Who are we? Really?

[Volizona]

Is UT really supposed to be an elite football program? We all seem to think we should be an elite program because of our fan base, our resources, our stadium and the revenue that comes in. Some of us who saw the 90s first hand, myself included, think that’s what we are supposed to be. I would say we were elite from the 30s through the early 50s with Neyland but it was a different game then. In the modern era it has been consistent peaks and valleys. Late 50s to mid 60s we were not good at all. Late 60s to early 70s we were great. Mid 70s to early 80s bad again. Mid 80s to mid 2000s - pretty good and our best post Neyland run followed by our worst losing stretch in our history. Half of our fans think we should fire our coach every 3 years because we aren’t elite. The other half think we need to be realistic and patient with our coach because we are a dumpster fire and will never have the same talent as the big 3. So who are we? Really? Are we supposed to be a powerhouse or are we really a slightly above average program who has a lot of peaks and valleys?

 

[CAVPUT]

You are what your record says you are - Bill Parcells

 

[beachvol23]

Hillbilly Moment GIF - The Amanda Show Amanda Bynes Hillbilly - Discover & Share GIFs

 

[Old Geezer]

Traditionally, we are an outstanding blue blood football program with a tremendous, borderline psychotic, fan base, deep history and enormous resources. We are in an prolonged drought due to some administrative blunders and terrible luck (Kiffin bolting unexpectedly) resulting in a dumpster fire situation, then a comedy of errors with sub-par hiring decisions. The administration finally made the needed moves to get serious about athletics. The fundamentals and infrastructure of a powerhouse program are still here. This thing is turning around. The SEC is by far the most competitive conference, but we can compete at the top if the administration remains committed.

 

[kptvol1]

What do you mean by “the big three”. If Florida is one of those right now for you, I understand, but they haven’t been good lately either. We’ve just been worse and have them in our heads.

 

[joevol33]

Soon

 

[brockytop]

Is UT really supposed to be an elite football program? We all seem to think we should be an elite program because of our fan base, our resources, our stadium and the revenue that comes in. Some of us who saw the 90s first hand, myself included, think that’s what we are supposed to be. I would say we were elite from the 30s through the early 50s with Neyland but it was a different game then. In the modern era it has been consistent peaks and valleys. Late 50s to mid 60s we were not good at all. Late 60s to early 70s we were great. Mid 70s to early 80s bad again. Mid 80s to mid 2000s - pretty good and our best post Neyland run followed by our worst losing stretch in our history. Half of our fans think we should fire our coach every 3 years because we aren’t elite. The other half think we need to be realistic and patient with our coach because we are a dumpster fire and will never have the same talent as the big 3. So who are we? Really? Are we supposed to be a powerhouse or are we really a slightly above average program who has a lot of peaks and valleys?

Smoke another one, pal.

 

[Vol865]

Is UT really supposed to be an elite football program? We all seem to think we should be an elite program because of our fan base, our resources, our stadium and the revenue that comes in. Some of us who saw the 90s first hand, myself included, think that’s what we are supposed to be. I would say we were elite from the 30s through the early 50s with Neyland but it was a different game then. In the modern era it has been consistent peaks and valleys. Late 50s to mid 60s we were not good at all. Late 60s to early 70s we were great. Mid 70s to early 80s bad again. Mid 80s to mid 2000s - pretty good and our best post Neyland run followed by our worst losing stretch in our history. Half of our fans think we should fire our coach every 3 years because we aren’t elite. The other half think we need to be realistic and patient with our coach because we are a dumpster fire and will never have the same talent as the big 3. So who are we? Really? Are we supposed to be a powerhouse or are we really a slightly above average program who has a lot of peaks and valleys?

We have the resources to be whatever we allow ourselves to be, but it's not gonna happen overnight. A lot of bad decisions have got us here. It's gonna take just as many good ones to get us back.

 

[UTjonez]

Do remember Bama was god awful (even worse than our blunders) from 1993- 2008. Great football programs go through ups and downs its the nature of the ever changing landscape of college football.

 

[99gator]

Do remember Bama was god awful (even worse than our blunders) from 1993- 2008. Great football programs go through ups and downs its the nature of the ever changing landscape of college football.

What?

From 1993-2007, Alabama was 113-71-1 with one SEC title and 4 appearances in the SEC title game. The worst record they had against anyone was 4-10-1 to Tennessee. the worst record against anyone in the division was Auburn and they were 5-10. Record vs the SEC was 68-55-1

From 2008-Present, Tennessee is 85-88 with no SEC titles or SEC title game appearances. Worst record against anyone is 0-14 vs. Alabama. Worst record within the division is 1-13 vs. Florida. Record vs. the SEC is 40-74.

 

[MaxVolnGA]

I am what you say I am, if I wasn’t why would I say I am

 

[Winchester73]

We are who we are. In all seriousness, it’s a fair question. I think the recruiting tells the story - PERIOD. Tradition and past glory is certainly there. I was a kid in the 70s and never heard anything about TN on TV. maybe I just missed it ? But I did hear about Alabama, ND, Michigan, OSU, USC, UCLA, Texas … I didn’t consider TN in that “category”. For me, TN was there from 85 onward until the Fulmer’s demise. But I never counted TN out even during the bad years. Vols are still a big deal compared to many schools, but not a dream destination at this point. BUT I see the program having the ability to compete, and if the management and coaching are solid, yes, we’re there with anyone. Look at all the high rated recruits that have us in their top 10 list and take the visits.

 

[BlinghamptonVol]

What?

From 1993-2007, Alabama was 113-71-1 with one SEC title and 4 appearances in the SEC title game. The worst record they had against anyone was 4-10-1 to Tennessee. the worst record against anyone in the division was Auburn and they were 5-10. Record vs the SEC was 68-55-1

From 2008-Present, Tennessee is 85-88 with no SEC titles or SEC title game appearances. Worst record against anyone is 0-14 vs. Alabama. Worst record within the division is 1-13 vs. Florida. Record vs. the SEC is 40-74.

You know we were cheated in a lot of those losses right? And we had JG and Pruitt for a lot of those losses too. We’d have been neck and neck with Bama’s downtime if the SEC wasn’t out to get us.

 

[nomads-11]

Is UT really supposed to be an elite football program? We all seem to think we should be an elite program because of our fan base, our resources, our stadium and the revenue that comes in. Some of us who saw the 90s first hand, myself included, think that’s what we are supposed to be. I would say we were elite from the 30s through the early 50s with Neyland but it was a different game then. In the modern era it has been consistent peaks and valleys. Late 50s to mid 60s we were not good at all. Late 60s to early 70s we were great. Mid 70s to early 80s bad again. Mid 80s to mid 2000s - pretty good and our best post Neyland run followed by our worst losing stretch in our history. Half of our fans think we should fire our coach every 3 years because we aren’t elite. The other half think we need to be realistic and patient with our coach because we are a dumpster fire and will never have the same talent as the big 3. So who are we? Really? Are we supposed to be a powerhouse or are we really a slightly above average program who has a lot of peaks and valleys?

IMO. I'm dating myself, but DeVoe was the head basketball coach starting in my day. Without a shot clock he was lethal!! Even then, Kentucky couldn't come in the K-town and expect to win, and they rarely did. BUT......when the NCAA changed to the shot clock, he was screwed. He was never the same. He could never adapt.....flat out, he couldn't handle it. He was competing to be mediocre or said in another way, it neutralized him. Was it his fault? No. The game changed. He didn't, or he just couldn't. I may be over generalizing, but he really faded into obscruity when it happened. The resources, our stadium and the revenue never changed, largely. Only thing that did was time on the clock, in this case. We can make a lot of correlations to football in this case, many applicable. To include executive decision making. Probably what changes the least, in football, is resources, stadium, revenue...they're just reflective of sustained product in the field.....as in bad. Its bass-ack-wards, IMO. Hell, new AD......new investment in baseball, right after a new coach and an NCAA CWS appearance. Hmm?

 

[UTBuff37]

 

[Volizona]

What?

From 1993-2007, Alabama was 113-71-1 with one SEC title and 4 appearances in the SEC title game. The worst record they had against anyone was 4-10-1 to Tennessee. the worst record against anyone in the division was Auburn and they were 5-10. Record vs the SEC was 68-55-1

From 2008-Present, Tennessee is 85-88 with no SEC titles or SEC title game appearances. Worst record against anyone is 0-14 vs. Alabama. Worst record within the division is 1-13 vs. Florida. Record vs. the SEC is 40-74.

Thanks. I feel so much better now. Dang Gator posters.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

What?

From 1993-2007, Alabama was 113-71-1 with one SEC title and 4 appearances in the SEC title game. The worst record they had against anyone was 4-10-1 to Tennessee. the worst record against anyone in the division was Auburn and they were 5-10. Record vs the SEC was 68-55-1

From 2008-Present, Tennessee is 85-88 with no SEC titles or SEC title game appearances. Worst record against anyone is 0-14 vs. Alabama. Worst record within the division is 1-13 vs. Florida. Record vs. the SEC is 40-74.

I had to pour 3 fingers of Woodford Rye after reading this.

You, sir, will answer to my internist.

 

[VolPack22]

From 1997-2003, Alabama had two 4-win seasons and a 3-win season. But people seem to wipe those years from their memory. However, that pales in comparison to our rock bottom stretch in the past 10-15 years. Before 2005, the last time we had less than 6 wins was 1988. In fact, from 1989-2004, we had at least 8 wins every single season. From 2005-2020, we had 5 wins or less 8 times. From 1962-1988, we had 5 wins or less 7 times. What’s mind boggling about all of these low win totals is that the NCAA didn’t start playing a 12-game regular season until 2006. I know it’s coincidental, but we have been a very mediocre program almost since the regular season expanded. For Tennessee, more games has meant more problems.

 

[orangemadam]

Think about this ....
We haven't been a good football team (other than last's yr) since BUTCH BABY was coach!! OMG!!

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Tennessee is one of the 6 historic SEC powerhouses. We are tied for second in SEC championships behind Bama. We have multiple national championships and are top 10 in all-time wins. Unfortunately, we have also now been bad for quite a while. We can field elite football teams again but it's not going to be quick or easy, our two biggest division rivals, Georgia and Florida have built in advantages over us in that they are the flagship universities of states with much more talent.

What we need is a good coach (early returns on Heupel seem favorable), and then patience and stability. We need to get where we consistently beat everyone else, year after year and bide our time for some misfortune to fall upon Georgia, Florida or Alabama such as an incompetent coach, then move up. That's how Majors moved us into the upper echelon before, and if we ever get there again, we fight like hell to hold onto it. Last time, our coaches and many of our fans took our success for granted, as these last 15 years have reaffirmed, it's not.

 

[Iam4utalways]

It’s a QB driven game that needs a competent HC and a stingy defense.

We have 2 out of 3 heading into the fall. We’ll find out together how stingy our defense will be.

 

[MurphyVol]

Is UT really supposed to be an elite football program? We all seem to think we should be an elite program because of our fan base, our resources, our stadium and the revenue that comes in. Some of us who saw the 90s first hand, myself included, think that’s what we are supposed to be. I would say we were elite from the 30s through the early 50s with Neyland but it was a different game then. In the modern era it has been consistent peaks and valleys. Late 50s to mid 60s we were not good at all. Late 60s to early 70s we were great. Mid 70s to early 80s bad again. Mid 80s to mid 2000s - pretty good and our best post Neyland run followed by our worst losing stretch in our history. Half of our fans think we should fire our coach every 3 years because we aren’t elite. The other half think we need to be realistic and patient with our coach because we are a dumpster fire and will never have the same talent as the big 3. So who are we? Really? Are we supposed to be a powerhouse or are we really a slightly above average program who has a lot of peaks and valleys?

Current HS seniors were 2-3 years old last time we won our division.

Last 50 years we've won the SEC 5 times, I think two were shared titles.

We're coming up on 25 years without a conference title.

I don't know if we're a "blue blood" or not but I'd say most high school kids don't
care.

 

[sechamp2012]

What do you mean by “the big three”. If Florida is one of those right now for you, I understand, but they haven’t been good lately either. We’ve just been worse and have them in our heads.

Yep, and talking about peaks and Valleys Florida was basically in the basin an afterthought for decades until around the 1990's Spurrier era.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Yep, and talking about peaks and Valleys Florida was basically in the basin an afterthought for decades until around the 1990's Spurrier era.

Florida's actually been pretty good since integration, they just didn't win a conference championship until Spurrier was coach, though they would have earlier except that they were ineligible due to cheating in 1984, 1985 and 1990. The last 50 years, which is the full integration period, they are top 10 in wins.

I-A Wins 1972-2021

 

[Raebo]

I have been a college football fan since about 1970. Moved around to different states growing up and then was in the military for 20 years and then moved to TN in 1991. Until I moved to TN, never heard anyone say UT was an elite program. It was always Southern Cal, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Ohio State, Norte Dame, Miami, Penn State. I tend to root for the underdog so I remember pulling for them the couple times I saw them on TV playing Alabama. I met a few people from TN when I was in the military and they never mentioned UT football but some would mention the Lady Vols basketball.
Never even heard on General Neyland until I moved here.
I guess maybe TN was consider “elite” at one time. In the last 50 years they have had flashes of beingvery good but I think the only ones that think of UT currently being elite are die hard UT fans.
I think there is a lot of support for the program so I am sure they can be very good again and who knows, maybe someday be elite again.

At one time I lived in Indiana when Bobby Knight was coached there (he even helped my uncle once who had car problems on a county road near IU). Indiana was considered elite because as coach Branch McCrakin won 2 or 3 NC and then they got Knight. Die hard IU fans still consider themselves an elite basketball program but blame the administration for going cheap on basketball hires. They remind me of the UT die hard football fans. Unlike IU, I think UT is on the right track to make it bac/m.