Is the 2019 Version 20pts Better?

#1
JohnWardForever

JohnWardForever

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#1
With the S&C improvements, the Influx of VERY Talented Freshmen on both sides of the ball, DEPTH, Pruitt settling in for his second year; Chaney, Ansley, and Tee upgrading the Staff, I can see Tennessee being 10 points better on D and Offense. (Possibly more midway through the season) This team is night and day from last year. I think we are looking at 8-4; minimum.
 
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#3
#3
People are really underestimating how much we are still lacking in the OL & DL. We are likely starting two true freshmen at the OTs and just lost our best returning D-lineman for the year. Recruit. Minimize the 25 point losses. Recruit. Make a bowl. Recruit.
 
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#6
#6
I think injuries will determine this teams record since the depth on both lines is so thin. If the injuries bad luck curse can be ended I think 8-4 could be possible but Las Vegas over/under is 6.5 and they don't put odds out there without some research. So 7 wins is the experts top level for this team. If I were betting I would take the over.
 
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#7
#7
JohnWardForever said:
With the S&C improvements, the Influx of VERY Talented Freshmen on both sides of the ball, DEPTH, Pruitt settling in for his second year; Chaney, Ansley, and Tee upgrading the Staff, I can see Tennessee being 10 points better on D and Offense. (Possibly more midway through the season) This team is night and day from last year. I think we are looking at 8-4; minimum.
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JWF, I would love to think 8-4 is a minimum but I can not agree with you. A 10 point reduction in points allowed by the D and a 10 increase in O production in one year would probably be one of the biggest swings in the history of major college football. We would win a lot of games if ur numbers pan out, and I hope they do. What ur saying could happen if we were able to run up the score on the OOC games and lost close games in conference and we still would not reach 8-4. I really don’t care if we win every game by a point, though my heart might not be able to take the whole season like that, as long as we win.
 
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#9
#9
I don't think 8-4 is the minimum.

I think we end up 7-5 in regular season with a possible 8-4 if we can stay healthy. 9-3 is obviously possible, but I just don't see it. Just like 5-7 is possible but I don't see that either.

6-6 is my minimum and it better have some really close losses, no blow outs, inspirational effort every game and a bowl win.
 
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#10
#10
CA_Vol said:
People are really underestimating how much we are still lacking in the OL & DL. We are likely starting two true freshmen at the OTs and just lost our best returning D-lineman for the year. Recruit. Minimize the 25 point losses. Recruit. Make a bowl. Recruit.
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Two 5 star freshman starting at OT, with strength levels that are ready to compete.
Behind them are two experienced 4 year college guys.

Gooden was our best returning guy at DL, but you have some other guys who have played returning. Our D-Line on average is one of the biggest in country! There are not a bunch of starts there, but there are able talented big men. They just need to play...

8-4 at minimum is not realistic. 8-4 by itself absolutely is attainable this season.
 
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#11
#11
LittleVol said:
Two 5 star freshman starting at OT, with strength levels that are ready to compete.
Behind them are two experienced 4 year college guys.

Gooden was our best returning guy at DL, but you have some other guys who have played returning. Our D-Line on average is one of the biggest in country! There are not a bunch of starts there, but there are able talented big men. They just need to play...

8-4 at minimum is not realistic. 8-4 by itself absolutely is attainable this season.
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Drew Richmond was a 5 star. Khalil Mckenzie was a 5 star. Jonathan Kongbo was a 5 star. Not saying Morris or Wright will not be stars, but starting in the SEC as a freshmen on the line is far from predictable.
 
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#12
#12
CA_Vol said:
Drew Richmond was a 5 star. Khalil Mckenzie was a 5 star. Jonathan Kongbo was a 5 star. Not saying Morris or Wright will not be stars, but starting in the SEC as a freshmen on the line is far from predictable.
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I think had we not signed these guys, and we roll with Tatum and Johnson at tackle we would have been okay. You can still consider both guys as starters they've played so much. And now we've improved on them...

So I'm saying...this isn't last year. Our O-line situation has changed quite a bit. Not to mention... you and I both agree, that the O-line was probably not as bad as it looked anyway.

You look across the conference and P5, there's not a bunch of teams with as much experience or potential as our o-line has.
Taking about star rankings and actual games played.

We're going to be pleasently surprised this year. I really like what we have at DL despite Gooden and the uncertainty of Solomon.
 
#13
#13
CA_Vol said:
Drew Richmond was a 5 star. Khalil Mckenzie was a 5 star. Jonathan Kongbo was a 5 star. Not saying Morris or Wright will not be stars, but starting in the SEC as a freshmen on the line is far from predictable.
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Neither one of the guys you mentioned went through a really good S&C program. Also, Richmond was not a 5* when he signed. KMac didnt play his SR in HS either. Kongbo was a mystery. While starting freshman in the SEC isn't ideal, when those guys are better than the vast majority of your starters at said position, you play them.
 
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#14
#14
BigOrangeTrain said:
Neither one of the guys you mentioned went through a really good S&C program. Also, Richmond was not a 5* when he signed. KMac didnt play his SR in HS either. Kongbo was a mystery. While starting freshman in the SEC isn't ideal, when those guys are better than the vast majority of your starters at said position, you play them.
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Of course you play them, but there will be a significant learning curve that many of you seem to be oblivious to.
 
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#18
#18
JohnWardForever said:
We shall see. If this team isn't 20 points better ; I'll kiss whatever and give you a week to advertise. If you can't see the potential; I have no words.
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Whatever you kiss 😘 please don’t make it that same duck 🦆 behind the Waffle House dumpster in the Vol practice thread. That poor duck has been thru enuf trauma. #quaquaquaaaccckkk!
 
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#21
#21
Hulavol said:
What ? Did we replace last years squad with 5 3rd year SEC quality linemen? And do we have five more behind them?
If the answer is no, then no way we can win games against SEC level teams. We ain’t there yet.
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Guess we shouldn’t have won against Auburn and KY last year then? SC was a close one as well.
 
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#22
#22
Hulavol said:
What ? Did we replace last years squad with 5 3rd year SEC quality linemen? And do we have five more behind them?
If the answer is no, then no way we can win games against SEC level teams. We ain’t there yet.
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Beat TWO top 20 sec teams Last Year with NO LINE at all.
 
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#23
#23
We added Chaney over Helton, which is a huge upgrade IMO. I believe Tee to be an upgrade as well. We return nearly everyone on Offense, and the extra year experience and second year with Fitz should be a big plus. We added some talent into the mix as well, esp on the line with Morris and Wright (and I understand they are true freshman in the SEC, but are still probably an improvement, at the very least give much better depth).
So IMO, if there isn’t much improvement on offense this year, (barring injuries, dismissals, etc), it’s on Pruitt.
And if the offense continues to run 85% of the time on first down between the tackles for 1-2 ypc, it’s on Pruitt.
If these two things happen (which I don’t think they will), Pruitt is not our answer.
 
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#24
#24
Hulavol said:
What ? Did we replace last years squad with 5 3rd year SEC quality linemen? And do we have five more behind them?
If the answer is no, then no way we can win games against SEC level teams. We ain’t there yet.
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If you're asking if we have 10 quality SEC lineman. Well, what is an SEC quality lineman? All the guys on scholarship at Ole Miss and Vandy are SEC lineman by definition of the conference they play in.

And coming into THIS season, we have the 3rd biggest O-line in the conference...
There's plenty of "beef".
 
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