5 Considerations For Fans & This Team -- Old Guy's Take

[TENNFATZ]

I been to 2 trumo rallys

As don would say i approve this messge

 

[Alto1]

I've been following Tennessee football for 39 years, since Johnny Majors' first year as HC in 1977. I'm an optimist that loves this university and the teams that have battled on the gridiron over that span. I've seen many ups and downs over those 39 years that put the events of this past week in perspective. Here are my thoughts:

1) Coach Butch Jones needs to take control of this football team as a DECISIVE decision-maker. I'm troubled by reports that he allegedly asked the PLAYERS whether or not Jalen Hurd should play in a football game. The last time I checked, HE is being paid to make those decisions, not the players. If the players felt strongly enough to dispute that decision, that's one thing. But to ASK their advice on what to do...is quite another. Can you imagine Jim Harbaugh or Nick Saban doing that?

2) Jalen Hurd is a disgrace. He quit on his teammates and his coaches, so it was time to say goodbye. As talented as he was, my gut tells me that he was poison to that locker room. No player in his right mind screams at his coach during a football game, regardless of the situation. Furthermore, no player wearing the Power T on his helmet should EVER refuse to enter a football game if he is physically able to do so, or because of a dispute with a player or a coach. DO YOUR JOB! SET THE EXAMPLE! BE A LEADER! The NFL was watching. Character matters.

3) We have to win in the trenches to contend for a championship. As much as we want to blame the skill positions of RB and QB for committing turnovers and negative yardage plays, it takes a TEAM EFFORT for this to happen. I've seen what happens when Josh Dobbs has time to make a decision to throw or run. Those guys up front have to play better, or we may find ourselves on the losing end of more SEC games this year.

4) Stop wanting to fire people! The call to fire our coaching staff every time we lose a football game has to stop. We are a spoiled, pretentious fan base at times. Our hunger to win championships sometimes out-flanks the need to build this program back the right way. And...To the fan(s) who sought out Lane Kiffin after the Alabama game to ask him to come back to coach at this university, I say this: Not only NO, but HELL NO! I'll take Butch Jones any day of the week, and again on Saturdays, over Lane Kiffin...Period. Character matters. Al Davis tried to warn us -- remember?

5) Championship Teams Are Spawned From Championship Player-Leaders. Al Wilson, Peyton Manning, Tee Martin, Billy Ratliff, Deion Grant, Jason Witten. Locker room leaders stamp out poison before it becomes poisonous. They motivate, inspire, and demand the best from one another. They call out quitters and either set them adrift or change their outlook for the better. Derek Barnett, Cam Sutton, Alvin Kamara, Josh Dobbs, Todd Kelly Jr.... are their voices being heard?

Thanks for a GREAT post I agree with all 100%.

 

[Mullet Vol]

I just want to know how we are a spoiled fanbase? We haven't won anything in almost 20 years. Honestly we are one of the most patient fanbases in the SEC.

Florida fired Zook after doing exactly what Butch has done to this point. Exactly. They then went out and hired a winner and won 2 natty's.

 

[TXVol_44]

I just want to know how we are a spoiled fanbase? We haven't won anything in almost 20 years. Honestly we are one of the most patient fanbases in the SEC.

Florida fired Zook after doing exactly what Butch has done to this point. Exactly. They then went out and hired a winner and won 2 natty's.

20 years? It's been less than 10 since we went to the SEC championship game in 2007. In 2001 we had probably the best team in the nation and lost to LSU in a huge upset (ironically coached by Nick Sabah). So if you factor in the 90s and 2000s we had a terrific W-L percentage. That is the basis for my comment, not the last 7 years.

 

[Mullet Vol]

20 years? It's been less than 10 since we went to the SEC championship game in 2007. In 2001 we had probably the best team in the nation and lost to LSU in a huge upset (ironically coached by Nick Sabah). So if you factor in the 90s and 2000s we had a terrific W-L percentage. That is the basis for my comment, not the last 7 years.

Again, what did we win?

 

[Volsick]

The Hurd situation is the millennial generation manifest.

Such a bad stereotype. As a millennial I hate to say I agree. My generation is a bunch of spoiled babies. I get so sick of the safe spaces and coddling that is done. My dad raised me right however. With a bible and a belt.

 

[WesternKyVol]

loled when I got called to the part where I was called spoiled in the OP.

 

[OrangeYankee]

I've been following Tennessee football for 39 years, since Johnny Majors' first year as HC in 1977. I'm an optimist that loves this university and the teams that have battled on the gridiron over that span. I've seen many ups and downs over those 39 years that put the events of this past week in perspective. Here are my thoughts:

1) Coach Butch Jones needs to take control of this football team as a DECISIVE decision-maker. I'm troubled by reports that he allegedly asked the PLAYERS whether or not Jalen Hurd should play in a football game. The last time I checked, HE is being paid to make those decisions, not the players. If the players felt strongly enough to dispute that decision, that's one thing. But to ASK their advice on what to do...is quite another. Can you imagine Jim Harbaugh or Nick Saban doing that?

2) Jalen Hurd is a disgrace. He quit on his teammates and his coaches, so it was time to say goodbye. As talented as he was, my gut tells me that he was poison to that locker room. No player in his right mind screams at his coach during a football game, regardless of the situation. Furthermore, no player wearing the Power T on his helmet should EVER refuse to enter a football game if he is physically able to do so, or because of a dispute with a player or a coach. DO YOUR JOB! SET THE EXAMPLE! BE A LEADER! The NFL was watching. Character matters.

3) We have to win in the trenches to contend for a championship. As much as we want to blame the skill positions of RB and QB for committing turnovers and negative yardage plays, it takes a TEAM EFFORT for this to happen. I've seen what happens when Josh Dobbs has time to make a decision to throw or run. Those guys up front have to play better, or we may find ourselves on the losing end of more SEC games this year.

4) Stop wanting to fire people! The call to fire our coaching staff every time we lose a football game has to stop. We are a spoiled, pretentious fan base at times. Our hunger to win championships sometimes out-flanks the need to build this program back the right way. And...To the fan(s) who sought out Lane Kiffin after the Alabama game to ask him to come back to coach at this university, I say this: Not only NO, but HELL NO! I'll take Butch Jones any day of the week, and again on Saturdays, over Lane Kiffin...Period. Character matters. Al Davis tried to warn us -- remember?

5) Championship Teams Are Spawned From Championship Player-Leaders. Al Wilson, Peyton Manning, Tee Martin, Billy Ratliff, Deion Grant, Jason Witten. Locker room leaders stamp out poison before it becomes poisonous. They motivate, inspire, and demand the best from one another. They call out quitters and either set them adrift or change their outlook for the better. Derek Barnett, Cam Sutton, Alvin Kamara, Josh Dobbs, Todd Kelly Jr.... are their voices being heard?

1. Yes he does, in fact this is one of the areas he has shown great weakness in to date, but I will add a 1a: need to grow some testicular fortitude when you are inside the redzone, and take a calculated risk sometimes and just go for it on 4th down. I think he has left way too many opportunities on the field by just settling for 3 points.

2. I honestly am not a Hurd fan, but I won't go so far as to say he's a disgrace. Dude just was a square peg trying to be jammed in a round hole. The blame can really go both ways in this situation as I do believe Hurd was a detriment with his prima donna attitude, but Jones allowed that to fester beyond control, while not being willing to run an offensive formation that fit Hurd's style more.

3. This here is where I think the majority of what ills Jones's legacy lies. His O Lines have flat sucked since the dude got here, and have not gotten any better as a whole. Yes, they have had flashes of great potential here and there, but would go back to crap the next few games. There is no way a run heavy offense can do anything if the O Line is this ineffective. Things have absolutely got to improve here, and if they do, I think we see a much more productive offense and in turn, a much fresher and not as injury prone defense.

4. As far as the head coaching goes? This, so much this. Seriously, after 3 times now, what makes anyone think the 4th will be the charm? The only way a Saban/Meyer/Harbaugh happens is when Boosters open the checkbook and write north of 6 zeroes behind a digit. It is obvious Tennessee's boosters do not do that. With that kind of hand delt, I think Jones is a solid choice. The only person who should be resolved to his fate is Mahoney. Dude has had ample chance and must be replaced with someone. I honestly would love to see this system with someone competent at coaching an Oline

5. I can agree with this, but I also argue championships are also born from a lot of lightening in the bottle situations. Sadly, this was a year ripe with those. The sheer luck in winning nearly all of the first 5 games, the fact that East was so bad this year, and the fact that had so many veterans forego the NFL to play one more season. Yes, it all got squandered, and I think moving forward, Jones absolutely must learn what he did to cause much of that happening and improve on it.

With that said, I will say I'd love to see a true legend come to UT and win lots of NCs and SEC championships. Who wouldn't? But firing Jones this year will not all of a sudden bring one in. And the odds of getting a downgrade are much larger, by exponential factors, than actually landing the next Saban/Meyer/Harbaugh. Peterson does not want to come here. Gruden does not want to come here. Herman has shown this year that he is more of a gamble than he originally let on. And the screw you money required to sell our soul to a Petrino is obviously not coming from the boosters. Not only that Butch has a hefty buyout now.

So in the end, I'd actually love to see UT NOT give him any kind of extension (or raise), and for Jones to show Mahoney the door, and find his manhood in deep situations and see what dude can do with a real OL at his disposal.

 

[voljohn22]

I've been following Tennessee football for 39 years, since Johnny Majors' first year as HC in 1977. I'm an optimist that loves this university and the teams that have battled on the gridiron over that span. I've seen many ups and downs over those 39 years that put the events of this past week in perspective. Here are my thoughts:

1) Coach Butch Jones needs to take control of this football team as a DECISIVE decision-maker. I'm troubled by reports that he allegedly asked the PLAYERS whether or not Jalen Hurd should play in a football game. The last time I checked, HE is being paid to make those decisions, not the players. If the players felt strongly enough to dispute that decision, that's one thing. But to ASK their advice on what to do...is quite another. Can you imagine Jim Harbaugh or Nick Saban doing that?

2) Jalen Hurd is a disgrace. He quit on his teammates and his coaches, so it was time to say goodbye. As talented as he was, my gut tells me that he was poison to that locker room. No player in his right mind screams at his coach during a football game, regardless of the situation. Furthermore, no player wearing the Power T on his helmet should EVER refuse to enter a football game if he is physically able to do so, or because of a dispute with a player or a coach. DO YOUR JOB! SET THE EXAMPLE! BE A LEADER! The NFL was watching. Character matters.

3) We have to win in the trenches to contend for a championship. As much as we want to blame the skill positions of RB and QB for committing turnovers and negative yardage plays, it takes a TEAM EFFORT for this to happen. I've seen what happens when Josh Dobbs has time to make a decision to throw or run. Those guys up front have to play better, or we may find ourselves on the losing end of more SEC games this year.

4) Stop wanting to fire people! The call to fire our coaching staff every time we lose a football game has to stop. We are a spoiled, pretentious fan base at times. Our hunger to win championships sometimes out-flanks the need to build this program back the right way. And...To the fan(s) who sought out Lane Kiffin after the Alabama game to ask him to come back to coach at this university, I say this: Not only NO, but HELL NO! I'll take Butch Jones any day of the week, and again on Saturdays, over Lane Kiffin...Period. Character matters. Al Davis tried to warn us -- remember?

5) Championship Teams Are Spawned From Championship Player-Leaders. Al Wilson, Peyton Manning, Tee Martin, Billy Ratliff, Deion Grant, Jason Witten. Locker room leaders stamp out poison before it becomes poisonous. They motivate, inspire, and demand the best from one another. They call out quitters and either set them adrift or change their outlook for the better. Derek Barnett, Cam Sutton, Alvin Kamara, Josh Dobbs, Todd Kelly Jr.... are their voices being heard?

Excellent post OP. My first trip to Neyland was just before my eighth birthday in 1976. I saw Bill Battle lose to Kentucky 7 to 0. I think coach Battle had already been informed that he would be gone at the end of the season. I didn't understand at the time, but after the game, some fans were singing When Johnny Comes Marching Home.

 

[1973Vol]

One of the best threads I have ever read on Vol Nation... good points and debate!!

Go Vols from a Semi-Ole' VFL !

 

[Tin Man]

I saw my first game in 1946, 70 years ago.

Well, then, I'll call you sir. :hi:

 

[TXVol_44]

I can't fault him for leaving because he said USC was the only job he would leave for. It's the manner in which he left.

He might have said that in hindsight, but I bet he failed to disclose that in the interview!

 

[Tin Man]

Bottom line: Kiffin deserves a few good kicks to the groin. May Layla deliver them with pointy toed cowboy boots on.

 

[Tin Man]

Well, Prime-Of-Lifer, Alpha Male, TxVol_44, you author a fine football thread, and what's more, you respond conversantly throughout.

 

[Tin Man]

TxVol_44, I'm not much for handing out advice, but, in your fifties, woman will question their assumptions of your innate stupidity and wonder as to your finally achieving adulthood. Enjoy this decade of your life. It is the Indian Summer for you. From birth throughout your thirties, men are oft aptly described as eternal children. Your forties bring you your first real respect as alpha (if you demonstrate some awareness of the consequences of male childish stupidity - mortgage, children, responsibility...). Your fifties are it, my friend. Once you reach your sixties, those that know you best will begin to note aloud signs of the onset of second childhood (the fate of all male humans). Words like, "curmudgeon" and phrases like, "you're as bad as your/my grandson" will be aimed at you with the inflection of truth. They're not niggling you with banter; they are actually beginning to believe it.

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch. :hi: