2022 Rivals Review Week 1

[BallerVolFan]

Disagree was bama for me. Their defense looked better than uga

Fair enough. Really splitting hairs between the two but I did not watch a whole lot of the Bama game.

 

[tennesseeduke]

Leaving off the G5 or less teams on the schedule here's how our opponents did after week 1:

Pitt (1-0): Beat WVU. Anyone who watched this game saw their O and D lines aren't where they were reported to be over Fall camp. DBs got bailed out by WVU WRs dropping almost everything that hit them in the hands. Rush D and Pass D were not strong. On offense, Slovis was meh. They aren't going to be able to keep up with our O next week.

Florida (1-0): Beat Utah. Guess what? A Pac 12 team was overrated. Utah's offense never had much of an identity. Even still, running towards uf's de #1 almost always led to a gain because that guy couldn't set an edge to save his life. Stat chaser, not team player. On D, play more zone and spy Richardson and 75% of the uf offense is negated. If the Utah qb (or entire offense) doesn't panic that entire last drive, uf loses and people talk about a 'good effort' from florida.

LSU (0-1): Lost to FSU. Terrible locker room culture. Coach who can't win big games. DL injured against FSU. D can't set the edge. O is dysfunctional. Hooker gonna feast. For the Brian Kelly lovers out there, here's his record while at ND vs the top 10:
2021: loss to number 7 cincy
2020: beat number 1 clemson without trevor lawrence, lost to number 3 clemson, lost to number 1 alabama
2019: lost to number 3 Georgia
2018: beat number 7 stanford, lost to number 2 clemson
2017: lost to number 7 Miami
2016: no top 10 games
2015: lost to number 7 ohio state
2014: lost to number 4 FSU
2013: lost to number 8 Stanford
2012: vacated
2011: lost to number 4 stanford
2010: no top 10 games
He was 2-10 with a win against Stanford and DJU.
***Edit to add Boutte has deleted all references to LSU on his social media. See locker room culture above.***

Alabama (1-0): Beat Utah St. Nothing gained from game against patsy.

Kentucky (1-0): Beat Miami Ohio. Led 13-10 at half. Nothing special on offense from uk. D was solid but nothing spectacular. Not worried about our game with them.

Georgia (1-0): Beat Oregon. Guess what? A Pac-12 team was overrated. Guess what else? Bo Nix still sucks. UGA has serious inexperience on D. Their run D was suspect. CBs were suspect. Their O looked good, but it was against a Pac-12 defense.

Missouri (1-0): Beat Louisiana Tech. Looked ok on O and D but it was La Tech after a coaching change and with a new qb. Mizzou wr #3 looked good.

South Carolina (1-0): Beat Georgia St. Losing to Ga St in 3rd qtr. Needed 2(!) blocked punts returned for tds to put the game away. Spencer Rattler won't be the starter by the time we play. No heart in that kid.

Candy (2-0): Beat Elon. Good job Vandy. You won 2 games. Now you will lose a lot. They are a cupcake who happens to be in the SEC.

10-2 is still my pick!

 

[tennesseeduke]

Like that was sooo long ago. You made me spill coffee on my duckhead pants ya prick

We also finished 10-2 that season!

 

[BornAndRaisedVOL!]

We'll lose to UF. We always do.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Outside of last year, Georgia has always had a game or two under Kirby where they slip up. Now they’re still absolutely loaded, but I wouldn’t be shocked if we are able to stay in that one until the end

Not really. Since his first year (i.e. over the last 5 seasons), they are 59-10. Only 1 of those 10 losses, 2019 South Carolina, was to a team that didn't go to a NY6 bowl. The other 9 were to: the national championship teams of Alabama in 2017 and 2020, and LSU in 2019. Alabama in the SEC championship in 2018 and 2021 (both national championship runner up teams). LSU in Death Valley in 2018 (who won 11 games and the Fiesta Bowl), Florida in 2020 (with Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts, team that won the East, lost to Bama by a TD in the SECCG, and went to the Cotton Bowl), Auburn 2017 (team that also beat Bama the following week before losing the rematch with UGA, went to Peach Bowl), and 10 win Texas in the Sugar Bowl in 2018 (when UGA had a bunch of opt outs). Kirby is a very good coach, despite his stupid buster brown haircut. Since his first year, you generally need to be pretty damn good to beat them.

 

[OrangeRaid Vol #1]

We'll lose to UF. We always do.

No, we don't. Florida was a nothing team until SS came along in the 90s. I think their first national title was 1996. We won our 1st in the 40's or so. And we will beat them this year. Book it. Utes took them to the wire and qb made a mistake. A team that plays out west, where there is no humidity, came to the swamp and gave the gators all they could handle to the very last play. Fla will be at Neyland. We do have to contain AR. A duck can pull a truck.

 

[Sarms58]

Georgia was elite last year. They are not elite this year. They are not as efficient on offense or defense as they were last year. I expect our game with them will be an exciting one. We will have a chance, but they will be favored by 6-8 points.

Lol! Georgia scored 7 TDs on their first 7 possessions…they gave up 3 points to a team that hung 45 on Ohio State nine months ago…how much more do they need to do to be as efficient as last year?

 

[fatdawg]

I ad just relaying what I saw in the game and I have watched a lot of SEC football in my 83+ years including Tennessee in 1985-1989 when my son played for the VOLS. I guess we were lookin at the game from different eyes, You are entitled to your opinion and I have the right to my opinion. My opinion is based on a lot of experience so I think I will stay with mine.

I think the problem is that you used the word "efficient". If you said "less explosive", "less committed to the run", or if you talked about the loss of personnel or a myriad of things. While people may have disagreed there would not have been the amount of eye rolls.

Like the great philosopher Inigo Montoya said to Vizzini "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means"

 

[Clayton]

Not really. Since his first year (i.e. over the last 5 seasons), they are 59-10. Only 1 of those 10 losses, 2019 South Carolina, was to a team that didn't go to a NY6 bowl. The other 9 were to: the national championship teams of Alabama in 2017 and 2020, and LSU in 2019. Alabama in the SEC championship in 2018 and 2021 (both national championship runner up teams). LSU in Death Valley in 2018 (who won 11 games and the Fiesta Bowl), Florida in 2020 (with Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts, team that won the East, lost to Bama by a TD in the SECCG, and went to the Cotton Bowl), Auburn 2017 (team that also beat Bama the following week before losing the rematch with UGA, went to Peach Bowl), and 10 win Texas in the Sugar Bowl in 2018 (when UGA had a bunch of opt outs). Kirby is a very good coach, despite his stupid buster brown haircut. Since his first year, you generally need to be pretty damn good to beat them.

Someone that actually studies statistics. Excellent post and nothing could be more true. The smart era has been much different than the Richt era. The narrative that Georgia slips up once or twice per year every year does not apply to the Kirby Smart era

 

[Volmac2022]

Leaving off the G5 or less teams on the schedule here's how our opponents did after week 1:

Pitt (1-0): Beat WVU. Anyone who watched this game saw their O and D lines aren't where they were reported to be over Fall camp. DBs got bailed out by WVU WRs dropping almost everything that hit them in the hands. Rush D and Pass D were not strong. On offense, Slovis was meh. They aren't going to be able to keep up with our O next week.

Florida (1-0): Beat Utah. Guess what? A Pac 12 team was overrated. Utah's offense never had much of an identity. Even still, running towards uf's de #1 almost always led to a gain because that guy couldn't set an edge to save his life. Stat chaser, not team player. On D, play more zone and spy Richardson and 75% of the uf offense is negated. If the Utah qb (or entire offense) doesn't panic that entire last drive, uf loses and people talk about a 'good effort' from florida.

LSU (0-1): Lost to FSU. Terrible locker room culture. Coach who can't win big games. DL injured against FSU. D can't set the edge. O is dysfunctional. Hooker gonna feast. For the Brian Kelly lovers out there, here's his record while at ND vs the top 10:
2021: loss to number 7 cincy
2020: beat number 1 clemson without trevor lawrence, lost to number 3 clemson, lost to number 1 alabama
2019: lost to number 3 Georgia
2018: beat number 7 stanford, lost to number 2 clemson
2017: lost to number 7 Miami
2016: no top 10 games
2015: lost to number 7 ohio state
2014: lost to number 4 FSU
2013: lost to number 8 Stanford
2012: vacated
2011: lost to number 4 stanford
2010: no top 10 games
He was 2-10 with a win against Stanford and DJU.
***Edit to add Boutte has deleted all references to LSU on his social media. See locker room culture above.***

Alabama (1-0): Beat Utah St. Nothing gained from game against patsy.

Kentucky (1-0): Beat Miami Ohio. Led 13-10 at half. Nothing special on offense from uk. D was solid but nothing spectacular. Not worried about our game with them.

Georgia (1-0): Beat Oregon. Guess what? A Pac-12 team was overrated. Guess what else? Bo Nix still sucks. UGA has serious inexperience on D. Their run D was suspect. CBs were suspect. Their O looked good, but it was against a Pac-12 defense.

Missouri (1-0): Beat Louisiana Tech. Looked ok on O and D but it was La Tech after a coaching change and with a new qb. Mizzou wr #3 looked good.

South Carolina (1-0): Beat Georgia St. Losing to Ga St in 3rd qtr. Needed 2(!) blocked punts returned for tds to put the game away. Spencer Rattler won't be the starter by the time we play. No heart in that kid.

Candy (2-0): Beat Elon. Good job Vandy. You won 2 games. Now you will lose a lot. They are a cupcake who happens to be in the SEC.

Got any stats to back up that claim on GA defense? Cause from what I seen all they did was reload and it was bad for the Ducks

 

[Volmac2022]

We can’t talk about how we were vanilla against our cupcake and then talk about how bad everyone else was against theirs. Most were vanilla also. Hard to read into most of these games

Facts we really shouldn't be talking like this until week 4 when every SEC team has played at least one SEC School.

Side note, I hope Vandy wins this weekend it be hilarious if they did.

 

[1SmokinVol]

Bling - nice review- Utes WWWAAAYYY Overrated, lost 4 games last year. Maybe a middle of the pack to lower SEC School. Georgia looked good against a bad (right now) Oregon team WITH A NEW HEAD COACH. Week one? MEH no surprises for me. 1 thing living in Central Florida, watching Utes vs gators -if anyone caught it, you cannot prepare for the humidity here, especially in towns not on the coasts with little to no breeze. Saw a kid from Utah throwing up 5 minutes into the game, not a good sign for Utes. Heat combined with the humidity (96%) is BRUTAL in Fl..

 

[VOLINVONORE]

I think the problem is that you used the word "efficient". If you said "less explosive", "less committed to the run", or if you talked about the loss of personnel or a myriad of things. While people may have disagreed there would not have been the amount of eye rolls.

Like the great philosopher Inigo Montoya said to Vizzini "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means"

 

[gobravesvols16]

10-2, 9-3 or 8-4. No shot against Bama and UGA. Pitt and UF will be shootouts and team with the ball last wins kinda games. Wins against everybody else

 

[titansvolsfaninga]

Oregon had the 7th most talented team in CFB per the composite recruiting rankings. UGA made them look like Austin Peay.

View attachment 487009

Hell, rankings mean nothing if they won't tackle and the QB is trash.

 

[titansvolsfaninga]

Defending National Champs and just annihilated Oregon in the opener.

They're . . . . elite.

Oregon sucks. What has Bo Nix done in his career to make Oregon worthy of being considered a good team? First year HC.....first time HC. And Oregon is #7?! GTFOH. Throw in a trash QB, and yall act like Oregon was the 85 Bears.

 

[GAVol]

Oregon sucks. What has Bo Nix done in his career to make Oregon worthy of being considered a good team? First year HC.....first time HC. And Oregon is #7?! GTFOH. Throw in a trash QB, and yall act like Oregon was the 85 Bears.

Who cares how good Oregon is? They're a decent P5 opponent and they just got their ass handed to them. I don't see what is so controversial about admitting that the defending national champs are elite.

 

[Clayton]

Right now I believe it will be during the three game stretch with Florida, Tennessee, and Mississippi State. Wouldn’t shock me if they lost two out of those three.

Simply nothing but wishful thinking

 

[LakeMaryFLVol]

Leaving off the G5 or less teams on the schedule here's how our opponents did after week 1:

Pitt (1-0): Beat WVU. Anyone who watched this game saw their O and D lines aren't where they were reported to be over Fall camp. DBs got bailed out by WVU WRs dropping almost everything that hit them in the hands. Rush D and Pass D were not strong. On offense, Slovis was meh. They aren't going to be able to keep up with our O next week.

Florida (1-0): Beat Utah. Guess what? A Pac 12 team was overrated. Utah's offense never had much of an identity. Even still, running towards uf's de #1 almost always led to a gain because that guy couldn't set an edge to save his life. Stat chaser, not team player. On D, play more zone and spy Richardson and 75% of the uf offense is negated. If the Utah qb (or entire offense) doesn't panic that entire last drive, uf loses and people talk about a 'good effort' from florida.

LSU (0-1): Lost to FSU. Terrible locker room culture. Coach who can't win big games. DL injured against FSU. D can't set the edge. O is dysfunctional. Hooker gonna feast. For the Brian Kelly lovers out there, here's his record while at ND vs the top 10:
2021: loss to number 7 cincy
2020: beat number 1 clemson without trevor lawrence, lost to number 3 clemson, lost to number 1 alabama
2019: lost to number 3 Georgia
2018: beat number 7 stanford, lost to number 2 clemson
2017: lost to number 7 Miami
2016: no top 10 games
2015: lost to number 7 ohio state
2014: lost to number 4 FSU
2013: lost to number 8 Stanford
2012: vacated
2011: lost to number 4 stanford
2010: no top 10 games
He was 2-10 with a win against Stanford and DJU.
***Edit to add Boutte has deleted all references to LSU on his social media. See locker room culture above.***

Alabama (1-0): Beat Utah St. Nothing gained from game against patsy.

Kentucky (1-0): Beat Miami Ohio. Led 13-10 at half. Nothing special on offense from uk. D was solid but nothing spectacular. Not worried about our game with them.

Georgia (1-0): Beat Oregon. Guess what? A Pac-12 team was overrated. Guess what else? Bo Nix still sucks. UGA has serious inexperience on D. Their run D was suspect. CBs were suspect. Their O looked good, but it was against a Pac-12 defense.

Missouri (1-0): Beat Louisiana Tech. Looked ok on O and D but it was La Tech after a coaching change and with a new qb. Mizzou wr #3 looked good.

South Carolina (1-0): Beat Georgia St. Losing to Ga St in 3rd qtr. Needed 2(!) blocked punts returned for tds to put the game away. Spencer Rattler won't be the starter by the time we play. No heart in that kid.

Candy (2-0): Beat Elon. Good job Vandy. You won 2 games. Now you will lose a lot. They are a cupcake who happens to be in the SEC.

Me likey the perspective

 

[BornAndRaisedVOL!]

No, we don't. Florida was a nothing team until SS came along in the 90s. I think their first national title was 1996. We won our 1st in the 40's or so. And we will beat them this year. Book it. Utes took them to the wire and qb made a mistake. A team that plays out west, where there is no humidity, came to the swamp and gave the gators all they could handle to the very last play. Fla will be at Neyland. We do have to contain AR. A duck can pull a truck.

FL didn't play TN annually until 1990. Since then, they have dominated us in the series, 24-7. They've beaten us when they've fielded the crappiest teams in recent memory. They've beaten us when we've had the better team. They've beaten us when we've checkered Neyland. And if we're being real, most of the games have not even been that competitive.

Let me help put this in perspective, during that same time period, 1990-present, our record against Vandy is 25-6. We are Florida's Vandy. Do you think they're worried about coming to Neyland and facing our great offense? No. Are you ever worried going to Vandy, even when they are supposed to have a great team? Probably not.

And this is why I think we lose. Our strength is our offense. Our defense is nothing special and there are real concerns that they are soft. I've just seen too many times over the past several years where a team with a mobile, athletic QB was our Achilles heel. It doesn't matter who our coaches & players are. We've never been able to neutralize that in big games.

Let me be clear....I despise FL. More than any other SEC team by far. I hope we beat them 70-0. But I'll believe it when I see it. And everyone on this board talking big about beating FL looks as ridiculous as Vandy fans talking big about beating us.

 

[ftsandersvol]

Simply nothing but wishful thinking

That's how games work. I played in many matches we were "supposed" to lose, but guess what, when the last whistle blew we were the ones celebrating. We did so because we exploited their few weaknesses and weren't intimidated.

 

[tennesseeduke]

Georgia was elite last year. They are not elite this year. They are not as efficient on offense or defense as they were last year. I expect our game with them will be an exciting one. We will have a chance, but they will be favored by 6-8 points.

WTF are you talking about? Put the beers down!

 

[OrangeRaid Vol #1]

FL didn't play TN annually until 1990. Since then, they have dominated us in the series, 24-7. They've beaten us when they've fielded the crappiest teams in recent memory. They've beaten us when we've had the better team. They've beaten us when we've checkered Neyland. And if we're being real, most of the games have not even been that competitive.

Let me help put this in perspective, during that same time period, 1990-present, our record against Vandy is 25-6. We are Florida's Vandy. Do you think they're worried about coming to Neyland and facing our great offense? No. Are you ever worried going to Vandy, even when they are supposed to have a great team? Probably not.

And this is why I think we lose. Our strength is our offense. Our defense is nothing special and there are real concerns that they are soft. I've just seen too many times over the past several years where a team with a mobile, athletic QB was our Achilles heel. It doesn't matter who our coaches & players are. We've never been able to neutralize that in big games.

Let me be clear....I despise FL. More than any other SEC team by far. I hope we beat them 70-0. But I'll believe it when I see it. And everyone on this board talking big about beating FL looks as ridiculous as Vandy fans talking big about beating us.

Thanks for a good, informative reply with many valid points. We both will be happy with a Florida loss and agree one of the keys to winning is containing AR. I think we have a Steve Spurrier type coach on our side now. And he did a lot of winning at Florida with his own high scoring offensive approach. Florida now has a Nick Saban tree coach who is proudly copying the Saban system to the last detail - like Muschamp, McElwain, Dooley, Pruitt. But there is only one Nick Saban. I think it is very difficult to win at the collegiate level if you do not have some of your own originality. Time will tell, but I like our chances this year at home. GO VOLS!!!

 

[BlinghamptonVol]

Got any stats to back up that claim on GA defense? Cause from what I seen all they did was reload and it was bad for the Ducks

I know only giving up 3 points to the #11 team seems like same ole georgia, but we can dive deeper.
Yards per carry:
2021 D: 2.6
2022 D: 4.5
That’s significant and something we can take advantage of. If we can run successfully, you know Kirby will creep the safeties up and give us one-on-ones with our receivers.

Yards per pass was actually improved this game over last year, but if you watched the game, it was the safeties making the plays, usually making up for blown coverages by the corners. Both Ints were safeties. There was a play that a receiver was wide open, Nix got the ball there late, and the uga safety clocked the dude, breaking up the pass. There was no corner in sight. Hooker has to be able to look off the safeties and I think we can win against their corners. Again, we need our run game to be clicking to help.

No idea what we do to stop their offense, but maybe we make it difficult for them to stop ours too.

 

[BlinghamptonVol]

Florida now has a Nick Saban tree coach who is proudly copying the Saban system to the last detail - like Muschamp, McElwain, Dooley, Pruitt. But there is only one Nick Saban. I think it is very difficult to win at the collegiate level if you do not have some of your own originality. Time will tell, but I like our chances this year at home. GO VOLS!!!

Kirby says hi.

I do like our chances this year and I love Heup. Just pointing out there is a Saban-tree coach who copied Saban’s System and did ok.