Are We Improving Under Butch?

[VolnJC]

2013 5-7 with 8th toughest schedule
2014 7-6 with 5th toughest schedule
2015 9-4 with 3rd toughest schedule
2016 8-3 with 3rd toughest schedule

Recruiting rankings

2011 14th
2012 20th
2013 24th

2014 7th
2015 4th
2016 14th
2017 10th

 

[volfannbama]

If we win more games this year than last year, then yes.

 

[The Orange Pants]

Last year: second in the east
This year: second in the east

 

[Persian Vol]

We wouldn't be as concerned if butch had another stellar class coming in. But the concern is that we reached our peak

 

[james_govols]

Our record will hopefully improve this year. So we are improving.

I'm still worried about the progression of the O line.

Butch has done a great job in the time he has been here. I still question his gameday coaching. With that said, he wasn't a recognized coach when he came here and still got us back to 9 wins in his 3rd season.

 

[yotebuster]

We wouldn't be as concerned if butch had another stellar class coming in. But the concern is that we reached our peak

This and recruits see it too apparently

 

[VolnJC]

Our record will hopefully improve this year. So we are improving.

I'm still worried about the progression of the O line.

Butch has done a great job in the time he has been here. I still question his gameday coaching. With that said, he wasn't a recognized coach when he came here and still got us back to 9 wins in his 3rd season.

Yep my concerns too..hopefully he will make a few changes and turn it over to good coordinators...I love his work ethic and I appreciate that we don't have APR or discipline issues

 

[Iam4utalways]

We wouldn't be as concerned if butch had another stellar class coming in. But the concern is that we reached our peak

That's what's on the mind of many fans. Have we peaked? Can Butch get us to a NC? It all points to no, except the way we came back on the gators and thumped them.

We played 3 bad games and lost them all.
Butch needs to hire someone to beat bama. Shoop was hired to beat Florida, we did. Should have hired him to beat Bama.

 

[VolnJC]

We wouldn't be as concerned if butch had another stellar class coming in. But the concern is that we reached our peak

We are ranked 10th....finish strong and go to the Sugar Bowl...many of these 3 stars will probably be replaced...I don't really like it but that is the nature of recruiting without an early signing period

 

[IknoxvolsI]

Should have been 11-2 last year, at least!

 

[sona]

Improvement yes but the question should be whether it is enough. Expectations remain high within the UT fanbase.

 

[Iam4utalways]

Should have been 11-2 last year, at least!

Had we won the two you are thinking of we would have played more games.

 

[CA_Vol]

We wouldn't be as concerned if butch had another stellar class coming in. But the concern is that we reached our peak

Yup

 

[Vol423]

We played 3 bad games and lost them all.

That's crap. You're trying to spin things to look like UT has played well all season but just got some bad breaks in 3 games. All of the following games were extremely poorly played by UT, yet we squeaked by with unbelievably ugly wins against inferior teams:

Appalachian State
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Missouri

This team is badly coached and completely unprepared EVERY week no matter who the opponent is.

 

[Rudy123]

Our record will hopefully improve this year. So we are improving.

I'm still worried about the progression of the O line.

Butch has done a great job in the time he has been here. I still question his gameday coaching. With that said, he wasn't a recognized coach when he came here and still got us back to 9 wins in his 3rd season.

Should we beat Vandy and opponent in bowl game, then our record has improved.
bUtch is keeping the in state prospects in state, unlike Dooley did.
People are excited about the program but under Dooley they were not.
Recruiting under bUTch has improved but under Dooley, it fell off after year one.
Last year, we blew games that we were at some point winning. Now, we have a no quit attitude.
Of 12 weeks of college football this season, we have been in the top #25 almost every week.
We have young players ready to come on to the scene. Tyler Byrd, John Kelly, Nigel Warrior.

 

[VOLNPA]

I don't think it's even an argument. Of course we have improved and of course Butch is the guy. Every time we discuss Butch, his recruiting and the Vol progress, it's ALWAYS vs Bama. (and I know not this thread yet, but in just about every other one) While I do get that, people need to realize that what Bama has been doing hasn't been done since Notre Dame was playing 24 year olds who had already served time in the military. They are THE gold standard of my lifetime. While I'd love UT to be that someday too, folks need to slow down just a bit and realize that NOBODY has that success...EVER. Not even USC or Miami (both who were caught in scandal) have reached Bama's level. I'm not "settling" just because I have some perspective about how rare our rival's success is.

Butch has done an amazing job here given the crap hand that was left to him. People blame the play calling and the OC for a lot of issues. IMO, Hurd was a huge piece of the recruiting puzzle even though he didn't quite fit right. He was catered to because he was talented and all that we had at RB. Now that he is gone, is our offense still terrible? It's completely flipped the script.

Although injuries happen to everyone, NOBODY that I remember has ever lost ALL of their DTs in 1 year. It sucks that we went from good D with Hurd to injured D without him, but it's where we are. People say we should have more depth. I get that too...but nobody can fill the holes we've had to between O'Brien, Tuttle, McK, etc The list of injuries is too long not to give the coaches a pass on.

I do agree that something does need done w/ the OLine though. Don't know if it's talent or coaching, but we can't expect Dormandy to survive next year...that is if he is even the starter.

 

[tennesseeduke]

2013 5-7 with 8th toughest schedule
2014 7-6 with 5th toughest schedule
2015 9-4 with 3rd toughest schedule
2016 8-3 with 3rd toughest schedule

Recruiting rankings

2011 14th
2012 20th
2013 24th

2014 7th
2015 4th
2016 14th
2017 10th

UH, I think you answered your own question.

:thud:

Tennesseeduke

 

[SayNoToJorts]

We wouldn't be as concerned if butch had another stellar class coming in. But the concern is that we reached our peak

Currently ranked 8th on Rivals. Year over year win increases with no signs of plateau or decline. Just how have we reached our peak? People are just regurgitating whatever they hear others say without actually thinking about reality. Logic has gone out the window. Meanwhile we will finish the 2nd highest ranked team in the SEC behind the best team in the nation

 

[tennesseeduke]

I don't think it's even an argument. Of course we have improved and of course Butch is the guy. Every time we discuss Butch, his recruiting and the Vol progress, it's ALWAYS vs Bama. (and I know not this thread yet, but in just about every other one) While I do get that, people need to realize that what Bama has been doing hasn't been done since Notre Dame was playing 24 year olds who had already served time in the military. They are THE gold standard of my lifetime. While I'd love UT to be that someday too, folks need to slow down just a bit and realize that NOBODY has that success...EVER. Not even USC or Miami (both who were caught in scandal) have reached Bama's level. I'm not "settling" just because I have some perspective about how rare our rival's success is.

Butch has done an amazing job here given the crap hand that was left to him. People blame the play calling and the OC for a lot of issues. IMO, Hurd was a huge piece of the recruiting puzzle even though he didn't quite fit right. He was catered to because he was talented and all that we had at RB. Now that he is gone, is our offense still terrible? It's completely flipped the script.

Although injuries happen to everyone, NOBODY that I remember has ever lost ALL of their DTs in 1 year. It sucks that we went from good D with Hurd to injured D without him, but it's where we are. People say we should have more depth. I get that too...but nobody can fill the holes we've had to between O'Brien, Tuttle, McK, etc The list of injuries is too long not to give the coaches a pass on.

I do agree that something does need done w/ the OLine though. Don't know if it's talent or coaching, but we can't expect Dormandy to survive next year...that is if he is even the starter.

I would use the comparison of Bama and Tiger Woods over a 6 year period. Both dominate and rarely lost during that time frame. Maybe Saban's wife can use an 8 iron to get everything back into perspective.

:lolabove:

Tennesseeduke

 

[99gator]

Tennessee has obviously improved.

My guess is this is the ceiling though. I don't think next year's roster is better than this one.

And other teams in the East will begin to crawl out of the abyss

 

[SGMVols]

Tennessee has obviously improved.

My guess is this is the ceiling though. I don't think next year's roster is better than this one.

And other teams in the East will begin to crawl out of the abyss

This.

Florida will be better next year.

Georgia will be better next year.

Tennessee will be worse next year, potentially much worse.

 

[SayNoToJorts]

Tennessee has obviously improved.

My guess is this is the ceiling though. I don't think next year's roster is better than this one.

And other teams in the East will begin to crawl out of the abyss

What evidence do you have that Tennessee has reached its ceiling? I have heard many Vol fans say this as well so I am not singling you out. I just have yet to hear a logical argument as to why

 

[VOLED]

bizarre year this year with a couple of lucky wins and so many unlucky injuries. Next year will tell the tale,IMO.

 

[VolnJC]

This.

Florida will be better next year.

Georgia will be better next year.

Tennessee will be worse next year, potentially much worse.

If Malone, Kamara, and Barnett all leave..yes..I think we will be better at safety, DL, and possibly QB though..who knows what the OL will be like...but all of them other than Wiesman will be back.

 

[SGMVols]

What evidence do you have that Tennessee has reached its ceiling? I have heard many Vol fans say this as well so I am not singling you out. I just have yet to hear a logical argument as to why

We are about to have a mass exodus of underclassmen to the NFL and they are being replaced by recruiting classes consisting mostly of 3 star recruits.