GoBigOrangeVols
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Why do people keep talking about UT fans wanting/expecting to win the SEC? IDT that's the standard many UT fans expect at all. IMO, UT fans have lowered expectations significantly. Almost any UT fan would be thrilled to win the SECE and make it to the SECCG. Even taking a L in ATL would be a step forward.
I counter with the following video posted from Colin Cowherd on Chip Kelly coaching the Vols... On one hand he praises UT as a top 10 school, but follows with the fact that we have a gym teacher as a coach.
I LIKE CBJ, but I'd LOVE Chip Kelly to be the coach.
http://www.rockytoptalk.com/2017/6/...ching-carousel-tennessee-hot-seat-butch-jones
Is CBJ underrated, I don't think so. As a recruiter he's been great, but in game coaching and adjustments, I think he gets his fair criticism. My hope is that we take another step forward this coming season and CBJ proves the doubters (including me at times) wrong and he sticks around, but I can't help but imagine what the alternative could be should we not.
Could Jones is underrated and overrated at the same time? In terms of academics, discipline, and community representation, I would consider him very underrated. He's a top-notch program manager. He promotes incessantly positivity. He is a guy you can trust with your son.
On the other hand, his in-game shortcomings are noteworthy. The games that got away in '15 were explained away due to youth, but a better in-game strategist finds a way to win vs OU and UF.
The '16 games vs SC and VU are inexcusable. And before anyone blames Hurd - that might be the biggest indictment of Jones of them all. Jones chose to cater to a moderately talented diva RB instead of benching his butt and playing Kamara from day one. It would've sent a message to the team as well as likely changed our offensive destiny well before aTm.
Give the man credit where he's earned it - but for his sake, I hope Jones can have a really good season this year in terms of wins/losses.
Probably true for the most part. At least given the current situation. That might would change a few years down the road but for now would suffice.
Probably the most unfortunate loss in CBJ's career was the Vandy loss last year. Win what should have been a gimme game and UT goes to the Sugar Bowl. The narrative would have been very different-- even with a Sugar Bowl L, fans would have felt more optimistic about the program. The COL and 5* hearts firestorms wouldn't have flared, hot seat talk wouldn't have erupted and people would be looking forward to seeing what a healthy Tennessee team could do this year. What an ill-timed loss.
Why do people keep talking about UT fans wanting/expecting to win the SEC? IDT that's the standard many UT fans expect at all. IMO, UT fans have lowered expectations significantly. Almost any UT fan would be thrilled to win the SECE and make it to the SECCG. Even taking a L in ATL would be a step forward.
eh, while i agree on the vandy loss and the net result....we also had FL dead to rights the last 3 years. being 3-1 vs. FL, and 2-2 against GA would look good....5-3 against those two in 4 years would help a lot on perception...and he'd have that East title thingy under his belt too.:thumbsup:
So did several other schools.
Still doesn't have any bearing on whether or not Butch is 'underrated'.
Butch is neither overrated or underrated. I would argue that he did a good job with this program until last year specifically. In 2016 this team underachieved by any measure; not even sure how that is debatable. If the record alone doesn't convince you of that, how Alvin Kamara was used by the coaching staff during his Tennessee career should.
So that's 3 years to rebuild the program, which he achieved, followed by a disappointing year when they had some real expectations. Not sure how Dodd spins "underrated" out of that. The NFL draft picks he cites (even going back to his Central Michigan days) are impressive, but not ultimately what a college coach is judged on.
The best thing Butch has going for his job security right now is his buyout and the University's ability (or lack thereof) to reasonably afford said buyout. Not exactly the greatest position to be in.
Good article for the most part
Fans are WAY too impatient these days
which is why you can praise CBJ for the Sunday - Friday, and be absolutely mystified at how a guy that is so good everywhere else, hasn't put it together on Saturdays in either of the last two years.
I agree with this to an extent. He did have three years to "rebuild" talent and accomplished that. However, I do recall him saying some time back it takes seven years to rebuild a team. What was unsaid was it takes seven years to recruit and train quality depth. Which Dodd doesn't say in the article, but is extremely true for SEC ball. Injuries decimated the team in a huge way last year. And there just wasn't enough quality depth overall behind the starters to match the injury rate. A few injuries in key positions can wreck a run at the Division title as we saw. Alabama owes its continued success to the amount of quality depth they have behind the starters. A 4 or 5 star lineman with three years under their belt gets injured? Plug in another 4 or 5 star with two years under their belt and continue plugging. Something UT doesn't have (yet) and in reality, something most SEC teams don't except maybe at certain positions.
The biggest thing I can agree with in your post is the Kamara/Hurd situation. The coaches should have seen that writing on the wall long before they pulled him and reversed the roles. AK was just too talented to be playing second fiddle to anyone.
Good salesman, bad tactician. Two different skill sets, and it is rare to find someone who is really good at both.
There are people like that everywhere, in all sorts of professions. Especially college football coaches![]()
If you pay attention to the little comments that leak out of NFL scouts around combine/draft time, they say all the time that the coaching college players receive, even great NFL prospects at big time schools, isn't all that great. Most of these coaches are salesmen that are good at relating to 17 or 18-year-old kids and selling them a story.