2018 Record

[Orangeredblooded]

I hope you are right. And I don't think the Coach Pruitt has to worry about a pessimistic fan base when we have folks on here saying we will win ten games. The bigger threat he has is if he wins 6 or seven this first year and the guys with unrealistic expectations start questioning the hire. I agree we were better than a 4 win team last year. I do not think we are getter than a 6 or 7 win team this year. Pruitt can still be the right guy moving forward if he only wins 6 games this year in my opinion. Seven wins is a great success.

You will always have posters stating that, regardless. That’s what makes a good debate, but do agree with you.

 

[Wylo]

7-5 should have everyone dancing.


That will take some work...

 

[Boston Vol]

6-7 wins should be the target. 8 or more is an extraordinary season. 5 or less would be a major disappointment.

 

[Big Gucci Sosa]

Agree with most 6-7 wins

 

[KBVol]

The fact you pencil in South Carolina as a loss is laughable. They beat us because the clock ran out last year. That’s a toss up at best.

It’s not laughable. Muschamp is 6-0 as a head coach vs Tennessee, the game is in SCar and they have one of the 3-4 best QBs in the conference. Could we beat an average-good SCar team if we’re finally well-coached? Absolutely. But it’s far from laughable to predict a loss to them this year.

 

[USMC-TNVOL]

It’s not laughable. Muschamp is 6-0 as a head coach vs Tennessee, the game is in SCar and they have one of the 3-4 best QBs in the conference. Could we beat an average-good SCar team if we’re finally well-coached? Absolutely. But it’s far from laughable to predict a loss to them this year.

So you're saying he played good coaches those past 6 years?
Its not to say that Pruitt is automatically a good head coach but it's not far off to say it's a toss up.

 

[Titan05]

A game against Vanderbilt in Nashville is NEVER a road game. Nashville is big orange country, just like the rest of this state. I understand the frustration with some people about losing to Vandy, but it should never happen again whether it be Knoxville or Nashville.

After 4 of the last 6, I’ll believe it when I see it. After 0-8 last year, not taking anything for granted.

 

[governmentmule]

Agree with most 6-7 wins

me too

 

[66volfan]

We'll win all of them, well, except for the ones we lose.

 

[RavinDave]

Can we all agree that if CJP gets this team to 7-5 with a win over UF he's done one hell of a job?

Yes, absolutely.

 

[Titan05]

End of season bump

 

[bigorangecrush89]

This season was definitely a failure performance-wise. Recruiting is going poorly too.

 

[Boca Vol]

End of season bump

Don't worry. Come Jan the 9-3/ 10-2 talk will get cranked back up. One of these days it's bound to happen.

 

[Cartervol]

Well for all the grief we give those talking heads they were dead on with this bunch. News flash. They won't be that far off with next year's prediction either.

 

[secking]

This season was definitely a failure performance-wise. Recruiting is going poorly too.

I think recruiting is doing okay. Funny how these played out, no one (except me-plug) saw the AU win and no one thought the Ky win would be placed in a good win department, crazy season. I think recruiting will do well despite having two shots of making a bowl game and getting blown out in each. Come to think of it, Maybe the players did quit?? I don’t know but UT will sign a top 10 recruiting class with Pruitt.

 

[99gator]

Someone can check again for me, but I don’t see one post where someone said “guys, we don’t have the talent to put up a decent fight with Vandy. That’s a sure loss. We just don’t match up with them.”

The whole “lack of talent” argument.

 

[bigorangecrush89]

Someone can check again for me, but I don’t see one post where someone said “guys, we don’t have the talent to put up a decent fight with Vandy. That’s a sure loss. We just don’t match up with them.”

The whole “lack of talent” argument.

Vandy is not more talented than UT. Performance was inexcusable. Looked like a Jr. high team last night. Call it players quitting or coaching or whatever but it's not talent level when it comes to Vandy.

 

[reecetn]

Someone can check again for me, but I don’t see one post where someone said “guys, we don’t have the talent to put up a decent fight with Vandy. That’s a sure loss. We just don’t match up with them.”

The whole “lack of talent” argument.

I said we did not have the talent to put up a fight against KY and Auburn. I was very very wrong.

The Vols handled KY with no problems making it very conceivable they could have beaten Vandy. That is why they play the game every week is different.

Plus We all know that a duck CAN pull a truck.

 

[McDad]

I want to think 8-4 this year...but honestly, anything between 5-7 and 9-3 wouldn't surprise me. But 8-4 would be cool.

Next year: 9-3. Outside chance at the East, but UGa would have to have a surprisingly dismal season.

In Atlanta for sure by 2020. And from that point out, we're swinging for the fences every season, in perpetuity.



That's what it'll look like if CJP is the right fella.

You got your low range

 

[McDad]

5 or 6 wins. Can't expect more with average QB play.

Good prediction

 

[McDad]

5-7

Soothsayer

 

[McDad]

As a rational human being I predict 5-7. 6-6 is a Cinderella season.

Got it

 

[McDad]

5 or 6 regular season wins.

Off season hype videos, grad transfers, and incoming freshmen wont fix our problems in one summer. We need an influx of tough talent and a couple offseasons to develop it. New defensive scheme to implement and too many offensive line concerns to think we can win more than 6. We dont have the talented depth to knock off the big boys yet.

Smart won 8 games his first season and UGA was loaded. Saban only pulled off 6 his first year at Alabama.

Nostradamus

 

[McDad]

6-6 is most likely, with key game being WV. We need that game to go bowling, IMO.

5-7, maybe 6-6.

To play devils advocate for a second. I am a Gator fan and as such the enemy. I, therefore, can not be accused of making homer picks in favor of Tennessee.

And every single season I have been on this board except for one, I overestimated Tennessees win total. Sometimes it wasnt close. For instance, I have never picked Tennessee to miss a bowl and they have missed a bowl several times in that span.

It makes complete sense for a fan to think 5-6 wins at this point

I think we'll know a lot more after kickoff of the WVA game, but for now, these are my predictions. A few toss-ups in there, but I'll just leave this here till December.

WVA - Loss, thanks Will Grier
E TN State - Win, cupcake
UTEP - Win, cupcake
UF - Loss, F* Mullen but his roster has the advantage
UGA - Loss, but definitely closer than 41-0
AU - Loss
Bammers - Loss
USCe - Loss, Muschamp's team is on the rise
Charlotte - Win, cupcake
Kentucky - Win, team starts to gel at end of season
Missouri - Loss, Drew Lock just too good
Vandy - Win, regain Tennessee state title

So this puts the Vols at 5 - 7. The East is getting stronger, the cross-division opponents are two of the toughest, and our season opener is against a team who's offense was clicking last year. Doesn't bode well for CJP's first season.

The optimist in me leans toward 6-6, but I'm at 4-8 until proven otherwise. We lack key depth, questions at QB, and a first year coach. Not the best situation.

2019 is where I expect things to take off if Pruitt is our dude.

Thinking 6-6...7 wins is a real possibility, but so is 5. Just being realistic,

Still at 4-8 but inching towards 5-7 with the recent pick-ups. My big question is when does the SEC losing streak end? Also, too many injury questions to thoroughly commit to a number yet.

I predicted 5-7 last season when some of you perpetually delusional people were predicting a 10 win season and an East title.

I see nothing has changed. Reality is in short supply in this thread.

6-6 will be a miracle.

5-7 if we are lucky...I want 14-0 but I just don't see CJP lighting it up in his 1st year...Too many problems to fix in one year.

This. If we have our guy, 5-7 won't happen.

I am optimistic about Pruitt but I just don't see any way we win more than 7 games this year. 6-6 or 5-7 is my prediction for the regular season. We have some pieces but a lot of holes with little depth. It takes time to change a culture. Some players will be told to transfer, a few will graduate. The way he is recruiting gives me hope but lets recognize it takes some time.

Hoping for 6-6 and then a bowl win to be 7-6. Anything above 7 wins including a bowl win is just gravy this year. I could see 5-7 as worst case. Hope we do not lose 8 again in my lifetime. GBO

Miraculous? C'mon, man. Anywhere between 5 and 7 games is likely, dependent on how healthy we can stay. Most 7 win teams aren't that much better than 5 win teams.

Take UK for example. They went 7-5 last year, lost to a 4-7 UF, barely beat our worst team in decades, lost to 6-6 Ole Miss, and struggled with EKU. They very easily could have been 5-7 or 8-4 if a few bounces go differently.

 

[McDad]

Props to all the folks who were correct.