Realistically speaking -

[zeppelin128]

Two ifs...If Tennessee runs Dormady in a pro style offense with JG subbing in like Tebow did as a freshman for Leak and the O line can produce a good running game, I think Tennessee could make it to Atlanta. If Tennessee runs the Dobbs read option offense with Dormady, Tennessee is 7-5 at best. Dormady is not a threat to run and the rest of the SEC knows that. If Butch doesn't know that, he'll be fired and rightfully so lol!

Dormady is not Joshua Dobbs, but he is very much a threat running the ball. Dude has some speed.

 

[EZE]

I don't think this year will be a undefeated season, however, I do think we will do better by a game or so this season. 9-3 or 10-2 is my best guess, that is if injuries don't screw us and coaches coach like they should instead of playing a conservative game.

Worst case I see a stagnated game winning (8—4) or 1 game worse regular season . Jones seems to want to win or at least improve and get to Atlanta a second time this season.

Last season was just bad-but-i hope the newcomers from last season got some valuable playing time and will use that to their own advantage, as well as for the team.

GBO!

I think you should change your thread title to "speculatively speaking...."

 

[82_VOL_83]

We lost 6 players "for the season"....

-JRM, played in 3 games
-Sapp, 3rd string linebacker, played in 3 games
-OBrien, played in 6 games
-KMac, played in 7 games
-Tuttle, played in 7 games
-Sutton, played in 7 games

That's your list. Other players missed a game here and there, played in the overwhelming majority of games last year.

QB- Dobbs played in every game

RB- Hurd quit after 8 games, Kamara played in 12 of 13 games, Kelly in all 13 games

WR- Malone played all 13 games, JJ in all 13 games, Byrd in 12 games, Smith in 12 games

TE- Wolfe played in 11 games

OL- Robertson played in 12 games, Thomas 10, Kendrick 12, Wiseman 10, Richmond 8(not due to injury), Jones 9 games. Hall was the only OL starter who battled injury all season long and was limited to 7 games.

DL- Barnett played all 13 games, Vereen player in 13 games, Lewis 12, Vickers 13, Kongbo 12, Phillips 11.......Obrien 6, KMac and Tuttle 7

LB- Jumper 12, McDowell 11, DKJr 8, Berry 13, Bynum 13.

DB- TKJr 12, Abernathy 12, Gaulden 13, Foreman 9, Moseley 13, Martin 11, Sutton 7

Hurd quit playing 100% day one. That poison started before game 1.

 

[BeardedVol]

Hurd quit playing 100% day one. That poison started before game 1.

Yeah, he had totally quit in the App State game when he recovered the end zone fumble, and saved us from an embarrassing loss to a Sun Belt team in our home opener.

 

[KBVol]

Hurd quit playing 100% day one. That poison started before game 1.

If that's the case, he should've been run off before game 1. That said, I thought he played/ran very hard up until and vs Florida in game 4. It was game 5 vs Ga when it all went to hell and whatever eventually happened became boiling to a head.

 

[Doberman]

If that's the case, he should've been run off before game 1. That said, I thought he played/ran very hard vs Florida in game 4. It was game 5 vs Ga when it all went to hell and whatever eventually happened became boiling to a head.

Yep. The fumble after the big shot while waltzing into the end zone was when the whelks came off.

 

[82_VOL_83]

Yeah, he had totally quit in the App State game when he recovered the end zone fumble, and saved us from an embarrassing loss to a Sun Belt team in our home opener.

Sorry, my post didn't read correctly. He wasn't giving 100% effort. I don't believe he played more than one half of football wide open all year. 2nd half FL.

 

[82_VOL_83]

If that's the case, he should've been run off before game 1. That said, I thought he played/ran very hard vs Florida in game 4. It was game 5 vs Ga when it all went to hell and whatever eventually happened became boiling to a head.

I think had he left before fall camp, we would have been better off.

 

[BeardedVol]

Sorry, my post didn't read correctly. He wasn't giving 100% effort. I don't believe he played more than one half of football wide open all year. 2nd half FL.

His stats through the GA game do not reflect your statement.

 

[KBVol]

I think had he left before fall camp, we would have been better off.

Could be.

 

[Boca Vol]

Yep. The fumble after the big shot while waltzing into the end zone was when the whelks came off.

And yet he had a TD after that play. Go figure.

 

[TNJOKER]

If that's the case, he should've been run off before game 1. That said, I thought he played/ran very hard up until and vs Florida in game 4. It was game 5 vs Ga when it all went to hell and whatever eventually happened became boiling to a head.

Hurd was still butt hurt from the seasonal spring game. Kamara was Chosen over hurd as a captain.. I can get his greif but dang it man.. He was part of the reason we performed so horribly.

 

[IknoxvolsI]

Every team loses players and has players play hurt, every season, every game. For example, Florida was missing 7 starters when they went to LSU late in the year with their season/SECe Division title aspirations on the line, and got it done. By contrast, we went to lowly Vanderbilt later the same day, missing 4 starters, with the chance to play in the Sugar Bowl on the line, and lost.

This^^^^^^^is why Jones can't get it done!

 

[DaddyChad]

I don't think we have nearly the offensive firepower as last year but if we don't have the injuries or the distractions this year could really surprise people. Defense should be significantly better and I'm hoping for more consistency out of the offense. Dobbs was phenomenal at times but had some really terrible decisions as well. Kamara was awesome but really didn't come into his own until Hurd flaked out.

 

[82_VOL_83]

Could be.

I was at APSU, OU, and FL. He didn't look interested until the 2nd half of FL.

 

[82_VOL_83]

I don't think we have nearly the offensive firepower as last year but if we don't have the injuries or the distractions this year could really surprise people. Defense should be significantly better and I'm hoping for more consistency out of the offense. Dobbs was phenomenal at times but had some really terrible decisions as well. Kamara was awesome but really didn't come into his own until Hurd flaked out.

I'm hoping for consistency on the O this year. I would love a boring, drive it down your throat O with a crushing D.

 

[08Vol]

Yeah, he had totally quit in the App State game when he recovered the end zone fumble, and saved us from an embarrassing loss to a Sun Belt team in our home opener.

Hurd's uncle (or someone close to him claiming to be his uncle) said Hurd tried to quit the team and drop out of UT after the 2015 season. Apparently Butch had to talk him into staying. We all thought he was crazy when he posted that on here. Turns out he was right and Hurd wasn't happy being a Vol

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

Hurd was still butt hurt from the seasonal spring game. Kamara was Chosen over hurd as a captain.. I can get his greif but dang it man.. He was part of the reason we performed so horribly.

You mean the coaches saw this coming from the spring and didn't resolve it before fall? BSIA strikes again.

 

[Darth_Shiveman]

The injuries last year's team suffered have been exaggerated as time has passed. It was far, far from ideal. And IMO, could have been a pretty acceptable excuse for dropping one game we shouldn't have as the season wound down.


But when you look at what we had on the field in those USCe and Vandy games compared to the opposing teams, it's hard to buy the injury excuse as the sole reason for dropping both of those games.

Injuries played a role, sure. But there were a lot more problems going on with team 120 than just those injuries. Locker room issues, coaching issues, an inadequate S&C program...chalking it all up to the injuries is just the easiest thing to point to.

The question moving forward will be whether the changes made in the program will have adequately addressed those issues or not.

Edit: issues not injuries

 

[KBVol]

The injuries last year's team suffered have been exaggerated as time has passed. It was far, far from ideal. And IMO, could have been a pretty acceptable excuse for dropping one game we shouldn't have as the season wound down.


But when you look at what we had on the field in those USCe and Vandy games compared to the opposing teams, it's hard to buy the injury excuse as the sole reason for dropping both of those games.

Injuries played a role, sure. But there were a lot more problems going on with team 120 than just those injuries. Locker room issues, coaching issues, an inadequate S&C program...chalking it all up to the injuries is just the easiest thing to point to.

The question moving forward will be whether the changes made in the program will have adequately addressed those injuries or not.

This is 100% spot on

 

[Longsufferingvol]

The injuries last year's team suffered have been exaggerated as time has passed. It was far, far from ideal. And IMO, could have been a pretty acceptable excuse for dropping one game we shouldn't have as the season wound down.


But when you look at what we had on the field in those USCe and Vandy games compared to the opposing teams, it's hard to buy the injury excuse as the sole reason for dropping both of those games.

Injuries played a role, sure. But there were a lot more problems going on with team 120 than just those injuries. Locker room issues, coaching issues, an inadequate S&C program...chalking it all up to the injuries is just the easiest thing to point to.

The question moving forward will be whether the changes made in the program will have adequately addressed those issues or not.

Edit: issues not injuries

The injury issue does not excuse those losses at all. Most of our injuries were on defense and the offense is what lost those 2 games. The offense sputtered in the 2nd half of the Vandy game and the offense was inept for the entirety of the South Carolina game. The most perplexing thing was how terrible the team looked against SC despite coming off a bye week and having 2 weeks to rest and heal up. That was just poor coaching and preparation, period.

 

[BeardedVol]

Hurd's uncle (or someone close to him claiming to be his uncle) said Hurd tried to quit the team and drop out of UT after the 2015 season. Apparently Butch had to talk him into staying. We all thought he was crazy when he posted that on here. Turns out he was right and Hurd wasn't happy being a Vol

110 total rushing yards, 3.9/YPC, behind our Oline that was being manhandled by App State's tiny DLine.

Hate Hurd for quitting midseason if you choose to, but don't try to re-envision history in the process.

 

[46yrvol]

I will not trivialize what Hurd meant to this team. Thought he was one of the best power backs around in an offense that worked better for speed backs. But also remember that after his freshman season his body changed,. He grew 1.5 inches and up to 242 lbs. He became an even bigger square peg in a round hole.

I also think that there was more friction with the other players than there was with the coaches. I don't think they could have run an I-formation power game when they were playing from behind in every game, so I don't buy the narrative that they had made promises to that effect. Also, if they had of done that, then Kamara and Kelly would have had even bigger gripes than Hurd had. Especially since Kamara and Kelly were emerging as more compatible backs.

So the way I would sum it all up is that the situation is just that ,situation. not every thing is a matter of being some body's fault.

secondly, CBJ is at fault for not having any fore sight and dealing with this problem as it was brewing.

And last, Hurd's decision (if it is true) to quit, not before the game, not after the game but during the game!!! That's cardinal sin on his part. I'll always hate that move, I believe it to be irrational on his part. However, I do believe he was getting a lot of pressure from outside forces that led him to that fateful decision.

No hate here, just hate that drastic decision. But will cherish the memories of him giving his all and sacrificing for his team. Wish him well.

 

[chattavol420]

It concerns me that Penn State's defense got better after Shoop left.

Shoop was the hottest dc name and it wasn't even close when we got him. He has a long track record of success. Last year was his first season. He'll be much improved this year. Plus butch made it difficult for him to be successful. We didn't have depth at several spots and that plagued us. We also had an incredibly amount of significant injuries, some of which could be attributed to butch firing the s and c coach and not replacing him (a genius move even by butchs standards). And finally our offense continued with the hurry up even when it wasn't effective and we had no depth on defense.
So there are a lot of reasons shoops season wasn't as successful as we had hoped for last year

 

[IknoxvolsI]

Hurd just plain out sucked! I know alot of you posters idolized him in HS and he was a good HS football player but in the SEC he sucked!

Butch Jones sucks (period).

Hurd did not have speed. Had some vision. Was not elusive. Was not fluid when he ran. No balance. Just big and an instate product.

Jones, well, he just doesn't have what it takes!

End