Can Someone Remind Me Why We Are So Worried About WVU Again?!?

#26
#26
Grier may not have had the best record last year, but if he really is a Heisman type QB, I don't think we can keep up with their offense.

The QB is often overlooked in how important he is to the total picture. If Grier is Heisman material, he will make a difference of at least 3 additional wins, and I think UT will be one of those. Don't overlook the fact that Grier also has another year of experience under his belt. If we were to play them in Dec., then I think we could beat them with our young DB's gaining experience. But with this being the first game and us with young DB's and new coaching staff, I see a game in the neighborhood of 31-24 or so.
 
#28
#28
Advol said:
Can Someone Remind Me Why We Are So Worried About ______________ Again?!?
Bubber, I would suggest yur gonna have a long season. UT should be worried bout...……..you fill in the Blank for a couple of years.
Fill in yur data stream with UT Stats from last 2-3 Seasons.
I don't know of anyone on the schedule we aint worried bout.
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There's a reason why the guy who coached those teams isn't here anymore.
 
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#29
#29
1974Vol said:
Can Someone Remind Me Why We Are So Worried About WVU Again?!?

Here's 4 reasons I can think of off the top of my head
1. Vandy has beaten the Vols 4 of the last 6, and took us to the wood shed last year
2. Kentucky punched us in the mouth and took our lunch money last year
3. Umass a team that was FCS until 2013 took us to the 4th Qtr with the game in doubt
4. The 2017 team lost more games than any team in UT history

I could go on but you know we're Tennessee and WVU is probably too scared to practice just thinking of what will befall them come Labor Day weekend.
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See my post above
 
#30
#30
I just want to see a real football team out there representing the POWER T....
we should have won more games last year on talent alone but the so called coaching staff blew that.....
I believe we win this game and set the tone for the rest of the season...
GBO
 
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#31
#31
orangemadam said:
Grier may not have had the best record last year, but if he really is a Heisman type QB, I don't think we can keep up with their offense.

.
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He's not though.

Then again, Lamar Jackson proved you can get a Heisman losing to good teams and absolutely destroying bad teams.
 
#32
#32
We were terrible last year. It was the culmination of bad decisions, coaching, and strength and conditioning.

Pruitt would have to be a miracle worker to overcome all of that in one offseason. ETSU, UTEP, Charlotte. Those are the only games where I don't think we should be too worried as of now.
 
#33
#33
Bubbs said:
Look. I know the Will Grier hype is in full effect but he went 7-3 in the Big 12. They went 7-6 overall. Look at their schedule. It was a joke. They lost to every half decent team they played. Their O-Line returns 4 starters. Their O line was overmatched against quality competition. David Sills had 18 TDs against nobodies and didn't catch a single one after Grier went down. The defense struggled all year. They gave up 200+ yards on the ground in the Big 12. That was a healthy West Virginia team at full strength. Lol

Then look at all the injuries and drama we had last season. O line was decimated. Kirkland Out. Jennings Out, Chance Hall Out. No position group stayed healthy throughout the year. Down to third string on the O-line. Kids playing out of position. Incompetent leadership. Shoop couldn't get guys to learn the defense and we don't acknowledge just how terrible of an offensive coordinator Larry Scott was. You all saw it too. It looked worse than a blind toddler's coloring book. Team giving up on the coach because they knew he was gone towards the end of the year. That coaching staff was a cluster.

I just can't see how with a healthy UT team and at least adequate coaching we don't blow these guys out of the water. We brought over a veteran coaching staff with proven ability and I know stars don't tell the story but out of 22 projected starters I want to say about 18 or 19 of these guys are 4 star recruits or better. Over the past four years we've averaged a recruiting ranking of 14.75. Meaning give or take we are a top 15 team talent wise.There is no shortage of talent or experience on this roster. Outside of Will Grier we're leaps and bounds better at almost every position. I don't see why we're dampening our expectations. We can easily win 8 or 9 games this season without the Lyle handicap.
Click to expand...

We haven't won an SEC game since 2016. Vandy has a win streak againt us. Questions? Granted, I think Pruitt turns it around, but until we see progress on the field we are who our numbers say we are.
 
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#36
#36
1974Vol said:
Can Someone Remind Me Why We Are So Worried About WVU Again?!?

Here's 4 reasons I can think of off the top of my head
1. Vandy has beaten the Vols 4 of the last 6, and took us to the wood shed last year
2. Kentucky punched us in the mouth and took our lunch money last year
3. Umass a team that was FCS until 2013 took us to the 4th Qtr with the game in doubt
4. The 2017 team lost more games than any team in UT history

I could go on but you know we're Tennessee and WVU is probably too scared to practice just thinking of what will befall them come Labor Day weekend.
Click to expand...
Back to life....back to reality

:(
 
#37
#37
Mostly worried because we were 4-8 last year and looked like we didn't know how to play football for most of the season. I am hopeful that the new staff can correct all of the problems but won't know until we see the guys face adversity in a real game.
 
#38
#38
1. New coaching staff.
2. Coming off the worst season in school history.
3. D was terrible last year and they have a good offense.
 
#39
#39
Bubbs said:
Look. I know the Will Grier hype is in full effect but he went 7-3 in the Big 12. They went 7-6 overall. Look at their schedule. It was a joke. They lost to every half decent team they played. Their O-Line returns 4 starters. Their O line was overmatched against quality competition. David Sills had 18 TDs against nobodies and didn't catch a single one after Grier went down. The defense struggled all year. They gave up 200+ yards on the ground in the Big 12. That was a healthy West Virginia team at full strength. Lol

Then look at all the injuries and drama we had last season. O line was decimated. Kirkland Out. Jennings Out, Chance Hall Out. No position group stayed healthy throughout the year. Down to third string on the O-line. Kids playing out of position. Incompetent leadership. Shoop couldn't get guys to learn the defense and we don't acknowledge just how terrible of an offensive coordinator Larry Scott was. You all saw it too. It looked worse than a blind toddler's coloring book. Team giving up on the coach because they knew he was gone towards the end of the year. That coaching staff was a cluster.

I just can't see how with a healthy UT team and at least adequate coaching we don't blow these guys out of the water. We brought over a veteran coaching staff with proven ability and I know stars don't tell the story but out of 22 projected starters I want to say about 18 or 19 of these guys are 4 star recruits or better. Over the past four years we've averaged a recruiting ranking of 14.75. Meaning give or take we are a top 15 team talent wise.There is no shortage of talent or experience on this roster. Outside of Will Grier we're leaps and bounds better at almost every position. I don't see why we're dampening our expectations. We can easily win 8 or 9 games this season without the Lyle handicap.
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Because it is first game for our HC at that position, DC at that position, OC at that position. We are breaking in a 3-4 scheme in defense and offense is moving away from spread. We do not know what we ll get from QB play. So there will be lots of mistakes and learning on our part.

WVU on the other side will be trying to improve upon what they already have and they know they have a solid QB and good weapons around him.

If this was 4th or 5th game of the season, I think we would know much better but based on the unknowns for us and the knowns for them, they are naturally favored.
 
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#40
#40
KBVol said:
I get your general point and agree. But using the Ky game as proof is wrong. They in no way punched us in the mouth nor did they take our lunch money. They were very fortunate to beat the worst UT team in 100+ years.

Tennessee had 10 more first downs, 445 total yards (75 more than Kentucky) and that was with Ty Chandler’s 75 yard td run getting called back. Kentucky scored the game-winning td that put them ahead by 1 point with less than a minute to play.

Good overall point, awful specific example.
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With a tad over 4 minutes left in the game and trailing by 5 Kentucky drove the ball 70+ yards by running it down Tennessee's throat. Consumed practically the entire 4 minutes of the game clock and put the dagger in with a run for a 2 point conversion. So yeah they punched us in the mouth and took our lunch money. Stats are for losers its all about scoreboard and who can put the ball in the end zone with the game on the line. There is nothing good to be taken from the 2017 season. The only thing we can hope is this is a new year with a new and hopefully better coaching staff and a hungrier healthier team.
 
#43
#43
"veteran coaching staff"
-HC has never been a HC before
-DC has never been a DC before
-RB coach is a QB
-I don't think our OC or DB coach has ever coached in the SEC (yah but...)
-this is every coaches first time working at UT
-this is the first time the coaching staff has all worked together, several shared stops along the way, but not like this.

to the rest. our best player Trey Smith can't have any contact yet and is coming off some major medical issues. We have 1 returning starter in the secondary. completely new offensive and defensive schemes. on the defensive side we have experimented with before and saw it wasn't a game one light switch. we dont have a proven QB, our O-line, even with Smith, is at best questionable and learning a new blocking scheme. in the secondary we are hoping some freshmen players recruited at WR will play major roles at corner.

even saying all of that I don't think we get blown out, I see us losing, but I think it will be close with us having a shot. But to pretend that we shouldn't be worried or at least admit there are causes for concern is foolish and why people freak out so much on here.
 
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#44
#44
Bubbs said:
Look. I know the Will Grier hype is in full effect but he went 7-3 in the Big 12. They went 7-6 overall. Look at their schedule. It was a joke. They lost to every half decent team they played. Their O-Line returns 4 starters. Their O line was overmatched against quality competition. David Sills had 18 TDs against nobodies and didn't catch a single one after Grier went down. The defense struggled all year. They gave up 200+ yards on the ground in the Big 12. That was a healthy West Virginia team at full strength. Lol

Then look at all the injuries and drama we had last season. O line was decimated. Kirkland Out. Jennings Out, Chance Hall Out. No position group stayed healthy throughout the year. Down to third string on the O-line. Kids playing out of position. Incompetent leadership. Shoop couldn't get guys to learn the defense and we don't acknowledge just how terrible of an offensive coordinator Larry Scott was. You all saw it too. It looked worse than a blind toddler's coloring book. Team giving up on the coach because they knew he was gone towards the end of the year. That coaching staff was a cluster.

I just can't see how with a healthy UT team and at least adequate coaching we don't blow these guys out of the water. We brought over a veteran coaching staff with proven ability and I know stars don't tell the story but out of 22 projected starters I want to say about 18 or 19 of these guys are 4 star recruits or better. Over the past four years we've averaged a recruiting ranking of 14.75. Meaning give or take we are a top 15 team talent wise.There is no shortage of talent or experience on this roster. Outside of Will Grier we're leaps and bounds better at almost every position. I don't see why we're dampening our expectations. We can easily win 8 or 9 games this season without the Lyle handicap.
Click to expand...
I think mostly due to the fact they have a very aggressive passing attack and our secondary ( stats from last year are skewed due to everyone running down our throats) uncertainty/issues from years past. I think we’ll be bigger/stronger/faster but that always doesn’t work well if you don’t have fundamentals and proper play calling and play makers. All of these things are being fixed with the new staff. I am worried a little about this game but it will be close though.
 
#45
#45
Just like Florida - Tennessee has a new coach, new offensive schemes and new defensive schemes. WFV has been running the same system for several years with a QB who is a possible candidate to win the Heisman. That alone would make me nervous.
 
#46
#46
Butch Jones had lost the team before they ever put on a helmet in 2017. I fully believe the Vol team that takes the field on Sep 1 would beat last year's team by 3 touchdowns., sight unseen. Will they be good enough to beat WVU? IF we can establish the run game and have no more than 1 turnover, I believe we can.
 
#47
#47
Same reason I've felt like I need a Valium before every game over the last.... more years than I have fingers
 
#48
#48
When Vegas makes you a nearly double-digit dog...I think there is legitimate reason to be concerned about the outcome of a game.

Their objective view of this game has infinitely more credibility than the biased, orange-colored-glasses view of OP. It doesn’t, mean they are always right, and UT might win this game, but I would wager that the boys and girls in the desert get it right much more than OP.

Vols still have a chance in this game, but we need to see them surprise to the upside for the first time in a long, long time (over a decade).
 
#49
#49
Because they might score 60 against our defense. Their own defense is suspect, but so is our offense.

They seem like they will really be able to exploit a weak spot on our team (the secondary), and we don't seem like we'll be able to exploit their weak spot (defense). It just isn't a good matchup for us.
 
#50
#50
UT can make it a competitive game by forcing WG to throw some INTs or causing fumbles. I just do not think we have the horses on offense to match them without forcing TOs and turning them into scores. Our defense will have to take some chances with some exotic blitzes or something. If we just sit back in zone coverage without applying pressure, our secondary will probably get picked apart. The good news is WV's defense is typically bad so that is a ray of hope. Can CJP improve our D enough to limit WV offensively? Hope so.
 
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