Would you call it a "successful" season?

[JonGrudensAgent]

I tend to judge seasons by how they perform against FL, AL , and GA so I don't know that I would call it successful.

Better than last year, but nowhere near where I want them to be.

Concerned they stand pat or back slide next year with a still unsettled QB situation, replacing Calloway and Jennings on offense. Defense needs to replace Bituli among others and the D line is sketchy.

 

[Hacksaw]

Yes, successful. I predicted 7 wins before the season and said that Pruitt would cement himself as the right man for the job if we somehow won 9. Looking back, it's easy to see how close we came to actually winning 9 games.

Of course, I was expecting South Carolina, Missouri, Kentucky and Vandy to be better than they were. And I certainly did not foresee a loss in the opener. But we needed to show the kind of improvement that we can build on next season and I think we accomplished that.

 

[KingGenius]

Most media and even VN posters predicted between 5-7 and 7-5. I don't recall seeing many 4-8s or 8-4s. I predicted 6-6.
So the team goes 7-5. Wouldn't anything better be overachieving, given the dumpster fire 2 years ago, young OL and even worse DL entering this season, and the disastrous start to QB play/injuries?
The opposed will point to losing to GSU and BYU and ask how could one say successful with inexcusable loses to them. I understand, and yes, they were inexcusable.
But did you consider what a 7-5 team that beat GSU and BYU would mean? They're losing to Miss St, Kentucky, Missouri, SCjr or Vandy. Had they upset someone that means they would have dropped 3 of those 5 games mentioned. Would you really rather them end on another sour note, or get the bad play out of the way and start rolling into 2020?
I don't think it's fair to predict 6-6 or 7-5, then say "Oh it's not really successful because they should be 9-3".
So if anyone doesn't think it was a "successful" season, I am curious as to how you would have rather the 7-5 season play out.
Super pumped about finding out the bowl game matchup and then... bring on Oklahoma!

I said 8 wins, 9 possible and overachieving, 7 underachieving. I was right, we should have won the first two games. We underachieved. But we are still on track. For those in media, time to eat some crow again saying 4,5, maybe 6 wins at ceiling before they even saw a snap.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

I guess it depends on your expectations. I looked at our schedule at the beginning of the season and thought there were easily 8 regular season wins on it. Now that it's over I can look back and see in actuality there were 9 wins on the schedule. We came up 2 wins short of what we should have achieved. So no, I don't consider the season a success. We underachieved. Did we do better than last year? Yes. Did we do as well as we should have, considering our schedule? Absolutely not. We should be playing for our 10th win of the year in the bowl game.

 

[oz615]

Considering the circumstances, YES! (despite the "what could've been" factor w/ Ga. St. and BYU losses)

 

[Brave Volunteer]

Considering the circumstances, YES! (despite the "what could've been" factor w/ Ga. St. and BYU losses)

If your kid came home with F's on his/her report card but brought them up to C-'s by the end the year, would you think that he/she had a successful school year? The "circumstances were self-inflicted. The 0-2 hole they dug themselves in didn't happen because of divine intervention. Sorry but I don't consider averting complete self-inflicted disaster a "success."

 

[Hacksaw]

I guess it depends on your expectations. I looked at our schedule at the beginning of the season and thought there were easily 8 regular season wins on it. Now that it's over I can look back and see in actuality there were 9 wins on the schedule. We came up 2 wins short of what we should have achieved. So no, I don't consider the season a success. We underachieved. Did we do better than last year? Yes. Did we do as well as we should have, considering our schedule? Absolutely not. We should be playing for our 10th win of the year in the bowl game.

Even though I would call it a success, I don't disagree with you on your reasoning.

 

[rocketskates]

Absolutely. I mean...it kinda sucks that we SHOULD be 9-3 and looking at possibly 10 wins, but it was quite a rebound and is a huge momentum builder for next year.

 

[CR-vol]

I consider this season a success in the little things that should show up in a bigger way in the future. Chemistry, these guys during the game look to be having fun. Our defense plays with an attitude and physicality that they havent had in years. This team doesn't throw in the towel and quit like years past. We're headed in the right direction for sure.

 

[tim]

I think this was an 8-9 win team that had some early key injuries and poor qb play. We looked pretty awful in the 1st 2 games. I think this team wins those games in spite of those injuries and qb play if played today.

 

[82_VOL_83]

reluctantly yes. 7-5 stings when Ga St. is included as a loss.

 

[CINCYVOL]

I would say making it to a bowl game makes it a successful season for this team and the program as a whole. I don’t think many of or any of us know how bad it really was when Phil and then Pruitt walked in. I saw improvement in play, effort, and attitude from the team this year. I saw them learn how to win, despite the years they have spent learning how to lose. I have real hope heading into the offseason, it’s been a long time and will enjoy every step forward on the climb back up. I believe we have good coaches and recruiters, and an AD that will keep the boosters informed and in check. It’s amazing what can be accomplished when folks all buy in and work toward a common goal.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

I would say making it to a bowl game makes it a successful season for this team and the program as a whole. I don’t think many of or any of us know how bad it really was when Phil and then Pruitt walked in. I saw improvement in play, effort, and attitude from the team this year. I saw them learn how to win, despite the years they have spent learning how to lose. I have real hope heading into the offseason, it’s been a long time and will enjoy every step forward on the climb back up. I believe we have good coaches and recruiters, and an AD that will keep the boosters informed and in check. It’s amazing what can be accomplished when folks all buy in and work toward a common goal.

 

[PACKERVOL]

Of course it's yes!

 

[VolforFootball]

After the way we started, it’s been an incredibly successful season.

 

[Johnnyreb#VFL]

I was very close with my preseason prediction minus those pesky ga st and byu games.

 

[Freak]

In my mind the expectations for the season as a whole were: break the streak and beat Vandy, find a way to finally win against Muschump, and get to a bowl game. Based on that, the season was a success. But the early losses were very disappointing.

 

[Probably_in_Class]

It's certainly a heck of a lot better than last year...

 

[Elhanan]

Not sure.

I’d say it all comes down to the bowl game. Show some hope for next season in it and this year will be remembered as a great turn around at least.

 

[chad4930]

We lost the first two, shame on us. We got hammered by two top ten programs. Then the program took care of business against the SEC teams left on the schedule. We took Bama to the edge and gave the rest of the SEC a blueprint to beat them. I see the improvement. I see the focus on the faces of these coaches and players. If you cannot enjoy the fight of this team then please tune out for a couple of years until we are up to standard. After the last 10 years I’m ready for a little joy so go be miserable somewhere else.

 

[Other_Guy]

Even if we would have beat GA State and BYU and finished 9-3 we would have people on here complaining saying “who did we beat? We are not improved” the nega Vols are never satisfied. My opinion is getting to a bowl was job 1. Earning the extra practice time and game experience for our young team is critical. So I say yes for year 2 under Pruitt.

We were also more competitive with the elite teams.

Great points.

 

[FlVols]

In my mind the expectations for the season as a whole were: break the streak and beat Vandy, find a way to finally win against Muschump, and get to a bowl game. Based on that, the season was a success. But the early losses were very disappointing.

I think it was a success. They just said on ESPNU that there is no better 7-5 team in NCAA. I think Pruitt has us going the right direction and will continue to do that in the years ahead. GO Vols! Win our bowl game (Hopefully Gator bowl).

 

[Other_Guy]

Successful since it’s an improvement from last year, but not what it could’ve been.

You're not really answering my question.
What did you predict the record to be? If you predicted 7-5 or less, again I ask, how would you have rather the season played out as a 7-5 team?

 

[Other_Guy]

I think it was a success. They just said on ESPNU that there is no better 7-5 team in NCAA. I think Pruitt has us going the right direction and will continue to do that in the years ahead. GO Vols! Win our bowl game (Hopefully Gator bowl).

A&M would have something to say about that.

 

[Freak]

A&M would have something to say about that.

They don't have any signature wins, either. (Texas State, Lamar, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Miss. St, UTSA and South Carolina).

I know LSU is fantastic, but I'll take the team like Tennessee with momentum over the team that just lost 50-7.

I point this out, not because I think Tennessee is the best 7-5 team in the country, but I think we're a better bowl draw and should get a better placement than the Aggies. JMO.