think we would have benefited greatly from it.
 
#24
#24
Yea, because Florida had to drop FSU from their schedule in order to rebuild from the Zook years....SMH.

We can't drop the strong OOC opponent. I just think we were unlucky that we got Oregon and Oklahoma in top-5 seasons. Had we scheduled Texas 5 years in advance it would have looked like a nightmare matchup, but in reality would end up being something very different.

Some years we'll get an Oklahoma, some years we'll get a WVU or Ga Tech. You just play the team that's in front of you and do your best to come away with a victory. SOS does count.

Florida was still finishing with 8 wins and a bowl game. We have been finishing with 5 wins and no bowl. That is a very big difference.

At any rate is should be a moot point. This should be our last down year... let's hope anyway.
 
#25
#25
I don't think Butch would have let UT just lollygag during those practices last year, so yes, I do think we would have benefited greatly from it.

In what way? Do you think Dobbs would have gotten significantly better last December vs Spring Practice and a QB guru this off-season?

I'm just using Dobbs as an example.
 

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