End of the Vols Dark Ages

#1
VFL-82-JP

VFL-82-JP

Bleedin' Orange...
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#1
Now that we are emerging from a dark period in Vols football history, it's worth looking back and asking: was our recent down period the worst we've ever had? Does 2008-2013 qualify as the "Vols Dark Ages"?

So I scanned our record books for other multi-year down periods. Skipped over single bad years, those happen from time to time, only looked at three or more seasons in a row. Here are the five worst eras I could find:
  • 1903-1906 - 4 years - 11-21-4 / 36% (all 4 were losing seasons)
  • 1909-1912 - 4 years - 11-19-5 / 39% (3 losing seasons)
  • 1958-1964 - 7 years - 34-32-4 / 51% (3 losing seasons)
  • 1975-1980 - 6 years - 34-33-1 / 51% (2 losing seasons)
  • 2008-2013 - 6 years - 33-41-0 / 45% (5 losing seasons)
First thing you notice is that the recent six year stretch wasn't the worst based on winning percentage -- both 1903-1906 and 1909-1912 were lower. Then again, the most recent dark ages lasted half-again as long as those early-20th Century stretches. And you can't combine those two periods into one, because there were two really good years in between: we went 7-2-1 in 1907, and 7-2-0 in 1908.

So I'm thinking that for me personally, 2008-2013 wins the title of Vols Dark Ages. The early 1900s can share the title, too, but the Kiffin-Dooley era 'wins' this prize.

Just glad to be beyond it (fingers crossed). :)


EDIT: correcting the records (%) using official NCAA formula, which I just learned from Volosaurus in another thread (thanks, Volosaurus!).
 
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#2
#2
VFL-82-JP said:
Now that we are emerging from a dark period in Vols football history, it's worth looking back and asking: was our recent down period the worst we've ever had? Does 2008-2014 qualify as the "Vols Dark Ages"?
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Tennessee is one of a very small group to have never lost as many as 8 games in a season.

From 1902 until 2007, we had a total of one season where we lost as many as 7 games.

From 2008 until 2014, the Vols lost 7 games in five different seasons.

Therefore, for me, the three years covering 2011-2012-2013 was the worst 3-year stretch we've had in over 100 years.
 
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#3
#3
vik said:
Tennessee is one of a very small group to have never lost as many as 8 games in a season.

From 1902 until 2007, we had a total of one season where we lost as many as 7 games.

From 2008 until 2014, the Vols lost 7 games in five different seasons.

Therefore, for me, the three years covering 2011-2012-2013 was the worst 3-year stretch we've had in over 100 years.
Click to expand...

I still don't know what the fascination is with this "accomplishment." Is losing "only" 7 games that much better? 5-7 or 4-8, who cares? They both stink.

Would you rather have UT's record or Bama's or UF's this century? Most people would take the multiple NC's as people tend to focus on victories, not losses...even though both teams have an 8 loss season (Bama had a 9 loss season). With that said, 2008-2013 was certainly the lowest point this Vol fan can recall.
 
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#7
#7
Boca Vol said:
I still don't know what the fascination is with this "accomplishment." Is losing "only" 7 games that much better? 5-7 or 4-8, who cares? They both stink.

Would you rather have UT's record or Bama's or UF's this century? Most people would take the multiple NC's as people tend to focus on victories, not losses...even though both teams have an 8 loss season (Bama had a 9 loss season). With that said, 2008-2013 was certainly the lowest point this Vol fan can recall.
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Actually, Alabama had a ten-loss season (1955) in which they scored only 48 points and were shut out four times. From 1955-1957, they were 4-24-2, including 11 shutout losses, three of which were to the Big Orange (20-0, 24-0 and 14-0 in 1955, '56 and '57, respectively. Over those three years, the Crimson Tide scored a sum total of only 202 points (Alabama Historical Scores). So, as bad as the last several years have been for Tennessee fans, things have occasionally been even worse for other perennial powers.
 
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#8
#8
Volosaurus rex said:
Actually, Alabama had a ten-loss season (1955) in which they scored only 48 points and were shut out four times. From 1955-1957, they were 4-24-2, including 11 shutout losses, three of which were to the Big Orange (20-0, 24-0 and 14-0 in 1955, '56 and '57, respectively. Over those three years, the Crimson Tide scored a sum total of only 202 points (Alabama Historical Scores). So, as bad as the last several years have been for Tennessee fans, things have occasionally been even worse for other perennial powers.
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Thanks rex. I was referring to this century meaning since 2000. I knew they struggled some before Bryant got there in the late 50's but I didn't realize they had a 10 loss season.

That further proves my point, though. People focus on the titles not the losses.
 
#9
#9
Boca Vol said:
Thanks rex. I was referring to this century meaning since 2000. I knew they struggled some before Bryant got there in the late 50's but I didn't realize they had a 10 loss season.

That further proves my point, though. People focus on the titles not the losses.
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Exactly. In this century alone, Bama and Florida have both reached lows that UT has never reached (losing 8+ games). But I'd still take the last 15 years for either team over what UT did in the same span.
 
#10
#10
bamawriter said:
Exactly. In this century alone, Bama and Florida have both reached lows that UT has never reached (losing 8+ games). But I'd still take the last 15 years for either team over what UT did in the same span.
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The fight for bowl eligibility only to just miss it at the very end of the season from 2011-2013 was exceptionally brutal. Not only does your program suck, but it also feels like you're not making any progress.
 
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#12
#12
chatt-townVOL said:
This is gonna be a rough season for a lot of people. By the first game expectations are going to hit unreasonable levels.
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I think people will be happy with 8 regular season wins provided one of them is against UF, UGA, or Bama, with UF being the most likely.

9 regular season wins is still my prediction, but I won't kick any light bulb buckets if we only win 8.

7 wins or less means we either had devastating injuries or the coaching staff failed.
 
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#14
#14
Based upon those losing period stats, looks like the low lows were in the early 1900's and the early 2000's. I guess that means it'll be a 100 years before the Vols hit another skid like that. That's not long enough for me.
 
#20
#20
I was a fan during the '75-80 yrs, and I do not recall it feeling near as bad as 2008-13.

... but maybe I was too distracted in late 70s, learning about alcohol and women.
 
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#22
#22
Alabama stunk from 97-07 with a couple of 10 win seasons sprinkled in.

Texas stunk in late 80s -most of 90s

Oklahoma stunk all of 90s until stoops got there

LSU stunk from 89-99 till saban

Notre Dame stunk from like Mid 90s-to mid 00s

USCal stunk in the 90s before carroll

TN has stunk 05-14 and things seem to be rising

All teams go thru a dark age....we happen to be most recent
 
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#23
#23
jbr82 said:
Alabama stunk from 97-07 with a couple of 10 win seasons sprinkled in.

Texas stunk in late 80s -most of 90s

Oklahoma stunk all of 90s until stoops got there

LSU stunk from 89-99 till saban

Notre Dame stunk from like Mid 90s-to mid 00s

USCal stunk in the 90s before carroll

TN has stunk 05-14 and things seem to be rising

All teams go thru a dark age....we happen to be most recent
Click to expand...

I would say TN has stunk since 2008 - TN won 10 and 9 games in 2006 and 2007.
 
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#24
#24
HoptownVol said:
Yet Fulmer is still a hero to many Vol fans. SMH :rolleyes:
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And he should be. Even though he hung out a little longer than he should. He will always be a VFL. I was so happy to hear that CBJ had Fulmer coming in to speak to the kids this spring. As a new Tennessee recruit, seeing the coach that put our Vols in such a good place helps sell us to the new kids. That is what makes CBJ a great coach, he knows how to sell the positive history and tradition. Do you think he pulled in 2 top 5 recruiting classes by mentioning Dooley and Kiffin? Ummm, no. So, Fulmer is gone. There is no need to take digs at him. It was the university as a whole that handled the our football situation poorly, not just Fulmer. He does deserve blame for his role. And I'm sure he's the kind of guy that would readily admit as much. But the whole process of what put us here cannot be put on his squarely on his shoulders alone so please stop. Go CBJ and Go Vols!!!
 
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#25
#25
2008-2013 - 6 years - 33-41-0 / 45% (5 losing seasons)


^:yikes: Does that statistic make anyone, besides me, wanna Vomit! :sick::sick::sick:




.
 
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