I was so wrong...

#26
#26
cgbtn said:
It is on the coach: he is responsible for repping them until they will execute. Fulmer, who would not hesitate to heap all blame on the players, would say we had a flawless game plan, but "the kids just didn't execute." Well, after the kids didn't execute for enough years, it was Fulmer that got fired.

That said, there is only so much a coach can do in his first year with not-very-good players. If they are losing in 2015 because they don't execute, Butch will have a problem.
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So, it's on Butch because Pig couldn't hold on the the ball for another two inches?
 
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#27
#27
macrovol said:
The ONLY question I had about Butch when we hired him was recruiting. That has been answered completely. Now it's just a matter of time.
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After watching last year's blowout losses I still have big questions about his ability to prepare and coach a team on Saturdays.
 
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#29
#29
Allow me to provide some perspective. According to recruiting website 247 we are currently ranked 7th in the country in recruiting. We are currently ranked 5th in the SEC. I like what Butch is doing but we have a long, long, LONG way to go before we are truly "back." I'm really rooting for Butch to be the guy but we still have to see if all this talent he's bringing in will perform on the field.
 
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#30
#30
jacobyvoln27 said:
Not taking anything away from Butch and his recruiting because I love the guy! Two things I see some of the top recruits we have are legacy recruits which we should land and secondly Thigpen has been a ace and deserve a heck of a bump in salary. These are the only two things that question me about the greatest recruiter talk. And yes I know he hired Thigpen.
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It is true that while he has had a historically ugly mess to clean up, he has benefited from legacy classes. BUT, it is also clear that someone like Dooley would have likely lost those top legacy recruits and one thing I can say about CBJ that has been PROVEN and that is he leaves nothing to chance on the recruiting trail.

And its true that the proof hasnt been on the field yet, although we did beat a top 10 team and lost to another one by 2 inches. But as the players he has to work with improves, I think you will find that his coaching "improves" as well. Like many have said before "cant coach speed (or size)".
 
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#31
#31
Brave Volunteer said:
Allow me to provide some perspective. According to recruiting website 247 we are currently ranked 7th in the country in recruiting. We are currently ranked 5th in the SEC. I like what Butch is doing but we have a long, long, LONG way to go before we are truly "back." I'm really rooting for Butch to be the guy but we still have to see if all this talent he's bringing in will perform on the field.
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Going solely by recruiting rankings is silly. Especially since the top 10 is fluid and interchangeable every year.

For example, I would have given us the top spot last year. Obviously the recruiting services didn't see it that way. They have their systems.

As long as you're building depth, and getting impact players WHILE staying in the top 10 on a yearly basis - you'll be in the championship conversation.
 
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#33
#33
UTodd01 said:
Going solely by recruiting rankings is silly. Especially since the top 10 is fluid and interchangeable every year.

For example, I would have given us the top spot last year. Obviously the recruiting services didn't see it that way. They have their systems.

As long as you're building depth, and getting impact players WHILE staying in the top 10 on a yearly basis - you'll be in the championship conversation.
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Of course you can't go SOLELY by recruiting rankings but my point is that while Butch is recruiting lights out, so are many other schools in our own conference. I'm just saying it's a little early to say Butch is THE guy until he proves he can win on the field with the recruits he's getting.
 
#34
#34
Brave Volunteer said:
Of course you can't go SOLELY by recruiting rankings but my point is that while Butch is recruiting lights out, so are many other schools in our own conference. I'm just saying it's a little early to say Butch is THE guy until he proves he can win on the field with the recruits he's getting.
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If he could win on the field and play teams to the wire with the recruits Dooley was getting, then I like our chances.
 
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#35
#35
Gramps said:
I was thrilled the day Strong turned down TN I was on the Larry Fedora bandwagon, had some uncertainty when UT hired Butch. I now think Hart could not have made a better hire period.
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Same here Gramps. I was all for Fedora. I didn't mind the hire of CBJ, but Fedora was my first pick. I absolutely did not want Strong or "I'M A MAN!" Gundy.

No way Fedora would have us progressing like Butch is.
 
#36
#36
VolinDalton said:
So, it's on Butch because Pig couldn't hold on the the ball for another two inches?
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If General Neyland had a player try to do that with a football, you wouldn't even remember his name was Pig. In 1951, there would be pictures of Andy Kozar crossing the goal line in the famous Neyland rotating hurdle, but I never saw one of him trying to extend the ball across the goal line.
 
#37
#37
It's even more painful for me to admit that I backed Kiffin when he first came. I thought he was gonna be the best thing that ever came to TN. I never liked Dool from day one. CBJ I had, and still have, a great feeling about though.
 
#38
#38
jacobyvoln27 said:
Not taking anything away from Butch and his recruiting because I love the guy! Two things I see some of the top recruits we have are legacy recruits which we should land and secondly Thigpen has been a ace and deserve a heck of a bump in salary. These are the only two things that question me about the greatest recruiter talk. And yes I know he hired Thigpen.
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Understand your points, but keep in mind that the legacies make up a small percentage of his recruits/commits thus far. 6/31 from 2014, none from 2013 and 1/20 so far for 2015. That's a total of 7 out of 72. Also, neither of our highest rated players last year (Hurd and Malone) were legacies and 3 of our legacies (Wharton, Creamer, El Berry) were among our lowest rated players.
Also, it's documented that several legacy players would not have come to UT had a coaching change not been made which shows that signing your legacy players isn't a given.

Heard Coach Elder discuss the team approach it takes to recruit kids the other day. As great as Thig is he still has a lot of help from Butch and the other coaches just like Thig helps recruit other players for whom he's not the lead guy. Also, if you read recruit interviews on VQ, 24/7, etc, players ALWAYS mention Butch and how much they like him and the atmosphere he's created.

All this is to say, in my mind, that there is no need to doubt his recruiting and off the field excellence. It's his ability to prepare and coach his team however that needs questioning/scrutiny.
 
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#39
#39
KBVol said:
Agree.

Recruiting/Off the field ....A+
2013 Gameday coaching/preparation ....D
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I respect your football acumen. I am an observer. You appear to study. With that said, aren't you being hard on his game prep grade?
 
#40
#40
MWAVolfan said:
he can recruit them. we still dont know if he can turn that into wins on the field in the SEC.

But he gets the credit he deserves so far.
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With the right Jimmys and Joes in place, the Xs and Os are just a formallity!!!
 
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#41
#41
McDad said:
I respect your football acumen. I am an observer. You appear to study. With that said, aren't you being hard on his game prep grade?
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Maybe. We could point to the Ga and SCar games and feel good about him. But the positive feelings from those 2 games quickly get overwhelmed by the 4 blowout losses where we simply couldn't remotely compete......and then when you throw in the Vandy game.

I'm certainly hopeful that Butch is the right guy and I do put some credence in his past head coaching success. I also think that with better jimmies and joes we'll see a difference.....but I want to see it first.
 
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#42
#42
VolinDalton said:
If he could win on the field and play teams to the wire with the recruits Dooley was getting, then I like our chances.
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Tennessee 14 Oregon 59

Tennessee 17 Florida 31

Tennessee 10 Alabama 45

Tennessee 3 Missouri 31

Tennessee 23 Auburn 55
-------------------------
Total 67 - 221

Uh, what team were YOU watching last year?
 
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#43
#43
Personally I think this is a good coaching staff, maybe great, but only time will tell. To me the biggest question is, can Butch keep this staff together if we do start winning? What made Fulmer so good? The staff he had around him, Cutcliff and Chief made him look good. When they were gone the program crumbled. Just my opinion of course.
 
#44
#44
KBVol said:
Maybe. We could point to the Ga and SCar games and feel good about him. But the positive feelings from those 2 games quickly get overwhelmed by the 4 blowout losses where we simply couldn't remotely compete......and then when you throw in the Vandy game.

I'm certainly hopeful that Butch is the right guy and I do put some credence in his past head coaching success. I also think that with better jimmies and joes we'll see a difference.....but I want to see it first.
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I have been very guarded in my hope in Butch in the aftermath of the prior two head coaches. I immediately bought in on both of those. Butch is renewing my hope a little each month. Part of that renewal is the scar and uga games. I gave him a pass on Oregon, Bama and Auburn; horrible matchups in terms of recruiting differential, and depth. Missouri was bad timing due to our QB injury issues. The Vandy game, I believe, he was outcoached. And, I think had butch not monkeyed with the QB our Florida outcome had a good chance of being different. I like Butch's positivity, his representation of the UT brand, and his recruiting. Like you, I am searching for the proof in the pudding on the field.
 
#46
#46
McDad said:
I have been very guarded in my hope in Butch in the aftermath of the prior two head coaches. I immediately bought in on both of those. Butch is renewing my hope a little each month. Part of that renewal is the scar and uga games. I gave him a pass on Oregon, Bama and Auburn; horrible matchups in terms of recruiting differential, and depth. Missouri was bad timing due to our QB injury issues. The Vandy game, I believe, he was outcoached. And, I think had butch not monkeyed with the QB our Florida outcome had a good chance of being different. I like Butch's positivity, his representation of the UT brand, and his recruiting. Like you, I am searching for the proof in the pudding on the field.
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We agree 100. Couldn't be prouder of him as the head coach representing my University. Hope the wins follow soon.
 
#47
#47
VolBricks said:
Personally I think this is a good coaching staff, maybe great, but only time will tell. To me the biggest question is, can Butch keep this staff together if we do start winning? What made Fulmer so good? The staff he had around him, Cutcliff and Chief made him look good. When they were gone the program crumbled. Just my opinion of course.
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I think the major difference is that was CUTCLIFFE'S OFFENSE...Butch formed his own offensive philosophy in his various stops as an assistant before landing his first HC gig. He could serve as his own OC and can teach it. Bajakian will land a HC position some time in the next five years, but rest assured Elder and/or Azzani are readying for the opportunity. On defense, Butch knows what he wants, let's hope Jancek starts providing. :hmm:
 
#48
#48
Brave Volunteer said:
Tennessee 14 Oregon 59

Tennessee 17 Florida 31

Tennessee 10 Alabama 45

Tennessee 3 Missouri 31

Tennessee 23 Auburn 55
-------------------------
Total 67 - 221

Uh, what team were YOU watching last year?
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The team that made the Ol' Ball Coach finally bury his visor in the dirt. The team that took UGA to the wire and should have won. The team that would have went bowling if not for a dumbass block in the back. The team that scored on Alabama for the first time in a long time during the season with a TRUE freshman that should have been going to prom. The team that took out too many opposing teams' players to count. He team that was under the first year of CBJ. The team that had to deal with attrition and under recruitment that has never before been seen on the hill. The team that had to undo all the dumbass "coaching" that was forced upon them for three years.

What team were YOU watching?
 
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