ESPN Post-practice Power Rankings- Vols 6th

#1
zeppelin128

zeppelin128

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#1
Edit: This is SEC power rankings, not national. So that puts us at 6th in conference, third in the East.

http://www.espn.com/blog/sec/post/_...en-with-lsu-in-post-spring-sec-power-rankings

"6. Tennessee: Lowered expectations coupled with a relatively soft nonconference schedule (Georgia Tech, Indiana State, UMass, Southern Miss) could mean a bounce-back season of sorts for the Vols. Quinten Dormady's 10-for-10 passing performance during the spring game gave reason for hope as well."

Not really surprised by the ranking given our leaving talent, but ESPN seems to think we will have a better season. I read in another article that they have predicted (per their Football Power Index) the good guys at 9-3, losing to Bama, LSU, and Florida.

I really wish we could get over the losing streak to the West, but we have a tough draw this season.

I hate losing to Bama and Florida as much as the next dude, but a 9-3 season after losing a lot of upperclassmen and talent would not be a bad season. Not great, but not bad.
 
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#2
#2
If we do better this season than last season, after all the guys we lost, it would be pretty hard to complain. (Although I'm sure some will still manage to)
 
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#3
#3
I mainly don't want to lose another game to anyone ranked 11-14. That can't happen.
 
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#4
#4
zeppelin128 said:
http://www.espn.com/blog/sec/post/_...en-with-lsu-in-post-spring-sec-power-rankings

"6. Tennessee: Lowered expectations coupled with a relatively soft nonconference schedule (Georgia Tech, Indiana State, UMass, Southern Miss) could mean a bounce-back season of sorts for the Vols. Quinten Dormady's 10-for-10 passing performance during the spring game gave reason for hope as well."

Not really surprised by the ranking given our leaving talent, but ESPN seems to think we will have a better season. I read in another article that they have predicted (per their Football Power Index) the good guys at 9-3, losing to Bama, LSU, and Florida.

I really wish we could get over the losing streak to the West, but we have a tough draw this season.

I hate losing to Bama and Florida as much as the next dude, but a 9-3 season after losing a lot of upperclassmen and talent would not be a bad season. Not great, but not bad.
Click to expand...

IMHO, I believe UT will beat LSU. There may be some other losses but I think UT will win that one.
 
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#5
#5
Barring injuries I think we will have a better season than last. It cannot be overstated how much having like 10 starters on crutches hurts your team. I don't care what your talent level is.
 
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#6
#6
sjt18 said:
IMHO, I believe UT will beat LSU. There may be some other losses but I think UT will win that one.
Click to expand...

I'm with you, I don't think LSU's offense is that threatening so long as we can stop the run. Don't know if it's true or not but I've heard the their best DE, Arden Key, will not be playing this year so that he can be healthy for the draft. Again, don't know if that is true.
 
#11
#11
To clarify for those who didn't click and read this article: this is sixth in the SEC, not nation-wide. And 3rd in the SEC East. A purely middle-of-the-pack ranking.
 
#12
#12
I don't get at all why people are predicting a UF loss...they lost everyone on D...and from the depth chart I saw they are very thin at OL...that's a bad combo
 
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#14
#14
thunder5 said:
I don't get at all why people are predicting a UF loss...they lost everyone on D...and from the depth chart I saw they are very thin at OL...that's a bad combo
Click to expand...

This game is always tough regardless of which team has more talent, should win, etc. If I had to bet my paycheck on this game I'd also go with Florida. I have 0 confidence vs Florida after how the past few have played out including the unreal 2nd half performance this past year when all the stars aligned.
 
#15
#15
UF will be a tough game if their new QB is as good as reported. Keys to success this year for us will be a much improved defense and finding a passing game to compliment the QB run threat. IF we do those we will have a good year; either falter and all bets are off.
 
#16
#16
thunder5 said:
I don't get at all why people are predicting a UF loss...they lost everyone on D...and from the depth chart I saw they are very thin at OL...that's a bad combo
Click to expand...

ESPN is putting a lot of stock on their quarterback. The only reason I can think for their prediction of a loss is that it is at the Swamp.
 
#17
#17
VFL-82-JP said:
To clarify for those who didn't click and read this article: this is sixth in the SEC, not nation-wide. And 3rd in the SEC East. A purely middle-of-the-pack ranking.
Click to expand...

Thanks for clarifying, that is bad wording on my part. I'm on mobile and not sure how to edit a thread title.
 
#18
#18
zeppelin128 said:
ESPN is putting a lot of stock on their quarterback. The only reason I can think for their prediction of a loss is that it is at the Swamp.
Click to expand...

Or maybe they are considering that we have a new, first-time OC, this is the first SEC road game of the season, and we are replacing Dobbs, Kamara, Hurd, Malone, Vereen, Barnett, Sutton, and Reeves-Maybin, amounts to a lot of points not in our favor?
 
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#19
#19
BeardedVol said:
Or maybe they are considering that we have a new, first-time OC, this is the first SEC road game of the season, and we are replacing Dobbs, Kamara, Hurd, Malone, Vereen, Barnett, Sutton, and Reeves-Maybin, amounts to a lot of points not in our favor?
Click to expand...

True, but the reverse can be said as well. Florida is losing a lot of talent as well, especially on defense. Muschamp's defensive recruits are basically gone. They are breaking in a young quarterback behind a questionable offensive line.
 
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#20
#20
Looks right to me. Butch usually loses to one team that he shouldn't, so 7-5 and possibly 8-4 seems accurate.
 
#21
#21
GoVols64 said:
UF will be a tough game if their new QB is as good as reported. Keys to success this year for us will be a much improved defense and finding a passing game to compliment the QB run threat. IF we do those we will have a good year; either falter and all bets are off.
Click to expand...

They are as unsure as at QB as they have been the past few years, Unproven and young. No one i have seen reported that their QB was that good?
 
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#22
#22
GoVols64 said:
UF will be a tough game if their new QB is as good as reported. Keys to success this year for us will be a much improved defense and finding a passing game to compliment the QB run threat. IF we do those we will have a good year; either falter and all bets are off.
Click to expand...

The only reason I have caution with the UF game is venue.
 
#23
#23
UF and LSU should be beatable.

The UF QB was redshirted but highly recruited.
I don't know why people expect UF to suddenly have a bad defense. They haven't had a bad defense since 2007.
They also started several true and redshirt freshman in that bowl game against Iowa.

LSU I lean towards as a W because they haven't been special recently AND they downgraded that entire staff.

I don't think UGA is that special either.

Really looks like a repeat of 2016 to me.
Bama being the cream of the crop with the rest of us looking very average.
Maybe Auburn, UF, or A&M give them a run for their money, but I doubt it.
 
#24
#24
zeppelin128 said:
Edit: This is SEC power rankings, not national. So that puts us at 6th in conference, third in the East.

http://www.espn.com/blog/sec/post/_...en-with-lsu-in-post-spring-sec-power-rankings

"6. Tennessee: Lowered expectations coupled with a relatively soft nonconference schedule (Georgia Tech, Indiana State, UMass, Southern Miss) could mean a bounce-back season of sorts for the Vols. Quinten Dormady's 10-for-10 passing performance during the spring game gave reason for hope as well."

Not really surprised by the ranking given our leaving talent, but ESPN seems to think we will have a better season. I read in another article that they have predicted (per their Football Power Index) the good guys at 9-3, losing to Bama, LSU, and Florida.

I really wish we could get over the losing streak to the West, but we have a tough draw this season.

I hate losing to Bama and Florida as much as the next dude, but a 9-3 season after losing a lot of upperclassmen and talent would not be a bad season. Not great, but not bad.
Click to expand...

I'll be giddy with 10-2 with pulling a W off either in the Swamp or over LSU at home.

I will be happy as well with 9-3 but those couple weeks after the L in the Swamp would be rough heading into UGA and SC.

8-4 would be ok but 2018 would seriously be the put up or shut up year.

7-5 or worse would get hairy.
 
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