Recruiting Forum Football Talk II

Status
Not open for further replies.
#158,508
#158,508
engineerVOL said:
Montana 2011. Tornado warning. We left, sold my ticket stub for $20 on the way out to someone. Ate at the Gondolier in Cleveland on way back, listened to game in radio, wish I had stayed.
Click to expand...

That game was nuts. It was brutally hot while tailgating and just before kickoff, then a monsoon rolled through and it dropped 30 degrees afterward. I was freezing. Was my girlfriend's (now wife) first Neyland experience. Surprisingly she went back with me the next year to the Florida game.

At one point I remember trying to take cover when the rain was really coming down near a vending cart, only to look down and realize that I and a bunch of other people were standing in a deep puddle that also contained 3-4 extension cords and plugs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SmokinBob, ATC_VOL and engineerVOL
#158,513
#158,513
Aesius said:
That game was nuts. It was brutally hot while tailgating and just before kickoff, then a monsoon rolled through and it dropped 30 degrees afterward. I was freezing. Was my girlfriend's (now wife) first Neyland experience. Surprisingly she went back with me the next year to the Florida game.

At one point I remember trying to take cover when the rain was really coming down near a vending cart, only to look down and realize that I and a bunch of other people were standing in a deep puddle that also contained 3-4 extension cords and plugs.
Click to expand...

Clearly, a keeper.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Paper_Towel, Big Orange#1, SweetasSoda and 2 others
#158,514
#158,514
Aesius said:
That game was nuts. It was brutally hot while tailgating and just before kickoff, then a monsoon rolled through and it dropped 30 degrees afterward. I was freezing. Was my girlfriend's (now wife) first Neyland experience. Surprisingly she went back with me the next year to the Florida game.

At one point I remember trying to take cover when the rain was really coming down near a vending cart, only to look down and realize that I and a bunch of other people were standing in a deep puddle that also contained 3-4 extension cords and plugs.
Click to expand...

Emphasis on “me” or the “Florida game” part 😂
 
#158,516
#158,516
@Rishvol - as you requested here is the link to the UT dashboard for Covid tracking in the state: ArcGIS Dashboards

Previously, I posted about our planned matchup with Auburn. This is my take on our planned hosting of Texas A&M.

There’s not really a lot of difference between the talent levels of the 2 teams but they are ranked 16th in the nation in overall returning production while we are at #50. Reportedly, they return 17 starters this year while as a minimum we return 14 but with a few more that have starting experience. They return more skill position starters so that could perhaps give them an early edge, at least on paper. jmo.

Their offense has the most returning production, ranked at #17. Bill Connelly had those offensive guys ranked as 9th best in the nation last year in his preseason SP+ but he had soured on them by the end of the year, pegging them as 33rd best. To be fair, last year, he, like many others, including myself, had expected a lot out of our offense in the preseason as well, ranking us as 13th best in the nation. By the end of the year he had given up on us, sliding us all the way down to #73.

According to an article in the Houston Chronicle recapping their season the big problem with A&M’s offense last year was their offensive line and in December the writer didn’t see how that was going to be fixed any time soon.

Against our conference opponents last year we ranked #8 in rushing offense. Right, not anything all that big to write home about. Texas A&M’s rushing offense ranked even lower at #11 against conference competition. Our passing offense was at #6 while A&M’s was at #4. We barely edged them out for total offense but they beat us by 5.3 points per game in scoring offense. We had 13 turnovers while they had 11, again, against only conference opponents. We allowed 44 TFLs last year while A&M allowed 45. In sacks we only allowed 13 against conference opponents while A&M allowed 27.

In the preseason last year the SP+ ranked A&M’s defense as 32nd best nationally and they finished the season ranked 23rd. The SP+ ranked our defense as 49th best before the season started but by the end of the year our guys had moved all the way up to #19. A&M’s defense is starting out this year ranked at #15 and ours is sitting at #7.

We had the 7th best run defense in the conference last year and A&M was at #6. Our pass defense ranked #5 against conference opponents while A&M ranked #10. In total defense we were at #5, A&M was at #9. In scoring defense we held conference opponents to 4.7 fewer points per game than A&M was able to do. We gained 8 turnovers from conference foes while A&M gained 7.

Overall, SP+ gives A&M a preseason ranking of #10 this year and we’re at #19, weighed down by the low expectations associated with our offense. Last year it was the opposite and what actually happened in the end was the opposite of what had been expected. The offense disappointed and the defense came into its own. Last year was the second year our guys had in Pruitt’s defense; this year will be the second year our guys have had in Chaney’s offense. Anything can happen. jmo.

These two teams appear pretty evenly matched, at least on paper and last year’s performance. I think we may have some hidden pluses that data mining might not pick up. For example, we return 4 cornerbacks with starting experience, 2 nickel backs with starting experience, and 3 safeties with starting experience. We have some experience on the defensive line that will be pushed by incoming young talent and that incoming young talent will be pushed by the older guys. We almost certainly will have to have some young guys step up in the linebacker group but we have a deep well of incoming talent there and they’ll have to outperform the older guys in that group if they’re going to get on the field. Given that we’ve had a very extended time to work on walk-thrus this summer the learning curve may not be as long as it may have been in the past. jmo.

With perhaps the best offensive line in the conference and a pretty decent running back room we just need to figure out our passing game and perhaps our offense will finally come into its own pretty much the same as our defense did last year. I think we have enough options at receiver between experience and talent that we’ll probably do okay there. We may be better later on that we are right off the bat but I don’t think that’s going to hurt us as much as some may think. I also think we have some decent options at tight end. I’m going to assume that Chaney will have our offense poised for a major leap in improvement this year and I think that’s a reasonable assumption. jmo.

In short, I think the A&M game is definitely winnable for us this year and perhaps even more so from the home field comfort and familiarity of Neyland Stadium. jmo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SmokinBob, bigorange, Neyland Law Vol and 14 others
#158,517
#158,517
engineerVOL said:
Montana 2011. Tornado warning. We left, sold my ticket stub for $20 on the way out to someone. Ate at the Gondolier in Cleveland on way back, listened to game in radio, wish I had stayed.
Click to expand...

It was hot and humid all day and then at the end of the day, I was soaked. But it was well worth it.
 
#158,519
#158,519
ChattaTNVol said:
@Rishvol - as you requested here is the link to the UT dashboard for Covid tracking in the state: ArcGIS Dashboards

Previously, I posted about our planned matchup with Auburn. This is my take on our planned hosting of Texas A&M.

There’s not really a lot of difference between the talent levels of the 2 teams but they are ranked 16th in the nation in overall returning production while we are at #50. Reportedly, they return 17 starters this year while as a minimum we return 14 but with a few more that have starting experience. They return more skill position starters so that could perhaps give them an early edge, at least on paper. jmo.

Their offense has the most returning production, ranked at #17. Bill Connelly had those offensive guys ranked as 9th best in the nation last year in his preseason SP+ but he had soured on them by the end of the year, pegging them as 33rd best. To be fair, last year, he, like many others, including myself, had expected a lot out of our offense in the preseason as well, ranking us as 13th best in the nation. By the end of the year he had given up on us, sliding us all the way down to #73.

According to an article in the Houston Chronicle recapping their season the big problem with A&M’s offense last year was their offensive line and in December the writer didn’t see how that was going to be fixed any time soon.

Against our conference opponents last year we ranked #8 in rushing offense. Right, not anything all that big to write home about. Texas A&M’s rushing offense ranked even lower at #11 against conference competition. Our passing offense was at #6 while A&M’s was at #4. We barely edged them out for total offense but they beat us by 5.3 points per game in scoring offense. We had 13 turnovers while they had 11, again, against only conference opponents. We allowed 44 TFLs last year while A&M allowed 45. In sacks we only allowed 13 against conference opponents while A&M allowed 27.

In the preseason last year the SP+ ranked A&M’s defense as 32nd best nationally and they finished the season ranked 23rd. The SP+ ranked our defense as 49th best before the season started but by the end of the year our guys had moved all the way up to #19. A&M’s defense is starting out this year ranked at #15 and ours is sitting at #7.

We had the 7th best run defense in the conference last year and A&M was at #6. Our pass defense ranked #5 against conference opponents while A&M ranked #10. In total defense we were at #5, A&M was at #9. In scoring defense we held conference opponents to 4.7 fewer points per game than A&M was able to do. We gained 8 turnovers from conference foes while A&M gained 7.

Overall, SP+ gives A&M a preseason ranking of #10 this year and we’re at #19, weighed down by the low expectations associated with our offense. Last year it was the opposite and what actually happened in the end was the opposite of what had been expected. The offense disappointed and the defense came into its own. Last year was the second year our guys had in Pruitt’s defense; this year will be the second year our guys have had in Chaney’s offense. Anything can happen. jmo.

These two teams appear pretty evenly matched, at least on paper and last year’s performance. I think we may have some hidden pluses that data mining might not pick up. For example, we return 4 cornerbacks with starting experience, 2 nickel backs with starting experience, and 3 safeties with starting experience. We have some experience on the defensive line that will be pushed by incoming young talent and that incoming young talent will be pushed by the older guys. We almost certainly will have to have some young guys step up in the linebacker group but we have a deep well of incoming talent there and they’ll have to outperform the older guys in that group if they’re going to get on the field. Given that we’ve had a very extended time to work on walk-thrus this summer the learning curve may not be as long as it may have been in the past. jmo.

With perhaps the best offensive line in the conference and a pretty decent running back room we just need to figure out our passing game and perhaps our offense will finally come into its own pretty much the same as our defense did last year. I think we have enough options at receiver between experience and talent that we’ll probably do okay there. We may be better later on that we are right off the bat but I don’t think that’s going to hurt us as much as some may think. I also think we have some decent options at tight end. I’m going to assume that Chaney will have our offense poised for a major leap in improvement this year and I think that’s a reasonable assumption. jmo.

In short, I think the A&M game is definitely winnable for us this year and perhaps even more so from the home field comfort and familiarity of Neyland Stadium. jmo.
Click to expand...
ChattaTNVol putting in the good work. Very informative and appreciated.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Paper_Towel, VolsDoc81TX, Big Orange#1 and 6 others
#158,525
#158,525
therickbol said:
Then why do colleges pay ridiculous salaries to premier coaches? Because winning brings in much more revenue. Yes, there is a base of fans that follow regardless in college. But teams that start to consistently lose will lose fan following and revenue. I get what you are saying. But if you removed the most elite players and they went and played in a minor league then college football revenue would decrease. Not sure how much. Maybe less than I think.
Click to expand...

I have religiously followed the Vols since I was 11. Regardless of the coach, the players, or the AD. I am a Volunteer until I die. I am 57 now, so I will be a Volunteer for at least 43 more years then I will re-evaluate...Probably still a Vol...

So I totally don’t understand if a great player transfers, they are no longer a Volunteer so I no longer follow them.

How’s this hard?
 
  • Like
Reactions: SmokinBob, ValleyAlVol, Paper_Towel and 14 others
New posts
Status
Not open for further replies.

VN Store



Back
Top