Athlon: UT ranks 58th

#1
S

secking

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2010
Messages
7,285
Likes
11,610
#1
58. Tennessee
Reason for Optimism: A fresh start. New coach Jeremy Pruitt is one of college football’s top minds on defense and is a standout recruiter. The future looks bright for Tennessee. Quarterback Jarrett Guarantano and running back Ty Chandler form a promising duo on offense, and guard Trey Smith is already among the SEC’s best in the trenches.

Reason for Concern: Pruitt needs time to implement his style of play and overall makeup of the roster. Progress should be notable, but Tennessee has a tough path to six or seven wins. The rush defense must improve after giving up 251.3 yards a game in 2017.
Click to expand...
-Athlon

Nothing earth shattering but above Ky
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#2
#2
secking said:
-Athlon

Reason for Concern: Pruitt needs time to implement his style of play and overall makeup of the roster. Progress should be notable, but Tennessee has a tough path to six or seven wins. The rush defense must improve after giving up 251.3 yards a game in 2017.

Nothing earth shattering but above Ky
Click to expand...

Oh come on, 6 wins should not be that tough.

We got 4 wins last year, and lost some close ones, when the team had basically given up.

New coaching ought to count for something.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 8 people
#3
#3
If we could win 4 games last year surely we can win 7 this year..... We have a compinant coach leading the way this year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#4
#4
Those publications is so 90’s. I buy a few a year but don’t enjoy them like I did in the 90’s with hardly coverage of anything. Thank you internet.
 
#5
#5
1725gatorhater said:
Those publications is so 90’s. I buy a few a year but don’t enjoy them like I did in the 90’s with hardly coverage of anything. Thank you internet.
Click to expand...

Agree, except Phil Steele’s. Way more info than you would ever want to know, much less need. Very thorough.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#8
#8
Call me an optimist. We have a decent roster and improved coaching. Injured players coming back will surprise. JG will have a very good year.

8-4 or better.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#9
#9
5. Tennessee
Tennessee averaged a 13.2 finish in recruiting rankings from 2013-17. New coach Jeremy Pruitt isn’t inheriting a cupboard that’s completely empty, but the former Alabama defensive coordinator is going to have a busy offseason. The Volunteers are looking for answers for an offense that averaged only 19.8 points a game in 2017 and lost standout running back John Kelly to the NFL. Quarterback Jarrett Guarantano should benefit from a full offseason to work as the No. 1 option, with running back Ty Chandler poised to have a breakout year as the starter. Guard Trey Smith is already one of the SEC’s top linemen after starting all 12 games as a true freshman in 2017. Pruitt’s impact will be noticed right away on defense. This unit has finished ninth in the SEC in scoring defense in three out of the last four years, and top defensive back Rashaan Gaulden is leaving Knoxville early to go to the NFL. Darrin Kirkland’s return from injury should bolster the linebacker unit.
Click to expand...

Picked 5th in the East with a little more reasoning,
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#10
#10
Not too high, not too low.

Sounds about just right.

We have talent on the roster that hasn’t properly been developed due to piss poor coaching.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#11
#11
secking said:
Agree, except Phil Steele’s. Way more info than you would ever want to know, much less need. Very thorough.
Click to expand...
Agree... always liked to have one to set up my roster to edit NCAA FB rosters because they normally have every schools roster while regional magazines normally just SEC and maybe some ACC schools. My favorite magazines has always been Lindy’s, split between sporting news and Athlon, and Homerville football time in Tennessee.
 
#12
#12
1725gatorhater said:
Agree... always liked to have one to set up my roster to edit NCAA FB rosters because they normally have every schools roster while regional magazines normally just SEC and maybe some ACC schools. My favorite magazines has always been Lindy’s, split between sporting news and Athlon, and Homerville football time in Tennessee.
Click to expand...

Younger daughter has given me the same for Fathers' Day for years.
I'm a bit more of an optimist...7-5 hoping to be surprised. Remember this year's 13th in the SEC bb team.
 
#14
#14
People are underestimating the talent currently on our roster, also we have some real coaches that've been through the SEC wars to coach 'em up. Eight wins are possible.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#15
#15
UT Hill Man said:
Oh come on, 6 wins should not be that tough.

We got 4 wins last year, and lost some close ones, when the team had basically given up.

New coaching ought to count for something.
Click to expand...

It does count for something, that something being 2 or 3 wins apparently.
 
#17
#17
fifties fan said:
Younger daughter has given me the same for Fathers' Day for years.
I'm a bit more of an optimist...7-5 hoping to be surprised. Remember this year's 13th in the SEC bb team.
Click to expand...
I don’t think we are that terrible but a lot of turnover in players leaving due to new leadership. If we have a good coach we should beat Vandy, UK, and have legitimate chances against SC, Florida and Missouri but will we win all 3 probably not but not impossible. No way in hell we beat Bama and long shots against Auburn and UGA but who knows and season opener is no cream puff but we normally do good in season openers. Worst I see is 6-6 best is 9-3 with a lot of luck and I am optimistic and say 8-4.
1. WV 28-24 W
2. ETSU 52-10 W
3. UTEP 38-17 W
4. Florida 21-24 L hope I am wrong
5. UGA 21-31 L
6. Auburn 20-35 L
7. Bama 17-35 L
8. USC 24-21 W
9. Charlotte 42-14 W
10. UK. 34-17 W
11. Missouri 38-31 W
12. Vandy 34-14 W
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#20
#20
Dtj64 said:
If we could win 4 games last year surely we can win 7 this year..... We have a compinant coach leading the way this year.
Click to expand...

We won 4 games last year with an experienced head coach who has a 56% career winning percentage and who had four conference championships on his resume.

So it should go without saying that we will definitely win more games this season under the supervision of a guy who has never won a game as a head coach.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 people
#21
#21
I count us as underdogs for:

bama
Auburn
UGA

Even:

WV
Flo

Slight Favorites:

SCAR
KY

Favorites:

Vandy
Mizzou

Heavy Favorites:

ETSU
UTEP
Charlotte
----------------------------------------------------
Split the evens and counter any upset loss with an upset win and I'm thinking 8-4 is very doable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#22
#22
secking said:
Picked 5th in the East with a little more reasoning,
Click to expand...

Everybody in the East is beatable. UGA is a bit of a long shot but we can easily hang with the other 5 East teams.

Even though they beat us, Florida was way worse than us last year. We recruited comparably to them.

So it boils down to a Defensive Guru vs an Offensive Guru and we have home field advantage.
 
Last edited:
#24
#24
UT Hill Man said:
Oh come on, 6 wins should not be that tough.

We got 4 wins last year, and lost some close ones, when the team had basically given up.

New coaching ought to count for something.
Click to expand...

We were also a few plays from 2-10. Gonna take a little time, the program is a freaking mess coming off of last season.
 
#25
#25
It will be an overachievement if CJP gets to a bowl game with UTK before year 3. With what's happening at UGA I don't think any reasonable person can expect CJP to win the east. Maybe he'll string together a couple of 9 win seasons before moving on.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top