For all you think we may get 6 wins or less....

You are just as premature as those blind optimists that say the opposite. Pruitt has to prove himself... one way or the other. It isn't any more factual or reasonable to say he "isn't" than to say he "is"... anything.

Chaney though is one of the best OC's in college football. There you are just wrong. To say one guy is the "best" gets real subjective. To say that he's a top 5% OC... is a lot more objective.
Agree on Chaney and honestly, it's very subjective. But the 1st thing I think of is the way he adjusts to the players he has and that puts him in very select company for what we needed most short term.

And while it's easy to mention GA, there was talent. The offense he turned out under Dooley and having Arkansas ot over 30 ppg in the SEC west? Those are more impressive to me.
He's in my top 10 all around and top 5 for what TN needed.
 
They really aren't. And what they have is very very recent. They won it all in 2016 with just 4 5*s on the roster, fewer than ucla or a&m or lsu, and many others. This years class would be their first ever top 5 class. They only have like 1 or 2 top 10 classes, much like us. Furthermore, they really came from nothing. A bunch of top 25ish classes in dabo's early years. But they developed and schemed and retained staff like no one else.




In the past 5 years alone, Clemson has signed 18 5 star players. Their team ranking (rivals) in those 5 years was #9,#8,#22 (they only signed 14 players that year, includingthree 5 stars), #6 and #5. That is 4 top 10 classes in those 5 years and 1 top 5 class. And yes, so far this year they are #1 with four 5 Stars.

So you were basically wrong on everything.
 
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You are just as premature as those blind optimists that say the opposite. Pruitt has to prove himself... one way or the other. It isn't any more factual or reasonable to say he "isn't" than to say he "is"... anything.

Chaney though is one of the best OC's in college football. There you are just wrong. To say one guy is the "best" gets real subjective. To say that he's a top 5% OC... is a lot more objective.


Chaney is a good OC, just not great in my opinion. But my main point is that nothing occurred last year on the field that would suggest that the staff as a whole is any better than average. Their 5-7 record is average. We’re there valid excuses for the poor showing? Maybe, that still doesn’t mean the results would have been different without the excuses. Recruiting has been ok, but nothing spectacular, so no homer in that either. The team quit so it’s hard to say how effective Pruitt is as a leader. The staff may eventually turn to be a good one, but it will be results on the field that prove it, not some shining moment in their past that they never had complete control over.

For the record, I hope Tn does get better. Most of my friends are Vol fans and they haven’t been fun to be around in a long time. I miss the banter.
 
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I think what sets Chaney apart from the average to good OC is his ability to develop and coach quarterbacks. His track record with qb puts him close to a great coach. His play calling at times can be questionable but tell me a coordinator that isn’t.
 
I really don't think you have been paying attention to the recent recruiting and how many very good JUCO's Pruitt has landed the last two years.
He knows what he is doing. This is the year two jump up. Pruitt is a first time head coach too, but has always bleed football. You know we have what is considered by most to be the BEST coaching staff in the country right? Just watch and see.

It's called Pavlovian training. Woof Woof
 
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HC, OC, Ol don’t sniff the top in their profession. This is the same old crap that we heard about Butch and his staff; best in the land. Not one of these coaches has proven they can be successful in their current role. And, they are handicapped with a cast of players that would make it tough on the very best coach(es). It is true that it is all undetermined however. They may be a good staff, no one knows right now. But claiming they are the best is ludicrous. I do know that UGA is miles ahead on the O line since Pittman came on board, replacing the guy running your O line. Keep talking about our OC, I’m thinking he and the team will put a big number on you this year.

If you want to talk recruiting, you look at the numbers. You better hope your staff has a magic eye and is seeing what most others are not. In case you haven’t looked check out the rankings. And check out the avg rating, the numbers here can’t make you feel very good.

Family connections; seems like most every player that commits says whatever school they commit to connected great with their family. I know that’s what they say about Georgia. A name you may be familiar with are Tate Ratledge; it was down to Tn and UGA and you know where he chose to go. I could list a dozen more players but will leave it with Tate since he is so current. Same thing has happened with >80% of the players the dawgs want.

Championship pedigree; yes there are many, many teams with coaches that have been on other staffs that one championships. Usually those teams won them before and after said coach was there.

Listen, I’m not trying to be dismissive of UT coaching potential, it may turn out to be a good group. But they have done absolutely nothing in their current roles to suggest they are the best in the country. Let them get the ship turned before you put that belief/expectation on them. When you don’t it sounds like the same old crap as when Butch was there. Most posters on this site have already made this clear.

As mentioned, GA has peaked. They will beat TN this year, but after that, not a given. You'll see.
 
Chaney is a good OC, just not great in my opinion. But my main point is that nothing occurred last year on the field that would suggest that the staff as a whole is any better than average. Their 5-7 record is average. We’re there valid excuses for the poor showing? Maybe, that still doesn’t mean the results would have been different without the excuses.
Do you have even the remotest clue how bad Jones was at developing players? If not for Dobbs, he would have squandered all that talent and likely wouldn't have had a single winning season. Unlike Smart, Pruitt inherited a pretty bad roster. Little depth. No development.

Recruiting has been ok, but nothing spectacular, so no homer in that either.
Which 5-7 team did better? Winning has its rewards.
The team quit so it’s hard to say how effective Pruitt is as a leader.
Have you ever been a leader? Fortunately, when I've had people "quit" like that... I could fire them and hire better people. A new coach is to a great extent stuck with whatever he inherits for a year or two.

The staff may eventually turn to be a good one, but it will be results on the field that prove it, not some shining moment in their past that they never had complete control over.
And my response was because you draw conclusions based on pretty limited info. You're pretty much saying it isn't a good staff... before it has a chance to prove it on the field.

And your bias is shining with regard to Chaney. He is easily one of the best in CFB. He has a history of improving offenses after taking over. He's done it at UGA with a ton of talent. He did it previously with UT and a pretty bare cupboard. He took two of the worst disaster QB's I've ever seen in Peterman and Crompton and made them very good QB's. That doesn't guarantee success. Jones hired one of the best DC's in CFB and Jones' "culture" prevented him from being successful. But the proof will be on the field as you say... in spite of your predetermined conclusions.

For the record, I hope Tn does get better. Most of my friends are Vol fans and they haven’t been fun to be around in a long time. I miss the banter.
Yeah... I really don't think so based on your bias.
 
As mentioned, GA has peaked. They will beat TN this year, but after that, not a given. You'll see.
I wouldn't count on it. If UGA can keep a good coach... they've got maybe the easiest recruiting situations in the entire country. They're really the only instate school that recruits at a high level... in a state that produces 30+ 4/5* players in any given year.
 
Last Year's Predicted Wins Poll:

9 or more Votes: 22 = 4.6%
8 Votes: 70= 14.7%
7 Votes: 190 = 39.8%
6 Votes: 144 = 30.2%
5 Votes: 47 = 9.9%
4 or less Votes: 4 = 0.8%

To Sum Up:
Overly optimistic VN posters = ~60%
Cautiously optimistic VN posters = ~30%
Realistic VN posters = ~10%
Bona Fide Negavols = Less than 1%

Which category do you think you're in?


I'm shocked that 10% of VN posters are realistic about anything.
 
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I appreciate your positive attitude but who are these folks that consider the coaching staff to be the best in the country?

I heard it mentioned by numerous media outlets plus there's 3 Recruiters of the year on this staff. Plus a really good, experienced and successful OC running the offense. This is an elite coaching staff.
 
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Best head coach - no way
Best offensive coordinator- no way
Best OL coach - no way
Best Def coordinator- unproven but likely good
Best S&C - no way.

This may turn out to be a decent staff, time will tell. But it’s not best in the county, best in the conference, or best in the eastern division. It might be the best in the state of Tn, but that is not a given either.

Keep your chin up and cheer the Vols on, and with luck in a few years you will begin competing again.
they don't crown the #1 recruiting classes because they got the #1 player at every spot they recruited.

it's the sum of the parts.

this staff on paper is one of the best in the SEC, if not the country.

by whatever definition you want to give "one of the best".
 
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Except against Pruitt, Mason is 1-0 and has a 100% winning percentage.

Watson Brown is 1-0 vs Saban and has a 100% winning percentage. Not sure the relevance, it's one game. Was also Saban's first yr as an SEC Head Coach. Just like Saban lost to UL Monroe his first yr at Ala. Dont judge the man off 1 season and first as a HC. Atleast give him a couple yrs.
 
Best head coach - no way
Best offensive coordinator- no way
Best OL coach - no way
Best Def coordinator- unproven but likely good
Best S&C - no way.

This may turn out to be a decent staff, time will tell. But it’s not best in the county, best in the conference, or best in the eastern division. It might be the best in the state of Tn, but that is not a given either.

Keep your chin up and cheer the Vols on, and with luck in a few years you will begin competing again.

Top to bottom its one of the best staffs in the country. We have 3 former recruiters of the year, one of the better OC's and S&C Coachs in the nation. Pruitt,Chaney,Ansley and Martin are all consired great at coching the position's they coach( Pruitt as a DB Coach). Will Friend was the highest paid non power 5 coordinator before coming here. Niedermeyer just won recruiter of the year. Johnson and Weinke are the only 2 question marks and of course we dont know what type of a HC Pruitt will be. Fitzgerald is highly respected and consired one of the best S&C Cozchs. He's also the 2nd highest paid S&C Coach in the country, #1 in the SEC. Tell me another staff that from Top to Bottom is better and who else has 3 Recruiters of the year on staff. Even Saban has his worst staff hes ever had at Ala. He hired 2 guys who were just fired by the Falcons for messing up a Matt Ryan/Julio Jones offense. Definitely the best SEC Staff and probably in the SEC and Country. Our staff has guys who have been at Ala,Ga,Fla,Aub,Fla St,Texas,USC,Miami and Clemson. Yrs of NFL coaching experience, 32+ combined experience of Coordinator experience at Power 5 schools. Plus one of the best JUCO HC's that was Coach of the yr numerous times and put 11 guys in the NFL. The staff combined has coached 202 NFL players at 20 different schools. If you can find me many other staffs with that combined reume Ill gladly listen. I didn't even list the coaching awards and combined all americans coached. Thats a ver long and impressive list also. Yes, we have an unproven HC and 1st yr DC, but like I said overall staff. Very few or any are better as recruiters and developers.
 
they don't crown the #1 recruiting classes because they got the #1 player at every spot they recruited.

it's the sum of the parts.

this staff on paper is one of the best in the SEC, if not the country.

by whatever definition you want to give "one of the best".
This isn’t a damn beauty pageant. It isn’t enough to look good on paper. A coaching staff is only great if it wins almost all of its games. Our coaching staff may have potential, but it hasn’t proved squat yet.
 
I know we have all been bitten many times in the last decade thinking "this is the breakthrough year" so its natural to aim slightly lower but I truly believe 7-5 is the WORST scenario whereas 8-4 is realistic and after that its "this is the breakthrough year"

People worry about Darnell and Wanya being freshman well so were Bryce and Alonte this time last year who now are two of the stars.

Other signs are: only a few injuries, everybody seems so much bigger, hardly anybody except "False Start" wishes to get off the ship. There was glimse last year against Auburn, Kentucky and SC.

There is a feel (this far away) that THIS time we have the right guy in charge.
We will see.
 
Top to bottom its one of the best staffs in the country. We have 3 former recruiters of the year, one of the better OC's and S&C Coachs in the nation. Pruitt,Chaney,Ansley and Martin are all consired great at coching the position's they coach( Pruitt as a DB Coach). Will Friend was the highest paid non power 5 coordinator before coming here. Niedermeyer just won recruiter of the year. Johnson and Weinke are the only 2 question marks and of course we dont know what type of a HC Pruitt will be. Fitzgerald is highly respected and consired one of the best S&C Cozchs. He's also the 2nd highest paid S&C Coach in the country, #1 in the SEC. Tell me another staff that from Top to Bottom is better and who else has 3 Recruiters of the year on staff. Even Saban has his worst staff hes ever had at Ala. He hired 2 guys who were just fired by the Falcons for messing up a Matt Ryan/Julio Jones offense. Definitely the best SEC Staff and probably in the SEC and Country. Our staff has guys who have been at Ala,Ga,Fla,Aub,Fla St,Texas,USC,Miami and Clemson. Yrs of NFL coaching experience, 32+ combined experience of Coordinator experience at Power 5 schools. Plus one of the best JUCO HC's that was Coach of the yr numerous times and put 11 guys in the NFL. The staff combined has coached 202 NFL players at 20 different schools. If you can find me many other staffs with that combined reume Ill gladly listen. I didn't even list the coaching awards and combined all americans coached. Thats a ver long and impressive list also. Yes, we have an unproven HC and 1st yr DC, but like I said overall staff. Very few or any are better as recruiters and developers.


As always time will tell. A great staff has great results. If and when Tn starts winning at a high level, you will be able to say they have one of the best staffs. If they consistently win it all, you might be able to say they have the best staff but it would still be subjective. But as of today, nothing has occurred that warrants the statement. What your guys did in the past on other staffs means zilch.
 
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Do you have even the remotest clue how bad Jones was at developing players? If not for Dobbs, he would have squandered all that talent and likely wouldn't have had a single winning season. Unlike Smart, Pruitt inherited a pretty bad roster. Little depth. No development.

Which 5-7 team did better? Winning has its rewards. Have you ever been a leader? Fortunately, when I've had people "quit" like that... I could fire them and hire better people. A new coach is to a great extent stuck with whatever he inherits for a year or two.

And my response was because you draw conclusions based on pretty limited info. You're pretty much saying it isn't a good staff... before it has a chance to prove it on the field.

And your bias is shining with regard to Chaney. He is easily one of the best in CFB. He has a history of improving offenses after taking over. He's done it at UGA with a ton of talent. He did it previously with UT and a pretty bare cupboard. He took two of the worst disaster QB's I've ever seen in Peterman and Crompton and made them very good QB's. That doesn't guarantee success. Jones hired one of the best DC's in CFB and Jones' "culture" prevented him from being successful. But the proof will be on the field as you say... in spite of your predetermined conclusions.


Yeah... I really don't think so based on your bias.
Orange colored glasses, really tinted darkly. Hope your exuberance is right.
 
This isn’t a damn beauty pageant. It isn’t enough to look good on paper. A coaching staff is only great if it wins almost all of its games. Our coaching staff may have potential, but it hasn’t proved squat yet.
Lol. Year 2. Year 1 as constructed today.

But.. Y'all keep going....
 
Orange colored glasses, really tinted darkly. Hope your exuberance is right.
I'm confident Chaney is one of CFB's best OC's and it has nothing to do with who he works for. I would have told you the same when he was at Pitt or Arkansas.

Otherwise, I just pushed back on the guy for claiming we "couldn't know" that they were good until there was proof even though he pretty much said they weren't... without proof.

I like Pruitt but I don't know he will get it done. I'm pretty objective about it. If he can't make a major improvement in 3 years or less then it is very likely he never will at UT. That's just a historical reality. Seldom do coaches struggle for their first 3+ years then become "great". That's especially true of high profile programs or high end conferences. Your exceptions will be found where the expectations were low.
 

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