How pivotal is UK this week?

[90 Vol]

Losing to Kentucky would be inexcusable.

 

[golfballs]

If we want any semblance of an upward trajectory, we can’t finish worst than finish 3rd in the East this year. And should be in the top 6 of the sec. granted we could still do that despite a loss, but cmon it’s Kentucky! We always whip they ass!

 

[joevol33]

Curious, what did you have the Vols going this year? Undefeated? What exactly did you mean by last week? Did you predict us to win that game?

I never made a prediction at all. I did expect us to be competitive last week, so after that blow out this team needs to come out and win. As a fan, I don't feel like that's too much to expect.

 

[Devo182]

"Pivotal" is a bit strong. No reason to think anything will tank over 1 game. This was always a weird season very unlikely getting to Atl...so what are we fighting to achieve?

What is the pivot differentiating one path from another?

This is more of an incrementally or marginally different season over a couple games...but nothing huge. We could lose to uk, beat auburn. Or vice versa. However it goes, between 4-6 and 7-3 was 90% of the range for the season outcomes and UK won't change much either way.

A lot of this is in the minds of fans imo.

 

[NeverWe'llSever]

Let’s put it this way, if UT went 1-11 in a given year, I’d guess UK was the win.

 

[tnktm]

I sure do want to win - but I don’t feel terrible about last year and we lost to GA st. It’s the whole season that counts.

 

[Doberman]

"Pivotal" is a bit strong. No reason to think anything will tank over 1 game. This was always a weird season very unlikely getting to Atl...so what are we fighting to achieve?

What is the pivot differentiating one path from another?

This is more of an incrementally or marginally different season over a couple games...but nothing huge. We could lose to uk, beat auburn. Or vice versa. However it goes, between 4-6 and 7-3 was mostly the range.

A lot of this is in the minds of fans imo.

There is a big difference between a 1 game losing streak, and a 3 game losing streak.

 

[tennesseeduke]

The 3rd season as head coach. Lots of players with lots of playing time in his system. 5th year senior starting QB. Improved OL with more depth. 2 very capable RBs. Solid defensive backfield. Upgraded talent overall than previous seasons. How important and pivotal is this game for you as a UT fan for your thoughts on Pruitt? Many are all in. Many are not all in at all and are still skeptical. Many are on the fence. With UT getting boat-raced by UGA and Vols needing to get in the W column, what does this UK game mean? I think it's a must win. UT can't lose to UK. It's not what UT does. It's a measuring stick. Losing to UK should put any UT coach on notice.

Don't like the options. Game is pivotal for the season because we are still in the EAST race. 8-2 or 9-1 will go a long way towards post season and 2021. Plus we own Cats ass so we don't need to take our foot off their throats!

 

[RDU VOL#14]

I agree, the coaching carousel that has plagued UT football has done nothing good for the program.....but people are sick of having a football team that cannot compete with the elite of the SEC

I’m sick of not competing with the elite too. It’s been way too long for us not to be contending in the East. I think the tough part to swallow is that our biggest rivals are part of the Elite of college football. That makes for a tough uphill climb. We missed an opportunity this past weekend to knockoff one of the big ones, I still think we can get one of the Bama or UF games. Definitely leaning towards Florida as a potential upset in December.

 

[JACK8254]

It is a must win if we are to have a decent season. Ky has some NFL grade guys, but they are mistake proned . If we play use to ability- we win. If JG has another head-scratcher game - well we lose

 

[tnutater]

What about our Jamari's and Deondre's?

I first heard the expression from Coach Fulmer.
Jimmy and Joe are diminutives of the Biblical forenames James and Joseph.
Such type names are out of favor in certain modern cultures due to slave name implication.
If I offended any Vol fan, I apologize and will retire the saying from my vocabulary.
(Joseph, eleventh son of Jacob, by Rachel, was sold into slavery by his brothers to the Midianites for twenty pieces of silver)

 

[tbh]

The UK game is pivotal in the sense that it'll be a measure of whether the coaching staff can make adjustments to amplify what was done right last week and fix/change what was done wrong last week...it's on the players to absorb and respond to those adjustments week to week. The biggest issue, the mental mistakes leading to penalties, blown coverages, and other errors, may be easier to mask in a game with Kentucky than it was against Georgia...but this weekend is by no means a guaranteed win if the same mistakes are made on the field.

 

[TennMan101]

I have never believed that the outcome of a football game has an impact on the outcome of the next one short of the injury or disqualification of a key starter.

UT needs to win EVERY game that “supposed” to win. If they are favored, they should win. If they don’t, it’s a disappointment.

I would go one step further and say that we need to knock off at least one team we are underdogs in. It shows Improvement beyond the media's eyes and also hope for the future. Jmo

 

[hog88]

I’m sick of not competing with the elite too. It’s been way too long for us not to be contending in the East. I think the tough part to swallow is that our biggest rivals are part of the Elite of college football. That makes for a tough uphill climb. We missed an opportunity this past weekend to knockoff one of the big ones, I still think we can get one of the Bama or UF games. Definitely leaning towards Florida as a potential upset in December.

Our biggest rivals are UK, Vandy and USCjr. UGA, Bama and UF look at us the way we used to look at UK and Vandy, an easy W every year. You have to win one every couple of years to be a rival.

 

[TennMan101]

If we want any semblance of an upward trajectory, we can’t finish worst than finish 3rd in the East this year. And should be in the top 6 of the sec. granted we could still do that despite a loss, but cmon it’s Kentucky! We always whip they ass!

The only L's I could see in our conference would be Bama, LSU, Georgia & Florida. That would put us 5th in the whole SEC and 3rd in the east, which I think is a very probable outcome, as far as ending results are concerned.

 

[Tin Man]

I know how unpopular is my point of view. The Vols and their coaching staff prepare for each game to win it. They practice and play to win against every opponent on the schedule. Speculation otherwise is horse puckey.

 

[tnutater]

Well if the coaches we hired would stop making stupid mistakes that gets in the way of winning, nobody would be frustrated with their results.

Your opinion of what constitutes a stupid mistake that gets in the way of winning matters very little to anyone other than yourself.
Call Jimmy Sexton, with you qualifications and knowledge, I am sure he can get you a HC job at a P5 school at the end of the season.

 

[VolFreakJosh]

Your opinion of what constitutes a stupid mistake that gets in the way of winning matters very little to anyone other than yourself.
Call Jimmy Sexton, with you qualifications and knowledge, I am sure he can get you a HC job at a P5 school at the end of the season.

No decent coach would have left JG in the game after committing three turnovers.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out.

 

[sjt18]

This is a test for Pruitt. He has chosen to stay with JG. That either pays off or leaves him looking like a fool.

 

[LA vol7]

You have to ask? It's Kentucky!!!! I hate Kentucky!

 

[GoVols64]

I never believed the leadership cliché bullshoot.
If the coaches cannot " push the younger players along" a teammate sure as heck can't.
Cheerleaders are in the stands this year. RAH-RAH!!!
When asked about leaders of the team....CJP said he was.
Players look at older team members as competitors for playing time. Not as leaders.
This line is best left for the talking heads.... everyone knows they are idiots.

If you played team sports and believe this I'm glad I wasn't on those teams. Player leadership is as, if not more, important as the coaches. Coaches can provide guidance and motivation but the leaders on the team enforce it. If the locker room is strong the team will play at or above its talent level. If its weak you better be loaded with 5 Stars because what you describe lacks trust and respect; Only sheer talent advantage can overcome that.

Perhaps you meant to put the post in blue....

 

[EODVOL]

I think some forget that we only beat KY 17-13 last year. I think UK is going to punch us in the mouth. Ky was playing a WR at QB, and in my opinion, that is the only reason we won. Our defense really didn't need to scheme all that much because they knew KY wasn't going to beat us in the Air. This game is pivotal because if we barely squeak out a win in a low scoring affair, then it tells me that we definitely haven't progressed as an offense. Teams like Vanderbilt, KY and SC should always be blowouts IMO.

 

[UTK]

Coaches don't make it here if they lose to Kentucky.

 

[volnomnom]

We need to win every game we should win. That is the base standard we should hold Pruitt to. I wouldn't call this game a measuring stick of Pruitt because he doesn't prove anything by winning.

IMO the TEAM really needs a win after next week as well.

 

[tnutater]

If you played team sports and believe this I'm glad I wasn't on those teams. Player leadership is as, if not more, important as the coaches. Coaches can provide guidance and motivation but the leaders on the team enforce it. If the locker room is strong the team will play at or above its talent level. If its weak you better be loaded with 5 Stars because what you describe lacks trust and respect; Only sheer talent advantage can overcome that.

Perhaps you meant to put the post in blue....

Every locker room that i was in had cliques.
The Stars had little time for anything other than reading their own press clippings and showing their action photos.
The Players loved the game. I do my best, you do yours... it is a game lets have fun.
The Benchwarmers were there for whatever reason, but had little talent or skill.
Very little trust or respect between groups.
Out of any group of 100 people only a small percentage, call them jock-sniffers, respond well to the Alpha male team enforcer types that you think so much of.
Modern players are very much the individual. Humans are that way.