UT will be the most improved team in the SEC

[bamawriter]

Best group in the SEC, perhaps in the nation.

You're joking, right? You don't actually think that Florida has the best receiving corps in the SEC, let alone the nation, right?

 

[Behr]

You're joking, right?

He's the gators version of D4H.

#F4H

 

[GBOVFL88]

Going 9-3 is attainable if the team plays up to its full potential. The mark of a truly good coach is getting the most out of his team under any circumstance. In other words, CJP will have to coach them up to play at their best every Saturday. If the team goes 9-3, IMO that means that Tennessee will have taken the next step and be a national power again primarily due to the overhaul in the coaching staff and the climate of the locker room and the program. I wouldn't go so far as to say that we will usurp Georgia for the top of the East or even be better than Florida. But 9-3 in 2019 says that in 2020 we have the pieces in place to beat anyone that we play against. This is not saying that if those things happen we are going undefeated and winning the Natty in 2020, but it does mean that the team has a chance to play and win on the biggest stages in college football again. Those are my predictions based on the current status of the team and if we play up to our potential and CJP lives up to his hype next year. Let's hope that we don't get disappointed this season.

 

[KBVol]

Well, you just go argue with BeardedVol about 3 lbs. and don't worry about me wanting to acknowledge any win I can, especially against them.

Just the facts.

Bearded was talking about our “279lb” OLs and that we won’t start winning until our OL guys average 300lbs per man. I pointed out that last year’s pathetic OL averaged 304lbs per man. That ain’t “3 lbs”.

 

[KBVol]

He's the gators version of Nationdom.

#F4H

Fyp

 

[Behr]

Bearded was talking about our “279lb” OLs and that we won’t start winning until our OL guys average 300lbs per man. I pointed out that last year’s pathetic OL averaged 304lbs per man. That ain’t “3 lbs”.

I knew you would catch that. Lol.

 

[JohnWardForever]

I'd like to see that!

They bring it out in the skillet; toss it up and catch it in the same skillet. The "Cock Of The Walk". Best Catfish Ever. But for some reason; they left Mobile about 10 years ag, and Now gone from Pensacola too. I think there are still a few in Mississippi, where they originated. Google them, and GO EAT! (the cornbread flip is strictly fluff) lol

 

[Jaws]

You're joking, right? You don't actually think that Florida has the best receiving corps in the SEC, let alone the nation, right?

We go through this every year. In the offseason, some UT fans try and convince themselves how bad UF players are, and how great UT players are. To say that UF’s current group of WR’s are anything other than elite and deep, is simply denying and hating because it’s UF. As much as I hate UGA, I can be honest with myself and admit their o-line is elite. It’s not that hard. Van Jefferson and Trevon Grimes are elite WR’s. How many times does Tyrie Cleveland have to run by, around and jump over your DB’s for you to understand his talent? Swain and Hammond are both steady and dependable, Kadarius Toney is a proven playmaker. Swain outran UT’s entire secondary last year, and he’s not even close to UF’s speediest WR.

So this is how this will play out. All these Florida guys will have big years, they’ll beat Tennessee again, win 10+ games again, go on to get drafted. Tennessee will go 6-6, have a choppy season, see 2 or 3 guys get drafted (maybe) and the same guys who were trying to convince everyone how much better UT players were than UF’s players, will then become the guys telling us how great a coach Pruitt really is, it’s just that he’s been over-matched from a talent standpoint, and when he finally gets his players, look out! If you’re trying to convince everyone how sorry UF players are, you’re not allowed to then prop-up your coach using the “he only needs more talent” after those “sorry” UF players throttle you by 4 TD’s.

 

[bamawriter]

We go through this every year. In the offseason, some UT fans try and convince themselves how bad UF players are, and how great UT players are. To say that UF’s current group of WR’s are anything other than elite and deep, is simply denying and hating because it’s UF. As much as I hate UGA, I can be honest with myself and admit their o-line is elite. It’s not that hard. Van Jefferson and Trevon Grimes are elite WR’s. How many times does Tyrie Cleveland have to run by, around and jump over your DB’s for you to understand his talent? Swain and Hammond are both steady and dependable, Kadarius Toney is a proven playmaker. Swain outran UT’s entire secondary last year, and he’s not even close to UF’s speediest WR.

So this is how this will play out. All these Florida guys will have big years, they’ll beat Tennessee again, win 10+ games again, go on to get drafted. Tennessee will go 6-6, have a choppy season, see 2 or 3 guys get drafted (maybe) and the same guys who were trying to convince everyone how much better UT players were than UF’s players, will then become the guys telling us how great a coach Pruitt really is, it’s just that he’s been over-matched from a talent standpoint, and when he finally gets his players, look out! If you’re trying to convince everyone how sorry UF players are, you’re not allowed to then prop-up your coach using the “he only needs more talent” after those “sorry” UF players throttle you by 4 TD’s.

You aren't responding to a UT fan.

Regardless, you didn't simply claim that UF's receivers are better than UT's. You said they are the best in the SEC, and maybe the nation. There is no way you believe that.

 

[Behr]

Oh he mad now.

 

[MemphisVol3]

We go through this every year. In the offseason, some UT fans try and convince themselves how bad UF players are, and how great UT players are. To say that UF’s current group of WR’s are anything other than elite and deep, is simply denying and hating because it’s UF. As much as I hate UGA, I can be honest with myself and admit their o-line is elite. It’s not that hard. Van Jefferson and Trevon Grimes are elite WR’s. How many times does Tyrie Cleveland have to run by, around and jump over your DB’s for you to understand his talent? Swain and Hammond are both steady and dependable, Kadarius Toney is a proven playmaker. Swain outran UT’s entire secondary last year, and he’s not even close to UF’s speediest WR.

So this is how this will play out. All these Florida guys will have big years, they’ll beat Tennessee again, win 10+ games again, go on to get drafted. Tennessee will go 6-6, have a choppy season, see 2 or 3 guys get drafted (maybe) and the same guys who were trying to convince everyone how much better UT players were than UF’s players, will then become the guys telling us how great a coach Pruitt really is, it’s just that he’s been over-matched from a talent standpoint, and when he finally gets his players, look out! If you’re trying to convince everyone how sorry UF players are, you’re not allowed to then prop-up your coach using the “he only needs more talent” after those “sorry” UF players throttle you by 4 TD’s.

Regarding the 2017 Florida-Tennessee game, the hail mary Tyrie Cleveland caught, he didn't just "run" past our DB's due to talent. It was a busted assignment. Prior to that play, he had 4 catches for a total of 30 yards. That's not world beating stats. In the 2018 game, Tyrie Cleveland had 2 catches.

 

[Jaws]

Regarding the 2017 Florida-Tennessee game, the hail mary Tyrie Cleveland caught, he didn't just "run" past our DB's due to talent. It was a busted assignment. Prior to that play, he had 4 catches for a total of 30 yards. That's not world beating stats. In the 2018 game, Tyrie Cleveland had 2 catches.

You’re minimizing again. He ran by your DB, period. Made a historic catch. In the 2018 game, one of his two catches was a leaping grab over a clueless CB for a TD to put the game away, although arguably it was already put away.

 

[Jaws]

You aren't responding to a UT fan.

Regardless, you didn't simply claim that UF's receivers are better than UT's. You said they are the best in the SEC, and maybe the nation. There is no way you believe that.

And I stand by the best in the SEC comment, right there with Bama. And anytime you’re best in the SEC, you’re among the best in the nation.

 

[DiderotsGhost]

We go through this every year. In the offseason, some UT fans try and convince themselves how bad UF players are, and how great UT players are. To say that UF’s current group of WR’s are anything other than elite and deep, is simply denying and hating because it’s UF.

Except, no one is trying to convince themselves of "how bad UF players are". You're making the claim that a WR unit with only 1 receiver over 400 yards last season is the best in the nation. There's little statistical support for this and NFL talent scouts don't seem to agree either. I'm not even sure it's a top 10 WR unit in the nation.

That doesn't mean "it's bad" or that I think you all are going to be a "bad team"; I actually expect you all to compete for the SEC East this season with Georgia. But it does mean that objectively the claim that you all have the best WR corp in nation is pretty dubious. You can be a 9-3 or 10-2 team without having the #1 WR corp.

As much as I hate UGA, I can be honest with myself and admit their o-line is elite. It’s not that hard.

I agree.

Van Jefferson and Trevon Grimes are elite WR’s.

That I don't agree with. Van Jefferson maybe. Grimes could maybe become elite. But regardless, by any definition you consider Van Jefferson "elite", then Tennessee has 3 "elite" wide receivers in Jennings, Callaway, and Palmer. Personally, I'm not sure that I'd consider any of them to be "elite"; more like "very good".

How many times does Tyrie Cleveland have to run by, around and jump over your DB’s for you to understand his talent? Swain and Hammond are both steady and dependable, Kadarius Toney is a proven playmaker. Swain outran UT’s entire secondary last year, and he’s not even close to UF’s speediest WR.

No one is denying that you all have a good WR corps. It's the argument that it might be the "best WR corps in the nation" that is dubious. There's no way your all WR corp is better than Bama's. And it's probably not even better than ours. Doesn't mean you all aren't better at a lot of other position groups.

So this is how this will play out. All these Florida guys will have big years, they’ll beat Tennessee again, win 10+ games again, go on to get drafted. Tennessee will go 6-6, have a choppy season, see 2 or 3 guys get drafted (maybe) and the same guys who were trying to convince everyone how much better UT players were than UF’s players, will then become the guys telling us how great a coach Pruitt really is, it’s just that he’s been over-matched from a talent standpoint, and when he finally gets his players, look out! If you’re trying to convince everyone how sorry UF players are, you’re not allowed to then prop-up your coach using the “he only needs more talent” after those “sorry” UF players throttle you by 4 TD’s.

If you actually read our boards, you might notice most people are predicting a 6-6 or 7-5 season (including me). But most of the pessimism revolves around the O-line and D-line. Our WRs are the biggest strength of the offense.

 

[bamawriter]

And I stand by the best in the SEC comment, right there with Bama.

I'd love to see the mental gymnastics that it will take to try to make this case.

 

[Nationdom]

We did beat them 38-28 in 2016. FTR.

We also beat them in 17',15', and 14' if you think about it

 

[bamawriter]

We also beat them in 17',15', and 14' if you think about it

You mean if they didn't keep score?

 

[MemphisVol3]

You’re minimizing again. He ran by your DB, period. Made a historic catch. In the 2018 game, one of his two catches was a leaping grab over a clueless CB for a TD to put the game away, although arguably it was already put away.

No I'm not minimizing anything, seeing that I talked to the DB you are alleging he ran by. They were in a Zone scheme and he took the wrong assignment but I guess you don't know what all busted coverage entails. Now Jauan Jennings "ran by" Teez Tabor.

 

[MemphisVol3]

We also beat them in 17',15', and 14' if you think about it

I agree that we lost those games moreso than being beaten by a superior team...very poor coaching those games.

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

They bring it out in the skillet; toss it up and catch it in the same skillet. The "Cock Of The Walk". Best Catfish Ever. But for some reason; they left Mobile about 10 years ag, and Now gone from Pensacola too. I think there are still a few in Mississippi, where they originated. Google them, and GO EAT! (the cornbread flip is strictly fluff) lol

There used to be one in Raleigh. I don't know if it was part of the chain. I think I ate there about 30 years ago! But, it seems to have closed.

 

[Jabruzar]

I can see him going 5 for 5 on predictions



AL.com All-Access: 5 bold SEC football predictions for 2019

I think 7-5 is more likely. Fair warning: if the Vols look over UAB we will end up with a loss. That is a very good football team!

 

[Atlanta917]

Unfortunately, I think this is the least likely of those predictions to happen. We'll improve but issues on both the O-line and D-line are going to hold us back.

Biggest reasons for optimism:

(*) Ty Chandler is underrated as a Running Back; he's up in the top 5 RBs in the SEC
(*) Wide receiver corp is arguably the strongest in the East [the only argument would be with Georgia]
(*) JG is now a veteran and could be poised to take the next step
(*) Chaney will maximize the offense
(*) Defense will improve significantly in Year 2 as players won't have to think as much
(*) LBs will improve significantly after struggling last season
(*) DBs look much improved after we played true Freshmen last season

That said, the line issues are very big. While we brought in the best O-line class in the country, they're still true Freshmen in a league where true Freshmen O-linemen typically don't fare very well. For significantly improvement on O-line, we need the veteran guys (Niehaus, Tatum, Ryan Johnson, etc) to take a big step forward this year. They've bulked up and look more like SEC OL now, so that's good, but we still have a very young and inexperienced O-line overall.

D-line depth is a major issue, as well, and I'm not optimistic that Solomon is going to be declared eligible this season. Solomon would be an insta-starter at NT, but without him, that reduces our depth and makes NT a lot trickier. Savion Williams is promising, but he doesn't come in till the summer and hasn't played SEC-level ball before, so might take him a few games to get adjusted.

I'd be pretty happy with 7-5. If Pruitt went 9-3, he'd deserve to be coach of the year.

This surprises me as UGA fan. WR is the position we have the least returning production at. Sure, Pickens and Blaylock were a 5* and high 4* respectively, but neither has made it to campus yet and are unproven. D-Rob was a 5*, but didn't do much of anything last year. That leaves Holloman, who I think is good but not elite, and Simmons, who is an above average run blocker and fairly average receiver. UGA could potentially be up there at the end of the season, but UT and UF are probably ahead at the moment.

 

[Jaws]

No I'm not minimizing anything, seeing that I talked to the DB you are alleging he ran by. They were in a Zone scheme and he took the wrong assignment but I guess you don't know what all busted coverage entails. Now Jauan Jennings "ran by" Teez Tabor.

It was a go route, not a Hail Mary, and the dude responsible for covering Cleveland got smoked, which resulted in a play for the ages. The DB can claim whatever he wants about coverage, but he was chasing and he wasn’t catching Tyrie Cleveland.

Regarding Tabor, Jennings made a great move, Tabor got juked and slipped, it happens. Congrats on that play! Most Gator fans are perfectly fine with UT having a highlight play once every 15 years or so.

 

[MemphisVol3]

It was a go route, not a Hail Mary, and the dude responsible for covering Cleveland got smoked, which resulted in a play for the ages. The DB can claim whatever he wants about coverage, but he was chasing and he wasn’t catching Tyrie Cleveland.

Regarding Tabor, Jennings made a great move, Tabor got juked and slipped, it happens. Congrats on that play! Most Gator fans are perfectly fine with UT having a highlight play once every 15 years or so.

He didn't get smoked, It looked that way because you didn't know the play. The DB that was covering him initially released before he was supposed to leaving Cleveland wide open so it "looked" as though the safety got there late (safety was positioned to Cleveland's right) and took a bad angle. Part of the reason the DB released early was because you all had another receiver running a drag across the middle (no threat to score might I add) and the defender that was there left his position. Bad play but a busted coverage play nonetheless. It happens to the best of teams.

 

[Jaws]

I'd love to see the mental gymnastics that it will take to try to make this case.

No gymnastics, just facts. The 6 returning UF starters that I mentioned have 339 career catches for 33 TD’s. That’s Van Jefferson, Tyrie Cleveland, Trevon Grimes, Josh Hammond, Freddie Swain and Kadrius Toney. That’s a ton of production returning. Maybe someone else in the country can surpass that, but nobody jumps out at me. Nobody should mention elite WR groups without mentioning Florida.