Facts: We are Still Young and Inexperienced

[Rifleman]

I don't want to hear this any more than the rest of you, but anger and frustation aside . . .

These are the facts:

1) OL - Tennessee was 64th in career OL starts, before the Jackson injury. With Jackson gone we are tied for 100th in FBS. That is if you count Crowder's starts and not those of Thomas who is the guy playing most snaps at center.

2) We were 66th in lettermen returning before the key injuries at OL and DL.

3) We are 86th in the percentage of offensive yards gained returning.

4) We were 45th in the percentage of tackles returning before the key DL injuries and suspensions - and counting McNeil as active (we don't know how that will shake out). This would have qualified as a strength 2 months ago.

5) Our 2-deep class experience rank was 87th - again this was before key hits to our depth.

Those are the facts. Depth is building but not restocked by any stretch of the imagination. Depth and experience was a key factor against Oklahoma and perhaps the critical factor.

This doesn't mean the coaches are absolved of their part in our losses, nor does it make this situation any easier to swallow.

Those are just the facts.

 

[DCompagnucci]

Butch, is that you?

 

[emzeeee]

inb4 facts are excuses.

 

[Vol_is_Lyfe18]

Good post, but the critical factor was most definitely sitting on a 17 point lead vs an air raid offense, or hunh, whatever you wanna call it.

 

[CountVolcula]

We've been young and inexperienced since 2007

 

[JobuVol]

Depth is building but not restocked by any stretch of the imagination. Depth and experience was a key factor against Oklahoma and perhaps the critical factor.

:clapping:

 

[emzeeee]

Good post, but the critical factor was most definitely sitting on a 17 point lead vs an air raid offense, or hunh, whatever you wanna call it.

Don't think anyone is arguing about that. I want to see more games called like '13 UGA.

 

[Catbone]

Lmao. Next year that will be the excuse too won't it?

 

[Biopsyman]

We've been young and inexperienced since 2007

Master plan.. Keep benching upperclassman

 

[Vol_is_Lyfe18]

Don't think anyone is arguing about that. I want to see more games called like '13 UGA.

For sure. I was there. It was an exciting time.

 

[Slydell]

Forever Young.
B. Dylan

 

[Rifleman]

Good post, but the critical factor was most definitely sitting on a 17 point lead vs an air raid offense, or hunh, whatever you wanna call it.

I would have liked the play calling to have been more aggressive, absolutely.

Yet, we see multiple false starts from the OL late in the game.

We see a walk-on TE drop a touchdown pass that would have had him walking into the endzone.

We see a walk on LB abused in the passing game and getting penalties that extended drives.

We see the same stunts fool the OL again and again on key third downs.

The plays that were called would have won the day had the execution been better.

 

[KBVol]

We've been young and inexperienced since 2007

Wait til you see how young we are next year....ton of 17 year olds coming in February.

 

[NO_SIR_REE]

Same excuses, different thread. :boredom:

 

[Rifleman]

We've been young and inexperienced since 2007

Demonstrably false:

In fact, we were ranked 2nd in combined experience in FBS going into the 2012 season.

Combined Experience Chart

Better luck next time though.

 

[99gator]

The reason people thought so highly of Tennessee before the year, and may still be correct, is because Tennessee was going to be vastly more experienced than everyone else. They may be young, but they played.

Just returning their QB set them apart from over half the SEC.

Ya'll can correct me if I am wrong, but Tennessee returned 19 or more of the 22 starters from last season. Something like that. In this day and age in college football, that does not happen.

In addition, we've seen several teams play, granted in a limited sample of games.

Florida, South Carolina, Missouri, Vanderbilt, Kentucky.....these are not teams that a "good" football team should have any problems with.

The youth excuse shouldn't fly anymore.

 

[IluvdoubleD's]

Watching Holly Rowe on sec network just now. Said her decibel meter hit 115 decibels. Said UT fans should be extremely proud of what they have. Said it blew away the nfl game she just did. Said that the two injuries on the D are the reason okie won that game. Said they attacked us where we are weakest in overtime and nobody is talking about it.

 

[Rifleman]

inb4 facts are excuses.

Same excuses, different thread. :boredom:

You did it!

Just barely, but you did it!

 

[governmentmule]

depth is a huge factor on the Offensive and the Defensive side,CBJ is recurtiting pretty damn great,it just takes time

which I'm tired of hearing too,but that is the Vols problem

 

[Vol_is_Lyfe18]

I would have like the play calling to have been more aggressive, absolutely.

Yet, we see multiple false starts from the OL late in the game.

We see a walk-on TE drop a touchdown pass that would have had him walking into the endzone.

We see a walk on LB abused in the passing game and getting penalties that extended drives.

We see the same stunts fool the OL again and again on key third downs.

The plays that were called would have won the day had the execution been better.

I won't disagree that those plays would have "won the day." The problem is most fans think that those plays should have never been so critical in the outcome of the game.

 

[Catbone]

The reason people thought so highly of Tennessee before the year, and may still be correct, is because Tennessee was going to be vastly more experienced than everyone else. They may be young, but they played.

Just returning their QB set them apart from over half the SEC.

Ya'll can correct me if I am wrong, but Tennessee returned 19 or more of the 22 starters from last season. Something like that. In this day and age in college football, that does not happen.

In addition, we've seen several teams play, granted in a limited sample of games.

Florida, South Carolina, Missouri, Vanderbilt, Kentucky.....these are not teams that a "good" football team should have any problems with.

The youth excuse shouldn't fly anymore.

We were out Maggitt, Jackson, Mcneil, and Obrien who were starters so that'd be 15 total. You're still correct though. The lies and BS have to stop eventually and Butch has to win a game that's worth a damn.

 

[sjt18]

There is a Catch-22 for the OP and those who are determined to find some excuse for lowering expectations.

If you want to say UT is too young to win then that's OK except you have to deal with the extraordinary attrition that has occurred under Jones that includes some players that could by "mature" starters and depth now.

The excuse is self-defeating this far into the rebuild when used to the degree it is being used. Somewhat young? OK. Youngest team in CFB? But wait... why is that?

 

[millst987]

Im sick of hearing it! Just win some ball games or gtfo

 

[calban]

Learning to win.
If you haven't developed a winning attitude by your Junior season, will you ever have one?
I am waiting to see how this season unfolds though.

 

[emzeeee]

You did it!

Just barely, but you did it!

It's like VN took all the bricks that CBJ has been talking about and crafted a very fine wall. And now anyone who disagrees with them gets to speak to that wall because they'll just reply with:

"We've been young for 5 years."
"Excuses."
"Butch needs to win a game that matters."
"When will youth stop being an excuse."

Blah, blah blah blah blah.