No turning this program around.

#27
#27
KKruzVFL said:
Guys this crap has been on a downward spiral since 2007. 12 years of misery with a few 9 win seasons in there. It's getting worse for our football program. I dont see any way this program is going to be back to where it used to be. I used to love tennessee football and was excited every year for ut to start since I was a kid. From the 80s to now. I never thought we would be down this long. This program is in a very dangerous position right now. But ive become numb to it. When will the misery end?
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It will take the right coach and possibly a good "set up" man but nothing lasts forever.

The downwards spiral began in '99 when Fulmer named Sanders OC and began to accept/excuse both mediocrity and a lack of discipline on and off the field.

There is a degree to which it will have to be "broken" before it can be re-set. Maybe this is that. Here's what I can say. UT right now has the best assembly of coaches as far as their ability to teach the game that they've had since Cut left the first time. They have to get talent... fast. They have to coach them up. They have to finish the culture shift.

Some of what you are seeing is a product of the 25 scholarship rule. Even Jones was able to sign 32 to jump start his effort. Coaches now simply can't do it.
 
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#28
#28
Goober McCornbread said:
Vols never again will be a top 10 team, too much competition in the SEC for recruiting, kids don't want to live in Knoxville, facilities, coaching, money etc etc. Top 25 sure, playoffs even if expanded to 8, no I doubt it.

Top 25 and competitive week to week is fine by me.
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Well you got the goober part right. You just joined and this is the insight you bring? Weak.
 
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#29
#29
Memphisvol87 said:
Part of the problem for fans is the impatience from the last 10-12 years. Its understandable, I feel it, we all feel the bad decisions and football. It’s a cumulative effect and we didn’t get here overnight, but the frustration of the last decade gets thrown on the coach in year two if we aren’t world beaters. I get it, I hate losing badly, I hate seeing a team we know isn’t competing for the SEC.

Dooley, not recruiting a single offensive linemen.. spilled over into butchs first two years. Butch, not making the team lift for two years and recruiting undersized linemen who then didn’t go lift and develop... is being felt two years in a row.

My point is that butch recruited well and couldn’t coach well enough to not choke games away, but depth was fixable for him by year 3. We need another class or two of quality linemen to see a team that can compete. It’s my opinion that until we stabilize the roster, and not just signing players.. have them lift and develop with the same staff ,we won’t get any different results.
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I used to think Butch was good recruiter too. Now I feel that he was more a star collector, picking up players with high ratings that other programs (who evaluated attitude and character better) had passed over. It made for high recruiting class rank and made a splash in the media, but the bill would eventually come due. And we are paying it now.
 
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#30
#30
I am of the theory past results are no prof of future wins. I can give you some reasons Tenn will struggle to ever gain that glory back.
Football was just a sport in the early years. Not a way for the schools to make money, and only certain schools took it seriously. Ivy schools, Army, etc shows that with their dominance in early years.
During the early Fulmer year’s few schools realized the importance of football on student attendance, TV contracts, large money from boosters. The SEC had a forward thinking president who realized ahead of all the other presidents, that there were huge amounts of money to be made from sports, but football in particular. He started the conf championship craze and big TV contracts. Because of this, not only Tenn and Fl were playing for top dog, but most of the SEC began hiring the best coaches available, building facilities, and attracting fans. That is when many other schools upgraded their facilities, Fulmer no longer just had to out coach and out recruit Fl.
Maybe the biggest stumbling block to Tenn’s return is the 25 player limit on recruiting. Simple math will show that you probably will not sign enough 5* talent each year to build a team because top talent will be gone after 3 years. You need 22 starters so 4 or 5 years just for a starting line up.
For more than a year I have stated my concern that Tenn could be the next Pitt or modern day Ole Miss. Fans will just enjoy the games and hope for upsets, not expecting championship. Just read the thousands of comments in the past month. Fans hoping to win 7, then 6, now hoping to win 3 or 4.
 
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#31
#31
NCVol1998 said:
I don't know what you mean by facilities, ours are as good as anyone. Money? Do you mean we won't pay players?
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I suspect our facilities are not top 10, money invested is not top 10, players get paid every where I imagine, I played for the mighty Princeton Tigers almost 50 years ago, alumni would occasionally slip you a $20.
 
#32
#32
Goober McCornbread said:
I suspect our facilities are not top 10, money invested is not top 10, players get paid every where I imagine, I played for the mighty Princeton Tigers almost 50 years ago, alumni would occasionally slip you a $20.
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We have a top 5 recruiting budget and I believe the highest paid staff salary in the country.

And the facilities are as good as they are anywhere else. At some point that's just as good as you can do.
 
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#34
#34
KKruzVFL said:
Im 44. The sec has never been as competitive as it is now. I dont see tennessee ever being able to get back to an elite level. I just dont see it.
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You may be right, but in the past there wasn’t basically what should be 7-8 guaranteed wins every year, going to a bowl just for a .500 record, as many good recruits in our home state, and a chance to get a good bowl with 2-3 losses, and get a shot for a natl title with a loss. More competition, but a lot more opportunities as well.
 
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#35
#35
Goober McCornbread said:
Moved to Oak Ridge area in 1976, been a ticket holder since. I wasn't aware posting here 1000's of times was a requirement to have an opinion regarding the program.
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Well when they are ignorant as yours, just sayin. Trolling by starting threads. Weak.
 
#36
#36
AlaskanVol66 said:
I am as down as everyone else is, but we outplayed Georgia the first half of the game. There is talent on this team and more coming (I Hope) to work with. I do however believe that if the staff now can't turn it around, providing the future recruits keep committed, then yes we may never be back to where we once were.
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We didn’t outplay them there was a couple of busted plays we cashed in on.
 
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#41
#41
Nationdom said:
Tennessee should be sleep walking to the top 25 every year and they will soon enough. Recruit and get some more players. Still should get 7 wins this year.
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There is your problem. We no longer have a legitimate geographical recruiting base like other schools. We will need a big name coach to get back into that game.
 
#43
#43
I used to live and die on football Saturdays in Tennessee. Going back to the season where we lost at home to Oklahoma and Florida by blowing big leads, I quit caring. I used to never miss a game and now I only watch a few.

I don’t think there has ever been a traditional power football school that has fallen this far from grace. It’s sad. I did watch yesterday because I heard a new quarterback was starting and that was fun. As soon as JG came in, I left to get something to eat and didn’t see the final score until late. I’m just not torturing myself with Tennessee football anymore and the last 3 to 4 years has been enjoyable not giving a damn. I still wear my Vol gear and love Tennessee but I’m just not doing and spending the money.
 
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#44
#44
onevol74 said:
There is your problem. We no longer have a legitimate geographical recruiting base like other schools. We will need a big name coach to get back into that game.
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No big name coach wants to touch UT because the geographical disadvantage is very real. You have to play Bama, UGA, Florida every year who have everything you have when it comes to money/facilities, but much better positioned geographically.
You can’t build a great program only recruiting nationally, You need tons of depth, and that comes from your back yard while you are building.

For all the talk of HS football improving in the state, I wouldn’t put much weight into Memphis, 6 SEC schools are closer than Knoxville.
In my opinion Nebraska is the only big program with a worse geography.
 
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#47
#47
Volsfaninva917 said:
Kids don't want to live in Knoxville but they want to live in Gainesville or Tuscaloosa?

Facilities aren't an issue here

Money isn't an issue
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Exactly

Knoxville is a metropolis when compared to most SEC towns.

And facilities are equal to the top programs and outshine most places.

Recruiting or lack thereof cannot be blamed on those issues.
 
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#49
#49
To answer your question OP,

When we’re willing to drop big bucks on a proven head coach. Then we give them time to build their own legacy here.

We keep spending cash on buyouts and giving some upstart loser too much time.
 
#50
#50
99gator said:
They just need the right coach.

They don’t have that yet
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Joking aside, Honestly.

I don't know how you can enjoy being here as much as you are. Its our team so we, or I should say I, I have an interest, Obviously. And I feel obligated if nothing else.

I don't understand how you can enjoy all of this misery. We're very little if any competition to you guys and its been that way for damn near ever, so I can't see you hating us so much that you enjoy our misery. I guarantee I hate Florida way more than you do Tennessee and I wouldn't spend a minute over on one of your boards dealing with this type of doom and gloom.


You really don't bother me. I'm irritated more by some of the love our fans show you when you're talking crap about us, but I don't care whether your here or not. I know you don't care if I care, I just thought I'd let you know. Haha.

Anyway, why you do I don't know, but enjoy the misery.
 
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