Confident Vols issue guarantee: 'We'll definitely get to a bowl game'

#51
#51
Markedly easier? This year is as soft as it's been in years. They should be able to dress out some of the better guys in the intramural flag football teams to do mop up. If they don't make a bowl this year, something is very wrong.
Still play Florida, Georgia, SCar, Kentucky, Missouri and Vandy. Still play Alabama and we get a good MissSt team from the west (no worse than a wash compared to Auburn last year imo). We played lowly ETSU and lowly UTEP and lowly Charlotte last year and only played one good OOC opponent in WVa. This year we play lowly GaSouthern, lowly UTC and have 2 good OOC opponents in BYU and UAB.

So, I’m not seeing how this year’s schedule is markedly easier, much less one of our “softest in years”....it’s virtually the same schedule as last year.
 
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#52
#52
Unfortunately I think we a par 6 win team. We may have an "easier schedule" but we were blown out in some of our games last year, failing to even be competitive. For now, we need to focus on beating South Carolina, Vandy, and Mizzou again.

I think UAB and BYU are much better than our fanbase is giving them credit for. Should we be the favorites? Possibly. But I'm sure both will be a pickem game. UAB won 11 games last year and BYU was Neither are givens and if we played both those teams last year, I would have been content with splitting.

That is given the information I have from watching last years O-Line and D-Line perform. All my concern is with the Line. Many are projecting us to be much better with two five star O-Lineman coming in, but that is still to be determined. I have to see them play a college game first. Even then, there is always the risk of injury. One injury to one of our starters and we don't have much depth up front.

There is even more concern on Defensive Line. No proven players and still waiting to hear about Aubrey Solomon. We will need multiple surprises from some unknown and inexperienced players to be a bowl team.

With that said, the performance at the Line of scrimmage could be the difference in us being a 5 win team and being an 7-8 win team. We have plenty of talent at skilled positions, but need to increase the physicality upfront.

Tennessee will be a 10-13 point favorite over BYU, (Depending on BYU'S result vs UTAH) and UT will be a 17-20 point favorite over UAB. Check this later. It will be amazingly close to the actual Pointspreads.
 
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#55
#55
Arky wasn't a badass in 15, Auburn wasn't a badass last year, I didn't think LSU was all that badass in 17 or A&M in 16. But I do get your point, MSU is nothing. Lol. I kid.

I'll let it go, I just see posts every once in a while like the one above that describes this schedule as if it were all High School teams it's so soft..... "But we'll be lucky to win 6".

If my memory serves me right BYU has won as many NC's as the Vols in the last 35 years....just saying
 
#56
#56
I wish he had guaranteed a Florida win... that would have exploded the interwebs, and probably reignited the rivalry... lol
 
#59
#59
It's 1 game easier. If that's "markedly" I agree.

What was the difference in last years schedule? The year before? What about 16, or 15? Does playing Florida and Alabama at their place count for anything?

Edit : I don't mean that to come across as sarcastic as it might, I just get the feeling some are saying its such a weak schedule because they're preparing for excuses if we don't do well. I definitely think it's an easier schedule, just not THAT much easier.

UF and Bama are losses no matter where we play them so getting them on the road means we have 1 game where home field can make a difference (two if Chaney’s knowledge of Kirby gives us an advantage). Also since AU was a road game MSU is a home game so that is another swap that benefits us. UK would have beat us on the road last year but they won’t be nearly as good this year so being on the road shouldn’t flip that game.
 
#61
#61
Been thinking about the topic of OP guaranteeing bowl game. On one hand, moving steps forward and making progress...on other hand, VFLs from 1981 thru 2004 thinking we did this 24 years in a row...set a higher goal. This year crucial for Pruitt path forward. We are lurking in the muck with NO ONE paying the least bit of attention to us...with proper preparation and execution we have the ability to creep up on some folks this year.
 
#62
#62
Tennessee will be a 10-13 point favorite over BYU, (Depending on BYU'S result vs UTAH) and UT will be a 17-20 point favorite over UAB. Check this later. It will be amazingly close to the actual Pointspreads.

Lol currently -3. Dont see 10 pt swing, that is raaare
 
#68
#68
I like confident talk, but it's all talk unless you can back it up.
I feel ya! But, this is a forum, and the off-season. Talk is all we've got. I am looking forward to seeing if our o-line is improved. Yes, we have two five-star bookends. But, they are freshmen, and they have NEVER seen the speed, on the corners, that they are going to face, every Saturday, in the SEC. I look forward to watching them grow, and improve. But, that Florida game, in Gainesville, is going to be brutal. The addition of Trey Smith would be GREAT! Add Solomon and Gibbs, and I'll feel much better about the defense.
 
#71
#71
My predictions for SEC East:

1. Georgia
2 Florida
3. South Carolina
4. Missouri
5, Tennessee (6 total wins)
6. Kentucky
7. Vanderbilt
 
#72
#72
It's 1 game easier. If that's "markedly" I agree.

What was the difference in last years schedule? The year before? What about 16, or 15? Does playing Florida and Alabama at their place count for anything?

Edit : I don't mean that to come across as sarcastic as it might, I just get the feeling some are saying its such a weak schedule because they're preparing for excuses if we don't do well. I definitely think it's an easier schedule, just not THAT much easier.
Of course, we were one win away last year of making a bowl game, so in that view, one game IS huge for this team.
 
#75
#75
About time we have some damn confidence. It's one thing to be cocky but we have lacked competitiveness for awhile. Glad to see Bituli and Taylor bring some swagger and bigger (b)vawls
 

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