Tennessee in position to win the East in 2020

#27
#27
Dobbs 4 Heisman said:
No. Its called being a realist.

We have the best o-line in the country and a 3-headed monster at RB. Nobody will stop us on the ground. Ball control will win us the East.
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You, good sir, are a crack smoker. Best o line in the country? 3 headed monster running backs? We finished near the bottom of the conference in both yards rushing per game and yards per carry. Proof is in the pudding.
 
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#28
#28
xpsyclonex2002 said:
You, good sir, are a crack smoker. Best o line in the country? 3 headed monster running backs? We finished near the bottom of the conference in both yards rushing per game and yards per carry. Proof is in the pudding.
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Our 5-star tackles were true freshmen, 5-star Guard Trey Smith was recovering from blood clots, and 5-star Guard Cade Mays was playing for Georgia. How many other teams will have 4 five stars starting on their o-line?

The o-line will lead the way and transform Tennessee into the most dominant rushing team in the country.
 
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#30
#30
On the staff...I mean UGA's staff isn't "special"... They have unanswered questions at oc (nice name tho), and the defense is Kirby.. Who hasn't exactly proven to be awesome on game days...

Uf? Nope. Mullen has his resume and rep as an offensive/qb guru... But they just lost their DC.... Questions at several other spots.

USCe? They hired rocker to save their defense and messed around with their oc situation..

LSU lost basically everyone lol.. So it's at least an unknown as a group..

Bama has turnstiles at their complex and just lost Cochran...

Auburn... New OC, they have Gardner and a good staff overall..

ATM? We got cjg from them but they have a good staff overall.

It's not as big a stretch as some of you think to throw us in that conversation.... If you're talking collection of coaches. I realize that there are several head coaches that would all rate higher than Pruitt individually...

As for predictions on the season... Difficult to do. No spring. And the off season and off season conditioning in general have been completely turned upside down. That's bad for everyone but our offense needed the reps. Defense should be pretty good... Season goes as our qb situation goes... So any prediction should have an asterisk by it lol. We still don't "know"what we're gonna get from any of the three on roster and HB is a true freshman, also not 100% sure what we can expect from him yet at this level esp with no spring competition.

I like getting ou early. I like getting uf at home. I like getting UGA late but hate it's in Athens... That one seems like it'll be difficult..

I think we can win 2 of those 4 big games. Bye before bama.. At home... They will have played 7 straight... Great spot on the schedule if looking for possible upset..

I'll say 9-3*. Tougher than expected game to watch out for...@ Arkansas right after bama.

I expect @USCe will be back to being a dog fight as well...


Just hope we get to see it honestly... Could be a good year.
 
#31
#31
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#32
#32
I am very optimistic about this year. We have leaders on defense and offense that will set the tone. Chandler and Gray behind this offensive line could both go over 1000. You heard it here. I believe...GBO!!!
 
#33
#33
I wondered how long it would take before people got their hopes up too much. If we have 3 losses this year, then we had a great year. Build yourself up and as soon as we lose two games, people are saying fire the coach.
 
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#34
#34
I think optimistically 9-3 is possible.
We are going to be relatively the same on defense, but deeper talentwise.
As someone astutely remarked, QB is our problem offensively.
Maurer - unstable, he needs a RS year. Although based on his posts, he is making progress.
JG - a real wild card. Riding him the whole season could be like riding a camel. Right? Painful and you just cannot wait for it to be over.
Hill - walk on. Did he progress? Fools bet.
JT - has he learned that you have to be a film rat, yet? (I do not see him in Orange, when season begins.)
HB - Training with JG this past Monday. Arm strength was less. But accuracy was as good or better. The question is can he read college defenses. Don't see him starting the season opener. But if we have injuries and transfers, who knows. I think we see him on the field in games 2 and 4.
Holiday - I believe we see him on the field in 2020... Specialty plays...wildcat, jet sweep with options.
 
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#35
#35
If UT upgrades the QB position then the Vols may be a factor. That's not change for the sake of change... so it likely doesn't mean Bailey at this point. You would still have the liability of a very green freshman. It means either a miraculous change in JG or Hill, Shrout, or Maurer stepping up to beat him out.

UT should be better on the DL than they finished last year... and they were starting to be very, very good at the end of last season. The secondary should be very good and deep with no glaring holes. The LB's will be young but talented. A little thin which could be a problem if there are injuries.

The OL should finally be back to upper SEC tier form. The receiver group is deep and talented enough to be productive. I am more skeptical of the RB's than most but serviceable. But the critical piece is QB.
 
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#37
#37
SN-A-C Orange said:
I think optimistically 9-3 is possible.
We are going to be relatively the same on defense, but deeper talentwise.
As someone astutely remarked, QB is our problem offensively.
Maurer - unstable, he needs a RS year. Although based on his posts, he is making progress.
JG - a real wild card. Riding him the whole season could be like riding a camel. Right? Painful and you just cannot wait for it to be over.
Hill - walk on. Did he progress? Fools bet.
JT - has he learned that you have to be a film rat, yet? (I do not see him in Orange, when season begins.)
HB - Training with JG this past Monday. Arm strength was less. But accuracy was as good or better. The question is can he read college defenses. Don't see him starting the season opener. But if we have injuries and transfers, who knows. I think we see him on the field in games 2 and 4.
Holiday - I believe we see him on the field in 2020... Specialty plays...wildcat, jet sweep with options.
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Maurer's experience last year was painful but valuable. He has an opportunity but like you say he needs to be "stable" and consistent. He makes "wow" plays and then makes really stupid mistakes... both for the same reason- his confidence in his ability to drive the ball in.

Shrout is the guy who could really come out of nowhere if he devoted himself to becoming a master of the O and film room like you said. He may have the most pure arm talent on the team.

HB could factor but if he does IMO it will be because Shrout and Maurer did not progress and JG gets hurt.

I do not think Holiday will be a full time QB in his career at UT. I'd be happy to be wrong because of what he brings as a runner.

I don't think Hill factors in short of a bunch of injuries.
 
#38
#38
Dobbs 4 Heisman said:
No. Its called being a realist.

We have the best o-line in the country and a 3-headed monster at RB. Nobody will stop us on the ground. Ball control will win us the East.
Click to expand...

Hey, I think it is going to be a far better season (if played) than last year, although that may not mean 10-2. With regards to nobody being able to stop us on the ground, while you may be right, three loaded SEC defenses, Alabama, Florida and Georgia say hello. I DO think ball control and being able to run against Oklahoma could make that game winnable if the defense can stop their offense.
 
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#40
#40
sjt18 said:
If UT upgrades the QB position then the Vols may be a factor. That's not change for the sake of change... so it likely doesn't mean Bailey at this point. You would still have the liability of a very green freshman. It means either a miraculous change in JG or Hill, Shrout, or Maurer stepping up to beat him out.

UT should be better on the DL than they finished last year... and they were starting to be very, very good at the end of last season. The secondary should be very good and deep with no glaring holes. The LB's will be young but talented. A little thin which could be a problem if there are injuries.

The OL should finally be back to upper SEC tier form. The receiver group is deep and talented enough to be productive. I am more skeptical of the RB's than most but serviceable. But the critical piece is QB.
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where you at on the JT Daniel deal? cause i agree. and i'm not sure what we're gonna get from any of the QB's we currently have. they should all get better..............but who knows.

i've come around on the JTD deal...i say get him.....that position is so critical to this year.....agree with everything else you said...though i'm a little higher on the RB's. Gray in particular....has a lot to do with what i think about the O line.
'course that could change if we're one dimensional offensively.....

qb is important. lol.
 
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#41
#41
rdk4121 said:
I firmly believe we have the best staff in the sec, possibly second behind LSU. I think we have the best coordinators on both sides of the ball. Auburn's staff is good as well. Bama and Georgia have both trailed off a little bit as far as coaches, but still recruit better than anyone else. Our position coaches a possibly a little weaker on defense, but it's really hard to argue with Jay Graham, Tee Martin, Chris Weinke, and Will Friend on offense.

As for the score prediction of the article, maybe that's getting a little ahead of ourselves. I feel fairly good about 8 games, and I'd be happy getting 1 out of the big 4 games, and ecstatic about getting 2.
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I really believe if a few of the new recruits come in and help stretch the field and our QB play improves........this could be a beer drinking, shirt buying, BBQing, anxiety filled, hooping and hollering, climatic season....putting it mildly :)
 
#42
#42
jakez4ut said:
where you at on the JT Daniel deal? cause i agree. and i'm not sure what we're gonna get from any of the QB's we currently have. they should all get better..............but who knows.
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If they can get him they probably should... but someone else has to drop IMO. Six scholarship QB's doesn't make a ton of sense. Who do they give up on?

I think Maurer and Shrout have enough raw talent but also have a very small window to stake a claim. Otherwise, I think they get buried by new players that are considered better investments by the coaches. JG IMHO is in the way and not helpful.

i've come around on the JTD deal...i say get him.....that position is so critical to this year.....agree with everything else you said...though i'm a little higher on the RB's. Gray in particular....has a lot to do with what i think about the O line.
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Gray has to become harder to tackle. He's explosive but even explosive players have to run through some contact. I've always liked Chandler but he's never become the player I thought he would be. Jordan IMO has just about maxed out his talent... he didn't have enough natural ability... but he does things right and works his tail off.

I could be completely wrong but I don't see any immediate help from the '20 class at RB.

'course that could change if we're one dimensional offensively.....

qb is important. lol.
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I think the run game can improve even without a great RB group. But that can only happen if UT's QB can do things to pressure a D that JG hasn't done well- quick reads and throws, slants/hitches, seams, etc.
 
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#43
#43
J.G.'s team till he doesnt get the job done, it will be alot different being protected verses being killed. Ask Peyton? My bet is he is alot better suddenly. The OL can be as good as it wants to be. RB position will be at least some better. The WR will look as good, with the QB performance improving. The defense is our coaching strength and has some healthy depth coming back to the line. We would have killed for a team like this, just 3 years ago, now we have it. Let's enjoy knowing before the game starts we have a great shot of winning the game, verses there is no reason of getting excited.
 
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#44
#44
sjt18 said:
The OL should finally be back to upper SEC tier form. The receiver group is deep and talented enough to be productive. I am more skeptical of the RB's than most but serviceable. But the critical piece is QB.
Click to expand...

This is Will Friend's chance to prove that he's worth his salt as an Oline coach. If he can't build a top-tier oline with the individual talent on the roster at this point, then he's never going to about able to do it at UT.
 
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#45
#45
sjt18 said:
If they can get him they probably should... but someone else has to drop IMO. Six scholarship QB's doesn't make a ton of sense. Who do they give up on?

I think Maurer and Shrout have enough raw talent but also have a very small window to stake a claim. Otherwise, I think they get buried by new players that are considered better investments by the coaches. JG IMHO is in the way and not helpful.

Gray has to become harder to tackle. He's explosive but even explosive players have to run through some contact. I've always liked Chandler but he's never become the player I thought he would be. Jordan IMO has just about maxed out his talent... he didn't have enough natural ability... but he does things right and works his tail off.

I could be completely wrong but I don't see any immediate help from the '20 class at RB.


I think the run game can improve even without a great RB group. But that can only happen if UT's QB can do things to pressure a D that JG hasn't done well- quick reads and throws, slants/hitches, seams, etc.
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oh, i think it's a foregone conclusion at least one of shrout or maurer transfers this year, regardless of what happens with JTD. all getting JTD does is probably expedite that, and maybe get the other one to seriously consider transferring? Shrout seems most likely imo to go first....on Jordan, i was really frustrated with him in 2018. could see potential, but man, he always found contact, terrible vision.....i think he improved a lot last year. he's never gonna be that big time back...but i do think he carves out a nice spot for himself in this year's offense....especialy if he improves some more over last year. he'd of gotten a vote from me for most improved player last year....

i don't see anythign immediate either from this past class. in fact i think two guys currently slated at RB, wind up on defense at some point. whitehed and hodge. i am interested to see if J. Hyatt can get on the field any....super fast kid.
 
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#47
#47
jakez4ut said:
oh, i think it's a foregone conclusion at least one of shrout or maurer transfers this year, regardless of what happens with JTD. all getting JTD does is probably expedite that, and maybe get the other one to seriously consider transferring? Shrout seems most likely imo to go first....
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I like Shrout. I think he has great potential. He could be a very good SEC level starter IMO. I think his best path to success though is somewhere like ND State where he plays on talent and learns OJT.

I personally think all of that shakes out based on whether either or both think they're getting a fair shot. I think the only way either starts for UT is if they beat out JG this year. I just don't think a 4 way 2021 spring battle for the position gives them a real opportunity.
 
#48
#48
BeardedVol said:
This is Will Friend's chance to prove that he's worth his salt as an Oline coach. If he can't build a top-tier oline with the individual talent on the roster at this point, then he's never going to about able to do it at UT.
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I've never trashed Friend. I think he inherited the worst part of Jones' mess.

That said, you are right. It is time for him to perform.
 
#49
#49
sjt18 said:
I've never trashed Friend. I think he inherited the worst part of Jones' mess.

That said, you are right. It is time for him to perform.
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I think given what he's being paid, we should see more than what he has produced so far in terms of technique and penalties, and after hearing about Chaney having to go down and directly coach the oline more than a few times last leason, my faith in Friend's skills is pretty low.

He's got more talent on the oline this season than he has had since leaving Georgia, and potentially more.
 
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