9 Wins?

#101
#101
tnutater said:
Some might question the fact that we did not beat a team with a pulse or winning conference record last season.
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10-3 (5-3) Kentucky begs to differ. They remember getting beat by the Vols, even if you don't.

And don't go moving the goalposts. You and I both agree Kentucky ain't all that. But you said a team with a winning conference record, and a pulse, and KY had both in 2021.

tnutater said:
I am a Vol fan that expects a 5-3 conference record as proof of improvement.
I am a Vol fan that demands an undefeated OOC slate.
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You don't demand squat, tnutater. Or at least, if you do, no one but your mom cares.

Keep yourself in perspective.
 
#102
#102
VFL-82-JP said:
I think tnutater is right. It's really not a meaningful improvement.

8-4 (4-4) in 2022 after 7-5 (4-4) in 2021 is this: instead of barely losing to Pitt, we beat them. That's it. That's the diffference.

Pitt isn't any part of our goal. Sure, sure, we want to win every game. And if we were at the point of competing for a spot in the CFP, winning out of conference would be almost as important as winning in conference.

But we're not there yet.

For now, our #1 goal is to win the East. That's our next step forward. Flipping a (barely) L to a (barely) W against Pitt doesn't help.

So I'm with him; it's really not an improvement. Not what we need. We need 5-3 or better in the SEC.
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That would be beating Pitt on the road versus losing to them at home, AND winning a warm weather bowl game. That's improvement to me. Realistically, it's probably at least 2024 before we are a real threat to win the East, and that's if recruiting goes great the next couple of years. Bama signed 15 top 100 players last year, UGA signed 12, we signed 0. There are 4-5 classes on campus for all 3 schools with that kind of talent disparity. I'd love to beat Bama and UGA but I'd be satisfied to see us start beating everyone else consistently first, every step we take toward that is important.
 
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#103
#103
The two biggest games of the season are Pitt and Florida, those two games are the difference in a possible 9-3 regular season to a 6-6 season which would be huge disappointment and a step back.
 
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#105
#105
The season will be determined by how the Vols fare against Florida, LSU, and South Carolina.

Florida is . . . Well, Florida until we show we can beat them.

Hard to beat LSU on the road - they have more talent (probably) and home field. We have 2 weeks to prepare for them I think.

South Carolina will be a tough road test.

I say we lose to Bama, UGA, Florida, and LSU and finish 8-4.

Injuries in the wrong places could lead to 7-5.

We are nowhere near the talent / experience / depth to win 10 games.
 
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#106
#106
Go47 said:
The season will be determined by how the Vols fare against Florida, LSU, and South Carolina.

Florida is . . . Well, Florida until we show we can beat them.

Hard to beat LSU on the road - they they have more talent (probably) and home field. We have 2 weeks to prepare for them I think.

South Carolina will be a tough road test.

I say we lost to Bama, UGA, Florida, and LSU and finish 8-4.

Injuries is the wrong places could lead to 7-5.

We are nowhere near the talent / experience / depth to win 10 games.
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The Pitt game is huge too and on the road early in the season that is no guarantee win. I don’t think our defense will be much improved than last season and that will keep opposing teams in the game. We will have to win some shootouts.
 
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#107
#107
sunnyvol79 said:
The Pitt game is huge too and on the road early in the season that is no guarantee win. I don’t think our defense will be much improved than last season and that will keep opposing teams in the game. We will have to win some shootouts.
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I agree - and shootouts are most likely determined even more than normal . . . By turnovers.
 
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#108
#108
VFL-82-JP said:
10-3 (5-3) Kentucky begs to differ. They remember getting beat by the Vols, even if you don't.

And don't go moving the goalposts. You and I both agree Kentucky ain't all that. But you said a team with a winning conference record, and a pulse, and KY had both in 2021.


You don't demand squat, tnutater. Or at least, if you do, no one but your mom cares.

Keep yourself in perspective.
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Owe an apology for forgetting KY and should have said I expect, not demand .
However , since you brought my mother into it, none is forthcoming.
 
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#111
#111
volbound1700 said:
LSU has a soft early schedule and could easily come into the game with Tennessee undefeated and full of confidence.
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LSU is so talented, right? But they're pretty much the same gang who went 6-7 last year. Lost to Kentucky, 42-21. Lost to Ole Miss, 31-17. Lost to Kansas State, 42-20. New coach, right? But in his first year at a new place.

I'm not saying let's pencil LSU in as a "W" or anything. I'm just saying let's don't turn them magically into world beaters, either.

We have a real chance in every game this coming season, excepting maybe UGa and Bama. We won't go 10-2, probably, but we have a fighting chance in most of the games. Including LSU, who could come into our game 5-0, or might lose to Florida State, Mississippi State, and Auburn (again, just like last year) ... and show up 2-3.

Go Vols!
 
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#112
#112
Think the Pitt game is huge. And I don’t think it will be easy. I know they lost the QB but they return literally almost everything else. And Slovis isn’t bad himself.
 
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#113
#113
Vol8188 said:
Calling it a stumble seems excessive. All progress is not linear nor is it always measured through wins/losses
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It is when it's in a thread titled " 9 Wins", with a follow up discussion on if that is feasible......
 
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#114
#114
Rooster1 said:
It is in a thread titled " 9 Wins", and a follow discussion on if it will happen.
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The OP choosing to define success in terms of wins is the exact issue I’m disagreeing with. Especially when referring to it as a stumble if we do not win 9
 
#115
#115
It's got to be double digit wins before the bowl game for me to get excited again
 
#116
#116
I’m gonna be really optimistic here and say we win 10. I’ll also say Hooker wins SEC Player of the Year.
 
#117
#117
I guess I'm the only person not buying the South Carolina hype. Rattler played poorly at OU and lost his job to a true freshman. At Ou he had: one of the best offensive/ qb developing coaches in college football, top 5 talent around him, and played a weaker schedule. At sc he will have a guy who makes a living on fake punts, zero dynamic play makers and a mediocre o line, and be beaten up from playing tougher competition all season. We will roll uscjr. And kentucky ain't beating us at home. Lsu and Pitt are toss ups. I have to see us best Florida to believe that. Bama and uga will beat us. I could see 6-6 if everything goes against us, 10-2 if every break goes our way. Im hoping for at least 8- 4 with a win over the gators.
 
#118
#118
I think 8-4 is the minimum for a successful season. Not that a failure would be end of the world.

Anything less will feel like what we got under Kiffin, Dooley, Jones, and Pruitt. Unacceptable at UT.
 
#120
#120
Not trying to draw hate but, LSU, Florida, Ky and S.C could go either way. I also won't concede Ga and Bama as loses. We have a darn good coaching staff that I believe instill confidence and knowledge into our team . Go Vols !!!!
 
#121
#121
swampfoxfan said:
Not trying to draw hate but, LSU, Florida, Ky and S.C could go either way. I also won't concede Ga and Bama as loses. We have a darn good coaching staff that I believe instill confidence and knowledge into our team . Go Vols !!!!
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Pitt too. 8-4 will be a better record than folks are giving it credit for now.
 
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#124
#124
Southern_Accent said:
I guess I'm the only person not buying the South Carolina hype. Rattler played poorly at OU and lost his job to a true freshman. At Ou he had: one of the best offensive/ qb developing coaches in college football, top 5 talent around him, and played a weaker schedule. At sc he will have a guy who makes a living on fake punts, zero dynamic play makers and a mediocre o line, and be beaten up from playing tougher competition all season. We will roll uscjr. And kentucky ain't beating us at home. Lsu and Pitt are toss ups. I have to see us best Florida to believe that. Bama and uga will beat us. I could see 6-6 if everything goes against us, 10-2 if every break goes our way. Im hoping for at least 8- 4 with a win over the gators.
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Agree on uscjr.

We have beaten them 3 years in a row and we're up 35 ZIP against them last year.

Nobody can tell me that's a toss up game.
 
#125
#125
hUTch2002 said:
They’re ranked in almost everyone’s top 25 and seem to be ahead of us in most rankings I’ve seen. That doesn’t sound like rebuilding.
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No one knows what to make of the Coastal Division of the ACC. No one has been able to decipher them for years.

Some journalists and pundits think Miami is back. No, this year. Well, okay, this year, really. Okay, maybe this year. Hmm....

Many like to try to ride either North Carolina or Virginia Tech. UNC got a particularly big shot of journalist-hype when Mack Brown rejoined the coaching ranks. Neither of those teams have panned out, after repeated attempts to get them kick-started.

So Pitt is the hot favorite. They did really well last year. That makes them the trendy pick this year.

And the AP and Coaches' poll voters will usually mostly try to rank at least one team from each division of the SEC, B10, and ACC each year. Just because, well, someone has to win those divisions, get to the conference championship games, and be one step away from having a solid case at the national playoffs.

That's why Pitt is ranked. Not necessarily based on the strength of their (depleted) roster.

In short, they could be rebuilding and still be ranked thanks to the "who else we gonna pick?" conundrum.
 
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