I can see that, but I don't believe Spurrier ever went into a coaching situation where the team and morale were quite as abyssmal and having to play against the best teams in the country week in and week out.
You might be right but the situation at USCe wasn't very good. They had actually never really been a sustained winner. Prior to Spurrier winning 10+ three years in a row, USCe had never won 10 or more two years in a row. In fact, they had only won 10 games once in their history. In the 13 years since joining the SEC prior to Spurrier, they were 65-82 with a 37-67 record in conference. They'd never finished higher than 3rd in the East. They had finished last or next to last 4 times.
Not the same situation but in the same range.
Duke had never been any good either. They were homecoming fodder.
I do too, and I am really looking forward to seeing this game played on an even field of talent. CBJ matches up extremely well with CMR.
I think Spurrier will always struggle with Jones also. I think the style match up favors Jones. Jones is an execution focused coach. Spurrier has made a career out of enticing opponents (like Fulmer) into trying to match wits with him. He has always seemed to struggle against coaches that have very disciplined execution.
...but there's NO way it's as horrific as it was last year.
With all due respect to insiders and observers... I still agree with you. I think very few are actually allowed to see all of the parts working together. That will be a different product than the sum of individual efforts.
Honestly, if they could just teach the OL's to hold. I think we could live with a few more penalties in exchange for better pass pro.
With the speed of our offensive weapons, CBJ is going to open up the playbook and, if he is true to the form he displayed at Cinci, we're going to need every single pair of receiver hands we have.
I hope you are right. I'm ready to see it.
FTR, if you look just at the "potential" of UT's skill players.... it is difficult not to be impressed. There are multiple WR's that would be the #1 target for most CFB teams... and probably most SEC teams. It got a bad reaction from a Mizzou fan when I said it previously but I don't think they have a single guy who could break the top 6 at UT over Croom, Pearson, Smith, Malone, Pig, or North... and then you have Johnson and Williams too.
Moore is a good talent and MU has gotten some practice noise out of a couple of other guys. But IMO all of the 8 guys plus Blanc would either start or be in the top 5 for MU... or USCe.... UK/Vandy without saying... Ark... maybe UF...
It is an embarrassing wealth of talent that needs to start fulfilling its potential.