How Many Wins This Fall?

[jasonvol18]

Correction, offensive line could not block. Had 2 chances. Mt. Cody was in the backfield before holder got the ball.

It wouldn't have mattered,w with the angle of the ball off his foot it was never gonna be good, regardless of Mt. Cody. Lincoln had been injured and shouldn't have tried one from that distance. Not sure who the back up was so it may not have mattered. But Lane got conservative and didn't try to get any closer to make it a shorter kick. Truthfully Cody should have been hit with a 15 yd penalty for taking his helmet off and could have tried the kick again and 15 yards shorter.

 

[bigdaddy]

So it’s happened twice in the sec in 20 years. That sounds rare to me

 

[jasonvol18]

Okay, An improved Tennessee team will beat Georgia State, Chattanooga, BYU, Ky., Vandy, Missouri, Mississippi State, South Carolina & Alabama- Birmingham . Definate losses to O'bama & Florida. 50/50 chance of beating Georgia. Every year, when the schedule is printed, I always chalk Alabama & Florida as guaranteed losses, regardless of the situation.
9 wins and we are in a good bowl game. 10 wins and we are in a New Years Day bowl game

Just curious but why is Fla a definite loss? They are in no better shape than us right now. I hope it's not based off Mullen. He's not shown he can recruit at a high level yet or win at a high pressure job. Hell the guy at Miss St now is recruiting circles around what Mullen did at Miss St. Think the way Dan is handling all the off the field issues, he may be in way over his head. We have been better than UF the past few yrs but of course Butch found every way imaginable to lose to them. Georgia would be a definite loss way before Flor would ever be right now. That could change or it could not. We will have to agree to disagree on Fla, but not a thing wrong with a difference of opinions.

 

[jasonvol18]

So it’s happened twice in the sec in 20 years. That sounds rare to me

I didn't dig that deep into it and definitely didn't go that far back. I'm betting it's happened more than just twice, those were just two off the top of my head. But I also said it wasn't that rare in college football. There's many more conference's than the SEC. But in '05 we went 5-6, then Cut came back the next year and we went 9-4 then 10-4 and won the East. Point is it isn't uncommon, especially with coaching changes. Especially as toxic as Butch was in the locker room last year. This staff would have won atleast 8 games last year with the same roster Butch had. When players quit on their HC, things can look way worse than they really are. Just a personal preference but I prefer to be optimistic but also realistic. 7-8 wins and a bowl are realistic expectations. 4-5 wins max is just crazy. That's saying a much, much better staff without players quitting on their HC, will only equal what the worst staff we've had in my lifetime and players who did quit on him did last year. There's no way to twist it to make that sound even remotely logical. If it happens, I will be the first to admit I was wrong. I've not seen anything from our roster or coaching staff, that has them repeating and not easily building on last year's results. Butch's staff and JP's Staff is as exact opposite as you will ever see. And it's not even remotely close.

 

[jasonvol18]

i COULD NOT AGREE MORE- LAST YEARS BUNCH WAS A DISGRACE- I WILL NOT ATTEND A SINGLE GAME THIS YEAR.

Would you bust your a$$ for Butch and that staff last year or gave up on him like the players did? Not saying it's right but it's hard to kill yourself for someone you don't want to play for. Just like you are giving up on this team already, you have to see how they gave up on Butch. And the players haven't done anything to you like the BS they dealt with daily. Definitely your right not to go or support them and it just makes tickets available to the ones like myself who will go support them. That's like going to your job everyday where you weren't treated the way you should or given everything you need to do your job. Most people would quit or not much much effort in, same as the players. Just like a job change could completely change your mindset, same for getting new Coach's. Most times that change's how you do things and is very motivational.

 

[Pepe]

I am so glad we gave Dooley that new contract after he dazzled us by getting to the MCB in year zero. When the hell are you people going to learn?

F

 

[Pepe]

F

Well we pay a guy an 8 million dollar buyout for a job as Pop Warner coach and chief slogan pusher, so I guess you can forget learning anything. Heck we even paid the basketball coach half a year salary when he was fired for cause.

 

[jasonvol18]

Give Coach Pruitt and his staff and the players a chance...............................................................just sayin'

Thank-you! Some won't simply because he's a Bammer and that's the stupidest 'ish I've ever heard. I dont care where a guy has coached, played or graduated from. He's going to do everything possible to win and win often here. If fans can support Butch then they definitely should be able to support JP. I'm like you, atleast give the Players and Coach's a chance before belittling them. If fans would look beyond the surface they will see they are better than the 4-8 we saw last year. I couldn't play or work for someone I did trust either. That was obvious from start to finish last year and just got worse after the Fla loss. Our season was done then.

 

[Franklin Pierce]

Wins 5:

ETSU
UTEP
Charlotte
Kentucky
Vanderbilt

Coach Pruitt, get us a Quarterback.

 

[jasonvol18]

Yes losing to Vanderbilt stank but his overall records except for his last season doesn't constitute into a losing culture. Overall depicts win losses not a series. Look I'm not sticking up for the man by any means but don't play this that UT never had any success under him. Debunk him all you want but the man won here....... Losing culture... I don't buy it..... 3-0 bowl record? Maybe he should have coached all games as bowl games.... I have no clue but a losing culture at UT isn't the case until 2017 plain and simple.... end of argument.

Honestly any decent coach should win here. Even both 9-4 seasons he underachieved. Both years, especially Dobb's Sr year we should have played in the SEC Championship. Hell he just had to beat Vandy to play in a New Yrs Six game and found a way to screw that up. . Inexplicable last second losses to Fla, Okla, Vandy among other bad losses. 1-4 vs Fla, 2-3 vs Vandy,2-3 vs Mizzou, 0-10 vs the West. He benefited with favorable bowl matchups vs some slower Big 10 teams. Also 2-12 his last 14 SEC games was horrid, Especially when there was 2 double digit losses to bad Vandy team, 2 losses to SCe, 1 to Mizzou by 33, who didn't beat a single team with a winning record and UK.Even a 20 pt beat down from Coach O. He was 14-25 in the SEC and had a losing record in an average at best SEC East. Lastly he was 6-17 vs the Top 25 and 1 y ear out of 5 that he was above .500 in the conference. I wouldn't say Butch ever had a winning culture while he was here. He was 20-2 vs Non SEC teams with losses to ranked Oregon and Oklahoma teams. So 20 of his 34 wins at TN were non conference games. So even a 34-27 record at TN was very misleading.

 

[jasonvol18]

Wow people are really confident. 35% at 7 wins and 20% at 8. The orange-tinted glasses are coming out.

How is it Orange tinted when we expect to beat less talented team's and Mizzou, W.Va and UF who went 7-6, 7-6 and 4-7. Not exactly a stretch or being a Homer.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

7-5 is our ceiling.

 

[Evet Vols]

Lol @ those saying 5 wins or less. If CJP only wins 4-5 this year then he needs to be fired.

I pretty much agree. Last year was the worst year ever surely Pruitt and Company will do a lot better. I’m thinking 8 wins if TN beats WV.

 

[ReasonableUTfan]

Honestly any decent coach should win here. Even both 9-4 seasons he underachieved. Both years, especially Dobb's Sr year we should have played in the SEC Championship. Hell he just had to beat Vandy to play in a New Yrs Six game and found a way to screw that up. . Inexplicable last second losses to Fla, Okla, Vandy among other bad losses. 1-4 vs Fla, 2-3 vs Vandy,2-3 vs Mizzou, 0-10 vs the West. He benefited with favorable bowl matchups vs some slower Big 10 teams. Also 2-12 his last 14 SEC games was horrid, Especially when there was 2 double digit losses to bad Vandy team, 2 losses to SCe, 1 to Mizzou by 33, who didn't beat a single team with a winning record and UK.Even a 20 pt beat down from Coach O. He was 14-25 in the SEC and had a losing record in an average at best SEC East. Lastly he was 6-17 vs the Top 25 and 1 y ear out of 5 that he was above .500 in the conference. I wouldn't say Butch ever had a winning culture while he was here. He was 20-2 vs Non SEC teams with losses to ranked Oregon and Oklahoma teams. So 20 of his 34 wins at TN were non conference games. So even a 34-27 record at TN was very misleading.

I agree 100% with your post, but what I was responding to was UT had a losing culture. Once again you are right, we lost games we shouldn't have and the bottom line is it falls on the HC. As the member brought up UT had a losing culture and I don't agree with that under Jones. Now 2017 was a completely different animal and he needed to be fired plain and simple. Always enjoy reading your responses sir!

 

[Gary10ec1]

7-5 would be remarkable but I would settle for 6-6 showing signs of life against Bama, Auburn and Georgia.

 

[JACK8254]

Sure losses are Aub, Bama, Ga, West Va, USC, toss-ups Mo, Ky, Fla, rest are wins, maybe. So, 5-7 is most likely, could range from 4-8 to 7-5 , depending on breaks and injuries. Thanks Butch for leaving a horrible mess.

 

[Bubbs]

9 wins. Last year's product wasn't a lack of talent. The kids were playing uninspired football. You could tell Butch had lost them. Shoop's defense was too confusing for the kids. I mean we had Colton Jumper as a starting linebacker. In no way shape or form was he near the most talented guy at LB. Defense is going to be nice plus we have an excellent OC with a ton of speed on offense at his disposal. Things will be exciting.

 

[Sara Clark]

9 wins. Last year's product wasn't a lack of talent. The kids were playing uninspired football. You could tell Butch had lost them. Shoop's defense was too confusing for the kids. I mean we had Colton Jumper as a starting linebacker. In no way shape or form was he near the most talented guy at LB. Defense is going to be nice plus we have an excellent OC with a ton of speed on offense at his disposal. Things will be exciting.

While I don't know about 9 wins, I agree that Jones had the talent. You had lackadaisical practices, toxic atmosphere behind the scenes, and a coach who couldn't coach. It's hard to predict the outcome this year, we'll have a better idea after the WV game. My question would be, has enough time passed to get rid of the stench from the Jones era players. Surely by now, they have renewed hope and drive. A huge asset to this team is bringing in JUCO players to get us through. GBO!

 

[Evet Vols]

Has any team that went winless in the sec won 9+ the next season? I don’t know so I’m asking. Right now I have us at 5.5 for the over/under

Not for sure but if you want to look at a team that has had bad years then good years the next look at Auburn.

 

[Darth_Shiveman]

Not for sure but if you want to look at a team that has had bad years then good years the next look at Auburn.

Yeah they went from 3-9 with Chizik one year to a BCS bowl the next with Malzahn.

I'm not sure we're in quite a similar situation, though. That Auburn team had some beasts in the trenches and their offensive personnel was almost perfectly suited to what Malzahn wanted to do.

 

[lukeneyland]

I think we could win 8 games with a little luck, but we could just as easily have another 4 win season if we get stung by bad luck as we usually do. I'm just glad to know that we won't have a **** show of a coaching staff at least

 

[TrueVolsGBOInsider]

First, I think we win less games than how many threads have been started asking this question.

Second, injuries are no excuse for losses.

I think 8 is possible, but I think 6 is what we end up with.[/QUOTE


If you lead the nation in lost starts due to
Injury two years in a row than I think that’s a damn good excuse to why we sucked so badly. Plain and simple.

 

[Behr]

..

@TrueVolsGBOInsider

I was trolling Jack with the injury comment

 

[ClockworkOrange]

Wow, 63% figure 7 wins or higher. I like the confidence!

 

[Lurker]

i COULD NOT AGREE MORE- LAST YEARS BUNCH WAS A DISGRACE- I WILL NOT ATTEND A SINGLE GAME THIS YEAR.

Suit yourself, but "last year's bunch" simply is not the same as "this year's bunch." There was talent on the roster last year and there is talent on this year's roster too. However, talent on the roster means absolutely nothing without solid coaching and focused team play. Neither of those elements existed last year. You could see them slipping away in prior years. The players weren't "disgraces." They were talented but leaderless kids who got on a negative roll that the former slogan-slinging, but otherwise ineffective, coaching staff was simply not equipped to handle or reverse.

We have no idea how this season will turn out, but coaching leadership certainly appears to be improved. The blaring music, slogans and cliches are gone and old-school coaching appears to be back. So, while many of the names on the jerseys are the same, I don't think the product on the field will be. The 2018 team has a long climb to make, but assuming no significant injuries (i.e. a quarterback or multiple OLinemen), I think this team is likely to win all of the games it should (probably 5 or so) and it may also win one or two it shouldn't. They aren't likely to be in the playoff picture for sure, but they will start to look like Tennessee again.

Alleged "fans" who "will not attend a single game," etc., because they are sad, mad, whatever, about last year, really aren't "fans" at all. Boycotting makes you part of the problem for a team that has a long climb back. None of you sad, mad, guys and gals will be missed. Go Vols!