I know we're young, but I low key think we might be pretty good

#51
#51
GBO2011 said:
I think if you look up boom or bust team in the dictionary, we might have our own page.
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We were close to that last season as well. Had UGA beat. We were about to blow the game open vs OU when Aguilar got rocked and fumbled. Vs Bama we had the Pick 6 that completely changed the game. We also could’ve/should’ve lost at Miss St. Hopefully we get the right bounces this season
 
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#52
#52
It's a brutal schedule. If i had to put a number on it, would be 7 or 8. They win 9 then they got some lucky breaks or stayed relatively healthy. The inexperience at QB was offset by something else, which would be great considering how freshman normally do in this league. His best friend needs to be a good Oline and a strong running game. You can't put the games on his shoulders.
 
#53
#53
Oldvoldad said:
When I look at this list/roster. I ask myself, which of these guys will be playing on Sundays? Scary answer is: None of these guys are sure bet Sunday talent. Bump that against the schedule we play, and the outlook quickly becomes grim.
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Unfortunately I see us as a middle of the pack SEC team this year at best.
 
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#56
#56
It's all going to hinge on Knowles. Our offense, even when young and full of unheralded players, is potent just by its very nature. That's why year after year of instability hasn't stopped us from being one of the top scoring teams in the country. We just can't stop anyone else. Teams score as much as we do. We've made bottom tier teams look like top 20 teams.
If Knowles has a modest improvement in our D this year, we steal 2 games.
 
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#57
#57
GrayWaterCanine said:
No QB and thin D Line. It is the worst possible combination for them. Also, the offense being adjusted no longer heavily assists the run game as dramatically as their prior setup. They are mediocre anyway, and I think their swing games become losses and make their record slightly worse than where it belongs. It is a 7-5 team that becomes 5-7 with lost confidence and a lack of fallback plan on offense. This puts Heupel in jeopardy, and recruiting collapses. This continues Tennessee's natural cycle in modern football.
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This team is way more talented than the team he had in year one and they won 7 games with a tougher schedule. They also didn’t know who would be the QB that year. While Hooker & Milton did have experience, they had never played in that system. I’m not sure why u believe the run game won’t be good. We have had a top tier run game every year under Heup even with the offense evolving over his tenure. You also have a top 3 OL and a top 3 SEC RB. I actually think the DL is middle of the pack in the SEC, it’s just not as deep as years past. I still trust CRG to coach them up.
 
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#58
#58
901 Orange said:
This team is way more talented than the team he had in year one and they won 7 games with a tougher schedule. They also didn’t know who would be the QB that year. While Hooker & Milton did have experience, they had never played in that system. I’m not sure why u believe the run game won’t be good. We have had a top tier run game every year under Heup even with the offense evolving over his tenure. You also have a top 3 OL and a top 3 SEC RB. I actually think the DL is middle of the pack in the SEC, it’s just not as deep as years past. I still trust CRG to coach them up.
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This. I'm looking forward to seeing how they use Faizon in the run game. He doesn't look like an elite runner on his highlights, but he's huge and fast enough. One of my favorite clips of him is in the state championship where he runs a QB draw inside the 5-yard line, slips two tackles and scores. That kind of stuff wins tough ball games. My optimism or 2026 is largely based on the idea that we'll have one of the best running games in the SEC. When DGG gets here we will have THE best.
 
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#59
#59
901 Orange said:
This team is way more talented than the team he had in year one and they won 7 games with a tougher schedule. They also didn’t know who would be the QB that year. While Hooker & Milton did have experience, they had never played in that system. I’m not sure why u believe the run game won’t be good. We have had a top tier run game every year under Heup even with the offense evolving over his tenure. You also have a top 3 OL and a top 3 SEC RB. I actually think the DL is middle of the pack in the SEC, it’s just not as deep as years past. I still trust CRG to coach them up.
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I think you can always tell how good a team will be by looking at the trenches. I think they have an OL that will compete for best in the SEC. I think the DL is average. To me that equates to 8-10 wins. You’ll get to 8 wins if the DL is average. If they’re above average u got a shot at 10 wins. If the DL was even with the OL I would say we are a playoff team.
 
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#61
#61
Oldvoldad said:
When I look at this list/roster. I ask myself, which of these guys will be playing on Sundays? Scary answer is: None of these guys are sure bet Sunday talent. Bump that against the schedule we play, and the outlook quickly becomes grim.
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Then you’re being negative for negativity’s sake.

Staley, Sanders, Matthews, Bishop, Redmond, Moe, and Carter will all play in the NFL. Likely that Perry, Davis, and Metcalf do too. Plenty others are possible (Moss, Campbell, Brame, Lee). And while Faizon is just a freshman, given his ability, it would be a surprise if he doesn’t develop into a draft pick.
 
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#62
#62
Proud Army Wife said:
If we were able to keep Joey I’d be convinced we’re winning ten or more games. Since we couldn’t, I’m expecting 2023 Tennessee. The inexperience at qb scares me.
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Joey was a 9 win for me. I can’t see this roster winning more than 7. The schedule and too many new faces. The big hope is Oline. This is the biggest, deepest and most experienced we’ve been under Heupel. This should take pressure off a young QB.
The wild card is one of the young QBs showing up beyond their years.

I have no doubt the defense will improve, but that’s an incredibly low bar. This doesn’t look like an SEC D-line.
 
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#63
#63
NighthawkVol said:
Then you’re being negative for negativity’s sake.

Staley, Sanders, Matthews, Bishop, Redmond, Moe, and Carter will all play in the NFL. Likely that Perry, Davis, and Metcalf do too. Plenty others are possible (Moss, Campbell, Brame, Lee). And while Faizon is just a freshman, given his ability, it would be a surprise if he doesn’t develop into a draft pick.
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Perry may be the best NFL prospect over there and this staff can’t seem to figure out he’s a starting RT. Or, maybe they can. Oline production went south when they slid him inside.
He’s literally the exact measurables the NFL drools over for a tackle. Long arms, great proportions, athletic, strong. He’s every bit 6’5” 320 and carries it well.
 
#65
#65
NighthawkVol said:
Then you’re being negative for negativity’s sake.

Staley, Sanders, Matthews, Bishop, Redmond, Moe, and Carter will all play in the NFL. Likely that Perry, Davis, and Metcalf do too. Plenty others are possible (Moss, Campbell, Brame, Lee). And while Faizon is just a freshman, given his ability, it would be a surprise if he doesn’t develop into a draft pick.
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You just listed a bunch of names that might get a cup of tea via late pick or UDFA. When I say play. I mean actually see the field on Sunday. Sanders and Redmond are the only two that would be worth betting on.
 
#66
#66
Oldvoldad said:
You just listed a bunch of names that might get a cup of tea via late pick or UDFA. When I say play. I mean actually see the field on Sunday. Sanders and Redmond are the only two that would be worth betting on.
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Make sweeping assertion. Assertion diffused. Change criteria.

You have no idea who will get significant NFL PT on this team…which is the case with almost every team. Furthermore, plenty of very good college players barely play in the NFL for various reasons. Last year’s national champion was full of them.

But if you need to be cynical, who am I to stop you? You’ll find reasons.
 
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#68
#68
901 Orange said:
This team is way more talented than the team he had in year one and they won 7 games with a tougher schedule. They also didn’t know who would be the QB that year. While Hooker & Milton did have experience, they had never played in that system. I’m not sure why u believe the run game won’t be good. We have had a top tier run game every year under Heup even with the offense evolving over his tenure. You also have a top 3 OL and a top 3 SEC RB. I actually think the DL is middle of the pack in the SEC, it’s just not as deep as years past. I still trust CRG to coach them up.
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Heup was very loose with the play calling in years 1 & 2 (expectations were low) and has become increasingly more conservative since (higher expectations). With this a transition team I’d hope he’d go back and call a looser game, but I doubt it. If he stays to form, he’ll ride his choice of QB (unless it’s obvious they aren’t working. Hopefully he won’t have to make that kind of decision. You can bet that opposing Ds will play the run and force the young QBs to throw. We’re all hoping that plays into some downfield bombs that are our hallmark. It WILL be an exciting year no doubt.
 
#70
#70
Frozevol said:
Heup was very loose with the play calling in years 1 & 2 (expectations were low) and has become increasingly more conservative since (higher expectations). With this a transition team I’d hope he’d go back and call a looser game, but I doubt it. If he stays to form, he’ll ride his choice of QB (unless it’s obvious they aren’t working. Hopefully he won’t have to make that kind of decision. You can bet that opposing Ds will play the run and force the young QBs to throw. We’re all hoping that plays into some downfield bombs that are our hallmark. It WILL be an exciting year no doubt.
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I think the conservative philosophy was tied to the strength of the defense and inexperience at QB. Year 1-3 he had QB’s that had been around for a while. Year 4 it was a freshman QB, superstar RB, & elite defense. The conservative response made sense to me because it got them to the playoffs. I thought they were a little too aggressive last year and that bit us vs Bama.

The bombs will always be there because they always have been there. The key is the QB giving his WR a chance to make a play on the ball. I would say it’s the most talented WR room we have had in the CJH era and that’s saying a lot.

We have a devastating OL in the run game. I think teams will want to stop it but can’t. Every coach we face talks about stopping our run game but Kirby has been the only one to consistently do it. We have an extremely QB friendly offense. Nico could process it he just was inaccurate, same with Milton. If either of these 2 guys can be accurate downfield we’ll be fine
 
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#74
#74
No real reason I’ve seen to think Haslam will start.

Sanders/Moe/Pendleton/Perry/Williams
or Sanders/Sham/Pendleton/Moe/Perry, imo

Pass rush will have to get creative schematically and with young depth.

I heard someone say Faizon is already at or above Milton’s level passing, and I doubted it, but if true that obviously bodes well.
 
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