"Vols have no business in Top 10"

#101
#101
lawgator1 said:
Ok, riddle me this: What would you rather have heading into the next year to give you confidence? A beatdown of Northwestern in a bowl game or a narrow marquise SEC regular season win over Alabama or Florida?

We all know the answer. You can say it.





Dude, it was Northwestern. They got creamed by the two decent Big Ten teams they played, Michigan and Iowa, by a combined 78-10.

78-10 !!

You'll have to excuse me if I'm not all googley eyes over that resume.





Florida is a bit of an unknown this year. Logic says that we HAVE to be better offensively, having gotten rid of Harris. But we just don't know.

My expectations are low, and for our game you are at home and have your best team assembled in years. I think any rational person would pick you to win at this point. I certainly do.
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And they beat Stanford... and we're #13 and we pounded them by as much as we wanted.
Again your "logic" is off as much as this kid who wrote the article.
 
#103
#103
HoptownVol said:
Thats downright insulting. But I don't doubt it, same thing Spurrier and Meyer said about us.
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That has changed. The entire world (coaches know already) just how good our defense is going to be. That's the biggest weak link last year.
When Jones was hired and named Jancek DC I threw up. Without question we will be light years ahead of last year. There's a reason Jancek is a position coach at a glorified high school now.

Edit: Jones' biggest mistake while at UT.
 
#104
#104
ice said:
Personally, I don`t understand all the hype and very high expectations for the upcoming season.
Last year we barely made a bowl game and all of a sudden after an off season some have us winning almost everything.
Can a team make that much of an improvement in one off season?.
I`m taking a wait and see attitude.
Beat Florida, Bama, and Georgia, then we will talk about rankings.
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Barely made a bowl game? Have you ever watched a game of UT football?
 
#105
#105
It doesn't mean a thing. None of these preseason polls mean anything. Don't even pay any attention to these prognosticators. They just like to yap.
 
#106
#106
KBVol said:
Mike Huguenin, managing editor of GridironNow was on 104.5 The Zone in Nashville this morning and was asked about Tennessee's team and 2016 expectations. He said SEC coaches respect the assembled talent/players on Tennessee's roster. He also said that SEC coaches "don't worry about being out coached" when playing Tennessee. Said that the poor in-game coaching was responsible for blowing the leads we did last season.

His comments were also partly in response to being asked about Gary Danielson's remarks about Tennessee being the least prepared to win close/big games.
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Even with a more experienced defense, CBJ had better not try sitting on 14 points with 10 minutes to go against the better sec teams. Surely he's learned some lessons from last year. Crapola happens.
 
#107
#107
HoptownVol said:
2015 Final AP Poll:

SEC - 5 teams
Big 10 - 6 teams
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If we're comparing conferences, there are better ways to do it than final AP poll, where the B10 gets a skewed boost from over-representation with the Eastern media.

Let's try Regular season OOC wins vs Power 5 opponents:

==> SEC: 58% vs P5 ... B10: 53% vs P5

Or bowl wins:

==> SEC: 9-2 ... B10: 5-5

Or best of all, head to head results:

==> SEC 4-1 vs B10 in 2015

The SEC is the better conference. And it's not even close.
 
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#108
#108
LibertyVolance said:
It doesn't mean a thing. None of these preseason polls mean anything. Don't even pay any attention to these prognosticators. They just like to yap.
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Of course they mean something. They are a measure of how the nation, as represented by the poll voters, view the relative strength of college football teams across America.

That is true in August...it's true in November...and it's true in January.

Now, you might actually be trying to argue that it's not IMPORTANT. And of course, you're right. College football in its entirety is not IMPORTANT (except to the coaches and staff who depend on it to feed their families, and the players who depend on it as a launch pad into professional football). It's a pastime, it's a game. We do it for fun. It is no more or less IMPORTANT in that sense than the most recent popular movie, or the Comedy Central channel on your TV.

But once you get inside the fact that it's just a pastime, one we all here enjoy (or why be here on this board?), knowing how the world sees your team compared to the rest, well that absolutely IS of some value to many of us.

That's why newspapers print the pre-season rankings, it's why ESPN devotes hours on TV to talking about them. Because people ARE interested, and do care.

Even if none of it is really IMPORTANT. :)

Go Vols!
 
#109
#109
I understand the arguments about poll standings not being influenced by the past, but we all know they do. True, Team 120 has not played a single down this season yet, but voters will always be at least subconsciously influenced by the past 3 to 5 years. That is because a program develops a culture and an identity over time. Winning programs expect to win and make the plays to make that happen. Unfortunately for us, the UT of the last decade has had a culture of not making those plays at the critical time. It isn't fair to the current roster but that is the way the world works. Now I fully believe that things are changing and that CBJ is changing that culture and those expectations. But it takes time. I think we are right on track. We were oh so close last year. I think Team 120 has the physical talent as well as the mental discipline to turn that corner and win back that program aura as winners. I think UT is a top 10 team, but I understand skepticism from those who dont. As a program, we still have something going to prove on the field. I think we do so in 2016. Go Vols!
 
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#110
#110
LibertyVolance said:
Even with a more experienced defense, CBJ had better not try sitting on 14 points with 10 minutes to go against the better sec teams. Surely he's learned some lessons from last year. Crapola happens.
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Coach Jones is NOT the only coach that has sat on a lead late in the game. All coaches do it - if you have an effective defense that defense should be able to protect a 14 point lead in the fourth quarter.

I do disagree though with the thought that Coach Jones purposely "sat on the lead". UT was still calling plays that had been effective previously in the game. The opposing defense stopped those plays.

If he had decided to be more aggressive going for it on 4th down or using risky plays that can have very bad results and failed all of you that are complaining would be complaining that he deviated from the offense when he had a 14 point lead.

The lead was lost because of the defense - but you all don't want to talk about that because it points away from an offense that some of you just don't like.
 
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#111
#111
OrangeTsar said:
I understand the arguments about poll standings not being influenced by the past, but we all know they do. True, Team 120 has not played a single down this season yet, but voters will always be at least subconsciously influenced by the past 3 to 5 years. That is because a program develops a culture and an identity over time. Winning programs expect to win and make the plays to make that happen. Unfortunately for us, the UT of the last decade has had a culture of not making those plays at the critical time. It isn't fair to the current roster but that is the way the world works. Now I fully believe that things are changing and that CBJ is changing that culture and those expectations. But it takes time. I think we are right on track. We were oh so close last year. I think Team 120 has the physical talent as well as the mental discipline to turn that corner and win back that program aura as winners. I think UT is a top 10 team, but I understand skepticism from those who dont. As a program, we still have something going to prove on the field. I think we do so in 2016. Go Vols!
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I think the last decade is why UT is number 10 and not say number 1 or 2. If a team that had been in the top 10 year in and year out over the past decade had the equivalent of the talent that UT has coming back, they would be near the top - not at 10.
 
#112
#112
OrangeTsar said:
I understand the arguments about poll standings not being influenced by the past, but we all know they do. True, Team 120 has not played a single down this season yet, but voters will always be at least subconsciously influenced by the past 3 to 5 years. That is because a program develops a culture and an identity over time. Winning programs expect to win and make the plays to make that happen. Unfortunately for us, the UT of the last decade has had a culture of not making those plays at the critical time. It isn't fair to the current roster but that is the way the world works. Now I fully believe that things are changing and that CBJ is changing that culture and those expectations. But it takes time. I think we are right on track. We were oh so close last year. I think Team 120 has the physical talent as well as the mental discipline to turn that corner and win back that program aura as winners. I think UT is a top 10 team, but I understand skepticism from those who dont. As a program, we still have something going to prove on the field. I think we do so in 2016. Go Vols!
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Very well said, Tsar. :good!:
 
#113
#113
volfan102455 said:
Coach Jones is NOT the only coach that has sat on a lead late in the game. All coaches do it - if you have an effective defense that defense should be able to protect a 14 point lead in the fourth quarter.

I do disagree though with the thought that Coach Jones purposely "sat on the lead". UT was still calling plays that had been effective previously in the game. The opposing defense stopped those plays.

If he had decided to be more aggressive going for it on 4th down or using risky plays that can have very bad results and failed all of you that are complaining would be complaining that he deviated from the offense when he had a 14 point lead.

The lead was lost because of the defense - but you all don't want to talk about that because it points away from an offense that some of you just don't like.
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Look everybody, a logical and reasoned post on VN. Good job plus 1.
 
#114
#114
KBVol said:
Mike Huguenin, managing editor of GridironNow was on 104.5 The Zone in Nashville this morning and was asked about Tennessee's team and 2016 expectations. He said SEC coaches respect the assembled talent/players on Tennessee's roster. He also said that SEC coaches "don't worry about being out coached" when playing Tennessee. Said that the poor in-game coaching was responsible for blowing the leads we did last season.

His comments were also partly in response to being asked about Gary Danielson's remarks about Tennessee being the least prepared to win close/big games.
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Well here's the thing on that remark: The players play the game not the coaches. To stay relaxed and not be worrying because "their coaches can't outcoach us" is ridiculous. You worry if you don't have better players!! Forget coaching for the most part. And I believe both Shoop and DeBord could outcoach anyone on a given day!!
 
#115
#115
The poll is supposed to be for this coming season - therefore the ranking is predictive. Not retrodictive. Doesn't matter what we've done in the last eight years.
 
#116
#116
volfan102455 said:
Coach Jones is NOT the only coach that has sat on a lead late in the game. All coaches do it - if you have an effective defense that defense should be able to protect a 14 point lead in the fourth quarter.

I do disagree though with the thought that Coach Jones purposely "sat on the lead". UT was still calling plays that had been effective previously in the game. The opposing defense stopped those plays.

If he had decided to be more aggressive going for it on 4th down or using risky plays that can have very bad results and failed all of you that are complaining would be complaining that he deviated from the offense when he had a 14 point lead.

The lead was lost because of the defense - but you all don't want to talk about that because it points away from an offense that some of you just don't like.
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AMEN

That is why a coaching change on defense for the positive should be considered when writing a piece of this nature. I didn't realize UT had such an easy schedule last year? Two playoff teams plus Arky who beat Ole Miss and some others. Choked four games but went back and forth with the eventual national champs on the road requiring them to make two phenomenal plays by sensational players. Speaking of which, Arky wasn't choked away, we started hot, went flat and got pushed around that day by a good o line. 4 4th down plays on one drive to stay alive? Prevent d? Throw the coeds out of that equation and simply pass out a pink slip for that performance. I lost count on how many missed field goals early in the season, granted greater than 40 yards on many of them (I can't hit one outside of 40 but I wasn't a kicker either).

This article was written by some short sighted Memphis ahole living in Under Armour country still hating on our beloved Vols. People really despise seeing us return to prominence, that is the simple truth.
 
#117
#117
I always love "unnamed sources" LOL. I guarantee you there wasn't a team or coach who wanted any of us by the end of the season. I highly doubt coaches told him that. More likely he assumes this illogical theory.
 
#118
#118
We are DIFFERENT now. Cultures and performance trajectories change. There are predictive factors that anyone with half a brain (the coaches who contributed to the poll) can see. Rome was great till the second before it fell. The United Sates was just a bunch of rebel colonists until we won the Revolutionary War. Enron was once a great stock to own. You get it. This guy doesn't. End of story. Open your eyes dummy.
 
#119
#119
rocky200663 said:
Well here's the thing on that remark: The players play the game not the coaches. To stay relaxed and not be worrying because "their coaches can't outcoach us" is ridiculous. You worry if you don't have better players!! Forget coaching for the most part. And I believe both Shoop and DeBord could outcoach anyone on a given day!!
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The guy you quoted gets "moist" when he hears people speak ill of our coaches and can hardly wait to post it on VN. Pathetic IMO
 
#120
#120
Don't get me wrong I think last year there was some late game coaching issues and calls that I am sure CBJ would like to have back. But for example the Alabama game: However bad the coaches were it was good enough that we had a 1 pt lead over alabama with under 5 to play and kicking off. IMO that is when the players have to absolutely take over the game themselves and win it!! Ditto for the Florida game. Up 13 with under 8 and kicking off the players have to grab the bull by the horns and win it!! So yes coaching blunders need to be avoided but this year the players have to take over late and win it. Thereby my theory that the coaches don't play the players do!!
 
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#122
#122
lawgator1 said:
I think this is just a reflection of the skepticism out there about whether the experience factor is really going to translate into W's. In years past, to make the leap from 7-5 also ran to 10 or 11 win top ten program, there's usually been a win or two over a big time opponent. Tennessee is missing that, so I think it's natural that people respect the potential of the Vols, but need to see that result on the field before committing.
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Since when is going 9-3 the same as 7-5?

Northwestern was #13 when we beat them (overrated or not).
 
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