Anybody bitching about this is a dumbass…

[BernardKingGOAT]

I was pointing out that coaching is the only reason we were in the game. The team was as well-prepared to play as any TN team in a while. There were a couple spots where I was puzzled by the calls, but they still put the team in position to win with 7 seconds.

Recruiting sure is part of coaching and TN's staff will always have to be 3X better than GA's staff, and travel 3X harder than GA to source that talent. And that may understate the issue.

In 2025 for example, GA produced 460% more elite in-state talent than TN and more than any other state. SEC states TX and FL are typically in the top 3-4 of talent. AL produces more talent. MD produces slightly more elite talent. We're along the lines of MS/SC in elite HS talent.
In-state talent is considerably easier to retain, so you don't have to keep working the same guys multiple times.

The 2026 class is shaping up to be elite. After the program hitting rock bottom, sanctions and working its way out of reductions. After 15 years of essentially being Maryland or South Carolina. Josh Heupel is doing that with 4th QB in four years, a journeyman guy. It's nothing sort of remarkable.

When no coach of note wanted to even come here and we took the guy with a mid-tier resume and 3 years HC experience. I submit that decision is working out well for TN.

Yep. Heupel has done something here no other coach has in my lifetime. Even in the mid 1970s when Majors took over, we weren't the dumpster fire like it was in 2021 when Heupel took over. It took Majors about 7 years before we were competitive nationally. Heupel did it in year 2. Fulmer took over a team with top 5 talent.

 

[landscapingvol]

We went toe to toe with a far superior -talent wise- heavyweight and lost on a missed FG.

We came back when it looked bleakest and it took a miracle bomb on 4th down from them to even get it to that point.

I am VERY impressed with where this program has come from. Please remember this is a rebuilding year with a QB that’s been on campus but a few months and no D Line and both corners out.

Future bright !!

Again, don’t be a dumbass.

38 points should have been enough points to beat Georgia at home. Stop making excuses for Tim Banks, he is the weak link on the staff

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

38 points should have been enough points to beat Georgia at home. Stop making excuses for Tim Banks, he is the weak link on the staff

That's not his reputation among those who have coached or played the game, and do analysis for a living now. What do you know about him that they don't know?

 

[MadMaxSC]

You don’t have to be a dumbass to at least question some of the decisions. I agree that they are far more talented. But we had this game wrapped just about. We had gained late momentum and Georgia was on their heels. What do we do with that. Run 3 times up the middle after a turnover. Kick on 3rd down when we had 7 seconds left. It was by no means a shoe in. It was a long one.

It's easy to sit in front of the TV and question decisions that a HC has to make, while the play clock is running. CJH didn't play Defense and he isn't the DC. We couldn't stop the run and a more physical team just wore us out. Look at that Dawg run on their 1st play of OT. Even I could have run against that D. Playing with backups at Corners didn't help.

After seeing a lot of replays and thinking things over, there are a few things I wish we had done differently. However, I wasn't on the field to make those decisions. Those who are so critical of CJH couldn't carry his jock strap. If they could, they would have a headset, a play sheet and a multimillion dollar contract.