Is this the most depressing time in UT history?

[Jack Burton]

We just had our worst season ever.
We just had the worst coaching search ever.
Bama is rolling as usual. UGA has a real coach. UF hired a quality coach. Muschamp owns the Vols. Looks like we’re headed for 3rd or 4th in the East every season.

Has UT football ever been in a more depressing position? I’m almost 40 and have never seen our position in the landscape like this.

 

[Behr]

Yes, and I love to wallow in it. Great thread!

 

[ptcarter]

The darkest hour is just before the dawn.

 

[TNnative]

GLOOM DESPAIR AND AGONY ON ME - YouTube

 

[ncvol17]

No

 

[chargervol]

We just had our worst season ever so we were able to replace that coach.
We just had the worst coaching search ever completely turned around overnight in a much needed change of power.
Bama is rolling as usual but Saban is getting older by the minute and can't coach forever. UGA has a real coach. UF hired a quality coach. Muschamp owned the previous staff. Looks like we’re headed into unknown territory and it's possible we could compete for the East every season soon!

Can UT football return to is rightful place? I’m almost 40 and have no idea but don't want to wallow in self pity until we find out!

Fyp

 

[volnbama_]

The hiring of Dooley was much more depressing

 

[Jack Burton]

The hiring of Dooley was much more depressing

I was at my lowest when we hired Butch. Naively thought that was bottom.

 

[Volfan2012]

This is the first time in a decade that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think we finally have everything in place to turn this program around and be successful again in a big way. It want happen right away but I can see us being very good by year three if Pruitt can keep this staff together and recruit like I think he will.

 

[sunnyvol79]

Yes without question it is, The times have changed on UT and the landscape. Us fans need to accept the new reality of UT football in 2018 and quit being so delusional we will never see a run like we had in 90’s again i really don’t think. I’m nearly 40 myself and beginning to seriously question if I will ever witness the Vols win the SEC again or just a east division title or just win 10 games. I’ve come to accept that UT football is at the very best a 9-4 program now and at average a 7-6 or 8-5 with more losing seasons sprinkled in than ever before. We no longer even beat Vandy, Kentucky and SC with regularity anymore and Mizzou owns us. We are a middle of the pack and lower level SEC team now in football similar to Arkansas and Kentucky despite the resources and excellent facilities we have it truly is depressing to think about how far we have fallen in 20 years. I hope Pruitt can achieve success here but he will have a very hard road.

 

[volsportsfan]

Yes, and I love to wallow in it. Great thread!

Why not talk about it? He you nor I can do anything to change it, or change the future decision making of the program. So, why not use a message board to discuss it? We suck, we have sucked, and until this administration running ut proves otherwise, chances are we will continue to suck. Now, that doesn't ruin my life. It doesn't make me depressed. But, it seems to be the reality until evidence suggest something different

 

[Behr]

Why not talk about it? He you nor I can do anything to change it, or change the future decision making of the program. So, why not use a message board to discuss it? We suck, we have sucked, and until this administration running ut proves otherwise, chances are we will continue to suck. Now, that doesn't ruin my life. It doesn't make me depressed. But, it seems to be the reality until evidence suggest something different

It gets discussed in every thread.

I would love to contain it to this specific thread.

I actually posted it was a great thread!

 

[Jack Burton]

Why not talk about it? He you nor I can do anything to change it, or change the future decision making of the program. So, why not use a message board to discuss it? We suck, we have sucked, and until this administration running ut proves otherwise, chances are we will continue to suck. Now, that doesn't ruin my life. It doesn't make me depressed. But, it seems to be the reality until evidence suggest something different

I want to be optimistic like many here, but I don’t even see us bowling this season. Unlikely we can close with a decent class after we get mauled all year, too. We desperately need some momentum and it’ll have to start on the recruiting trail.

 

[KBVol]

We just had our worst season ever.
We just had the worst coaching search ever.
Bama is rolling as usual. UGA has a real coach. UF hired a quality coach. Muschamp owns the Vols. Looks like we’re headed for 3rd or 4th in the East every season.

Has UT football ever been in a more depressing position? I’m almost 40 and have never seen our position in the landscape like this.

I’m not depressed about UT football right now at all. Out of that ridiculously bad and embarrassing initial coaching search came a whole lot of good.....Haslam was beaten back, Currie was vanquished and a true Tennessee Volunteer who loves the university and athletic programs like no other is in charge now. Things in the AD are calm and steady, and renewed sense of trust and optimism is in place. That’s a great thing. And he went out and hired a no-nonsense, no BS real football coach who’s not into Barnum & Bailey type stuff, and is only concerned with one thing........winning football games, which is we we are all desperate for.

No, I choose to believe, with very good reason, that the dark, depressing days are behind us. You keep on wallowing in the disappointment of the last decade, but not me.....I’m looking forward to what I firmly believe are some really good days ahead in the very near future.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

I've been wondering about the question "Is 2017 the worst year in Tennessee history" for the past few months.

My conclusion is, it's close enough to make no never-mind. It's certainly the worst year in the modern era (say, post World War II).

In both 1906 and 1909, the Vols went 1-6-2. That's a 22% win rate, which is worse than our 33% win rate last year. So technically, looking at the season as a whole, those were the worst years.

But we weren't in a conference back in the early 1900s, so didn't have a chance to go 0-fer. That 0-8 conference record Butch gave us is what makes the difference.

We did go 0-fer just one other time in conference play. In 1924, we were 0-4 in Southern Conference games. But that year we were 3-5 overall, for a 38% win rate. A little better than Butch gave us in 2017.

So I guess the bottom line is, we've had a handful of really bad years in our century+ of football. And 2017 is right down there at the bottom among them.

Whether it is the worst or not is a bit of an (unimportant) judgment call. Folks like having lived through extreme conditions, so most people would tend toward 2017 being "the worst ever."

It's enough for me to know, objectively, that it's right down there in the dregs.

Here's hoping we bounce back like we did in 1925, with a 68.8% overall win rate (that would = an 8-4 season this fall), and 50% wins in conference (which would be 4-4).

Go Vols!

 

[volsportsfan]

It gets discussed in every thread.

I would love to contain it to this specific thread.

I actually posted it was a great thread!

I'm with you as far as it being discussed too much. Too much talk never leads to anything good. But, communication is important in moderation imo

 

[sunnyvol79]

I’m not depressed about UT football right now at all. Out of that ridiculously bad and embarrassing initial coaching search came a whole lot of good.....Haslam was beaten back, Currie was vanquished and a true Tennessee Volunteer who loves the university and athletic programs like no other is in charge now. Things in the AD are calm and steady, and renewed sense of trust and optimism is in place. That’s a great thing. And he went out and hired a no-nonsense, no BS real football coach who’s not into Barnum & Bailey type stuff, and is only concerned with one thing........winning football games, which is we we are all desperate for.

No, I choose to believe, with very good reason, that the dark, depressing days are behind us. You keep on wallowing in the disappointment of the last decade, but not me.....I’m looking forward to what I firmly believe are some really good days ahead in the very near future.

There is no tangible evidence that Pruitt will do good here. I would have rather hired a coach with some previous HC experience such as Mike Bobo over Pruitt who i don’t think will handle the pressure and fans and media very well. I mean we are already witnessing that.

 

[chargervol]

Lol, this is the 3rd thread I've been in the this morning where posters have used the terms realist/realistic and then proceed to tell the future.

'I don't think that word means what you think it means'

 

[sunnyvol79]

We are so behind the 8 ball with Georgia, Florida and Bama and Auburn and South Carolina at this point it’s not even funny and BTW we play all those teams this year.

 

[butchna]

OP and his doom buddies right now.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

We are so behind the 8 ball with Georgia, Florida and Bama and Auburn and South Carolina at this point it’s not even funny and BTW we play all those teams this year.

Not Florida or South Carolina.

Florida is a hot mess, just like we've been, and South Carolina has a ceiling that isn't far above our floor.

Agree with you on Georgia, Bama, and Auburn.

 

[sunnyvol79]

There was 8 coaches I can think of that I would rather have than JP.

 

[GameTime]

Hard to get happy after reading this thread.......

 

[Titan05]

Yes it is.

 

[sunnyvol79]

Not Florida or South Carolina.

Florida is a hot mess, just like we've been, and South Carolina has a ceiling that isn't far above our floor.

Agree with you on Georgia, Bama, and Auburn.

Florida still has better talent and a better roster than we do going into this season plus getting Mullen was big. I think he will do great there. I can see Florida winning 8 or 9 games this season.