Tennessee in another conference

According to the recruiting article below, we would fare better in a different conference.

What say ye VN experts if we were in the:
PAC-12
ACC
BIG 10
Or one of the other major conferences. Would we be playing second fiddle only to OSU, Clemson and/or maybe Fla St, Okla or would would we still be middle of the pack in those conferences?

I'll hang up and listen to your response(s).

http://sportsconflict.org/is-sec-dominance-good-for-college-football-6/

Pac-12, same
Big 10, same
ACC, reason for the admin to pay for even less qualified coaching candidates.
 
The big duck on the little pond syndrome. Not for me. If that's what you want join the Big South or something. Same difference as far as I'm concerned.

I didn't say that, knucklehead. All I implied was that the Big10 and Big XII talent was far lower than what the Vols faced in the SEC.
 
Of course we're not changing conferences, but I always loved mixing up the conferences on the old NCAA games.

Probably my favorite with Tennessee was putting them in the MAC along with Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Louisville (East Division). The West was Arkansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, and Iowa.
 
Obviously, Tennessee would never leave the SEC. But, even if it did, it would be a short term fix. Yes, Tennessee might do better in a conference without Florida, Georgia and Alabama on the schedule every year. But, over time its recruiting would drift down to the new conference level as players who want to play in the SEC passed over Tennessee for other SEC schools. So Tennessee would probably do very, very well in the ACC or Big XII for a few years, but would drift down.
 
Obviously, Tennessee would never leave the SEC. But, even if it did, it would be a short term fix. Yes, Tennessee might do better in a conference without Florida, Georgia and Alabama on the schedule every year. But, over time its recruiting would drift down to the new conference level as players who want to play in the SEC passed over Tennessee for other SEC schools. So Tennessee would probably do very, very well in the ACC or Big XII for a few years, but would drift down.

Georgia Tech?
 
Obviously, Tennessee would never leave the SEC. But, even if it did, it would be a short term fix. Yes, Tennessee might do better in a conference without Florida, Georgia and Alabama on the schedule every year. But, over time its recruiting would drift down to the new conference level as players who want to play in the SEC passed over Tennessee for other SEC schools. So Tennessee would probably do very, very well in the ACC or Big XII for a few years, but would drift down.

Not sure that's as true today as it was even a year or two ago, Utah.

SEC stunk up the joint last fall. Only 3rd or 4th-best among the five Power conferences. That's not opinion, it's based on win-loss record among P5 teams, regular season and bowls combined. Worst year in a long time for the SEC as a body.

And look at recruiting right now. Here's ESPN's current version of the 2018 class rack n stack:

1 Ohio State (B10)
2 Miami (ACC)
3 LSU (SEC)
4 Texas (B12)
5 Penn State (B10)
6 Clemson (ACC)
7 Florida State (ACC)
8 Tennessee (SEC)
9 Michigan (B10)
10 Notre Dame (Ind)

The ACC, who performed best last fall, are the top conference at the upper end of recruiting this spring/summer, with 3 teams in the Top 10. B10 not far behind. SEC has only two.

Is the recruiting downturn a direct result of the on-field downturn? Dunno. Doubt anyone could know with certainty.

But one thing's for sure: several years in a row, the SEC ruled the Power 5 on the field, and then ruled in recruiting. Suddenly, the conference has dropped in both.

The days of all the best recruits wanting to go to the SEC because (1) that's where national champions live and (2) that's the best path to the NFL ... those truths seem to be sitting on sand right now.

Here's hoping this fall the conference gets right back at dominating, top to bottom (or at least, close to bottom).

It's good for all 14 programs. Definitely including us.

Go Vols!
 
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Not sure that's as true today as it was even a year or two ago, Utah.

SEC stunk up the joint last fall. Only 3rd or 4th-best among the five Power conferences. That's not opinion, it's based on win-loss record among P5 teams, regular season and bowls combined. Worst year in a long time for the SEC as a body.

And look at recruiting right now. Here's ESPN's current version of the 2018 class rack n stack:

1 Ohio State (B10)
2 Miami (ACC)
3 LSU (SEC)
4 Texas (B12)
5 Penn State (B10)
6 Clemson (ACC)
7 Florida State (ACC)
8 Tennessee (SEC)
9 Michigan (B10)
10 Notre Dame (Ind)

The ACC, who performed best last fall, are the top conference at the upper end of recruiting this spring/summer, with 3 teams in the Top 10. B10 not far behind. SEC has only two.

Is the recruiting downturn a direct result of the on-field downturn? Dunno. Doubt anyone could know with certainty.

But one thing's for sure: several years in a row, the SEC ruled the Power 5 on the field, and then ruled in recruiting. Suddenly, the conference has dropped in both.

The days of all the best recruits wanting to go to the SEC because (1) that's where national champions live and (2) that's the best path to the NFL ... those truths seem to be sitting on sand right now.

Here's hoping this fall the conference gets right back at dominating, top to bottom (or at least, close to bottom).

It's good for all 14 programs. Definitely including us.

Go Vols!

BAMA hasn't been recruiting?
 
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