Official Gramps' Memorial Eternal OT Thread

#92,776
#92,776
hog88 said:
That's because the University of Tennessee has learned to accept slightly above mediocre as a standard.
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Mediocre defined is "something that is ordinary, average or adequate but distinctly lacking in distinction or excellence.

I would apply that to football as a .500 program. There was a time decades ago when .500 was a "good" season because you didn't have a losing record. The question then is this, what is the pinnacle of win-loss and where does UT compare?

According to 247 sports in a May 2025 article says:
UT program's record is 875-417-53. 67% Winning percentage.
For comparison, Bama is 974-341-43. 73% win percentage. Bama is in the top three in NCAA program win-loss... basically in a dead heat with tOSU and Michigan. I think that means that over a program's life, about 73% win percentage represent the absolute best.
UT is 6% behind Bama. UT is at #10 in all time win percentage.

What really sucks from a psychological perspective is that UT is sandwiched between two programs which are considered to be the best all time in two different main sports. Bama in football and UK in basketball. Add LSU in baseball and it always seems we are on the outside looking in.
 
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#92,777
#92,777
hog88 said:
If the athletic dept is going to spend playoff (championship) money we should expect those results.
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It may be recency bias, but it seems to me Danny White is the best AD UT has ever had. Not just for football but across all sports. He lucked into overseeing Barnes and Vitello but from all the baseball fans thoughts DW did a good job replacing TV.
 
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#92,778
#92,778
McDad said:
It may be recency bias, but it seems to me Danny White is the best AD UT has ever had. Not just for football but across all sports. He lucked into overseeing Barnes and Vitello but from all the baseball fans thoughts DW did a good job replacing TV.
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I think DW is a great AD. If The Hype jumps ship in the offseason I'd expect Danny to land a quality coach.
 
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#92,779
#92,779
McDad said:
Mediocre defined is "something that is ordinary, average or adequate but distinctly lacking in distinction or excellence.

I would apply that to football as a .500 program. There was a time decades ago when .500 was a "good" season because you didn't have a losing record. The question then is this, what is the pinnacle of win-loss and where does UT compare?

According to 247 sports in a May 2025 article says:
UT program's record is 875-417-53. 67% Winning percentage.
For comparison, Bama is 974-341-43. 73% win percentage. Bama is in the top three in NCAA program win-loss... basically in a dead heat with tOSU and Michigan. I think that means that over a program's life, about 73% win percentage represent the absolute best.
UT is 6% behind Bama. UT is at #10 in all time win percentage.

What really sucks from a psychological perspective is that UT is sandwiched between two programs which are considered to be the best all time in two different main sports. Bama in football and UK in basketball. Add LSU in baseball and it always seems we are on the outside looking in.
Click to expand...

I did say "slightly above mediocre" and that's where we are and have been for most of my life.
 
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#92,783
#92,783
LouderVol said:
Why should we expect that?

Based on the AP poll, before Heupel we would have only gone to the playoffs in 13 of the last 50 years.

Of the 13 years we would have made it, 9 of those times there was only 1 other SEC team that would have made it in. That is not the reality we live in.

Under Fulmer there was legit only 1 other good SEC team. And you guys know how well he did against Spurrier. Fulmer would never have won a title in this SEC.

Fulmer last SEC title was 1998.
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I agree 100%. I think we should be in the playoffs every 3 years though and go into every season fighting for a playoff berth barring special circumstances like Nicos departure as our starting QB . We recruit as a top10/15 team...we should be among the 15 best teams in the nation yearly under normal circumstances.

I don't think some VOL fans understand the significant disadvantage the SEC just put all the member teams under versus ORE, OSU, MICH,USC(#1 class 2026),PSU, Miami, FSU, Clemson and ND. NONE of those teams play more than 2 SEC quality teams per season EVERY YEAR while we just signed SEC teams up to play 9 games and beat our teams to a pulp every season while they make the playoffs fresh and healthy. Looking at our upcoming seasons (and the rest of the SEC powers too) we play 5 or 6 ranked teams at MINIMUM every season in our conference and 2 or 3 of them will be top10 teams every single year like Bama, UGA, Texas, aTM, LSU etc. It was a terrible decision that can only benefit teams like Kentucky and MSU that were never gonna make the playoffs anyway because they get an extra $5-10M a year to fund their program (which will also dilute the talent even more and make it even harder to beat the bottom SEC teams as they can afford to snatch several more 4* kids and portal players who could have gone to UT etc with the extra money. UT didnt need that money. Neither did Bama, UF, LSU etc. So stupid.


LouderVol said:
Weren't you playing the Falcons? I wouldn't read anything into it beyond being better than the Falcons.
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6wins is 6wins man. This is the 1st time the Panthers have been above .500 after 10 plus games have been played in nearly a decade now. Panthers fans are happy to see signs of life finally...and Atlanta is our most HATED rival btw. Division opponent we play twice a year home and away...we have knocked them out of a playoff berth before and vice versa...and theyre 3hrs from Charlotte straight down 85. We are closer to ATL than Myrtle Beach (3.5h), Charleston(3.5), or in state Wilmington(4h)as you probably know.

I never ever go to ATL nor do any white people I know. Black folks around here do from time to time. I lived in Powder Springs for 4 years before moving to CLT. Wouod have gone to McEachern HS since it was 5mins from the house. My sister went there as a frosh but I was in 5th grade my last year in ATL. I dont like living here...but its an upgrade from ATL in several ways. Better traffic, less crime as long as you're outside the much smaller downtown area and poor hoods on each side of the city. As long as you get outside the city bus lines, greater Charlotte can be a nice place to live.

I would MUCH rather live around Knoxville though. My mom lives in alcoa, that side of the family is in Maryville...and my dads side all live in Sevier county or Seymour. That will always be home to me. East Tennessee although i have only lived there for 7 or 8 years of my life. I have visited regularly my entire life and love it there.
 
#92,784
#92,784
volfanhill said:
You can make the playoffs with 2 or fewer regular season losses. Fulmer did that 7 times. Yes my expectations are reasonable. He finished in the top 15 9 times.
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9 times in the weakest SEC there has ever been.

Georgia had Jim Donnan
Alabama had Mike Debuoise
Arkansas had Houston Nutt, and we need the butt fumble to beat them.
Gerry Dinardo at LSU
Jackie Sherril at Mississippi State was your title game.
Hal Mumme at Kentucky
Tommy Tuberville/cutcliff Ole Miss
Bill Oliver/Bowdon Auburn
Woodie Widdenhofer at Vandy
Brad Scott at USC.
And of course Spurrier at UF

There are maybe 2 schools who had better coaches then than they do now.

You give Heupel that SEC and he is better than Fulmer. Give Fulmer this SEC and hope we get to a bowl game.
 
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#92,786
#92,786
McDad said:
The "runs" programs achieve give everyone a false sense of expectations.
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Those runs are over in football. Thats why Saban retired. 2 in a row? Doable but very difficult now in NIL and rare. Nobody winning 3 or more again. Not gonna happen and Saban never 3-peated either. Not gonna happen in the NIL era.
 
#92,789
#92,789
marcusluvsvols said:
Those runs are over in football. Thats why Saban retired. 2 in a row? Doable but very difficult now in NIL and rare. Nobody winning 3 or more again. Not gonna happen and Saban never 3-peated either. Not gonna happen in the NIL era.
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I don't know. I think a case can be made the ability to go on incredible runs has never been stronger.
You can poach the best performers from other teams and not risk spots on a talented recruit. There is no "salary cap" and if you are willing to spend, the players will come. The unknowns would still be individual commitment, team chemistry and injuries.

If I wanted championships no matter the cost, I would:

increase the number of analysts in my program.
assign analysts a certain conference or section of the country.
assess the best players based on film.
target the upperclassmen and standout younger players.
develop a relationship with the agents
spend, spend, spend.
 
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#92,790
#92,790
LouderVol said:
You probably have 10 teams in the SEC who would say the same. 9 someone's are going to be disappointed.
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If you're going to spend with the big dogs you should expect big dog results.

https://knightnewhousedata.org/fbs/sec

By the Numbers: Just How Much do SEC Schools Make and Spend in Athletics

SEC schools spent major money in recruiting, but the leading spender isn't who you'd expect

And we outspend every other team SEC in recruiting

Just 1 SEC school spent more than Alabama on football recruiting in FY 2024
 
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#92,791
#92,791
marcusluvsvols said:
I agree 100%. I think we should be in the playoffs every 3 years though and go into every season fighting for a playoff berth barring special circumstances like Nicos departure as our starting QB . We recruit as a top10/15 team...we should be among the 15 best teams in the nation yearly under normal circumstances.

I don't think some VOL fans understand the significant disadvantage the SEC just put all the member teams under versus ORE, OSU, MICH,USC(#1 class 2026),PSU, Miami, FSU, Clemson and ND. NONE of those teams play more than 2 SEC quality teams per season EVERY YEAR while we just signed SEC teams up to play 9 games and beat our teams to a pulp every season while they make the playoffs fresh and healthy. Looking at our upcoming seasons (and the rest of the SEC powers too) we play 5 or 6 ranked teams at MINIMUM every season in our conference and 2 or 3 of them will be top10 teams every single year like Bama, UGA, Texas, aTM, LSU etc. It was a terrible decision that can only benefit teams like Kentucky and MSU that were never gonna make the playoffs anyway because they get an extra $5-10M a year to fund their program (which will also dilute the talent even more and make it even harder to beat the bottom SEC teams as they can afford to snatch several more 4* kids and portal players who could have gone to UT etc with the extra money. UT didnt need that money. Neither did Bama, UF, LSU etc. So stupid.




6wins is 6wins man. This is the 1st time the Panthers have been above .500 after 10 plus games have been played in nearly a decade now. Panthers fans are happy to see signs of life finally...and Atlanta is our most HATED rival btw. Division opponent we play twice a year home and away...we have knocked them out of a playoff berth before and vice versa...and theyre 3hrs from Charlotte straight down 85. We are closer to ATL than Myrtle Beach (3.5h), Charleston(3.5), or in state Wilmington(4h)as you probably know.

I never ever go to ATL nor do any white people I know. Black folks around here do from time to time. I lived in Powder Springs for 4 years before moving to CLT. Wouod have gone to McEachern HS since it was 5mins from the house. My sister went there as a frosh but I was in 5th grade my last year in ATL. I dont like living here...but its an upgrade from ATL in several ways. Better traffic, less crime as long as you're outside the much smaller downtown area and poor hoods on each side of the city. As long as you get outside the city bus lines, greater Charlotte can be a nice place to live.

I would MUCH rather live around Knoxville though. My mom lives in alcoa, that side of the family is in Maryville...and my dads side all live in Sevier county or Seymour. That will always be home to me. East Tennessee although i have only lived there for 7 or 8 years of my life. I have visited regularly my entire life and love it there.
Click to expand...

The nine game conference schedule isn't a disadvantage. If the selection committee penalizes the SEC for beating itself up and puts in a disproportionate amount of Big10 schools who would be average in the SEC the playoff ratings will dwindle. IMO the SEC going to 9 games will force the other conferences and ND to step up their game and competition level.
 
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#92,792
#92,792
LouderVol said:
9 times in the weakest SEC there has ever been.

Georgia had Jim Donnan
Alabama had Mike Debuoise
Arkansas had Houston Nutt, and we need the butt fumble to beat them.
Gerry Dinardo at LSU
Jackie Sherril at Mississippi State was your title game.
Hal Mumme at Kentucky
Tommy Tuberville/cutcliff Ole Miss
Bill Oliver/Bowdon Auburn
Woodie Widdenhofer at Vandy
Brad Scott at USC.
And of course Spurrier at UF

There are maybe 2 schools who had better coaches then than they do now.

You give Heupel that SEC and he is better than Fulmer. Give Fulmer this SEC and hope we get to a bowl game.
Click to expand...

Hype is definitely a better coach than Fulmer IMO. People forget that spurrier owned Fulmer and other than getting really lucky vs Syracuse and Ark in 98 to win a title...he managed to screw up every season with BETTER talent than Hype has EVER had yet at UT and only ever got close to playing in the title game the 1 year we inexplicably lost to an objectively inferior LSU team to squander a Title shot in the SEC Champ game.
 
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#92,793
#92,793
hog88 said:
The nine game conference schedule isn't a disadvantage. If the selection committee penalizes the SEC for beating itself up and puts in a disproportionate amount of Big10 schools who would be average in the SEC the playoff ratings will dwindle. IMO the SEC going to 9 games will force the other conferences and ND to step up their game and competition level.
Click to expand...
I agree. The variable will be who decides and how is competition decided.
 
#92,794
#92,794
marcusluvsvols said:
Hype is definitely a better coach than Fulmer IMO. People forget that spurrier owned Fulmer and other than getting really lucky vs Syracuse and Ark in 98 to win a title...he managed to screw up every season with BETTER talent than Hype has EVER had yet at UT and only ever got close to playing in the title game the 1 year we inexplicably lost to an objectively inferior LSU team to squander a Title shot in the SEC Champ game.
Click to expand...
The Wyoming loss was the worst of Phil's career?
 
#92,795
#92,795
McDad said:
I don't know. I think a case can be made the ability to go on incredible runs has never been stronger.
You can poach the best performers from other teams and not risk spots on a talented recruit. There is no "salary cap" and if you are willing to spend, the players will come. The unknowns would still be individual commitment, team chemistry and injuries.

If I wanted championships no matter the cost, I would:

increase the number of analysts in my program.
assign analysts a certain conference or section of the country.
assess the best players based on film.
target the upperclassmen and standout younger players.
develop a relationship with the agents
spend, spend, spend.
Click to expand...

Yeah Oregon and Ohio State already been on that plan for 2 or 3 years now. Outspend every other team in the country. It worked for OSU last year...but they just got hot at the right time with a healthy B10 team that had only played 2 decent teams all year and made that playoff run IMO. Hasnt panned out for ORE yet...but it could this year. I would say dropping $30M plus yearly like they both allegedly have been doing IS likely the best strategy. Other teams like Texas and aTm have tried to do the same but not had those results yet.
 
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#92,798
#92,798
marcusluvsvols said:
Hype is definitely a better coach than Fulmer IMO. People forget that spurrier owned Fulmer and other than getting really lucky vs Syracuse and Ark in 98 to win a title...he managed to screw up every season with BETTER talent than Hype has EVER had yet at UT and only ever got close to playing in the title game the 1 year we inexplicably lost to an objectively inferior LSU team to squander a Title shot in the SEC Champ game.
Click to expand...

Fulmer was a better recruiter than The Hype but the recruiting game is completely different now than in CPFs tenure so it's hard to compare. CPF also had one of the all time greatest OCs for much of his time. We all witnessed what CPF was minus Cut.

I think the Hype can be a championship winning coach, he just needs to tweak his staff a little. Since there is no longer a limit on how many on field coaches he can have he needs to bring in some specialist position coaches and increase his support/analyst staff. UGA has something like 14-15 on field coaches while we have 12 and their support staff outnumbers ours by a dozen or more.
 
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