When will we know where team 118 is?

#27
#27
What does that even mean? It makes no sense to me. OU covered. They won and we lost as predicted. Are you basing closeness of the game how we drove the ball into the red zone a couple of times and came up empty? We never had the lead and they put it away in the second half, which is what usually happens in that sort matchup. If the success of this season is going to be based solely on whether or not the Sooners boat raced us wire to wire like Oregon did in 2013 then I guess all of Y'all can go ahead and buy yourselves some rings or trophies or whatnot and skip watching our conference games.

You've been so negative about it. Why? I understand a loss is a loss but are there no positives you take away? Would you expect a Dooley coached, youthful team to even compete?

Take victories wherever you can find them. Don't be so negative. You'll live longer. This team has a long road ahead but come on... at least we have real evidence that things are looking up.
 
#29
#29
Their performance however, seems to be improving.

The esprit de corp is vastly improved. These young men are on a mission to grow and improve and 'be all that they can be'.

The understanding the players appear to have that, as a "team" they are the ones truly building for the future, they truly are a foundation being built brick by brick. I am so proud of comments coming from individual players after the OK game recognizing team mates, of the young Oline taking responsibility for protecting or not the QB.

So what I'm most encouraged about is team spirit vs. what we did not see in (hate to say it) our loss to Kentucky under him who will not be named-andonchugothereither- and the pre-Madonnas of that season. It's night and day.

We really need the current 2015 commits to remain committed, not so much to The University of Tennessee, but to the team, to our Volunteers, to join in and continue to build on this great thing Team 118 is doing. All of them will be forever cherished by the Volunteer Nation, wherever they go.
 
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#31
#31
We played against three opponents so far. Oklahoma is the #4 team in the nation, but I am unsure whether they deserve that title. We beat Arky State and Utah State, but are we really sure how good they are?

I am sure win at Athens will prove that we've improved, but what happens if we lose? Do we cross ourselves out of a bowl game, or do we wait until we play Florida to see where we are?

When do you guys think we'll be able to set a realistic expectation for our season if we lose to Georgia?

Florida?
Ole Miss?

We'll know when we walk off the field after beating UGA next saturday :rock:
 
#32
#32
Look at how the team is competing and not the W/L record. As several have said on here, UT can be an improved team with the same record as last year. 5 of UT's losses last year were lopsided games. Sure UT lost by 24 on Sat but most agree the game was closer than the final score.

After losing so many games , the past years, it seems VOL NATION has the mentality that it's OK to lose the big games as long as it is not by too many points.
 
#33
#33
When you start assessing litmus test status to a season off of one game be sure to include some qualifying items like how many guys are hurt and what that might do to the ability of the team to preform to it's fullest abilities.

IMO that has been one of the often forgotten causes of our failing seasons.
 
#34
#34
After losing so many games , the past years, it seems VOL NATION has the mentality that it's OK to lose the big games as long as it is not by too many points.

And you seem to be someone trapped in the 90's and not so sure of what's happened since then. Shall I help you out? We fell down to Vandy/UK/MSU level. We have to build back from that. Takes time, does'nt happen overnight.
 
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#35
#35
We played against three opponents so far. Oklahoma is the #4 team in the nation, but I am unsure whether they deserve that title. We beat Arky State and Utah State, but are we really sure how good they are?

I am sure win at Athens will prove that we've improved, but what happens if we lose? Do we cross ourselves out of a bowl game, or do we wait until we play Florida to see where we are?

When do you guys think we'll be able to set a realistic expectation for our season if we lose to Georgia?

Florida?
Ole Miss?
Just curious, but why do you feel that Oklahoma is not deserving of a #4 ranking?
They looked pretty damned good to me.
 
#36
#36
They were in Norman, Oklahoma over the weekend. I believe they're in Knoxville currently.... sorry.

Anyways, I believe you should know where team 118 is right now. They're a young team, they're going to play hard, they're faster than team 117 overall and they won't quit. Does that always translate into wins? No. But I think this team will be "in more games" than they were "in" a year ago.

I don't think we're going to lose 4 games by 20 or more points this year like last year. This is a tough football team with the speed to hang around in more games that got ugly on us in the last few years, and the experience in a few positions to possibly win a game or two that all those "experts" pick us to lose when the freshmen can put together a solid game.
 
#37
#37
We will really know on 10/4. We start the year with 2 we are expected to win (done) and 2 we are expected to lose (1 done, 1 yet to be played.) Florida is a tossup at home, with both teams being unknowns at this point. This would be a huge win if we were to get it, making a bowl berth very probable, and showing lots of progress not just physically but mentally as well. Lose, and it would seem to indicate that there's still a long way to go, in addition to hurting our bowl chances and being a setback in the rebuilding process.
 
#38
#38
After losing so many games , the past years, it seems VOL NATION has the mentality that it's OK to lose the big games as long as it is not by too many points.

Take yer choice, right leg or left leg. I'm a gonna whack it off at the knee and use your logic and tell you to go run a 5K. mmmmm? How bout that?
 
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#39
#39
We have improved but not at our goal yet. I will believe we have made once we are in the SEC championship game.
 
#40
#40
Gonna be a real roller coaster this year. We will be in every game but hard to say how we finish.
 
#41
#41
I don't think we'll know for sure until we see how this team performs at home with the Gators. The UGA game could go either way, although their passing game is mediocre, the rushing and special teams play is very good (until 2 missed field goals that is). Their defense just flat out stinks, cant stop a good high school team at this point. Our defense is very good, our special teams not as good as UGA's, our passing game is a lot better than their's, our rushing game is no where near theirs. Its almost even, but I think our O is tons better than their D, where their O is slightly better or even with our D, which to my head means even or we win. Our team is hugelhy improved from last year where they are not even as good as last year's Dawgs, so we take it.
 
#42
#42
I get that there's some artificial exuberance being ginned up and I don't have a problem with it although it does tend to make the collective fan base look foolish when people like Finebaum selectively publicize the most radically optimistic predictions we can muster with regard to our toughest opponents. I think that we will get a much better barometer of whether we're actually improving when we play some middle of the pack SEC teams, teams that we actually play regularly if not annually and with which we have enough familiarity to assess the Vols' performances. I liked that Worley took a licking and kept ticking and I liked that the team didn't quit in the 4th quarter. I'm just not sure it means enough to say that we're much better than a year ago.

Has Worley not improved? Has our D slowed down? So your take is that those of us that see visible improvement are just fooling ourselves. And we're ginned up. Interesting. You are wrong, but interesting nonetheless.
 
#43
#43
We have to slow down UGA run game. We have the talent to do so, but coaching talent to do so? We will find out.
 
#44
#44
I honestly believe this team is poised to make a real splash but we are so thin injuries could swing it to mediocre in a minute. I pray we have all our major weapons for UGa. I'd take one solid win just to know what can be if we have our full compliment of athletes.
 
#46
#46
We have to slow down UGA run game. We have the talent to do so, but coaching talent to do so? We will find out.

I'm confident as hell in Jancek on this front. He was fired by UGA after being lumped in as a co-coordinator. He has tons of motivation and the horses on D to get it done. Gurley will be wearing AJ like a blanket.
 
#47
#47
I'm confident as hell in Jancek on this front. He was fired by UGA after being lumped in as a co-coordinator. He has tons of motivation and the horses on D to get it done. Gurley will be wearing AJ like a blanket.
I hope so. Gurley should get a few plays, but not the consistent big runs. USCe stopped him/slowed him, we should do the same. "Youth and Inexperience" card only goes so far. If we can't slow down UGA run game....it's crystal clear that's on coaching.
FTR...not trying to argumentative or an arse
 
#48
#48
I hope so. Gurley should get a few plays, but not the consistent big runs. USCe stopped him/slowed him, we should do the same. "Youth and Inexperience" card only goes so far. If we can't slow down UGA run game....it's crystal clear that's on coaching.
FTR...not trying to argumentative or an arse
I fully agree USC turning them one dimensional showed me it will he on the coaches if we don't also. We are totally built to stop UGA.
 
#49
#49
We played against three opponents so far. Oklahoma is the #4 team in the nation, but I am unsure whether they deserve that title. We beat Arky State and Utah State, but are we really sure how good they are?

I am sure win at Athens will prove that we've improved, but what happens if we lose? Do we cross ourselves out of a bowl game, or do we wait until we play Florida to see where we are?

When do you guys think we'll be able to set a realistic expectation for our season if we lose to Georgia?

Florida?
Ole Miss?

I think we have seen enough to know. The defense can stand with a top 10 team and not break. The offense will improve because of the experience factor, barring injuries. We did not see that progression last season because of the Worley injury. Once that happened we could no longer get the ball to the playmakers. I still think they will 6 but will be competitive in all games played from this point forward.
 

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