How many quality wins does Butch have since coming to UT?

#1
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#1
There's no doubt that the Vols have improved since the Dooley dark ages, but how much have they improved? They've won more games, but those wins have mostly been over lower tier non-conference teams and division teams in a historically weak Eastern Division. How many quality wins does Butch have so far? And what wins do you think count as quality wins?
 
#2
#2
Depends on how you define quality wins. Most will have a different interpretation of what that means.
 
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#3
#3
Three. South Carolina 2013, UGA 2015, and Florida 2016.

Edit: added uga
 
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#4
#4
There's no doubt that the Vols have improved since the Dooley dark ages, but how much have they improved? They've won more games, but those wins have mostly been over lower tier non-conference teams and division teams in a historically weak Eastern Division. How many quality wins does Butch have so far? And what wins do you think count as quality wins?
Hard not to show improvement if it's measured by Dooley. I doubt Dooley should be the measuring stick for success at UT.
 
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#5
#5
For me, 5.
2 SC
2 GA
1 UF.

Someone could persuade me to drop either a GA or SC win but then I would pick a bowl win to replace it.
I mean if Harbaugh is so beloved for beating the exact same teams we play in bowls, then it's only fair our coach gets the same courtesy, fair?
 
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#6
#6
Hard not to show improvement if it's measured by Dooley. I doubt Dooley should be the measuring stick for success at UT.

I understand the argument, but I hate it. I don't think Dooley is the measuring stick but I do think you have to consider the starting point.
 
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#8
#8
I'll call the bowl wins quality if only for the fact that had we lost, they'd be used against him.

13 USCe
15 uga
16 Florida
16 uga
 
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#9
#9
I'd put Northwestern on that list. They were ranked number 13 in the country whether anyone thinks they should have been or not. Also have to include VT imo, they had a good season, won their division, and nearly beat Clemson in the championship game
 
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#10
#10
For me, 5.
2 SC
2 GA
1 UF.

Someone could persuade me to drop either a GA or SC win but then I would pick a bowl win to replace it.
I mean if Harbaugh is so beloved for beating the exact same teams we play in bowls, then it's only fair our coach gets the same courtesy, fair?

When UGA and UF are our main east rivals, I think those wins have to be considered quality.

That Northwestern team was pretty hyped until we beat their brains in. Then everyone decided they were overrated.
 
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#11
#11
When UGA and UF are our main east rivals, I think those wins have to be considered quality.

That Northwestern team was pretty hyped until we beat their brains in. Then everyone decided they were overrated.

Exactly.
"Signature" wins have to be really special but any/all of the ones listed ranked at least quality. And on the bowl games, I stick with Harbaugh being hyped for playing the exact same teams.
Of course he lost to Iowa :)
 
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#12
#12
Exactly.
"Signature" wins have to be really special but any/all of the ones listed ranked at least quality. And on the bowl games, I stick with Harbaugh being hyped for playing the exact same teams.
Of course he lost to Iowa :)

Yes... difference between quality and signature....agreed.
 
#13
#13
He's lead us to 3 bowl wins in a row for the first time in 20 years. He beat a VT team that finished with 10 wins and a #16 national ranking -- in front of the largest audience to ever watch an American football game. Was that a big game?

The more important question to me is are we getting better under Butch? And I think the evidence suggests that we are. I think if not for the unusually high number of injuries to key players last season, we win a couple more games and finish with 11 wins. That would make our last four seasons look like this...

2013: 5 wins
2014: 7 wins
2015: 9 wins
2016: 11 wins (-2 in reality due to the injuries, IMO)

He's recruiting quality kids who are staying out of trouble (for the most part), taking care of their academics and generally representing the school well. As long as we keep going along like this, I feel like Butch gives us as good a chance to win as any coach we could realistically hope to get to replace him.
 
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#16
#16
Anytime we beat Florida, it's a quality win IMO.

Anytime we beat Georgia, its' a quality win, IMO.

Also I'll also say that beating Virginia Tech - based solely on the environment it was played and the eyes on that game.... I'd consider that a quality win.
 
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#19
#19
I can see that.
Once again, the question was quality and VT turned out to be a quality team. The only point against is it was their 1st game as a (Fuente) team.
eh... location, environment, and that VT went in to be pretty good...

Glad we got'em early??!!?? Prolly not a game we win after the bye.
 
#23
#23
For me, 5.
2 SC
2 GA
1 UF.

Someone could persuade me to drop either a GA or SC win but then I would pick a bowl win to replace it.
I mean if Harbaugh is so beloved for beating the exact same teams we play in bowls, then it's only fair our coach gets the same courtesy, fair?

I would also count the bowl games as quality wins too. We were either underdogs or only favored by a few point in all of them.
 
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#25
#25
SC - 13 and 14
GA - 15 and 16
FL - 16
VT - 16

The amount of close quality wins in the last 4 years is astounding.
 

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