Grade the season

[i2amavol]

I gave it an C because we still lost 2 games we shouldn't have lost but very proud of the fight of this team. Most would've taken 8-5 at the beginning of the season. But this is our last time losing 5 games a season under Pruitt! Gbo

If I knew we would have an 8-5 season, which pretty much the consensus pick, and I got to pick the losses, I guess I would pick the first 2 games over losing to SEC opponents. So, with that said, I had to go with a B. I would also rather end strong than begin strong.

As you said, it should be the last 5 game loss season as long as Pruitt is our coach. I expected this type of season overall, and I expect to compete for the East in 2020. In '21, we should be top 10, and expect to be competing for the SEC Title, with a possible shot at the NT playoffs.

 

[hUTch2002]

Going with B because we won 6 straight to end the season, which is probably a longer streak than 90% of FBS teams currently have, they went 5-3 in the SEC, competed very well at Bama and most of the game against UGA, and beat bowl teams UK, Miss St, and IU. I’d definitely say B- but not due to the first 2 games. The minus is for the absolutely stupid penalties we get every single game, the defensive misalignments that happened pretty much every game, and the atrocious QB play. Given our offensive struggles it is amazing we reached 8 wins. It was a pretty good season overall and absolutely amazing season given how we started.

 

[TennesseeVol2006]

He didn't seem to hurt our chances at winning the last 6. This time next week we'll have the 2nd longest winning streak in college football behind only LSU or Clemson and he did what we needed at QB in every single one of those wins. We may have finished 3-9 if we had solely went with BM/JT after the Fl game this year.

Who did we beat in the last 6? And if that’s your vision of the competition we should be proud of beating, I think you need to reevaluate your priorities in life.

You’re talking

UAB
KENTUCKY
SOUTH CAROLINA
VANDERBILT
MISSOURI
INDIANA.

Come on dude.

 

[Other_Guy]

There are several things that keep it from being a top grade. However, something that jumps the grade way up there for me is the fact that for the 1st time in a decade, Tennessee stopped finding new ways to lose after game 2. The coaching staff taught these guys HOW TO WIN. Somehow, those guys kept pushing, fighting, never giving up (look at JG), playing as a family and we end up with 8 wins, several that the old UT would have lost.
What does this mean? You now have a team that knows how to win, that wants to win and CAN. They're still not that good. But that's ok! That step doesn't come 1st. Now that Pruitt has turned them into a team that can win, he can bring in the talent that will take them to the next level.
Is Pruitt the guy? Idk. He still confuses me, including the bowl game. I was not impressed. We'll answer that question further down the road. That's the 3rd step. Let's worry about step 2: getting more guys in here developed that can make the big difference that this team lacked.

 

[Other_Guy]

8 wins is a solid B, but because of the bad start, i'd say B- (c+).

Did you expect more than 8 wins?

 

[KarnsTownVol]

That’s a bold statement given next year’s slate and our uncertainty at QB, losses at WR, and key defensive losses (warrior, bituli, and Taylor).

I see a “guaranteed” 4 loss in FL, UGA, UA, and Oklahoma (contrary to my “Oklahoma is beatable next year” thread). I think they are beatable, but I’m not sure we will have the personnel with enough experience to go on the road and do it.

That means we have to beat everyone we should beat, and that’s no easy task now that Kentucky has a respectable coach and Missouri has a wildcard staff with some decent (comparable to us) talent.

But I hope you’re right!

Im with you i believe next season is gonna be tough also. I think we will drop a game to either Kentucky or South Carolina. I also believe we will knock off either Ok. FL or GA tho. I dont think Mizz is gonna be all that talented next year. We finally are getting the line depth to routinely handle Mizz and Vandy on the regular now. Florida is replacing alot next year, no telling how good they will be and Georgia is gonna hopefully have a new QB and thier OC is questionable at best.

 

[irish1485]

Who did we beat in the last 6? And if that’s your vision of the competition we should be proud of beating, I think you need to reevaluate your priorities in life.

You’re talking

UAB
KENTUCKY
SOUTH CAROLINA
VANDERBILT
MISSOURI
INDIANA.

Come on dude.

4 of those teams we play ever year, we've struggled to beat half of them the last decade FYI..

 

[Big Orange Rock]

Soft B for me. Even having to sit through the GA State game ( My sons first TN game ) the turnaround was impressive.

 

[Raebo]

Considering the act that we started the season without a top tier QB and a lot of question marks about how the team/players would do, I will give it a B-.

Without an elite QB on the team, Staff decided the most experienced QB gave us the best chance and went that direction. When that did not work out they pivoted and went with Maurer who may have started the rest of the season except for his injuries. Can not blame the coaches for his injuries. Because of the injuries to Maurer, they went back to JG and without much of a running game, staff got us to a winning record and the team made a lot of improvements in several areas and is trying to get an elite QB in recruiting HB.

 

[CornFlake]

That's it, that's your big get me line? Pathetic really, see ya bye as you've got nothing to add but childish remarks and insults.

That's it, that's your big get me line? Pathetic really, see ya bye as you've got nothing to add but childish remarks and insults.

 

[vols4evah]

first half of season = F
second Half = A
Average out to a = C

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

Who did we beat in the last 6? And if that’s your vision of the competition we should be proud of beating, I think you need to reevaluate your priorities in life.

You’re talking

UAB
KENTUCKY
SOUTH CAROLINA
VANDERBILT
MISSOURI
INDIANA.

Come on dude.

Lots of teams played the same type schedule down the stretch, why didn't they do it? 5 of those 6 teams were bowl eligible teams this year and many of our fans, you included, picked losses in the preseason vs Ky, SC and Mizz and several predicted UAB would be a problem also. You are misguided if you think that winning the last 6 isn't impressive considering where we were as a program. Anytime I here someone say you won but you didn't play anybody I just laugh, and it's at their intelligence. Winning those 6 games in a row was the most impressive thing we did this year.

 

[Rickyvol77]

Who did we beat in the last 6? And if that’s your vision of the competition we should be proud of beating, I think you need to reevaluate your priorities in life.

You’re talking

UAB
KENTUCKY
SOUTH CAROLINA
VANDERBILT
MISSOURI
INDIANA.

Come on dude.

That’s 5 bowl eligible teams and Vandy who we hadn’t beaten in awhile. Quit trying to diminish the accomplishments of this team

 

[jsc1973]

A solid B. The 7-5 regular season is exactly what I expected, although I thought we'd get GA State and probably BYU, and have two more losses in the SEC. Rather have it this way, though. If you lose to GA State and then beat five SEC teams and an 8-win Big Ten team in a bowl, you improved a lot. But the fact that it took them until almost halfway through the season to hit any kind of stride keeps it from being an A.

And there's still a big gap between Tennessee and the top teams in the SEC. We may be at the front of the middle of the pack, but UGA, UF, Bama and LSU are still way off in the distance. Honestly, it reminded me a lot of the 1981 season (showing my age there, LOL), but this time, I hope the SEC title isn't still four years away.

 

[Mccage]

C+

 

[StarRaider]

B for the 5-3 conf record + bowl win.

 

[Evergrenevol]

A, as in A heart attack for the bowl game. For the entire season I'll grade a B. If we'd won Ga. State and BYU also, I'd say an A-, but we didn't and our QB play is hard to watch, however the improvement of the defense is fantastic to see. Really hoping Chaney can help JG a LOT over the spring and summer. Love the kids heart but please release the ball a tad earlier!

8 / 13 = 62%

62% = C- in my book...(extra credit was given for final 6 games)
A: we win the East division
B: we win 2 or more of : OK, FL, AL, GA and the remainder..
C is we win 1 of 4 and the remainder..
D is we don’t win any of above, and we hire Will Ferrell as new head coach..

 

[TJSVOLS]

That’s a bold statement given next year’s slate and our uncertainty at QB, losses at WR, and key defensive losses (warrior, bituli, and Taylor).

I see a “guaranteed” 4 loss in FL, UGA, UA, and Oklahoma (contrary to my “Oklahoma is beatable next year” thread). I think they are beatable, but I’m not sure we will have the personnel with enough experience to go on the road and do it.

That means we have to beat everyone we should beat, and that’s no easy task now that Kentucky has a respectable coach and Missouri has a wildcard staff with some decent (comparable to us) talent.

But I hope you’re right!

I really don't think there are (guaranteed) loses anymore . Could be wrong...

 

[Daniel_Lincolns_Foot]

I don't understand the continued "WHO DID WE BEAT?" after winning our last 6 games.

So if we had beat Ga State and BYU and gone 10-3 the season would be an A, but 8-5 becomes "WHO DID WE BEAT?"? Wouldn't you have to hold that same standard even if we beat Ga State and BYU?

 

[GoVols64]

If we look at the season as a whole it is a C+ IMO. An A is winning the East and, typically, I would say winning a good bowl game results in a B. I just can't see giving a B for a team that started the way we did. This doesn't take away from the monumental effort the team gave and their growth but if we are being intellectually honest our Offense never grew to the point it could have w/competent QB play. With a B Offense we would have won each of our last games by a couple scores or more. Defense stepped up and saved our rear ends in a lot of games.

 

[Anonymouse]

Hoping to grade them an A in the near future, but as for this past season, I give them a C.

 

[VolArmy74]

I voted D because 8-5 with home losses to GSU/BYU is a below average season for UT football.

 

[LAVol1]

If I had most of you guys for teachers in college, I wouldn't have had to go to class and would have made the dean's list consistently!

 

[BreatheUT]

This poll is about like people voting for the Heisman. Everyone has a secret sauce of what they look for. Best player on best team, or just best regardless of record?

I think it's easy to focus on how we finished and not the season in its entirety. Does an 8-5 record this year grade differently than an 8-5 season next year due to expectations?

I gave a C. This poll doesn't provide room for +/- which is helpful. Since we didn't win a division or conference championship, and we had two bad losses then it's hard to say this was any more than meeting expectations if you go back to this preseason instead of adjusting the timeframe to the 5th or 6th game.

 

[Ty4Vols]

Lots of teams played the same type schedule down the stretch, why didn't they do it? 5 of those 6 teams were bowl eligible teams this year and many of our fans, you included, picked losses in the preseason vs Ky, SC and Mizz and several predicted UAB would be a problem also. You are misguided if you think that winning the last 6 isn't impressive considering where we were as a program. Anytime I here someone say you won but you didn't play anybody I just laugh, and it's at their intelligence. Winning those 6 games in a row was the most impressive thing we did this year.

I just laugh at you and anyone else that believes 5 of our last 6 were bowl eligible. For Christ's sake do some damn research people.

S. Carolina was 4-8
Vandy was 3-9
Mizzou 6-6 (ncaa bowl ban for 2019 season)

4 of the last 6 had a .500 or better record. True statement.

Only 3 were bowl eligible. True statement.

Of the 4 with winning records here is how they finished in their last 6 games.

UK by far the best finished 5-1. Only loss was to the Vols and had wins over Louisville and VT. On a 5 game win streak.
UAB went 3-3 over their last 6. These were all after a loss to the Vols that makes them 3-4 in their last 7.
Mizzou was 1-5 in their last 6. They lost 5 straight before getting a win against 2-10 Arkansas.
IU was 3-3 in their last 6 including the bowl loss to the Vols.

The 4 teams that finished the season at or above .500 finished the year in their last 6 games at exactly .500 combined. Only UK was above .500 and none of them including the Vols beat a ranked opponent. Hmmm. (Only looking at each teams last 6 games) This may answer Pulaski's question as to why did no other team won their last 6 games.

So 3 of 6 were bowl eligible. 4 of 6 were .500 or better. Those 4 they were a combined 12-12 in their last 6. No ranked teams were beaten by the Vols or any of the .500 or above teams they played in the last 6 games of the season.

What the Vols did was prove they could win against similar competition which is a big step in the right direction and we should all be proud of the team for this.

Yes the Vols will have the 2nd longest win streak going into 2020. This is true. What is equally true is that the Vols nor any team they beat in that stretch had a win over a ranked team. Also true is that each of our last 6 opponents played a ranked team and lost except UK. UK didn't play a ranked team just like UT.

Ironic that the Vols and the Cats had the best records down the stretch and the longest winning streaks. Neither played a ranked opponent. Coincidence...I think not.

The Vols have proven they can beat similar competition and find ways to win as a team. The next step is find a way to be competitive and win against ranked teams that are a tier ahead of us. The 2020 season cant get here fast enough for me personally. I love what I'm seeing and cant wait to see if the 2020 Vols take the next step.

Go Vols