Expectations for Tennessee-Delusions of Grandeur?

#1

Glocker_Alum_2005

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#1
What are your ultimate expectations for Tennessee Football. What other P5 program is most comparable team to Tennessee (last 10 yrs aside)?
This is not so much who/what the TN football program is at this moment, but
what can it be. This thread came to mind while listening to Football
Saturday Podcast from this previous Sunday. Coach Mathews went into detail
on that "state of the SEC" and what each program's expectations should be.
Looking at history of SEC Championship. Starting in 1992, the first 5 games
were FL vs. Bama. With Florida winning 4 of 5. As you can see below Florida
and Bama have basically doubled the rest of the league in # of appearances.
Then there are the next tier of teams (AU, GA, TN, LSU). Then your 1 to 3s,
then your none-at-alls. So looking at this historically, to me it is
unrealistic to expect TN to appear in the SEC title game any more than once
per every four to five years. Agreed? When I look at other conferences, I
think TN should be similar to a team like Wisconsin in the B1G or UCLA in
the PAC 12. Agreed?
FL - 12
Bama - 11
AU - 6
GA - 6
TN - 5
LSU - 5
Ark - 3
MO - 2
SC - 1
Miss State - 1
Vandy - 0
Ole Miss - 0
TAMU - 0
KY - 0
 
#2
#2
As long as I live, I will expect Tennessee to get back to where we once were - a nationally recognized top 10 program.

Nothing wrong with having high expectations.
 
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#3
#3
As long as I live, I will expect Tennessee to get back to where we once were - a nationally recognized top 10 program.

Nothing wrong with having high expectations.

So would you be disappointed with going to SECCG every 4 yr with a couple 8-9 win season in between?
 
#4
#4
So would you be disappointed with going to SECCG every 4 yr with a couple 8-9 win season in between?

That sounds great right about now. Especially if we are winning a few more vs our top 3 rivals and not getting owned by Vandy over a 5 yr stretch. Throw in being in the playoff conversation every now and then and a New Years 6 bowl every 3-4 yrs.
 
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#6
#6
Makes my head hurt. If you put the "last 10 years aside", those numbers change for most everyone but us. Different administration and we are most likely not discussing this.
 
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#7
#7
It the Vols are not fighting for an SEC East title every year something is wrong on the hill.

One of three teams should represent the east every year.
Tenn, Fla, Ga.
With an odd year on occasion where one of the other four climbs to the top.

That's how it used to be and that's where we need to be.
 
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#8
#8
Florida while backing into the sec east a few years has been on a decline. UF is not what they once were nor have they been for a good while. Georgia looks like they are on top of the east at the moment. But truthfully they have only been there 1 year, at some point Tennessee will return to being a top tier program. Yes we have had a bad run the last 10-15 years, with more downs than ups. But it's nothing that Coach Pruitt and company cannot overcome. I think next year will be tough, that doesn't mean we may not overachieve and win 8 games. I think we will start seeing the turnaround in year 2 even though the won-loss column may or may not look like it. I think by year 3 we will know that Pruitt and staff are the answer. I have confidence in this staff.Time will tell. GBO!!!!!
 
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#10
#10
Since 1950 ....UT has finished in the top 10 AP rankings 18 times in 67 yrs.
I'm not a math major, but that's about once every 3-4 yrs. THAT would make me pretty happy. Problem is there are many more quality programs today.

BTW...
Bama - 35 times since 1950
Auburn - 17
UGA - 16
LSU - 15
UF - 14 since 1983
 
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#11
#11
I think when you look at the history even more UT goes to the SEC once every 4 years, wins it half the time (8 yrs) and wins a national title every other time it wins the SEC (16 years). if you look at it we go thru big swings, long droughts with about 5 years or so of being elite.
 
#13
#13
We're a top ten program all time and have the 2nd most SEC championships. Those are my expectations

All-Time top 10??? How's that?
Don't give me # of wins......

I will agree top 20!!!!
 
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#16
#16
I expect to compete EVERY year. Those expectations are not delusional. Too many have been willing to accept mediocrity.

GO BIG ORANGE!
 
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#17
#17
Take out the Haslam's, and UT wouldn't have hardly any facilities.
What you wrote is correct. I don't want to be the grammar police but I don't think it is what you intended. The Haslams have done a lot for UT but only what benefits the Haslams. They have run off other major donors to maintain their choke hold.
 
#18
#18
What you wrote is correct. I don't want to be the grammar police but I don't think it is what you intended. The Haslams have done a lot for UT but only what benefits the Haslams. They have run off other major donors to maintain their choke hold.

:good!:
 
#19
#19
Tennessee is its own institution with its own expectations, separate for any other program in the nation. I’d argue no other football program in the nation has the history of greatness, expectation, and success as our University. Fulmer is trying to instill this back into the minds of all program affiliates because he knows it’s true.

That being said, I know we just had the lowest of the low seasons. That doesn’t erase the past, nor hinder the future. It’s like buying into a stock. Every program will have its highs and lows, but do you panic? Do you sell and abandon ship during the lows? Or do you trust the company will rebound eventually and keep your stock into the program? Especially a company with as rich a history as UT Football.
 
#20
#20
Makes my head hurt. If you put the "last 10 years aside", those numbers change for most everyone but us. Different administration and we are most likely not discussing this.

The last decade has been the worst in program history, so it’s difficult to include it in the equation imo. Fact is, from 1992-2007, 16 seasons, we went to the SECCG 5 times, or about once every 3 years....so that’s a little closer to what we should expect imo, especially since there are still really just 3 prominent programs in the East, UT, Florida and Georgia. And my thinking is, why not, after 10 straight years of crap football, expect to exceed the norm for awhile? Why not expect, say beginning in 2019 or 2020, that we go to the SECCG every other year for awhile or God forbid 2-3 years in a row.....God knows we’re due.
 
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#21
#21
Tennessee is its own institution with its own expectations, separate for any other program in the nation. I’d argue no other football program in the nation has the history of greatness, expectation, and success as our University. Fulmer is trying to instill this back into the minds of all program affiliates because he knows it’s true.

That being said, I know we just had the lowest of the low seasons. That doesn’t erase the past, nor hinder the future. It’s like buying into a stock. Every program will have its highs and lows, but do you panic? Do you sell and abandon ship during the lows? Or do you trust the company will rebound eventually and keep your stock into the program? Especially a company with as rich a history as UT Football.

“I’d argue no other football program in the nation has the history of greatness, expectation, and success as our University”........???

Easy big fella. There are plenty that exceed ours. That said, we can still stake claim to being a top 12-15 college football program all time and it’s beyond time to get back to acting and producing like one. We should have high expectations and demand it from our administration, coaching staff and players as well.
 
#24
#24
Top 10 every 2-3 years. Top 25 every year. SEC championship 3-4 years, that would also include a run of 2-3 years in it as well.
 
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#25
#25
Take out the Haslam's, and UT wouldn't have the facilities they have now!

The Dish guy Ergen is worth more than Haslam. Plus Thornton and numerous others. We would have elite facilities with or without Haslam. Don't ever see money donations ever being an issue.
 
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