Interesting Graphic I Stumbled Across

[VolinWayne]

Ok, so now I should shut up?........

If you are from the "fire Josh" crowd please do! Your memory of Volunteer football from 2005 to 2020 really sucks

 

[Behr]

Hopefully, this will quieten some of the nega vols,

 

[adam.vol]

Does anybody know how many scholarships we reduced by year to meet our NCAA penalty? Wasn't it like 28 schollies over 5 years?

2021 - ?
2022 - ?
2023 - ?
2024 - ?

I can't quantify how many of those lost 2021-2023 schollies would have significantly contributed in our 2 deep this year, but it's certainly greater than zero.

Contrary to tons of people posting that NIL & the transfer portal negate the sanctions, I think our present roster is still affected.

I’ve given that answer several times over the past 4 years, but at the moment it escapes me.

I believe the minimum is two scholarships lost per year. TN did the maximum amount over the first couple years and has been minus 2 every year since. We can still find ways to pay people legally through NIL, so I’m not really sure it’s the same handicap it would have been prior to the Supreme Court ruling.

 

[NighthawkVol]

not arguing the point that Tennessee is young, but Tennessee is IMO neck and neck with Georgia. they are only 1-2 players away from having us beat for the youngest team.

I agree with heupel that young can't be an excuse.

this should mean that each season going forward we have higher and higher expectations for winning the SEC. If Georgia can do it there's no reason Tennessee can't do it

Georgia is also a missed FG by Tennessee and some garbage/favorable officiating against Auburn from being a 3-loss team.

 

[adam.vol]

Georgia is also a missed FG by Tennessee and some garbage/favorable officiating against Auburn from being a 3-loss team.

Georgia is about as high on life as we were last year, if not more so since they haven’t choked against Arkansas. We all saw the defense was solid, but we also knew that the team was one more score away from losing every big game.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Georgia is about as high on life as we were last year, if not more so since they haven’t choked against Arkansas. We all saw the defense was solid, but we also knew that the team was one more score away from losing every big game.

Good analogy. But we didn't get the officiating last year that they've gotten this year. Auburn should've been their choke/Arkansas game.

They do deserve credit for coming back to beat Ole Miss though.

 

[macrovol]

View attachment 787969

Based on this graphic, we have the youngest roster in the SEC with the lowest percentage of seniors and highest percentage of freshman. I'm not going to excuse some of the poor coaching decisions in big games, but all things considered, we are actually a pretty good team. These stats explain why the team has looked so sloppy at times and then brilliant at others. If our current players stay, we'll have a real shot at going deep into the playoffs in a year or two.

I would even say the job Heupel has done getting these green players ready for the season is actually really impressive. Just a couple of plays/decisions away from 8-1...with a roster consisting of 50% freshman. Just food for thought.

"You can expect one loss for every freshman starter." -Bear Bryant

 

[EastTNVol6240]

View attachment 787969

Based on this graphic, we have the youngest roster in the SEC with the lowest percentage of seniors and highest percentage of freshman. I'm not going to excuse some of the poor coaching decisions in big games, but all things considered, we are actually a pretty good team. These stats explain why the team has looked so sloppy at times and then brilliant at others. If our current players stay, we'll have a real shot at going deep into the playoffs in a year or two.

I would even say the job Heupel has done getting these green players ready for the season is actually really impressive. Just a couple of plays/decisions away from 8-1...with a roster consisting of 50% freshman. Just food for thought.

Two sides to this argument. In today’s era, NIL recruiting is lacking if you’re this young. If you wanna win you have to raid the portal hard every opportunity.

 

[EastTNVol6240]

Hopefully, this will quieten some of the nega vols, but probably not. We're supposed to put a team on the field and beat everyone we play, even with the youngest roster in the conference. There are some very good players in the youngest pool, but only game experience will teach them what to do.

Another thing folks who want Heupel gone need to take into consideration; Heupel is putting another very good recruiting class together for 2026, and some very good prospects in the 2027 class. Yep, go ahead and fire him and watch the de-commits start. Then we can start all over again.

Two sides to this coin. We are deficient in portal recruiting if we have the youngest roster. In today’s era you raid the portal to win.

 

[adam.vol]

Good analogy. But we didn't get the officiating last year that they've gotten this year. Auburn should've been their choke/Arkansas game.

They do deserve credit for coming back to beat Ole Miss though.

I can’t believe that slipped my mind about the Auburn game. Without SEC referees, Tennessee was a better team last year than Georgia has been in 2025.. At least before we lost Pili.

 

[MemphisVol77]

We can still find ways to pay people legally through NIL, so I’m not really sure it’s the same handicap it would have been prior to the Supreme Court ruling.

It's definitely not the handicap it would have been prior to the portal and NIL, but it's still a handicap.

If I'm a coach I'd rather round out my 2nd & 3rd string with 3rd-5th year players I recruited than rely on the transfer portal. Culture is still important and all the pieces matter.

BTW, I'm not excusing Heupel. He doesn't need an excuse. I'm OK with where he has us.

 

[Jdoc]

it's not everything. people bash star gazers but this is what I know, Tennessee consistently finishes behind bama and Georgia for recruiting and consistently loses to them.

these teams plug and play young players all day long and they know how to coach young players to get the best performance.

the age of the roster is never an excuse for them. heupel knows this too. he knows with NIL and the NFL that there's no such thing as players growing up and getting older. you have to win with what you have.

“Consistently loses to them” .
Exactly this! Yes, we have good winning percentages almost every year. Yes, NIL and the portal have changed college football forever. Yes, CJH has done good things at UT but unfortunately, the only numbers that set teams apart are championships.
In the 26 years since we won a championship, only 5 teams have won SEC championships.
Bama-10, UGA-5, LSU-5, Fla-3, Aub-3.
We may have better records than Ky, USC, Ark, etc., but we are exactly in the same category as those teams: zero championships in 26 years.
It’s actually those very statistics that make it easier for this Vol fan to not be as down on them. We just haven’t been a TRULY elite program in this league in an awful long time.
GBO

 

[adam.vol]

It's definitely not the handicap it would have been prior to the portal and NIL, but it's still a handicap.

If I'm a coach I'd rather round out my 2nd & 3rd string with 3rd-5th year players I recruited than rely on the transfer portal. Culture is still important and all the pieces matter.

BTW, I'm not excusing Heupel. He doesn't need an excuse. I'm OK with where he has us.

I’m OK with where we are right now also, as long as folks are honest about it. I can’t stand getting my hopes up and I can’t stand doom and gloom. Neither attitudes are as productive as earnest assessment.

 

[bigorangepoppa]

Two sides to this coin. We are deficient in portal recruiting if we have the youngest roster. In today’s era you raid the portal to win.

I agree, and hopefully, Josh will hit the portal hard and heavy. Getting 5 stars to commit and actually sign their LOI will go a long way in building a team that can compete, and win, against anybody. But to bridge the gap, gotta have a good to great portal class.

 

[bigorangepoppa]

View attachment 788107

My bad, didn't mean to make you blow your milk!!!

 

[Rickyvol77]

“Consistently loses to them” .
Exactly this! Yes, we have good winning percentages almost every year. Yes, NIL and the portal have changed college football forever. Yes, CJH has done good things at UT but unfortunately, the only numbers that set teams apart are championships.
In the 26 years since we won a championship, only 5 teams have won SEC championships.
Bama-10, UGA-5, LSU-5, Fla-3, Aub-3.
We may have better records than Ky, USC, Ark, etc., but we are exactly in the same category as those teams: zero championships in 26 years.
It’s actually those very statistics that make it easier for this Vol fan to not be as down on them. We just haven’t been a TRULY elite program in this league in an awful long time.
GBO

we have been a top 3-5 program in the SEC every season since 2021...we will get there