A View from Big Ben: Is Josh Heupel lucky?

#51
#51
DonDiego said:
Nothing wrong with being slightly critical of a football team. Problem is, there is almost never a thread that you post on where you're not negative. That's the reason you get so much flak from other posters. You're either a pretend fan troll or one of the most miserable people alive.
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The premise of most threads is “we are the best, our players are the best, our coaches are the best.” It is like that every year on any Tennessee message board, regardless of how well or how badly the season plays out. There were fans on this board who would have given Jeremy Pruitt a lifetime contract in 2020, Butch Jones a lifetime contract in 2017, and Derek Dooley a lifetime contract in 2012. It’s impossible to talk reasonably and not sound negative in comparison when a majority of posters are absolutely delusional about the team on a yearly basis.

Heupel had some things beyond his control working against him when he took the job. But he also has had a good deal of luck. Saying he has had luck and citing the fact that he lucked into Hooker against his own judgment is not negative, it is reality. Based on how his high school recruits have performed, he is also very lucky to be here during the portal era. Saying someone has luck does not mean they are bad and is not a negative thing. We had luck in 98 too (although some people get pissed when you say that as well).

Also, for the record, getting irate any time someone disagrees with what you want to be true doesn’t make you a positive person. Saying we are going undefeated every year and then getting heated over someone saying we will lose a couple games looks more miserable to me than someone saying “I don’t think the football team I root for is going to be too great this year.”
 
#52
#52
LegionnaireOfTheMiserable said:
No, and most of you whiny piss ants wouldn’t dare talk to me or anyone else over 5’8” in person the way yall do on here. In the real world, people don’t get outraged at someone being slightly critical of a football team. That’s a pretty uniquely online phenomenon
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#53
#53
VOLdo Raine said:
On the subject of luck-

My uncle, and probably others: “I’d rather be lucky than good.”

Gene Simmons: “The harder I work, the luckier I get.”

Finally, the one play that REALLY stands out to me from the ‘98 season, the stumble and fumble. No matter how you look at it, that was a lucky play!
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The Gene Simmons quote has been attributed to several people…Gary Player and Lee Trevino to name two…and most importantly…my daughters violin teacher growing up. I am one who whole hardly agrees with the statement….regardless of who originally said it! Glad you’re recovering London Vol…great to see you back!
 
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#54
#54
VOLdo Raine said:
On the subject of luck-

My uncle, and probably others: “I’d rather be lucky than good.”

Gene Simmons: “The harder I work, the luckier I get.”

Finally, the one play that REALLY stands out to me from the ‘98 season, the stumble and fumble. No matter how you look at it, that was a lucky play!
Click to expand...
The stumble and fumble in ‘98 had more to do with Billy Ratliff knocking the O lineman into
the Arky backfield and tripping up his QB than luck. An absolute terrific play.
 
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#55
#55
As for the “positive people,” college football is hope eternal. This is especially true before the season begins. No matter who is on the roster, no matter the coaching staff, the breaks could go their way. “This could be the year!” is an outcry of hope.

Undefeated until they ain’t…
 
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#56
#56
Heupel took over the worst SEC football program during the 2011-2020 decade. Today he’s won over 70% of his games & got Tennessee back in the top 10-15 national rankings both in performance & recruiting. I don’t see luck playing a part.
 
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#58
#58
wmcovol said:
Heupel took over the worst SEC football program during the 2011-2020 decade. Today he’s won over 70% of his games & got Tennessee back in the top 10-15 national rankings both in performance & recruiting. I don’t see luck playing a part.
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Surely, Danny White saw something in him when he hired him at UCF. Glad he brought CJH to Tennessee.
 
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#62
#62
VOLdo Raine said:
On the subject of luck-

My uncle, and probably others: “I’d rather be lucky than good.”

Gene Simmons: “The harder I work, the luckier I get.”

Finally, the one play that REALLY stands out to me from the ‘98 season, the stumble and fumble. No matter how you look at it, that was a lucky play!
Click to expand...
The luck was in the QB rolling out. Dumb play call by AR. They should have handed the ball off and punted. Pretty good chance they win if they do that. On the rollout, Billy Ratliff bull rushed the guard into the QB and caused him to stumble. Great play by Ratliff.
 
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#63
#63
TennEddie said:
The stumble and fumble in ‘98 had more to do with Billy Ratliff knocking the O lineman into
the Arky backfield and tripping up his QB than luck. An absolute terrific play.
Click to expand...
I've had this discussion with an Arkansas fan (typical insecure Hog fan who is constantly trying to convince me Hogs belong in SEC) many times. That Ratliff push was massive. Without it...we never make that play.
 
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#64
#64
tennrich1 said:
I've had this discussion with an Arkansas fan (typical insecure Hog fan who is constantly trying to convince me Hogs belong in SEC) many times. That Ratliff push was massive. Without it...we never make that play.
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Actually, the refs blew the call on the Ark bad snap on the punt that they rewarded Tennessee a safety with about 6 min left. Ark was punting from about their 30 up 24-20. The snap went over the punters head. The Ark punted kicked the ball backwards thru the end zone from the 6 yd line. The correct call should have been “illegal kicking” & Tennessee rewarded the ball at the 3 first down. Instead they allowed Ark to give up a safety & punt Tennessee back to about their Tennessee 35 yd line.

Everything came out ok…. & right.
 
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#65
#65
LegionnaireOfTheMiserable said:
The premise of most threads is “we are the best, our players are the best, our coaches are the best.” It is like that every year on any Tennessee message board, regardless of how well or how badly the season plays out. There were fans on this board who would have given Jeremy Pruitt a lifetime contract in 2020, Butch Jones a lifetime contract in 2017, and Derek Dooley a lifetime contract in 2012. It’s impossible to talk reasonably and not sound negative in comparison when a majority of posters are absolutely delusional about the team on a yearly basis.

Heupel had some things beyond his control working against him when he took the job. But he also has had a good deal of luck. Saying he has had luck and citing the fact that he lucked into Hooker against his own judgment is not negative, it is reality. Based on how his high school recruits have performed, he is also very lucky to be here during the portal era. Saying someone has luck does not mean they are bad and is not a negative thing. We had luck in 98 too (although some people get pissed when you say that as well).

Also, for the record, getting irate any time someone disagrees with what you want to be true doesn’t make you a positive person. Saying we are going undefeated every year and then getting heated over someone saying we will lose a couple games looks more miserable to me than someone saying “I don’t think the football team I root for is going to be too great this year.”
Click to expand...
You just take on the world at every turn, not sure if it's some sort of hatred for the team, you're just miserable as a person, or just looking for attention. Nah, I'm going to go with miserable.
 
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#66
#66

Your top 10 active leaders in wins vs. AP Top 25 teams in the 2020s are …​

  • 1. Kirby Smart (Georgia), 23
  • 2. Ryan Day (Ohio State), 17
  • 3. Kalen DeBoer (Alabama), 15
  • 4. Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame), 14
  • 5. Steve Sarkisian (Texas), 12
  • T6. Josh Heupel (Tennessee), 11
  • T6. Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State),
www.saturdaydownsouth.com

10 noteworthy stats about college football coaches against ranked teams

How have college football coaches performed in big-time games? Dig into the numbers and they'll tell quite the tale.
www.saturdaydownsouth.com
 
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#67
#67
TennEddie said:
The stumble and fumble in ‘98 had more to do with Billy Ratliff knocking the O lineman into
the Arky backfield and tripping up his QB than luck. An absolute terrific play.
Click to expand...
Agree that Ratliff knocked the OLineman back, but odds are still higher that he trips up Stoerner, and the ball is down. The manner in which Stoerner fumbled that ball….and that Ratliff was then in position to jump on it…that’s still some luck IMHO.
 
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#68
#68
In my little brain it's funny/ironic to read the discussion here of luck vs. preparation vs. execution... after listening to a podcast debate between neo-Darwinism, theistic evolution, and intelligent design. The parallels between the arguments are comparable, and might say as much about human nature as about either subject.

Carry on. (Just waiting for someone to bring up games in which luck/"luck" worked against Tennessee, to see where that takes the discussion.)

"Lesser gods may be monitoring this conversation for training purposes."
 
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#72
#72
AlsaceFreak said:
Funny, right before reading this post by London Vol, I mentioned that I was craving Fish and Chips. The problem I have is that my nearest restaurant with the dish charges $28 and I refuse to pay that much. 30A tourist prices ugh. Anyway, I loved the post so much I gave in..
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Which town/restaurant did you get those fish and chips.
We are currently in Alaska(cruise). Excellent F&C.
 
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