A View from Big Ben: Is Josh Heupel lucky?

#76
#76
Always love reading your threads brother. You have a way with words. You done got me craving some fish and chips too.
 
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#77
#77
Go aeiou said:
We were on 44th row. The play was right in front of us. He awkwardly placed the ball on the ground for us. I was ready to walk out of the game before the play, but dear wife wanted to stay. Thanks sweetheart.
Stoerner is a good guy these days.
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I was at home watching the game on a just-purchased 42” TV. I don’t think I have ever reacted to a play more viscerally than I did that play, not even the Dobb-nail boot play. I screamed “He fumbled!” and came up off the ottoman I was sitting on. Scared my wife to death. I think we all knew they would not stop us from scoring at that point.
 
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#79
#79
Go aeiou said:
We were on 44th row. The play was right in front of us. He awkwardly placed the ball on the ground for us. I was ready to walk out of the game before the play, but dear wife wanted to stay. Thanks sweetheart.
Stoerner is a good guy these days.
Click to expand...
I just now got your username.

Nice!
 
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#80
#80
Go aeiou said:
We were on 44th row. The play was right in front of us. He awkwardly placed the ball on the ground for us. I was ready to walk out of the game before the play, but dear wife wanted to stay. Thanks sweetheart.
Stoerner is a good guy these days.
Click to expand...
I was walking out and missed it. Heading for the exit when an old man screamed "Holy Sh*t" and the place erupted. I turned around and hauled ass back to my seat and witnessed Henry run it straight down their throats. The stadium felt like it was about to crumble. I'll never forget that day as long as I live
 
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#84
#84
Brave Volunteer said:
Fantastic post! Here are a few other lucky factors that have worked in Huepel's favor...

NIL and the transfer portal: Make no mistake, a good portion of Huepel's early success can be attributed to the timing of the introduction of NIL and the transfer portal! Without those two factors, this rebuild would've taken way longer! This really helped to expedite the process! Without NIL, I dont think we get a lot of the players we got so early in Huepel's tenure.

Weak 2024 and 2025 schedules: Let's face it, a big reason we won 10 games last year is we benefitted from a relatively soft schedule. All of our OOC opponents were terrible and we played the worst ranked teams in the SEC last year. Plus 2 of our 3 toughest rivalry games were at home. Similarly, our schedule is fairly soft again this season other than the road games and that could be worth a 2 game swing. However considering the youth of this team and the sudden loss of our QB, I dont think too many people would be upset at Huepel for turning in an 8-4 season.
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Great points Brave Volunteer, I applaud you. The schedule is kind again and if we can nick Georgia at home or Florida away (Alabama away is our hardest game) and avoid losing at home to Oklahoma or a silly game then 10-2 is on. I guess 2026 will might be a "bitch" when it comes to the schedule, but I also think we will be stronger as there are only a few players out of eligibility next year and some real real studs on their way
dduncan4163 said:
Always looking love reading your threads brother. You have a way with words. You done got me craving some fish and chips too.
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Thank you for the comment, I always said that I am a fraud and one I will be rumbled that I haven't a clue what I am talking about, the only way I can assess when that day arrives is the lack of likes or comments such as yours on my ramblings

FISH and HIPS :):):):)
 
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#85
#85
TennEddie said:
It has aged me quite a bit. I love it, but I wouldn’t recommend it for the “ thin skinned “,
or faint of heart.
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On the other hand, Vandy fans have been known to slip into their graves without ever realizing they'd died.
 
#86
#86
London Vol said:
Great points Brave Volunteer, I applaud you. The schedule is kind again and if we can nick Georgia at home or Florida away (Alabama away is our hardest game) and avoid losing at home to Oklahoma or a silly game then 10-2 is on. I guess 2026 will might be a "bitch" when it comes to the schedule, but I also think we will be stronger as there are only a few players out of eligibility next year and some real real studs on their way


Thank you for the comment, I always said that I am a fraud and one I will be rumbled that I haven't a clue what I am talking about, the only way I can assess when that day arrives is the lack of likes or comments such as yours on my ramblings

FISH and HIPS :):):):)
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I always look forward to your post game write ups. They add to the joy of wins and take some of the sting out of losses. The board is better with you here Hoss. Never stop being you. 👊
 
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#87
#87
Big Orange Captain said:
Kentucky was worse than us
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You’re wrong. Their record during those seasons including 2020 was 54-57. Tennessee was 49-57 with 2020 wins being vacated due to Pruitt’s stupidity. Even adding his 3 wins, Ky had a better record.

Just being in their category over a 10 year period says the program was at “rock bottom”.

CORRECTION: actually. I’m the one wrong. My calculations overlooked Pruitt’s high water mark 8 win season that included losses to Ga State, BYU & that “resounding” 1 pt win over Indiana. Vols were 57 wins compared to Ky 54.

I apologize. You are correct.
 
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#88
#88
wmcovol said:
You’re wrong. Their record during those seasons including 2020 was 54-57. Tennessee was 49-57 with 2020 wins being vacated due to Pruitt’s stupidity. Even adding his 3 wins, Ky had a better record.

Just being in their category over a 10 year period says the program was at “rock bottom”.
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I didn’t have the stomach nor heart 🧡 to verify the numbers but I knew it was bad. That bad? …the pain… onward through the fog!
 
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#90
#90
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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McGuire’s Pub in Destin and now a new location in Panama City. Closest thing to good British Isles grub.
 
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#94
#94
I personally think that mindset/program perception is a big deal. I think the best thing that Heupel provided to Tennessee was confidence.

It is noteworthy that a few players that played for both Heupel and Pruitt cited that the "greatest" difference between the two is that the team felt like they could go into games like Alabama and win with Heupel while they never felt that with Pruitt.
 
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#95
#95
I likewise think the Tennessee passing offense will be improved over last season.

I think the real keys for this upcoming season will be how much falloff we have in the rushing offense and overall defense from last season. If it is minimal, we could be pretty good.
 
#98
#98
London Vol said:
Is Josh Heupel lucky?

Hello Volnation its August again and time to come out of hibernation.

I am a big fan of Josh Heupel, any man who has won 30 games in three years get my support. Try to remember the pre Heupel days when the last time Tennessee beat Alabama or Florida the players wore leather helmets; when the Vols went 0-6 in SEC play and when Kentucky and Vanderbilt had winning streaks against the boys in Orange. Yes, I am a big fan, but I am asking the question is he also lucky?

Napoleon once said when being offered a new general “I know he’s good but is he lucky?” it seems Napoleon knew the importance of being lucky.

Lucky No 1
If it wasn’t for the appointment by Tennessee of Heupel’s AD at UCF Danny White, I think feathersax probably had a better chance of the getting the job at Knoxville. As they say ‘right place right time’.

Lucky No 2
Josh personally recruited Joe Milton whilst he inherited Hendon Hooker and Josh anointed Milton as QB1. If Milton had not got hurt, I am sure Hooker would never have had the chance to cement his name in Tennessee folklore. Definitely ‘by accident than design’

Lucky No 3
Josh put all his chips on 32 Red or more accurately Nico Iamaleava (this is the last time I call him Nico, he is no friend or member of the Vol family). But by strange fate he swapped a 3 star journeyman for a 5 star Heisman candidate and I think he will have won again, here is why:

American Football loves a good measurement, how fast can he run? how high can he jump? how big is the Quarterbacks hands? How long is the Offensive Tackles arms?. But there is one thing that there is no method on how to measure and that is if he is A Gamer.

I have watched quite a bit of tape of Joey Aguilar and here are my observations. Firstly, you will notice this season that even when the ‘heat is coming’ this guy doesn’t lower his eyes, he keeps focused on the route regardless of the impending punishment coming (no running out of bounds on the last play by this guy). Secondly, he throws what I bizarrely call ‘catchable balls’, the TEs and Slot Receivers are going to love this guy. Thirdly, his arm strength is good enough for the deep ball which is such a staple of the Huepel offense. Fourthly, people will highlight the number of INTs he threw at App State but when you go back to the tape this guy was often 14 points down in the 1st Quarter and regularly put the team on his back and took many chances for the good of the team. I believe JA will win a least one game this season on his own.

If I can come back to arm strength, remember the five last quarterbacks are Dobbs, Hooker, Milton, Iamaleava and Aguilar, now Milton and Iamaleava had by far the strongest arms, but that really means nothing when throwing from the deck of a ship in the ocean, they would rarely hit water. Yes Dobbs, Hooker and now I believe Aguilar were and are the most successful of the five because I believe they were and are Gamers.

I know it s the time of year where everybody wallows in optimism, but I really think we, by accident or design, have the better quarterback than UCLA and this season is going to be a pleasant surprise.

GO VOLS
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Some luck but I will say he has been UNLUCKY, especially early on:

2021:
- Lost a close game at Pitt after ACC (THREE TIMES!) incorrectly spotted the ball on 4th downs, also blocked a FG for TD return that was called back
- Lost a close game vs Ole Miss after 4 controversial calls (including the TD called back) and Kiffin's BS "injuries" every 3rd and 4th downs.
- Lost a close game to Purdue after two blown calls, the worst being the non TD call at the end of OT

2022:
- Loses a legit chance at NC after SC cheated to get our defensive playcalls, and Hooker's nasty bad luck injury

2023:
- Loses a legit chance to beat Bama 3 straight years, after refs called no obvious holding on 2 of Bama's TDs and the stupid "he was calling fair catch" call

2024:
- Nico drama on and off the field, including his terrible play at Arkansas at the end with the game on the line
- The playoffs deciding to go with the incorrect seeding process giving Boise and ASU byes, forcing UT to play at Ohio State in the first round instead of hosting SMU in Neyland
 
#99
#99
Rickyvol77 said:
Some luck but I will say he has been UNLUCKY, especially early on:

2021:
- Lost a close game at Pitt after ACC (THREE TIMES!) incorrectly spotted the ball on 4th downs, also blocked a FG for TD return that was called back
- Lost a close game vs Ole Miss after 4 controversial calls (including the TD called back) and Kiffin's BS "injuries" every 3rd and 4th downs.
- Lost a close game to Purdue after two blown calls, the worst being the non TD call at the end of OT

2022:
- Loses a legit chance at NC after SC cheated to get our defensive playcalls, and Hooker's nasty bad luck injury

2023:
- Loses a legit chance to beat Bama 3 straight years, after refs called no obvious holding on 2 of Bama's TDs and the stupid "he was calling fair catch" call

2024:
- Nico drama on and off the field, including his terrible play at Arkansas at the end with the game on the line
- The playoffs deciding to go with the incorrect seeding process giving Boise and ASU byes, forcing UT to play at Ohio State in the first round instead of hosting SMU in Neyland
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@Rickyvol77 , Good to have you back!
 
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