volfannbama
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I have a feeling
- Thread starter JwolfeVFL
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albedo33
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I'm going nega-vol on this season: 5-7 overall, with wins over the 3 cupcakes, USC, and KY or Vandy but not both. CBJ keeps his job, though, because 2018 looks brighter - new talent plus experience at the skill positions. My pessimism is based on 2 factors:
1. Defense - UT's D last year, especially from Bama onward, was truly horrendous, one of the worst in school history. This despite the fact we had one of the best defensive ends ever to wear orange, Derek Barnett. As well, for a few games at least, 2 others, Cam & JRM, who should make NFL rosters. All three are gone now. Who are the bell cows on D this year - the guys with All-SEC talent, experience, and leadership? Name one. I expect UT's D to be, statistically, near the bottom of the SEC again this year. At the end of the season, Bob Shoop seeks employment elsewhere.
2. Offense - watch 'Tennessee Football in 60' on the SEC Network, the compilation of highlight plays from 2016. UT's O last year can be summed up in 2 words: Josh Dobbs. Yes, he was not a pin-point passer, and his passing arm was way too brown for many here on VN (you know who you are). But Dobbs made it happen. He could throw the long pass (ask any Georgia fan) and even with Kamara on the squad, Dobbs was still our best runner. Time and again he bailed us out with his feet; he scored more TDs than any QB in Tennessee history.
Like Barnett, Dobbs is gone now. Nevertheless, in defiance of all logic, the consensus here on VN seems to be that Dobbs' likely replacement, Dormady, will be an upgrade. This is faith and optimism of purest ray serene. Dormady has not taken a single snap against the starting D of a quality SEC team. Yes, he went 10/10 in CBJ's bizarre Spring Game. But remember that a very mediocre Vandy QB passed for over 400 yards against that secondary last year. Your Aunt Sally would have gone 8/10 if she had suited up at QB for the Spring Game.
Finally, the O-line. What can you say? We seem to have a recent, sad tradition of O-lines that are slow, confused, over-rated, and out-muscled by the opponent's D. When was the last time UT's O-line dominated the line of scrimmage against a quality SEC team? I can't remember either.
1. Defense - UT's D last year, especially from Bama onward, was truly horrendous, one of the worst in school history. This despite the fact we had one of the best defensive ends ever to wear orange, Derek Barnett. As well, for a few games at least, 2 others, Cam & JRM, who should make NFL rosters. All three are gone now. Who are the bell cows on D this year - the guys with All-SEC talent, experience, and leadership? Name one. I expect UT's D to be, statistically, near the bottom of the SEC again this year. At the end of the season, Bob Shoop seeks employment elsewhere.
2. Offense - watch 'Tennessee Football in 60' on the SEC Network, the compilation of highlight plays from 2016. UT's O last year can be summed up in 2 words: Josh Dobbs. Yes, he was not a pin-point passer, and his passing arm was way too brown for many here on VN (you know who you are). But Dobbs made it happen. He could throw the long pass (ask any Georgia fan) and even with Kamara on the squad, Dobbs was still our best runner. Time and again he bailed us out with his feet; he scored more TDs than any QB in Tennessee history.
Like Barnett, Dobbs is gone now. Nevertheless, in defiance of all logic, the consensus here on VN seems to be that Dobbs' likely replacement, Dormady, will be an upgrade. This is faith and optimism of purest ray serene. Dormady has not taken a single snap against the starting D of a quality SEC team. Yes, he went 10/10 in CBJ's bizarre Spring Game. But remember that a very mediocre Vandy QB passed for over 400 yards against that secondary last year. Your Aunt Sally would have gone 8/10 if she had suited up at QB for the Spring Game.
Finally, the O-line. What can you say? We seem to have a recent, sad tradition of O-lines that are slow, confused, over-rated, and out-muscled by the opponent's D. When was the last time UT's O-line dominated the line of scrimmage against a quality SEC team? I can't remember either.
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