SEC Network Prediction

So, if we go 11 - 1 in 2018 with a loss to Alabama, you believe that Butch Jones should be fired? Explain why and then point out any sane administrator that would fire a coach following a season where they could possibly be in the CFB Playoffs?

Ok, you're right. Rationale got the better of me... It would be YEAR 6!... S-I-X!!! I'm obviously not an AD for good reason. With the talent he would have returning and the class he would be bringing and the staff that we have there should be no room for error in making it to Atlanta next year as a serious, serious playoff contender. Bama is about the ONLY loss I would concede just because of their dynasty lately. 2 out of 3 of UF, UGA, Bama en route to Atlanta is imperative next year.
 
A team losing to Missouri should be placed on probation... if they lose the next year... the should be removed from the SEC. LOL

Seriously, not much respect for Missouri after what I saw last year... maybe the least physical SEC team I have ever seen last year. The one exception Terry Beckner, he was the only guy that looked like he wanted to play football. Whatever you do Butch, don't lose to Missouri.
 
A team losing to Missouri should be placed on probation... if they lose the next year... the should be removed from the SEC. LOL

Seriously, not much respect for Missouri after what I saw last year... maybe the least physical SEC team I have ever seen last year. The one exception Terry Beckner, he was the only guy that looked like he wanted to play football. Whatever you do Butch, don't lose to Missouri.

Thanks for the hex! Now we'll have to move to the ACC.
 
I think we win two of those three and lose to Bama and then lose one to a team we expect to beat.

That means 9-3. 8-4 means we lose all three of those and Bama and 7-5 adds those 4 with a game we don't exoect to lose. 7-5 may not get him fired but it would make me doubt he can get it done here.


Can the opinion of a person with jacket and vol in their name be trusted? Lol
 
Thanks for the hex! Now we'll have to move to the ACC.

Its not that they were bad (well they were that too)... its that I think they think they are playing a different sport.

The took the whole TAM thing of not wanting to hit or get dirty to another level. Physically, by far the weakest physical team I have ever seen in the SEC... and that comes with seeing TAM every year. :eek:lol:

Heck, TAM's flag football team Sumlin has looks like the next coming of the Iron Curtain compared to Missouri. Beckner is seriously the exception, he might be the best DL in the SEC from what I have seen.
 
The 8-4 scenario predicted by one of the SECN blatherskypes would get CBJ his existing contract. Without some unforeseeable crippling blow, the 6-6 scenario predicted by the other SECN blatherskype would prompt some behind-the-scenes activity by the AD. A 9-3 regular season might get CBJ a contract extension.
 
I think we win two of those three and lose to Bama and then lose one to a team we expect to beat.

That means 9-3. 8-4 means we lose all three of those and Bama and 7-5 adds those 4 with a game we don't exoect to lose. 7-5 may not get him fired but it would make me doubt he can get it done here.

Butch is an underachiever, while not the worst in FBS, a dip in recruiting will hurt him more than an uptick will help him, as has been evidenced by last season. The 2017 class was 'meh' at best, if we go 7-5 and lose the 2018 class then we are in trouble going forward if he stays through the end of his contract.
 
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weird edit after i responded to the original? not sure if i should re respond or what?:eek:lol:

No...I was editing while you were responding....

And then I read your response after I posted my edit....

I think we agree on most things concerning CBJ...and we definitely agree in hoping that we go out and win more than 9 games this year.....

GO VOLS...
 
Too soon to fire him in 2015 imo, and should not have fired him last year if for no other reason than the AD situation. I honestly can't believe some of you don't get that, but whatever.

I said nothing about firing CBJ following the 2015 season...said CBJ should've been fired after the USCe game...still believe that wholeheartedly!

UGA fired Donnan after he put up 9-3, 8-4, 8-4 records in his last 3 seasons...and won every Bowl game. Donnan had better credentials than CBJ before coming to UGA...

And they went out and hired Mark Richt....that worked out pretty well for them....

BAMA fired Curry after he went 6-1 in the SEC, finished 10-2, and had a 26-10 overall record...hired Stallings...and that worked out well for them...

There's precedent in the SEC for getting rid of coaches in 3 or 4 years in the programs who place winning championships as the highest standard....

I honestly can't believe some of you don't get that, but whatever....
 
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How so? UT clearly has a talent advantage on 8 opponents. They have comparable talent to 3 opponents.

How is it a "gift" to do absolutely no more than you should based on talent?

you're not wrong. but the pieces we're replacing are large. talented as some of the new faces are, there's a lot that is just unproven.

i wouldn't qualify 8-4 a gift personally either. i think that's probably the minimum acceptable level.

the issue, and i'm pretty sure you agree....is that there's little faith in our ability to "win when we maybe shouldn't"....and too much belief that we'll "lose one we shouldn't".

and while i like the staff changes and believe, as you do, that there's some really good talent on this team, it is, at the same time, a lot of changes, and unproven players, and maybe even more players needing to live up to their billing, coming into this season.

will we have all the right answers, the right chemistry, all that stuff...to get to 9 or more wins?

really, no one knows, which is why you have predictions ranging from 5-7 to 9-3.

we'll all be able to tell pretty quick, and even in losses you'll be able to tell if this team is really competitive or not..if it "gets it" or not, and vice versa....

we'll all finally start to find out in 10 days. but long story short, for many, especially outside the program and fanbase, it's the "unknowns" that drive the current perception.
 
How so? UT clearly has a talent advantage on 8 opponents. They have comparable talent to 3 opponents.

How is it a "gift" to do absolutely no more than you should based on talent?

Because there is a difference between recruited talent, and developed talent. We have the advantage in the former, and a deficiency in the latter.
 
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How so? UT clearly has a talent advantage on 8 opponents. They have comparable talent to 3 opponents.

How is it a "gift" to do absolutely no more than you should based on talent?

Talent alone does not necessarily mean the players will play, or be coached up to their potential. I'd consider the Vandy and USC games last season. Despite injuries, UT had more talent on the field than either team, but still legitimately lost those games. UT certainly had more talent than App State, but it took a fumble recovery in OT to get the win at home.

I'll give Butch the benefit of the doubt since he made some good coaching changes, and seems to have taken a page out of Dabo's coaching book and is actually allowing the assistants to coach. With the right coaching and motivation this year I don't see why they wouldn't win against the 8 opponents you referenced ,and compete with the other 4. The talent is there, the coaching should be improved.
 
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you're not wrong. but the pieces we're replacing are large. talented as some of the new faces are, there's a lot that is just unproven.

i wouldn't qualify 8-4 a gift personally either. i think that's probably the minimum acceptable level.

the issue, and i'm pretty sure you agree....is that there's little faith in our ability to "win when we maybe shouldn't"....and too much belief that we'll "lose one we shouldn't".

and while i like the staff changes and believe, as you do, that there's some really good talent on this team, it is, at the same time, a lot of changes, and unproven players, and maybe even more players needing to live up to their billing, coming into this season.

will we have all the right answers, the right chemistry, all that stuff...to get to 9 or more wins?

really, no one knows, which is why you have predictions ranging from 5-7 to 9-3.

we'll all be able to tell pretty quick, and even in losses you'll be able to tell if this team is really competitive or not..if it "gets it" or not, and vice versa....

we'll all finally start to find out in 10 days. but long story short, for many, especially outside the program and fanbase, it's the "unknowns" that drive the current perception.

That's why this should be considered a test for Jones... and those should NOT be allowed as excuses for not performing. If he's done his job... by his own profession these guys who have been developing for 3 or 4 years should be ready to step in and play. UT is not young. If UT is inexperienced then the question needs to be asked, "Why"? Why wasn't the roster managed better?

I think we're on the same side. I actually expect good things this fall. I expect the Vols to surprise and embarrass the talking heads. I don't like all the pre-positioned excuses for failure.
 
Because there is a difference between recruited talent, and developed talent. We have the advantage in the former, and a deficiency in the latter.

Agreed. But that is precisely why there should be no excuses for winning less than 8 and really less than 9.
 
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Talent alone does not necessarily mean the players will play, or be coached up to their potential. I'd consider the Vandy and USC games last season. Despite injuries, UT had more talent on the field than either team, but still legitimately lost those games. UT certainly had more talent than App State, but it took a fumble recovery in OT to get the win at home.

I'll give Butch the benefit of the doubt since he made some good coaching changes, and seems to have taken a page out of Dabo's coaching book and is actually allowing the assistants to coach. With the right coaching and motivation this year I don't see why they wouldn't win against the 8 opponents you referenced ,and compete with the other 4. The talent is there, the coaching should be improved.

Agree totally. I just don't want to hear the excuses of "well, not much was expected" if he fails. I really have a hard time relating to people who adjust the standard and expectation to assure Jones always achieves at least the minimum. UT fans have EVERY right to expect more than Jones has produced the last two years. I appreciate what he's done. But you don't promote or even keep managers who come up with good plans and hire good people if they don't execute the plan to expectations. The same goes for a coach.
 
That's why this should be considered a test for Jones... and those should NOT be allowed as excuses for not performing. If he's done his job... by his own profession these guys who have been developing for 3 or 4 years should be ready to step in and play. UT is not young. If UT is inexperienced then the question needs to be asked, "Why"? Why wasn't the roster managed better?

I think we're on the same side. I actually expect good things this fall. I expect the Vols to surprise and embarrass the talking heads. I don't like all the pre-positioned excuses for failure.
well they're there, and it's been talked about ad nauseum.

as for experience, i actually think that that's one blessing we do have, on defense especially.

people are ready to embrace FL's defense because they had some injuries and a lot of guys got game reps they may not have gotten otherwise.

well the same is definitely true for us...in spades.

and there will always be the "what is supposed to happen" vs. what does happen.

the only thing anyone has to do really, is reconcile with themselves is an acceptable level of performance, given all these factors.

for me, taking all things in to account...(which includes some anxiety over CBJ and his ability to "win when he maybe shouldn't")...7-5/8-4 seems about right.

but, if a few things shake out, get more right than wrong answers, i can see the case for 9-3 or better.

i'm just ready to see what's going to happen one way or the other at this point.
 
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It is time to start acting like Tennessee again. If we lose to Vandy, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, LSU, and get blown out by Bama, Butch should be fired. I'm at the point that losing to Vandy or Kentucky should be a fire able offense, period. It is year five. Tennessee is not a school that should have to rebuild every season, we reload. I'm tired of the excuses.

Btw, I don't think we will have to be concerned with the above scenario. I believe this is a 10 win team, with competitive losses to Bama and LSU.
 

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