Still a year away

#51
#51
7 wins isn't exactly disappointing, but I wouldn't call it a successful season. The way the newcomers progressed in their 2nd year under Butch (many 1st) says they should progress significantly this time as well. Try should have beaten Florida last year. Beating them this year and losing again to the same teams isn't exactly a successful season.
 
#52
#52
Eddie Vol Halen said:
Butch has to establish he is a Championship-level coach this year.

He has 18 returning starters with all SEC calibre performers at skill positions and on defense.

He has as favourable a schedule as he can have.

He has had three years (Saban went undefeated in Year 2).

He has gone all-in with Mike DeBord essentially saying that this team only needs to stay-the-course.

Butch has spent Sunday to Friday putting in place all the bricks he needs. Now, can he build the house on Saturdays?

We will lose two SEC games. That's fine (so long as one of those losses is not Florida or Vandy). Seven wins will be a massive underachievement for a true Championship level coach.

We DO lose production in 2016; Butch needs to prove he's the total package seven days a week in 2015.

The time to win is now.
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Please folks, stop comparing Butch's situation to that of coaches whose own situation that they walkes into was not even close to the same.
 
#53
#53
coffeevol said:
With all the hype I am sure no one wants to hear it but we are still one year away. 7 or 8 wins is a successful season next year. 2016 will be the year we are another year older, more experienced, deeper at all positions and ready to compete. Don't get upset with 7 this year, still a process and it is working And foundation has been laid.
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Youth, depth, and talent are no longer valid excuses. Aside from GA no other East team compares.
7 reg season wins would be a disappointment. 8 wins is expected. 9 even 10 wins is reasonable.
 
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#55
#55
Other_Guy said:
7 wins isn't exactly disappointing, but I wouldn't call it a successful season. The way the newcomers progressed in their 2nd year under Butch (many 1st) says they should progress significantly this time as well. Try should have beaten Florida last year. Beating them this year and losing again to the same teams isn't exactly a successful season.
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Again, if we only win 7 games this year, it all but certainly means we go 1-5 vs Oklahoma, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Missouri. Don't know about anybody else, but if that happens, I'll definitely be disappointed.
 
#56
#56
Give the state of the eastern division there is no excuse to not be within one game of making it to Atlanta next year.

8 regular season wins at the very minimum but I don't think its unfair to place an expectation of 9 wins out there for this team.

If Butch can coach...given the upgrade in talent and the we weakness of the eastern division there's no excuse for this team to not break through and get 9 wins next year.

The defense will be better. The key to it all is the OL and Dobbs being able to stretch the field more with his arm.
 
#57
#57
Has anyone looked at the schedule?? If the Vols do not win at least 8, it will be a disappointment. This is the year we start winning 8+ games every year until Hell freezes over.
 
#58
#58
I just don't see how people are setting the bar so low.
Should win these 6: Bowling Green, West Carolina, Kentucky, SC, N Texas, Vanderbilt.
60% chance of a TN win: OK, FL, GA, Missouri and Arkansas (so probably 3 wins)
Not favored: AL

I think a safe bet is 9 wins. Could go either way but I am hoping for the high end of 10-11 regular season wins with a SEC championship game!
 
#59
#59
coffeevol said:
Hope I am wrong, I am just saying I think we will be better but the hype machine is out of control. 7 in the Season one in a bowl is a great year and 16 expecting SEC run or playoff
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While this may happen and no reason to panic, 7 is no way near a great year. I'm thinking 8 is good and 9+ would be great. Go Vols!!
 
#60
#60
coffeevol said:
With all the hype I am sure no one wants to hear it but we are still one year away. 7 or 8 wins is a successful season next year. 2016 will be the year we are another year older, more experienced, deeper at all positions and ready to compete. Don't get upset with 7 this year, still a process and it is working And foundation has been laid.
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If your goal is to become a second tier program that "hopes" to compete for the East once or twice a decade then you have expectations that low. If your hope is to see championships at UT then 7 is NOT success.... Eight is barely passing.

What makes you think UT will be a year more experienced or older on average in '16?

After this season, UT will lose 3 Sr starting OL's, Pig, Pearson, and Ellis on O. On D, they'll lose both starting S's, Maggitt, O Williams, Weatherd, and potentially Sutton.

You seem to buy into a couple of myths that keep getting circulated. UT isn't particularly young this year nor are the very real roster issues they have any worse than most other SEC programs.
 
#61
#61
KBVol said:
Again, if we only win 7 games this year, it all but certainly means we go 1-5 vs Oklahoma, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Missouri. Don't know about anybody else, but if that happens, I'll definitely be disappointed.
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Good point. Some people are committing themselves to make excuses and won't admit they were wrong. But some now saying that 7 is good enough will feel differently if they actually experience that kind of season.

The difference between your approach and that of most of the people setting the bar low is that you are thinking it through while their trying to think of ways to keep "feeling" good about the program regardless of what happens.
 
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#63
#63
coffeevol said:
Hope I am wrong, I am just saying I think we will be better but the hype machine is out of control. 7 in the Season one in a bowl is a great year and 16 expecting SEC run or playoff
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Another disconnect.

If the coaching isn't good enough to at least post 8 wins in '15 then it likely will never be good enough to compete for the SEC much less the playoff.

I'm not saying that it isn't that good... in fact, I expect it to be that good. But they aren't going to suddenly figure out how to coach in the SEC between '15 and '16. I know many have convinced themselves that it takes 4+ years to build a competitive football program... but reality is different. Coaches who can get it done will at least start getting it done (on the field) within 3 years.
 
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#64
#64
Dave1967 said:
Tennessee 8-4 in 2015 and 10-2 or 11-1 in 2016.
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Think about it. If they cannot win more than 8 this fall then what are the chances of 11 after losing their most explosive outside WR, leading WR production wise, and 3 Sr OL's?

This year the Vols only lost 3 starters. Next year, they'll lose at least 5 on O and at least 4 on D.

The excuses for why they cannot compete in '16 will actually be BETTER if the key measure is experience.
 
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#65
#65
sjt18 said:
Think about it. If they cannot win more than 8 this fall then what are the chances of 11 after losing their most explosive outside WR, leading WR production wise, and 3 Sr OL's?

This year the Vols only lost 3 starters. Next year, they'll lose at least 5 on O and at least 4 on D.

The excuses for why they cannot compete in '16 will actually be BETTER if the key measure is experience.
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i'll be happy with 8-4 this season and 9-3 in 2016 but I think there's a chance for 10-11 wins with the extra experience as well as the schedule being a lot easier
 
#66
#66
KB and sjt18 make some very good points.

Last season I predicted 7-5 but I was more interested in what the losses looked like. Were they blowouts like most were in '13 or was UT closing the gap. UT closed the gap last season even though the records were similar.

Fast forward to this season. UT will be expected to seriously compete in at least 11 of the 12 games. There is no one on the schedule outside of a road game at Bama that UT can't hang with.
 
#67
#67
8 Regular Season Wins for 2015 is the floor. We may do better than that but that is why a floor exists. To have an expectation greater than that may be asking a bit too much of the team and the staff...8 wins and a bowl win is a two game improvement from last year and 2 more game improvement the year after puts in SEC championship discussion....
 
#68
#68
chattaboogie said:
Do you have anything to support that? You just get on here and spit bull**** and expect people to agree? Why dont you back it up.

How many seniors will we start? How many juniors? How many overall starters do we return?What is our average recruit ranking? How is our coaching consistency? If you don't think we compete with Georgia and Florida this year then you better just follow Missouri you twad.
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Dang man, tell me how you really feel. Don't make it out like I am not a fan. I am as die hard as the next guy. Maybe the past few years has me jaded but when I see the hype machine blowing 9 or 10 wins I think we are setting ourselves up to question how good of a job Butch is really doing here. Next year(2016) is the judgement zone for him, its win or get off the pot. Is 8 possible this year? YES of course, is 7 possible? YES, and it doesn't mean Butch isn't the answer.

Just saying if things go bad & If we win 7 reg. season games and head to a good bowl it won't be a "bad year" but you will still begin the ignorant arguments from the Sunday Morning QB's to Fire Butch, Butch is Not the answer, He made the wrong OC hire, he is too loyal, never won at a big time school, never won with his own class will ring from the hills and hollers of K'town. All I am saying is 7 is not a complete failure this year. Now be a jerk and question my fanhood, I hope we win 16 this year.
 
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#71
#71
EvanStalcup1990 said:
I am going to be honest here, all of these posters claiming we are going to win 9+ are ridiculous. They will be the same posters on here screaming for the coaches head when we lose. We will go 7-5 this year with a chance to win the bowl game. We are only 1 injury away (qb) from a losing season. Virtually no depth at RB, Hurd will not be able to get through the SEC grind, and Karma is not a proven commodity. Our OL will not have a dramatic improvement. I would not expect the offense to gel as much as everyone is saying. Our def will win us games this year. If we go 7-5 that means we improved. 2016 is the year UT will have to really show out.
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The Buckeyes just won a National Championship with a 3rd string QB.
 
#72
#72
Yeah I won't be cutting a jig over a 7 win season. I understand people have different expectations but 7 wins just isn't getting it done on the field in my view.
 
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#74
#74
coffeevol said:
With all the hype I am sure no one wants to hear it but we are still one year away. 7 or 8 wins is a successful season next year. 2016 will be the year we are another year older, more experienced, deeper at all positions and ready to compete. Don't get upset with 7 this year, still a process and it is working And foundation has been laid.
Click to expand...
Did it require much time for you to play Captain Obvious, pump brakes & open the floodgates for the ubiquitous negagurus, op? I'd say 9-10 Ws, possibly a trip to Hotlanta & a notable bowl game. There's no spectre of a hot seat for bUTch, to all you wrist wringers, & there will be even more intensity on the excitometer in Knoxville, pulling in more studs for team 120. Smoke that.
 
#75
#75
Last year we were in just about every single game, against teams we had no business being on the field with. Can't help but be optimistic. I'll say 9 wins at least.
 
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