OK Vol friends, with the addition of OU-TX likely, what do we have to do to get competitive again with all these powerhouses?

#26
#26
We are a really bad program right now. I say program because the problems are institutional. It isn't one team or one coach, it's Tennessee as a whole and it's gone on for far too long.

I hope we have hit bottom and started our ascent with Heupel and the admin reboot. Lord knows we are long-suffering. Maybe we need to be penitent? Self-flagellation? Who's got some sackcloth and ashes?
 
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#27
#27
Elhanan said:
We need big money donors to start paying boat loads for 5 star players as soon as possible.

Everyday that goes by without it we fall further behind.
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I'd like to see the whole economic model at Tennessee change. Boosters should make it where players are making more than the coaches. Coaching salaries having been in crazy town for too long, so I think this will happen eventually anyway, might as well get it started here and start landing some studs.
 
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#30
#30
VFL-82-JP said:
Think it through, and you'll realize this changes very little for the Vols. Our annual slate of SEC games will look very much as it has always looked: Bama, Florida, and Georgia remain our biggest hurdles, year in and year out. Sure, we'll now play OK and TEX once every 4 years or so, but we've played OK twice in the past 8 years already, and they've not even been in the conference. Truly, the only significant change in schedule difficulty is that Auburn will be on the slate every year.

So really, no big changes. What we must do is (a) have a really good coach, and (b) give him time to solidify a really good stable of assistant coaches and roster of players.

This BS some trolls are saying in this thread about us being a bottom-dweller, ignore that. It's just trolls. We're down, but not out. Top teams have bounced back from worse. We just need to re-learn what it takes to win.

Go Vols!
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Other teams could "take a step back" from where the have been (wins - losses) as all teams will be in the same more completive boat. A little stumble by any team (yeah that includes Bama) can make things look a little better for teams that are down like us. As the saying goes: more competition creates better performance.
 
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#31
#31
1. Fix the administration and contributors infighting.
2. Accept the fact that we are not a powerhouse anymore.
3. Eliminate traditionalist that think it’s 1998 (dump BAMA game).
4. Recruit, own the state most kids in the mid state go to other schools.
5. Recruit nationally, staff a bigger recruiting department.
6. Tell the NCAA to take a flying leap.
 
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#32
#32
sona said:
We are a really bad program right now. I say program because the problems are institutional. It isn't one team or one coach, it's Tennessee as a whole and it's gone on for far too long.

I hope we have hit bottom and started our ascent with Heupel and the admin reboot. Lord knows we are long-suffering. Maybe we need to be penitent? Self-flagellation? Who's got some sackcloth and ashes?
Click to expand...

It all came a about when we started to be very aggressively try to become a liberal institution with higher academic standards. The liberalism of UT sickens me. All these youngsters who follow this social path should go to a school that is and has always been liberal in it's stance. Let our "state" university keep reflecting the social stance that has represented Tennessee well through history. I realize east TN and around Nashville in mid state are becoming more liberal, but overall in the past whether Dem or Rep our leadership has for the most part done what's right for us Tennesseans as has been reflected by our history.
 
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#33
#33
In the past you could hire a top coach with a good reputation and expect several good recruiting classes which make a come back possible. That is no longer the case because the bar has been raised by the top 5 teams in the SEC. You will need to attract and take players these schools want and that is much more difficult than even 5 years ago. They have pipelines in place that are difficult to break. Good example is the last UT coach had to pay to pull players from them. I don't think its possible now.
 
#34
#34
rbvol said:
We're at the doorstep of being a bottom dweller in football in the SEC. The league is adding even more power teams. I want us to get back if it's possible. Heck we are not even mentioned as being one of the top teams in the league anymore. WHAT must we do???
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Simple, we need better coaching and Quarterback play than we’ve had the past three years. Our last good QB was Dobbs.
 
#35
#35
The previous administrations at Tennessee were a major part of the problem. Now that AD White is in charge, we can already start to see some positive moves from him. Boosting CTV up to one of the top paid coaches in college baseball, and getting his input for improvements to the stadium, giving CKH a raise and extension is another example of his committment to athletics on the hill. Raises and extensions to nine coaches tells me he is serious about turning Tennessee's fortunes around. Let us also remember, sports is cyclical. Saban won't always be at 'bama, Kirby won't always be at UGA, Mullin won't always be at Florida. He even entertained going to the pros this off season. Yes Tennessee football is down, but it seems things are maybe, possibly headed in the right direction.
 
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#36
#36
Tennessee is a sleeping monster. A good QB proves that. (DOBBS) But you can't have a JG running the show. 100k fans. A stadium that rocks when things are going good. For the first time in a while I have a good feeling. Our offense isnt going to be boring. Some of these games we were competitive for a half or 3 quarters. We are going to start winning. No longer are you going to see a coach playing not to lose. If he can put up 60 points he will. Break out those orange and white shakers. It's about to be fun on Saturdays again.
 
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#37
#37
golfballs said:
Heupel hasn’t proven anything yet. Hard to say how kiffin would have done had he stayed. Took him a while after that before he was considered a “good” coach
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I agree...but IMO had he stayed here and attempted to blend into the tradition and pageantry of Tennessee football...his and our fortunes would be very very different. I also believe Fla might not ha e recovered so nicely from their coaching mistakes.
 
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#39
#39
We have and will have no trouble recruiting good talent. Our issue has been Xs&Os and especially player development.

Win the games we are supposed to win and steal a couple we aren’t. This is the foundation.

Such results attract better recruits and keeps them from our rivals.

A couple seasons with an upset or two along with some recruiting wins and this program is back on track competing for the SEC.

We have too much to be down forever.
 
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#40
#40
First thing we need to do is all get on the same page and get out of our own way. Our biggest roadblocks have been our own boosters, former coaches, administrators. It’s why no coach worth a damn will touch the place.
 
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#41
#41
It's threads like these with new coaches and staff and players buying in and here is a thread hand wringiing woe is me. How about getting behind the team now or quit following. Writing threads stirring up the past is not going to help things. We got a new AD and a new staff, and many things have changed. HOW ABOUT GIVING THEM A CHANCE and quit talking about how down we are and how tough it is. Please, yesterday is GONE! Try to look forward, cause looking back is not going to help one darn bit!!!!! GBO!!!!! I am officially out of this whinefest thread! VFL GBO!!!!! WE are going to turn it around with THIS STAFF! In closing all this same page talk has already happened with players and the staff, this board should try to get on the same page and get behind the VOLS or don't! GO BIG ORANGE!!!!!
 
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#42
#42
Recruiting is going to be harder when great programs that are well ran can promise athletes millions per year to go there. Tennessee has the pieces but we’ve always been too stupid to play to our strengths. NIL will likely widen the gap between us and top teams not narrow it.
 
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#43
#43
savannahfan said:
It all came a about when we started to be very aggressively try to become a liberal institution with higher academic standards. The liberalism of UT sickens me. All these youngsters who follow this social path should go to a school that is and has always been liberal in it's stance. Let our "state" university keep reflecting the social stance that has represented Tennessee well through history. I realize east TN and around Nashville in mid state are becoming more liberal, but overall in the past whether Dem or Rep our leadership has for the most part done what's right for us Tennesseans as has been reflected by our history.
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So you think we should only sign kids that are conservative? Like you really believe that a political stance will improve our winning %? Sounds like you have a real problem man!
 
#44
#44
DaddyChad said:
Recruiting is going to be harder when great programs that are well ran can promise athletes millions per year to go there. Tennessee has the pieces but we’ve always been too stupid to play to our strengths. NIL will likely widen the gap between us and top teams not narrow it.
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The Vols own the internet! You ever saw us lose a poll? It seems like lots of recruits keep the Vols in the top 10 for the followers. This can only help.

Our boosters have billions, and use the Vols every chance they get. We are under investigation for giving guys bags of cash. Do you think they will stop giving cash now that it's legal?

It seems like NIL will help a lot of top programs. Tennessee is still a top program with everything any other program has.
 
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#45
#45
OU yeah, but why y’all acting like UT jr has been a power house the last few years? They are basically the Michigan of the big 12.
 
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#46
#46
This move raises so many questions for me.

1. When does it stop for the SEC? 18, 20, 30 teams?
2. Is World Domination next for Sankey and the SEC brass? They might just be getting too big and Congress doesn't like it when organizations become a monopoly.
3. Someone should ask Sankey who else is the SEC talking too, since these discussions have been going on for 6 months.
4. Also, curious if Sankey will give Oklahoma an 11am kick off time in their first season in the SEC.
 
#47
#47
rbvol said:
We're at the doorstep of being a bottom dweller in football in the SEC. The league is adding even more power teams. I want us to get back if it's possible. Heck we are not even mentioned as being one of the top teams in the league anymore. WHAT must we do???
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Fire hoopLe now and hire Freeze while we still can. Otherwise, Vols will suck for the rest of my life expectancy (30-40 years) and probably longer.
 
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#49
#49
VFL-82-JP said:
Think it through, and you'll realize this changes very little for the Vols. Our annual slate of SEC games will look very much as it has always looked: Bama, Florida, and Georgia remain our biggest hurdles, year in and year out. Sure, we'll now play OK and TEX once every 4 years or so, but we've played OK twice in the past 8 years already, and they've not even been in the conference. Truly, the only significant change in schedule difficulty is that Auburn will be on the slate every year.

So really, no big changes. What we must do is (a) have a really good coach, and (b) give him time to solidify a really good stable of assistant coaches and roster of players.

This BS some trolls are saying in this thread about us being a bottom-dweller, ignore that. It's just trolls. We're down, but not out. Top teams have bounced back from worse. We just need to re-learn what it takes to win.

Go Vols!
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Ok Danny White, this is a safe space.

Definitely not a troll, check my other posts. What else do you call a team with a habitual sub 500 record in their conference, consistently blown out by average to top talent, whose greatest rival in the past 10 seasons is Vandy?

Not hating, I’m as big a vol fan as any, still am. Just calling it like I see it. Doesn’t mean we can’t right the ship.
 
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