Is Tennessee underrated?

#52
#52
Given that every team from 2-9 has questions of their own…I would bet on us finishing higher than 10.
 
#53
#53
This years team is loaded. We are not getting a lot of positive statements from the media because the other top SEC teams are also stronger than last year. We are barely keeping up with the Jone's.
 
#54
#54
dduncan4163 said:
It's the most talent top to bottom we've had under Heup. QB is a big unknown though. I honestly have no idea what to expect this season. Our season could be as high as 11-1 with this schedule. That being said our floor could be 7-5 though.

Predicting the SEC this season is tough. It's as wide open as I've ever seen. There's no team that looks heads and shoulders better the other contenders.
Click to expand...
Yep, lots of teams with 6-2 conference records.......
 
  • Like
Reactions: dduncan4163
#57
#57
Anyone who “expects” that a transfer QB who has been here for 3 weeks and threw 24 interceptions in the sun belt should win 2 out of 3 between UGA at home and Bama/FLA on the road(and assuming no other slip ups at all) is asking to be disappointed.
 
#61
#61
I believe the talking heads are overreacting to Nico's exit. I think JA vs. Nico is a push at worst.
 
  • Like
Reactions: D-Vols
#65
#65
We’ll be heavy dogs against GA and Bama.

Oklahoma and Florida are the difficult close ones on paper. Mock me later but I believe both that Florida is beatable, but that they are also deep and talented enough to make the playoffs if they play well.

We have to win two of four to have a good year, and three to be a contender for the playoff.

Sadly I think both Florida and Oklahoma will be very good.

I can see us surprising a team we shouldn’t beat by controlling the clock and shortening the game with good defense and runs.

We have always done well when we have an elite Mike and athletic backers. This group is very good. The DL and OL are solid. Our DBs are good but thin. I think our receivers will be better than people think because the running game will take pressure off of them. RB and TE will be strengths. We have lots of new TE plays from the addition of Littrell.

Littrell is proving to be a massive contributor in scouting and offensive strategy. He’s been a big surprise.

We’ll have to stay healthy to do well.

I don’t know why I broke this into two line sections.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WilliamDuVOL, HoleInTheRoof, PKT_VOL and 4 others
#66
#66
TNinSC said:
the fact that he's been named the starter over the 4* who has been here for two years is an even worse sign
Click to expand...
Why? Thought I heard he led D1 football in total YPG last year.

Oh yeah, which to QB have been here 2 years?

Default position has been trouble because C and one G position has not been decided, but it could be a decision between good and better. Will miss Mays, but need to see problems before I lament them. Does create flexibility to cover injuries.
 
#67
#67
Yes we are.

Our defense is top 5 nationally and our OL and RB units are very, very good. That alone sets the floor at 9-3, imo.

The most underrated unit on our team is the WRs. They will get open. They will catch the ball. They will make guys miss. And they will outrun SEC safeties. Our TEs are also being completely overlooked by national writers and commentators - that is a mistake.

If Joey Swaguilar is as good as he was at Appy State, or if GMAC can come in and give the offense a spark (if needed), the sky is the limit for this team.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Volunteer_Kirby, cgrish and 9876543vol
#68
#68
We are a very good team. 8-4 will be a very good year. This is an incredibly strong SEC this year.

This is the best and deepest team we’ve had yet (under CJH and in about 22 years) and next year should be a top five calibre.

This season - despite the above - UT has some issues that are just huge red flags - QB, Oline is very thin and missing a big time veteran or two, and WR is one injury away from emergency.

If we could somehow stay totally healthy, we could maybe make an improbable playoff run- but injuries happen every week and inevitably mount up.

This is why we are picked where we are.
 
#69
#69
Hulavol said:
We are a very good team. 8-4 will be a very good year. This is an incredibly strong SEC this year.

This is the best and deepest team we’ve had yet (under CJH and in about 22 years) and next year should be a top five calibre.

This season - despite the above - UT has some issues that are just huge red flags - QB, Oline is very thin and missing a big time veteran or two, and WR is one injury away from emergency.

If we could somehow stay totally healthy, we could maybe make an improbable playoff run- but injuries happen every week and inevitably mount up.

This is why we are picked where we are.
Click to expand...
This is a popular option that I completely disagree with.

We're going to have Satterwhite, Umarov, Warren, and J. Heard on the bench. Those guys should be ready to contribute. Satterwhite and Umarov have already proven that they can. Grant, Ginther, and Anderson should also not be terrible. The big-time veterans you speak of are there - L. Heard, Moe, and Pendleton.

We've got 10 bodies at WR excluding walk-ons. They are all mostly inexperienced but there is plenty of skill at that position. We're probably going to roll with 2 TEs/2 WRs a good bit and run the ball down everyone's throats anyway, so that helps, plus Boo Carter is still an option. If we do end up in a situation where we're relying on guys like Tommy Winton III and Braylon Harmon, I suspect they'll get the job done.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OffTackleVol
#70
#70
GUNTERSVOL said:
Why? Thought I heard he led D1 football in total YPG last year.

Oh yeah, which to QB have been here 2 years?

Default position has been trouble because C and one G position has not been decided, but it could be a decision between good and better. Will miss Mays, but need to see problems before I lament them. Does create flexibility to cover injuries.
Click to expand...
Aguilar's 3,003 passing yards + his 249 rushing yards = 4,006 yards in the sunbelt. He did throw for the second most yards in the Sunbelt conference. He also led the conference in int's. 6 ncaa quarterbacks threw for more than 4,010 yards

this is Merk's second year here.
 
#71
#71
OffTackleVol said:
How so?
Click to expand...
Maybe I'm still holding on the old school style of preferring to have a qb hold onto the clipboard for a season and then taking over because you know the system. since hooker, we've had a clear passing of the torch after each season.
 
#72
#72
Other_Guy said:
Obviously VN will be biased but the justification for all of these experts or youtubers having Tenn really low and certain other teams higher, potentially being really good teams, doesn't actually make sense to me, and I've watched a ton of prediction videos.
The argument against Tenn: lost a lot on offense, got a transfer no one is raving about. Yeah they got an easy schedule, great defense and finished the highest of these last year, but 8-4 is about right.
Yet someone I'm supposed to believe in OU's offense with their transfer QB and bad OL.
Somehow I'm supposed to pretend Napier didn't almost get fired midseason and Lagway will stay healthy amidst a brutal schedule.
Im supposed to think ole miss is going to be View attachment 765560just fine replacing that defense and QB when they couldn't go better than 9-3 with their best roster ever.
I'm supposed to think S Carolina will be a potential playoff team despite losing their defense. Who is Sellers throwing to?
Point is, Tenn has similar issues to these schools yet everyone still has faith in them and universally people are seeing 8-4 for Tenn with the easiest or 2nd easiest schedule in the SEC.
Heupel has consistently done more with less. Where is the faith in him?
Click to expand...
Because they all parrot one another, too afraid to go out on a limb.

Anyone with any common sense would put the Vols in the playoff discussion at a minimum.

Go Vols!!!
 
#73
#73
We have all the pieces but the questions remain at QB and WR. I would not be surprised to see us only win 8. But I also would not be surprised if we outplayed expectations.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo
#74
#74
Somewhere between 8 to 10 regular season wins. 9 most likely but better chance of 10 than 8 imo. Get to 10-2 and make playoffs again with likely home game at Neyland this year.

Vols have excellent defense, strong special teams and lots of new faces on offense that are very talented plus favorable schedule other than the big 3. Don’t see Vols dropping from 2nd place tie in SEC to 10th! Way underrated in my view.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OffTackleVol
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.
Advertisement



Back
Top