How do we fire our scheduler?

[Rememberthe1990s]

Bama is going to playoffs most likely if they win out.

If no upsets happen you're prolly right. But if anything goes off script then they are out. Also, they still have to go to Auburn. Bama is not as good this year.

 

[rusty11]

I don't give a damn about Clempson except cheering for them to beat bammer. We're talking about the Tennessee Volunteers and our long, proud storied history of playing good intersectional games.

I get history, but we used to play 2 tough conference games a year as well. Now there are at least 3 really tough ones, and no real easy ones as if you don't show up, you may not win. Back in the day the conference had 10 teams and we played 10 or 11 games.

 

[ftsandersvol]

You get better by playing good teams. Teams usually don’t learn by playing powderpuffs. It also helps with recruiting as you want the kids that relish the opportunity to show off their talent against the top teams in the country.

 

[CA_Vol]

Auburn beat a top 10 Oregon team this year. Do you think that will have any effect on their perception if the lose 4 games this year?

Yes, I do actually. It will also have an affect on recruiting. Playing in those big, national tv kickoff games is good win or lose. You are relevant. The exposure is important.

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

The Oklahoma series was a parting gift from Dave Hart. So we can't fire him since he already retired.

O.K., then. He's dead to me.

 

[Orangeslice13]

I’d rather see this than playing Troy or Utep or....... let’s play big boy football without fear for a change.

 

[CA_Vol]

I was there for that and it was glorious. I had brought a UGA buddy of mine and he still talks about it.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

We did.

 

[njvols]

What if we win?

Oh what a beautiful morning,
Oh what a beautiful day,
I've got a wonderful feeling,
Everything's going my way.

 

[ptcarter]

Like dumping water on a drowning person? Tennessee has enough of a challenge with in-conference teams. Getting blown out by 50+ by Oregon (Twice) did little to booster our recruiting efforts or team confidence. I agree 100% with the OP. Mid-major OOC competition should suffice.

I’ll take it a step further. We should dump the yearly AL game also. It benefits us little with the current state of our program. At some point we have to make our own history. Let’s replace AL with Ole Miss or Arkansas.

Or go even one step further and join the Sun Belt conference

 

[USMC-TNVOL]

Why are we playing Oklahoma next year? Why are we scheduling Oregon and Ohio State but dumping North Carolina?

Honestly!!! Alabama plays Duke and we play Oklahoma. It should be swapped.

We should play other struggling programs like us such as Nebraska, UCLA, Miami, Duke, Virginia Tech again, etc. I am tired of seeing us play teams that are going to drill us. Let Alabama, LSU, and Georgia schedule them.

They're good but not Alabama. Pretty sure Kansas State took care of them. We don't even know who their QB will be since Hurts will be leaving.

 

[agent|orange]

Agree. We should play anyone regardless. Historically this has been the norm.

We're also at a historical worst-stretch in program history.

When you tear your shoulder, you rehab and don't go full-speed until you're ready. We need to rehab and start scheduling these ridiculous games we will *not* win once we have comparable talent and stability.

We are not the UT of 20 years ago.

 

[I40flyer]

Maybe we will all get to a point where we aren't afraid to play anyone.

And using the schedule that Alabama plays isn't a great argument. Because they played such a weak conference, it's hurting them now. If LSU had lost, they probably would have still been in playoff contention. Alabama losing and not beating anyone significant so far means they are probably out.

To the victor go the spoils.

What do you mean when you say, "because they played such a weak conference..."?

 

[I40flyer]

We need as many cupcake games as we can get, every year, more Georgia States, BYU's etc (we should win these games), thus no matter what happens in the SEC, we should be able to get a Bowl Game. After a few years of getting Bowl Games, we could start setting our sights on the SEC championship and maybe some day a NATY!!!

 

[agent|orange]

What do you mean when you say, "because they played such a weak conference..."?

He meant to say "their playoff bid hopes are stifled because they play such a weak (out of) conference schedule".

Which they do.

But it's so far beyond ridiculous that we're planning for a CFB bid when we can't even win our division... much less our conference. We need about 2-3 Top 5 recruiting classes before we can even dream of the CFB Playoffs.... we're a little behind the power curve there in case people haven't checked. We'll be lucky to land a Top 15 class at this rate.

 

[pimo1]

I used to disagree with this but now I agree. There is zero benefit to scheduling tough OOC competition. Ohio State was the number one team in the playoff rankings coming into this week while having played Noone to this point. We have Georgia and Bama on our schedule, no need to make it more difficult.

its called recruiting we get to play in front of an audience that normally won't see us. Playing North Carolina and Duke is not opening up new recruiting grounds...playing a west coast or southwest team does.

 

[agent|orange]

They're good but not Alabama. Pretty sure Kansas State took care of them. We don't even know who their QB will be since Hurts will be leaving.

Likely the #11 recruit in his class, Spencer Rattler.

 

[MAUSERWERKE]

Or go even one step further and join the Sun Belt conference

Alabama should absolutely be removed as UT's permanent cross division opponent. The entire permanent opponent thing needs to be scrapped. Not just for competitive reasons. With so many additional teams in the conference now, the permanent opponent concept magnifies the fact that teams can go a really long time and never play any particular cross division opponent. Get rid of it I say.

 

[agent|orange]

its called recruiting we get to play in front of an audience that normally won't see us. Playing North Carolina and Duke is not opening up new recruiting grounds...playing a west coast or southwest team does.

If you play and win a big game in front of a national audience, you profit.

If you play and lose, especially if you get embarrassed, your image takes a pretty significant hit.

Kids want to both play big games and win them. They don't want to play big games and lose them.

 

[I40flyer]

its called recruiting we get to play in front of an audience that normally won't see us. Playing North Carolina and Duke is not opening up new recruiting grounds...playing a west coast or southwest team does.

Once the "players can sell their own photos.." goes into full swing, silicon valley money may be able (just maybe) to recruit players to the CA schools-maybe we shouldn't be planning a lot of trips out there-or inviting them to Neyland. This should be about long term impact, get as many Furman type schools on our schedule as we can. We are currently ranked 55 in the nation, now is not the time to be playing top 25 teams.

 

[UTwild82]

its called recruiting we get to play in front of an audience that normally won't see us. Playing North Carolina and Duke is not opening up new recruiting grounds...playing a west coast or southwest team does.

I think that aspect was much more important 30 years ago, when access to televised games was much more limited than today. Everyone is on TV all the time now, so if you're winning kids know who you are and what is up with Tennessee.

 

[GTBATV]

What do you mean when you say, "because they played such a weak conference..."?

I misspoke. I meant a weak schedule so far.

 

[90 Vol]

I like our chances here as long as we don't have an SEC officiating crew. GBO.

 

[sechamp2012]

Why are we playing Oklahoma next year? Why are we scheduling Oregon and Ohio State but dumping North Carolina?

Honestly!!! Alabama plays Duke and we play Oklahoma. It should be swapped.

We should play other struggling programs like us such as Nebraska, UCLA, Miami, Duke, Virginia Tech again, etc. I am tired of seeing us play teams that are going to drill us. Let Alabama, LSU, and Georgia schedule them.

These games are scheduled way in advance. Some are 7 and 10 years out. You never know where they will be in 5 years.
It's like us usually, we get a west team when they are at their best (see Ole Miss/Freeze) but we do get Arkansas next year and Oklahoma will be breaking in a new QB,they are about due to miss on QB. They have hit lottery last 3 years in a row. We are trending up. We lose 6 big contributing Seniors. Juan & Calloway will be hard to replace but Palmer & Brandon Johnson, Gibbs and Keyton Tillman are back. Bituli will be missed big time but if we could somehow win this game on the road it would catapult the rebuild, if we lose it's just a step in 3rd year of 5 year rebuild.

 

[pimo1]

I think that aspect was much more important 30 years ago, when access to televised games was much more limited than today. Everyone is on TV all the time now, so if you're winning kids know who you are and what is up with Tennessee.

Incorrect, trust me you get a kid from say Texas and tell him we are playing Oklahoma your hated rival your senior year that's a big sell. Or you're gonna play in your hometown your junior year big selling point. Watching games on TV is not the same.. you have a kid from California whose family has come to every game. They might not be able to make trips to the east coast as easily. Letting them know they will be playing games all over. Getting to travel and see other places is a big deal.

Winning and losing is up to the coaches and trust me no decent coach in the SEC is marking a game a year or two down the road against anyone up as a loss whether they should or not it is not in a coach's mentality to think his team won't be better next year.