Utah State opens as early Vegas favorite @Tennessee

#151
#151
I really hope that we go into the game as the underdogs and I believe that CBJ would feel the same. Can you imagine how much more fired up that our players will be with the Aggies coming in as favorites. I'll take it.
 
#152
#152
I would hate to see this place if we lose. I'm prepared for another bad season myself. Just hope it doesn't affect this stellar recruiting
 
#153
#153
Disclaimer: I think I’m impartial and honest when it comes to assessing the football prowess of our Vols. Even then, pro Vols bias slips in but overall, I shoot from the hip.

Utah State Aggies vs. Tennessee Volunteers

It should be no surprise if we lose this game, though I hope we don’t.
Why?
The Aggies have a really good coach. This is evident in the team’s competitiveness. Just look at the scores from their USC, BYU, and Boise State games. All teams that would likely have mopped the floor with us last season. This is a team that knows how to compete. They will arrive in Neyland and not be overwhelmed because they have played in large venues elsewhere. USC’s stadium for example, isn’t exactly a wimpy place to play. Nor is the air force stadium. The massive amount of orange will surely amaze but not overwhelm them. In short, they won’t come into Neyland afraid, they will come to compete and win. Motivation too is we are an SEC team and beating us will coveted scalp to hang from their belt.

They have their own uncertainties, but ours are much more. We lost our entire OL, most of our defense, neither which especially distinguished themselves last season. Whereas, USU has been a true cohesive units and even with their loses, are still a true and cohesive units. Ours aren’t as yet.

We stand a chance of winning this game, and I hope we will.
Why?
Butch and his staff have a history of fielding better 2nd - 3rd teams. Presumably after knowing them better and being able to coach them up. However, this season they are pretty much starting from scratch in terms of getting their own type of players on the team, but not yet on the field. The types of players and quality of players appear superior to the previous regime’s collection and closer speed-wise to what a typical SEC team tends to put on the field. Though as yet untested and unproven. I know nothing of USU’s player quality in terms of recruiting stars and such, and don’t put much stock in it anyway. Too often we’ve seen supposedly inferior players whip so-called superior ones. However, I think Butch’s history will manifest itself and our talent wins the game. Plus I honestly, honestly, believe that last season notwithstanding, Joshua Dobbs will enter the season a better QB partially for very odd reasons beyond his individual off season self prepping. The OL being new and leaky will literally force him to use his non-passing assets and this will result in plays reminiscent of his high school success as a dual threat QB. But his passing game will now prove to be equally dangerous for opponents so they will have to account for him at all times. But here’s the kicker, he not only has better receivers but they will be a dangerous and hard to cover corps. Especially the bigger ones who will be constant mismatches. The trick is, will all these assets to be a cohesive unit by the first game. If the answer is yes, we win to the point that we will see the other QBs given playing time.

As it stands now, it is a fair assessment to expect USU to win this game. The reality will be what we put on the field that day. I and Shirley will be there because we believe this will be a major day in whether the UT is NCS ready in 2015 or not. I’m dead serious about that.
 
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#155
#155
cooterbob said:
Utah St. is in conference who gives a F@#$. If they come here and beat a mid level SEC team (hate to say it but we are as of today) at home in front of nine of there fans then we should drop to conference who gives a S#%@. I dont care how good you think they were last year.
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We aren't even a mid level ACC team right now
 
#156
#156
rcvol said:
No offensive line. Still no defense or QB.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
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That's it? Our OL underperformed last year so how much of a drop off can there be? I'd say not a whole lot and who knows, maybe the returning OL guys play harder, meaner, communicate better and play much better as a unit.

We've gotten rid of a lot of slow, dead weight from last year. We've significantly upgraded our overall team speed and athletic ability IMO. I think we're better at the following positions ...

QB- 3 guys with another year in Butch's system, 2 of which were in the Elite 11 QB program and are very talented - they'll inarguably be much better. At a minimum Worley plays better as a Sr than he did as a Jr with much better weapons around him.

RB- 5* Hurd and 4* Scott pushing Sr Lane. RB is arguably the easiest position for true freshmen to come in and contribute immediately.

WR - add Pearson, Malone, Wharton to a better, more experienced North, Howard and Croom. I'd say slightly better than Carter, Smith and Blanc.

TE- add 2 of the more highly rated TEs in Helm and Wolff to Branisel.

DL- 2nd yr in the program under Stripling for Carr, OBrien and Saulsberry and add JUCO Williams, Mixon and highly rated freshmen Barnett and Sawyers along with Mosely and Robertson... half of these guys are very young, but they are a talent upgrade. The only DL guy I'll miss from last yr is Walls.

DE- Vereen, Weatherd, Hendrix, Henderson, again though young, are significant talent upgrades from a nonexistent DE corps last yr.

LB- AJ is back along with Maggitt and Reeves-Maybin. Our freshman class of Bates, Bryant, Johnson is again a significant talent upgrade

DB- Sutton, a more experienced and healthy Randolph with highly touted newcomers TKJr, McDowell, Gaulden, Berry, Payne to go with Foreman, Coleman and Swaufford with Moseley as the wilcard. Great speed and talent upgrade.

Will we be younger and less experienced, yes. But considering the experienced guys we lost were from arguably the worst 4 teams in UT history, how can that be a bad thing?
Give me younger, faster, more athletic freshmen over older, more experienced, slower, less athletic players with a loser's mentality/experience all day everyday.

UT will be better this year. We'll see how the record plays out.
 
#158
#158
Its a must win game if we are to go bowling in 2014, IMO.

Butch is gonna need a bowl game to keep fans quiet.
 
#160
#160
Rudy123 said:
I remember the Air Force game in 2007! It was really close too.
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That was a trap game sandwiched between Cal and Florida at home in '06. Worst scheduling idea ever, playing a service academy team that cut blocks and get your guys hurt playing that triple option. Unfortunately that was the game Inky got hurt.
 
#161
#161
WoodsmanVol said:
Disclaimer: I think I’m impartial and honest when it comes to assessing the football prowess of our Vols. Even then, pro Vols bias slips in but overall, I shoot from the hip.

Utah State Aggies vs. Tennessee Volunteers

It should be no surprise if we lose this game, though I hope we don’t.
Why?
The Aggies have a really good coach. This is evident in the team’s competitiveness. Just look at the scores from their USC, BYU, and Boise State games. All teams that would likely have mopped the floor with us last season. This is a team that knows how to compete. They will arrive in Neyland and not be overwhelmed because they have played in large venues elsewhere. USC’s stadium for example, isn’t exactly a wimpy place to play. Nor is the air force stadium. The massive amount of orange will surely amaze but not overwhelm them. In short, they won’t come into Neyland afraid, they will come to compete and win. Motivation too is we are an SEC team and beating us will coveted scalp to hang from their belt.

They have their own uncertainties, but ours are much more. We lost our entire OL, most of our defense, neither which especially distinguished themselves last season. Whereas, USU has been a true cohesive units and even with their loses, are still a true and cohesive units. Ours aren’t as yet.

We stand a chance of winning this game, and I hope we will.
Why?
Butch and his staff have a history of fielding better 2nd - 3rd teams. Presumably after knowing them better and being able to coach them up. However, this season they are pretty much starting from scratch in terms of getting their own type of players on the team, but not yet on the field. The types of players and quality of players appear superior to the previous regime’s collection and closer speed-wise to what a typical SEC team tends to put on the field. Though as yet untested and unproven. I know nothing of USU’s player quality in terms of recruiting stars and such, and don’t put much stock in it anyway. Too often we’ve seen supposedly inferior players whip so-called superior ones. However, I think Butch’s history will manifest itself and our talent wins the game. Plus I honestly, honestly, believe that last season notwithstanding, Joshua Dobbs will enter the season a better QB partially for very odd reasons beyond his individual off season self prepping. The OL being new and leaky will literally force him to use his non-passing assets and this will result in plays reminiscent of his high school success as a dual threat QB. But his passing game will now prove to be equally dangerous for opponents so they will have to account for him at all times. But here’s the kicker, he not only has better receivers but they will be a dangerous and hard to cover corps. Especially the bigger ones who will be constant mismatches. The trick is, will all these assets to be a cohesive unit by the first game. If the answer is yes, we win to the point that we will see the other QBs given playing time.

As it stands now, it is a fair assessment to expect USU to win this game. The reality will be what we put on the field that day. I and Shirley will be there because we believe this will be a major day in whether the UT is NCS ready in 2015 or not. I’m dead serious about that.
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Regarding the coach: our coach is in his second year. Before him, it was Gary andersen who is now the coach at Wisconsin. Wells is the new guy and is very similar to Gary.
 
#164
#164
Also do we really need another thread discussing Utah State? We already have two threads dedicated to them.
 
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#167
#167
I feel like we're almost due to lose one of these games that we 'should' win.. While we haven't won many games we shouldn't win.. We also haven't lost any of these early season games.

People were worried about Cincy, then NC State, then Petrino/WKU, all for nothing.. I feel like we're due to get upset at some point. Hope not
 
#168
#168
WoodsmanVol said:
Disclaimer: I think I’m impartial and honest when it comes to assessing the football prowess of our Vols.
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I am pretty impartial and honest when assessing your posts... and disagree.


It should be no surprise if we lose this game, though I hope we don’t.
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Surprise isn't exactly the word. Failure would be the word that comes to mind if this staff cannot take the talent they have and beat a mid-major replacing 14 of their 22 starters.

Why?
The Aggies have a really good coach.
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Well at least we can agree that if USU wins it will be because Jones was badly outcoached... at home... with a talent advantage... again. If that happens, Hart should fire Jones after the game and hire USU's staff before they even get on the plane.

Seriously though, you can't have it both ways. You can't at one time rationalize the blow out losses to Bama, Auburn, and Oregon based on talent then turn around and say this game should be close because of coaching.

Well I guess you can but the direct logical implication is that you are saying Jones is not a very good coach.

This is evident in the team’s competitiveness. Just look at the scores from their USC,
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Didn't USC fire a coach mid-season in part because of his failure to blow USU off the field?

BYU, and Boise State games.
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Again, not very talented teams on the whole.
As it stands now, it is a fair assessment to expect USU to win this game.
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Not if Jones is the right coach. Period. He will have a VERY significant talent advantage and neither team will be overly experienced though UT returns more starters than USU does.

All I see here is someone setting up an excuse 7 months out possibly because they are afraid they will have to justify a loss that points directly at coaching issues.
 
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#169
#169
We do have an extra weapon few think about with teams like this, BIG DADDY HUMIDITY in Sept. It saps the strength by Q4 of many a western team coming south in Sept.
 
#170
#170
HvilleCommando said:
I feel like we're almost due to lose one of these games that we 'should' win..
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They did that last year against Vandy. I think we're almost due to win a few that should be losses and keep games competitive even when the other team has a talent advantage. Of course I think UT is due an elite coach that will bring those things. I hope Jones is that guy but have my eyes open.
 
#171
#171
rcvol said:
We will be worse, actually.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
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Depends 100% on the ability of this staff to develop and coach players.

To answer your objections, they return 4 QB's with 3 having game experience. All have talent. They return a group of OL's that have been developing for 2 or 3 years and have a full year plus under this staff and OL coach. If they can't play... then the problem isn't players or experience.

On D, they return all 4 starters at DB. They get Maggitt back and AJ. They add JRM and Weatherd as guys with college level development plus a Fr or two that would stand a chance of starting at multiple BCS programs. The DL again comes to coaching. They'll have some young talent.
 
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#173
#173
The most amazing thing about these discussions is that some don't even wait until after a game to start making excuses. Simple facts. UT has more talent and it isn't close. If the game is close it will be because of coaching and THAT would not support the idea that Jones is a championship caliber coach at UT.
 
#174
#174
KBVol said:
That's it? Our OL underperformed last year so how much of a drop off can there be? I'd say not a whole lot and who knows, maybe the returning OL guys play harder, meaner, communicate better and play much better as a unit.

We've gotten rid of a lot of slow, dead weight from last year. We've significantly upgraded our overall team speed and athletic ability IMO. I think we're better at the following positions ...

QB- 3 guys with another year in Butch's system, 2 of which were in the Elite 11 QB program and are very talented - they'll inarguably be much better. At a minimum Worley plays better as a Sr than he did as a Jr with much better weapons around him.

RB- 5* Hurd and 4* Scott pushing Sr Lane. RB is arguably the easiest position for true freshmen to come in and contribute immediately.

WR - add Pearson, Malone, Wharton to a better, more experienced North, Howard and Croom. I'd say slightly better than Carter, Smith and Blanc.

TE- add 2 of the more highly rated TEs in Helm and Wolff to Branisel.

DL- 2nd yr in the program under Stripling for Carr, OBrien and Saulsberry and add JUCO Williams, Mixon and highly rated freshmen Barnett and Sawyers along with Mosely and Robertson... half of these guys are very young, but they are a talent upgrade. The only DL guy I'll miss from last yr is Walls.

DE- Vereen, Weatherd, Hendrix, Henderson, again though young, are significant talent upgrades from a nonexistent DE corps last yr.

LB- AJ is back along with Maggitt and Reeves-Maybin. Our freshman class of Bates, Bryant, Johnson is again a significant talent upgrade

DB- Sutton, a more experienced and healthy Randolph with highly touted newcomers TKJr, McDowell, Gaulden, Berry, Payne to go with Foreman, Coleman and Swaufford with Moseley as the wilcard. Great speed and talent upgrade.

Will we be younger and less experienced, yes. But considering the experienced guys we lost were from arguably the worst 4 teams in UT history, how can that be a bad thing?
Give me younger, faster, more athletic freshmen over older, more experienced, slower, less athletic players with a loser's mentality/experience all day everyday.

UT will be better this year. We'll see how the record plays out.
Click to expand...

We can dream I guess. Sounds more like you are hoping we are better. I think you will be disappointed.
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