2017 vs 2018

[a vol n tears]

I as a fan am tired of looking for improvement, hoping the team won’t quit, playing hard. I want wins not moral victories. Even losing by 1 pt would be old. Beating Auburn was a big deal. Auburn fans are mad at the season they’re having. They don’t give a crap. I would still gladly take their record for this season. I think Pruitt will be a good coach. But knowing a lot about football does not a great coach make. Teaching what you know. I would think practicing for 3 months you could teach technique or how to line up for a punt. Tell me how we have improved. I need reassurances.

 

[GVol1966]

With 8 games in the books for season 2018 and another 4-8 season looking likely, what do you see as the biggest differences in this season vs last season. As much as it pains me to say this, I see very little difference. I thought coaching would have to be better, but players still making the same mistakes game after game. Record probably not gonna improve. Some fans seeing players being under utilized. Can’t make a play when needed. These are the same things we saw under Jones and staff. Spin it any way you want but things don’t look much different to me.

You’re blind right?
Competitive, have a chance to beat all the remaining schedule,
Yep, see the same jone’s players still screwing up, but see some playing better now than they were at the beginning of the year , seeing freshman playing better than some jr’s and sr’s did last year.
Seen a team come off a bye week and look like they were coached up.

 

[KeyVol14]

I as a fan am tired of looking for improvement, hoping the team won’t quit, playing hard. I want wins not moral victories. Even losing by 1 pt would be old. Beating Auburn was a big deal. Auburn fans are mad at the season they’re having. They don’t give a crap. I would still gladly take their record for this season. I think Pruitt will be a good coach. But knowing a lot about football does not a great coach make. Teaching what you know. I would think practicing for 3 months you could teach technique or how to line up for a punt. Tell me how we have improved. I need reassurances.

Players who haven’t played well in the last are playing there best ball this year. Secondary is full of freshman and are playing light years ahead of them. Team competes for the whole game unlike last year. JG has made strides. Wide receivers are much better. It’s however you want to look at it I guess.

 

[UTK]

4-8 isn’t likely. 5-7 or 6-6 is way more likely. Plus, I see improvements from a lot of players

 

[kmkemp11]

5-7 or 6-6 against a significantly tougher schedule would be improvement. Not the kind that makes me a believer, but the kind that gives me hope. Let's not forget that we're barely playing any seniors right now. Next year should be telling for CJP.

 

[ReadCT]

I live in Denver and have for 20 years made 2 home and 1 away games.

This year: home for Florida and Missouri. Away at Auburn.

Was so proud of the boys for the Auburn win. Did not expect it.

Expected a FL W and was sorely disappointed in the effort. Game got away from them.

Looking forward to an offensive outburst against Mizzou when I am in TN next.

See dramatic improvement vs last year. Dramatic.

 

[joevol33]

Lol we won’t finish 4-8

While I hope you're right, what game we winning besides Saturday? We can't stop Kentucky or Missouri, and we ain't beating vandy at vandy Imo. I hope I'm wrong, but 4-8 is coming again I'm afraid.

 

[SAPPER 5]

When you spend five years digging a hole, it's going to take more than 2/3rds of a season to hop out.

^^^Gets it.

 

[UTK]

While I hope you're right, what game we winning besides Saturday? We can't stop Kentucky or Missouri, and we ain't beating vandy at vandy Imo. I hope I'm wrong, but 4-8 is coming again I'm afraid.

We will beat Vandy. Let’s not act like they will have a home Field advantage. UK and Mizzou I’ll be tough though. I think we can beat Mizzou

 

[joevol33]

We will beat Vandy. Let’s not act like they will have a home Field advantage. UK and Mizzou I’ll be tough though. I think we can beat Mizzou

Let's hope

 

[feathersax]

I as a fan am tired of looking for improvement, hoping the team won’t quit, playing hard. I want wins not moral victories. Even losing by 1 pt would be old. Beating Auburn was a big deal. Auburn fans are mad at the season they’re having. They don’t give a crap. I would still gladly take their record for this season. I think Pruitt will be a good coach. But knowing a lot about football does not a great coach make. Teaching what you know. I would think practicing for 3 months you could teach technique or how to line up for a punt. Tell me how we have improved. I need reassurances.

Well, you've been told over & over but don't seem to get it.

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

Two biggest differences are:

1. Because Pruitt isn't Butch, he hasn't worn-out his welcome and we are still able to be optimistic and hopeful that we are moving in the right direction.
2. Injuries -- 2017 was the second season in a row in which we had huge #s of injuries. Pruitt seems to have slowed that down this season.

1st point- total agreement that all the love has more to do with newness than a bignimprivement.

2nd point had far more to do with last years record than coaching acumen. Maybe this staff is the reason for tr he lack of injuries but that remains to be seen.

 

[Sudden Impact]

When you spend five years digging a hole, it's going to take more than 2/3rds of a season to hop out.

More like 11 to 12 years.....of digging. Some of the posters here weren't even born yet.

 

[Sudden Impact]

1st point- total agreement that all the love has more to do with newness than a bignimprivement.

2nd point had far more to do with last years record than coaching acumen. Maybe this staff is the reason for tr he lack of injuries but that remains to be seen.

Strength and Conditioning of which the tuba player didn't understand.....

Basically get the LOS fixed and blow them off the ball. The other Skill sets will take care of business....

 

[GVol1966]

We will beat Vandy. Let’s not act like they will have a home Field advantage. UK and Mizzou I’ll be tough though. I think we can beat Mizzou

And the Bulldogs might take a little fight out of them wildcats and help us out

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

Strength and Conditioning of which the tuba player didn't understand.....

Basically get the LOS fixed and blow them off the ball. The other Skill sets will take care of business....

How about the NFL S&C coach he hired? Je suddenly become a dumbass too?


This argument is so tired I can't believe yall are still trotting it out. If in 10 months you can't get athletes conditioned you may not be doing it right.

 

[jimed1]

I as a fan am tired of looking for improvement, hoping the team won’t quit, playing hard. I want wins not moral victories. Even losing by 1 pt would be old. Beating Auburn was a big deal. Auburn fans are mad at the season they’re having. They don’t give a crap. I would still gladly take their record for this season. I think Pruitt will be a good coach. But knowing a lot about football does not a great coach make. Teaching what you know. I would think practicing for 3 months you could teach technique or how to line up for a punt. Tell me how we have improved. I need reassurances.

You should go back and look at the SC game and notice just how small we are on the OL. Johnson and Niehaus are both sophomores and are playing at about 280 lbs. Their lack of size was noticeable and after 3 qtrs of football its hard for smaller guys to hold up. As Saban has said, small guys get tired, big guys don't get small. JG is still not making pre-snap reads consistently either and that is not helping.

 

[Sudden Impact]

How about the NFL S&C coach he hired? Je suddenly become a dumbass too?


This argument is so tired I can't believe yall are still trotting it out. If in 10 months you can't get athletes conditioned you may not be doing it right.

I guess you would be ok with hiring Hue Jackson as the Head Coach vs Jeremy Pruitt?

NFL means nothing in front of a Resume if they can't teach/coach. Butch got a name that had NFL in front of it, but evidently did not screen or vet the hire. Just like the AD when hiring the three previous Coaches.

Bargain Basement special and wasn't here long enough to fix the other S&C coach making $45,000 a year.

There has been little if any concern regarding the football team and there has been little if any adult supervision of holding them accountable. We get a proven coach not a proven HC and some of the posters desire to carry it forward.

Reality Check: The State of the Program against the current SEC standards is broke, close to rock bottom and several fans expect an immediate fix because we got talent or were lead to believe it...by jones and others. Truth is we don't.

This is one so-called excuse in 100. We have had a playboy, a shower boy, and a con man for the last three coaches. With Pruitt jury is still out....So like me just suck it up and wait....

OBTW. Priority of Fix is the LOS.

 

[Hacksaw]

Strength and Conditioning of which the tuba player didn't understand.....

Basically get the LOS fixed and blow them off the ball. The other Skill sets will take care of business....

In 2016, I chocked-up the injuries to bad luck. The injuries in Butch's first 3 seasons hadn't struck me as unusual. When it happened again in 2017, like every other fan I wondered if it might be a problem with strength and conditioning. But we definitely had professionals working in our S&C, nutrition and medical staffs, so I think that's doubtful.

Maybe by that time, some of the players saw the writing on the wall and knew Butch was a lame duck. Maybe they had lost their motivation to do what was necessary to stay in playing shape. As fans viewing from the outside, I don't think any of us can claim to know for sure.

 

[VolFan4Life87]

Our WRs look like one of the best WR units in the SEC. Last year we had one of the worst.

How many balls actually were thrown to them, or even near them last year vs this year?

 

[a vol n tears]

I'm here to play devil's advocate. Why will Pruitt's top recruits be better than Jones top recruiting classes? Are the rating services useless, and if so, why do fans care if he signs top rated players or not?

 

[Sudden Impact]

I'm here to play devil's advocate. Why will Pruitt's top recruits be better than Jones top recruiting classes? Are the rating services useless, and if so, why do fans care if he signs top rated players or not?

More than talent, teachable and Pruitt will recruit to position of need. Coaching and training are a continuous process. If you need an OL 3 star who meets your criteria for coaching and potential do you take a position player who is a 4* of which you have plenty of and are on track to start.

If you choose the 3* over the 4* then it lowers your national rankings.....In some cases, More time will be spent with the 4* coaching them up.

 

[JMSqb11]

With 8 games in the books for season 2018 and another 4-8 season looking likely, what do you see as the biggest differences in this season vs last season. As much as it pains me to say this, I see very little difference. I thought coaching would have to be better, but players still making the same mistakes game after game. Record probably not gonna improve. Some fans seeing players being under utilized. Can’t make a play when needed. These are the same things we saw under Jones and staff. Spin it any way you want but things don’t look much different to me.

Looking Likely? Not this year. Last year at this same point, 4-8 was guaranteed. To say that we will unequivocally wind up at 4-8 with 4 games to go is complete nonsense. This team is arguably way better than last year even with the majority of the same players.... Why is that? Coaching. What is hilarious is that we have some bozo fans like you who have written off this season, this coach, this team, and program yet you will be right back in here b!tching right at kickoff. If you know so much, why even watch or tune in. People like you are what is wrong with this fan base.

 

[JMSqb11]

I'm here to play devil's advocate. Why will Pruitt's top recruits be better than Jones top recruiting classes? Are the rating services useless, and if so, why do fans care if he signs top rated players or not?

Well Pruitt has two things Butch has never had and will never have.

1- Pruitt has a proven track record of developing players left and right. Butch couldn't develop cookie dough into cookies if a gun was to his head.

2- Pruitt is actually a X's and O's coach. He has a track record of being among the best at the defensive side of the ball. Butch never had a specialty in any of his head coaching gigs from Cincy to UT. It showed glaringly in his last 3 years.

The reason a lot of Butch high rated players didn't ever pan out was due to his development issues and coaching inability. Pruitt is the exact opposite of Butch in those two departments.

 

[VolFan..But]

To those that just do not get history, this toilet started down when Hamilton decided to scorch the Earth and ruin the program. It has taken steps back every sense. This team does not have the horses to compete and it will take a couple of years to start getting them here. Relax and be patient. Add the fact that we played a crazy tough schedule and you can get the rest. I also do not think JG has that it factor or he would have led this team to a win here and there. And for those that want to say Missouri is this unbeatable team, they are 4-4 and 0-4 in the conference. They also lost a close game to South Carolina. They blew the KY game. And those that think KY is all that, they where lucky to beat Missouri. KY has 2 nice wins at home against Miss State and SC. Yes they won at Florida but that was a different Florida team. Florida would run them now. Relax folks.