Are we over rating ourselves??

[TNnative]

It's Tennessee.

What could go wrong?

:the_finger:

 

[Wildasamink16]

Nah brah!!!! We are underrated ! Teams are going to cry b4 they run on to the field and I hope butch will just burry fl, bama , ga

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Or are these guys blind? Ranking top 5 units they used a weird 3 players per position group bar but still. We were only ranked in one special teams number 1 but even then Desmond Howard used Medley as our third which seems weird to me as a certain punter is more highly regarded afaik. D line a no show? Secondary and oline I get but skill position? Even if you don't count Kamara as the third you could eeasily slot Wolfe in there and legit be in top 4. Alabama Crimson Tide, Clemson Tigers, Iowa Hawkeyes rank among college football's best position groups

Posters seem to have believed that we should have won the national Championship for the last couple of years. Those predictions have fallen short and were more in tune with the predictions of the analyst and National media. However, this year the band wagon seems to have gathered many, if not most, of the National support for a top 10-15 team. I believe we will be a much better team this year because of the experience returning and the addition of Shoop as our DC. I honestly believe that if Dobbs can complete 60% of his passes down field, we should be a contender for the SEC Championship game. The Alabama game(s) will be the decisive games. Win those two games and we could have an exciting game against whoever makes to the final four.

 

[IluvdoubleD's]

No more so than Georgia the last decade.

Super Bowl or bust!

 

[Nationdom]

If anything we are underrated. Some of the teams that are ranked ahead of us in all these polls is laughable. This is not only the most talented team in the country but one of the most talented and balanced in the last 10-15 years in all of college football. If Dobbs can resemble a QB this year we won't lose a game

 

[Rudy123]

YES!!!! While we should be super, super excited that after years of being down, our program is actually ranked in the national polls and are in striking distance of being undefeated.
HOWEVER; in 2008, we came off a season in which we got to the S.E.C. Championship game thru the back door. We had to beat Ky. in about 5 overtimes in order to qualify for the S.E.C. Championship game in 2007.
We were optimistic heading in to 2008, but had a losing season and even lost to Wyoming. We didn't have a real # 1 q.b. all season.
I see good things happening this season. I see a 10 - 2 regular season record, 11 -2 after we win the S.E.C. and 12 - 2 after our bowl victory. However; we can't get too cocky and end up being beat by Missouri or Vandy along the way.
We have to take each game seriously and not think that our roster will win the game. We have to win the game on the field.

 

[LA vol7]

I'm totally over ratings and predictions. I'm ready for the season to begin.

Me too, let's get it on and see where the chips fall. Truth is we have some tough, tough games. The good news is that we will, for the first time in years be favored in most, but the bad news is that we can't sleep walk through any!!! of them, not even Appy State! Gonna be an interesting year for sure. Last year our range of outcome was probably between 6-6 and 10-3, we ended up 9-4. This year, our range of outcomes is literally between 13-0 and 9-4. Most likely we will be somewhere in between. I'm going with 11-2 and 10-3 depending ob who we draw in a bowl game.

 

[Volador]

Are we over rating ourselves??

Best thread title of the month.

 

[daj2576]

Impossible to tell. We find out in 3 months.

The answer is a resounding yes, that will likely not be good for the mental health of many Vol fans.

Expectations are about 20% too high, and getting higher.

9-3.

Anything significantly above is gravy, and significantly below is concerning, but 9-3 is what *should* be expected.

Govern your expectations accordingly lest we collectively, and publicly, melt down like a child throwing a temper tantrum in the toy store.

 

[Rifleman]

The answer is a resounding yes, that will likely not be good for the mental health of many Vol fans.

Expectations are about 20% too high, and getting higher.

9-3.

Anything significantly above is gravy, and significantly below is concerning, but 9-3 is what *should* be expected.

Govern your expectations accordingly lest we collectively, and publicly, melt down like a child throwing a temper tantrum in the toy store.

Heh. I see you've attended a few home losses at Neyland.

 

[peppervol]

...we're going to finish the season undefeated but only reach the #2 spot in the main final rankings?

(Not to mention Auburn, Alabama and Vanderbilt were really close games that year).

In those days, Vanderbilt was considered to be a national powerhouse....

 

[TheMookieMonster]

*ignores D4H "easily are NC comment*

Anyway, I don't think we are over rating anything. I just think that there are a lot of analysts/media that are in show-me mode. They still respect us and are rating us high, but many are withholding the highest of accolades till at least they see us beat Florida. And I'm okay with that. Being in show-me mode is natural for any team that has been down for 8-10 years.

Come Sept. 24th, if we beat Florida at home and look good doing it, plenty of people will begin to take notice.

 

[08Vol]

Maybe, here are my concerns
1. New starting LT. No one has claimed the job yet and this is the most important position on the O-line
2. How long does it take Shoop to implement his system and will the players buy in?
3. Dobbs knows he can't get into the NFL as a runner so he'll run less and pass more this season removing the best element from his game
4. After 3 seasons coach Z hasn't produced a great WR, maybe he just can't cut it at this level.
5. We've had 2 great years of recruiting, the team's ahead of us have had 4. Daj's numbers show us at 9-3 and he is normally right
6. Butch never learned how to close out games. SCAR and UGA were both won on 1 good defensive play in the red zone. That is cutting it way too close

 

[KBVol]

Maybe, here are my concerns
1. New starting LT. No one has claimed the job yet and this is the most important position on the O-line
2. How long does it take Shoop to implement his system and will the players buy in?
3. Dobbs knows he can't get into the NFL as a runner so he'll run less and pass more this season removing the best element from his game
4. After 3 seasons coach Z hasn't produced a great WR, maybe he just can't cut it at this level.
5. We've had 2 great years of recruiting, the team's ahead of us have had 4. Daj's numbers show us at 9-3 and he is normally right
6. Butch never learned how to close out games. SCAR and UGA were both won on 1 good defensive play in the red zone. That is cutting it way too close

1. Legit question, but we do have legit OTs and talented options

2. From what I can tell, the players have already bought into Shoop and his philosophy. Experienced upperclassmen players should be able to understand and execute his schemes in short order IMO. Think I recall him saying he's not overhauling the defense, just tweaking and adding zone pressure packages.

3. Dobbs won't be calling his own plays, can't imagine this will be an issue. Plus, he got 26 attempts per game last year....that's plenty to show what he can do if he's "auditioning" for NFL GMs IMHO.

4. Agree 100%

5. Meh.

6. True. Jones must get much better on gamedays for us to reach our goals.

 

[Northern Vol Fan]

Maybe, here are my concerns
1. New starting LT. No one has claimed the job yet and this is the most important position on the O-line
2. How long does it take Shoop to implement his system and will the players buy in?
3. Dobbs knows he can't get into the NFL as a runner so he'll run less and pass more this season removing the best element from his game
4. After 3 seasons coach Z hasn't produced a great WR, maybe he just can't cut it at this level.
5. We've had 2 great years of recruiting, the team's ahead of us have had 4. Daj's numbers show us at 9-3 and he is normally right
6. Butch never learned how to close out games. SCAR and UGA were both won on 1 good defensive play in the red zone. That is cutting it way too close

This is my biggest fear. As much comfort as I get playing two playoff teams tight (and I do believe in moral victories, especially if they are last year), the fact that we collapsed or nearly collapesed at the end of basically 5 games (OU, Bama, UF, UGA, USCe) terrifies me still.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

This is my biggest fear. As much comfort as I get playing two playoff teams tight (and I do believe in moral victories, especially if they are last year), the fact that we collapsed or nearly collapesed at the end of basically 5 games (OU, Bama, UF, UGA, USCe) terrifies me still.

I don't know if I would go so far as to calling the UGA game a near collapse. I mean, we were down 24-3 (or something like that) and a lot of fans, were starting to think about heading for the exits before halftime. Luckily, most didn't.

If anything, the Georgia game was a great example of Butch's adjustments that he FINALLY made after so many times failing to do so. The end of the game was somewhat mismanaged, but he did a lot of things to get us back into the game, was much more aggressive when down big, and our players executed well.

 

[jakez4ut]

Maybe, here are my concerns
1. New starting LT. No one has claimed the job yet and this is the most important position on the O-line
2. How long does it take Shoop to implement his system and will the players buy in?
3. Dobbs knows he can't get into the NFL as a runner so he'll run less and pass more this season removing the best element from his game
4. After 3 seasons coach Z hasn't produced a great WR, maybe he just can't cut it at this level.
5. We've had 2 great years of recruiting, the team's ahead of us have had 4. Daj's numbers show us at 9-3 and he is normally right
6. Butch never learned how to close out games. SCAR and UGA were both won on 1 good defensive play in the red zone. That is cutting it way too close

1. Legit question, but we do have legit OTs and talented options

2. From what I can tell, the players have already bought into Shoop and his philosophy. Experienced upperclassmen players should be able to understand and execute his schemes in short order IMO. Think I recall him saying he's not overhauling the defense, just tweaking and adding zone pressure packages.

3. Dobbs won't be calling his own plays, can't imagine this will be an issue. Plus, he got 26 attempts per game last year....that's plenty to show what he can do if he's "auditioning" for NFL GMs IMHO.

4. Agree 100%

5. Meh.

6. True. Jones must get much better on gamedays for us to reach our goals.

1. agree, this is legit. we have answers, just unproven answers.
2. to add to KB's answer, i think i read somewhere that Shoop is keeping the verbiage basically the same and many of the signals to shorten the learning curve.
3. not worried about that at all. if that's his motivation at this point, then he's a big phat phony.
4. agreed. still one of, if not the, biggest concerns.
5. our two deep can compete with anyone's...the only way this becomes an issue is if we suffer major injuries at the wrong positions. all things being equal, 9-3 is the floor, not the ceiling, for this team.
6. and the OU and FL game were LITERALLY lost on a missed fg and blown 4th down. in the SC and GA games we finally had guys make plays to WIN, instead of whiffing and losing. (not rehashing the FL debacle...that was a culmination of many errors, just simply stating that had that FG gone thru the up rights....we'd of won.)

long story short on that...while i think CBJ's sideline decision making must improve, we also need players to make the plays that are available. if we do that more times than not, we win more games. there were plays to be made in each and every game we lost last year that could have made a difference in winning vs. losing.

need to be on the + side of that this year.

 

[Neyland Law Vol]

We're actually UNDERrated.

We'll win the national title rather easily. 2013 Florida State style.

Good post. I agree.

15-0 with almost all blowouts here we come.

If anything we are underrated. Some of the teams that are ranked ahead of us in all these polls is laughable. This is not only the most talented team in the country but one of the most talented and balanced in the last 10-15 years in all of college football. If Dobbs can resemble a QB this year we won't lose a game

:stop: You guys are always optimistic but it looks like you forgot your meds today.

 

[Neyland Law Vol]

The answer is a resounding yes, that will likely not be good for the mental health of many Vol fans.

Expectations are about 20% too high, and getting higher.

9-3.

Anything significantly above is gravy, and significantly below is concerning, but 9-3 is what *should* be expected.

Govern your expectations accordingly lest we collectively, and publicly, melt down like a child throwing a temper tantrum in the toy store.

See this. 10-2 is a good season guys.

 

[Neyland Law Vol]

Maybe, here are my concerns
1. New starting LT. No one has claimed the job yet and this is the most important position on the O-line
2. How long does it take Shoop to implement his system and will the players buy in?
3. Dobbs knows he can't get into the NFL as a runner so he'll run less and pass more this season removing the best element from his game
4. After 3 seasons coach Z hasn't produced a great WR, maybe he just can't cut it at this level.
5. We've had 2 great years of recruiting, the team's ahead of us have had 4. Daj's numbers show us at 9-3 and he is normally right
6. Butch never learned how to close out games. SCAR and UGA were both won on 1 good defensive play in the red zone. That is cutting it way too close

All good points.

 

[pimo1]

Maybe, here are my concerns
1. New starting LT. No one has claimed the job yet and this is the most important position on the O-line
2. How long does it take Shoop to implement his system and will the players buy in?
3. Dobbs knows he can't get into the NFL as a runner so he'll run less and pass more this season removing the best element from his game
4. After 3 seasons coach Z hasn't produced a great WR, maybe he just can't cut it at this level.
5. We've had 2 great years of recruiting, the team's ahead of us have had 4. Daj's numbers show us at 9-3 and he is normally right
6. Butch never learned how to close out games. SCAR and UGA were both won on 1 good defensive play in the red zone. That is cutting it way too close

As far as coach Z goes we haven't put out a great WR in a long time TBH. We have put guys in the league but they mostly don't make it long as of late. Honestly I think the issue is the type of WR we are getting. We get guys with the raw talent and physical measurable's but.. they either end up injury prone or headcases.

The one thing I have noticed for the past decade is we cant seem to get guys (that are not head cases) capable of creating separation. We have had role player types that could do that but none of them were big time. The only 2 I can think of in recent memory were PIG, Da'rick and Zach Rog. Of those 3, 2 were headcases (weedhead cases). Justin hunter and CP do not count because they relied on pure speed. Beating your man and getting separation are totally different things. CP mostly got the ball in space Hunter mostly burned guys deep. We have those types of guys.

Yes certain things can be taught and separation is a thing that can be taught... but the guy has to want to learn. We need guys with the right mindset and the ability to stay healthy. I honestly think Jennings and Williams are the true test of coach Z. Jennings is a blank slate and Williams is pure talent with seemingly the right attitude. If Croom finally stays healthy all season and one of those 2 hits the next level all the hype will be lived up to. That being said I think Wolfe is the better Tight end but Croom will be the X factor. Wolf imo is at worst the 3rd or 4th best TE in the SEC.

I think we were hurt in rankings for our skill position guys and front 7. They should have easily been ranked. The fact they arbitrarily decided lets look at the best 3 on each unit and ignore the rest is silly.

Dobbs, Hurd, Kamara, Wolf. all proven commodities plus there are a lot of other guys like Jennings, Williams and Croom. And a lot of guys that have the potential to step up without surprising anyone too much.

Same is true for the front 7. Barnett, Mckenzie, JRM, DKj. Those alone are scary then you think about Kongbo, Phillips, Tuttle and the elephant in the room hands down the most underrated Vols player and Defensive end in the SEC Vereen.

I think we are hurt in rankings like this because we have such depth of talent. the more I look I don't think there are many 2 deeps outside of O-line I would take in the country over ours. O-line though is also a strong one if we can answer the question at LT. we are ridiculously deep at Guard and solid 2 deep easily at Center and RT.

 

[08Vol]

long story short on that...while i think CBJ's sideline decision making must improve, we also need players to make the plays that are available. if we do that more times than not, we win more games. there were plays to be made in each and every game we lost last year that could have made a difference in winning vs. losing.

need to be on the + side of that this year.

Too many times last year the players didn't make a play to win the game. Be it diving at Mayfiels's feet on safeties being out of position on the last UF drive. My main concern in so many of our games, wins and losses, is that it was clear to see that the offense was a much better unit than the defense, yet when it was time to shut the door we went conservative on O which forced the D to try and make a play. 3rd and 5 against UF on the 2nd to last drive, tell Dobbs to roll out and find an open receiver, not put two hands on the ball and try to run off tackle.

 

[daj2576]

See this. 10-2 is a good season guys.

Id venture as far as to say that 10-2 would be a *great* season, and would be capped by a meaningful bowl against a top-tier team.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

9-3

 

[kcvols1]

September 24 Florida in Knoxville
October 1 Georgia in Athens
October 8 A&M in College Station
October 15 Alabama in Knoxville

We are a very good team, but that has to be the toughest 4 game stretch in college football this year!!! If we go 3-1 during this stretch then the season was a success (must win is Florida).

Another reminder of 2005!

I think we're pretty stacked, and team chemistry is WAY better than it was that year.

I think we go at least 2-2 in that stretch, with one being an absolute curb stomp of Florida.

I hope the other is Georgia. We can't lose to a spaz who still goes to Great Clips after landing a multimillillion dollar gig.

Yeesh!