So basically you are stating that a 3 or 4 star VT player lines up against a 3 or 4 star Vol player....the Vol player is more athletic?? OK..that makes since!
No. I'm telling you that UT has depth and talent if not experience advantages at every match up. ALL of them. You played neither of the best two teams in the ACC last year and were still a middling team. You literally didn't beat a single team that was worth a dime. Your "best" win was vs 7-6 NCSU.
Your OL couldn't block ECU or Pitt or Miami or Duke or Boston College or UNC or UVA.... but you're going to dominate the deepest and most talented DL you've seen since at least tOSU last year? If the guys returning had been 1st or 2nd year players last year then you'd have a more credible point. They weren't. As players approach their potential, improvement becomes less and more difficult to come by.
Oh, and for what little it is actually worth, UT has a BUNCH more 4* and 5* players than VT.
You lost 7 starters from a bad defense. So the back ups step up and are replaced by....?
Sorry if you're in denial but it will get worse before it gets better.
Keep thinking the OL will be mediocre because of last year. A year more experienced goes a long way in D1 football.
Experience helps... but only goes as far as the talent goes. See above.
I believe you guys will have the advantage in the QB, RB spots on offense... period. We will have the advantage in the WR, TE spots. I would call it a push on the OL. DL is a little more complicated because of scheme but I think our D-line will be crazy good this year. Our DB's will be a force also. I do think the Vols are better in the Safety spot though. Gonna be a heck of a ball game.
None of this is true and even if it were.... it wouldn't matter. UT's OL will not line up vs VT's OL. UT's OL will line up against a rebuilt front 7. Last time the returnees from your DL played, they were getting embarrassed by Tulsa. The last time UT's OL played, they were mauling the then #13 D in the country.
Your O returns 4 OL's from an OL that wasn't very good. UT's front 7 returns 6 starters and every key back up. UT goes about 7 deep at DE with guys who could legitimately start in the SEC.
We can go down the line on every position group the same way.
Lastly, you return 13 starters from a 7-6 team that played the 44th most difficult schedule in the country. UT was 9-4 against the 13th ranked schedule which included 2 of the four playoff teams... who the Vols lost to by a total of 12 points.... and returns 17 starters most of whom have played since they were Fr.
I'm still waiting for you to show where and how your team has an advantage at any match up. The closest would be your secondary vs UT's WR's. But even there.... UT has a talent advantage.
