Let's talk about the schedule for 2019

#26
#26
The only way the pressure gets amped up is another 5-7 or 4-8.
If we stumble to a 3rd losing record in 4 years 2 in a row with JP, does Fulmer give him a 3rd year to get it figured out? If we went 5-7 again or worse idk what to think then....I think most fans by that point would say it’s not working out get a new guy in and start over...
 
#27
#27
If we stumble to a 3rd losing record in 4 years 2 in a row with JP, does Fulmer give him a 3rd year to get it figured out? If we went 5-7 again or worse idk what to think then....I think most fans by that point would say it’s not working out get a new guy in and start over...

Yes he absolutely gets a 3rd year regardless. Firing Pruitt after 3 years would be an utter disaster for us. Think about it. Let’s say JP is fired after the 2020 season. The whole staff is likely gone including Fitz. That would be almost a death sentence for TN football.

No coach worth his salt would want to come here then knowing you barely had time to get a couple of recruiting classes to get your guys into your system. Pruitt needs at least 4-5 years and maybe the full 6. The only and I mean only way I see him getting fired is if in 2020 or 2021 we are still getting dominated by Vandy, SC and Missouri. The seat would be really hot in 2020 and it would be scorching for 2021.
But we need some stability in the coaching staff for the players sake.
 
#28
#28
I liked your run-down, PT ( @ptcarter ), appreciate it very much.

I agree there's room for optimism in 2019. Perhaps not Nationdom-level 11-1 here we go! optimism, but a reasonable amount.

7-5 is "center of mass" of the realistic possibilities. My homerism nudges that up to a hopeful 8-4.

Go Vols!
 
#31
#31
He owned us.....as do the rest of the Commodores. Seriously doubt we beat them this year, just hope we can be competitive with them

Lol what a joke. Hope we can be competitive with them? Dude you’ve become the most pessimistic guy on here after last season.
 
#32
#32
I think at this point in May, Miss. State and South Carolina are the most important games on the schedule. Home games versus teams that are beatable. How we start against UGA will be important following the bye week.

Bad news is UGA has a bye week before us too.
 
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#33
#33
So many are making such hardline predictions and we don’t even know who will be eligible, who gets injured, who has a successful summer in the weight room, who “figures it out” in the fall, and on and on the variables go. Making win/lose predictions at this point is about as easy as guessing win/losses for 2025. It’s silly and to debate it is even sillier. JMO but regardless of what happens CJP is here for the long haul and the mention of firing him in 2020 (barring any off the field issues) is a complete lack of understanding where we are as a program.
 
#34
#34
4 straight conference losses to start the season may be the nail in the 2019 coffin.
 
#35
#35
Should be bowl bound with six wins.

But, didn’t BYU beat Mullen his last year at State?
 
#38
#38
If we stumble to a 3rd losing record in 4 years 2 in a row with JP, does Fulmer give him a 3rd year to get it figured out? If we went 5-7 again or worse idk what to think then....I think most fans by that point would say it’s not working out get a new guy in and start over...

This is a 5 year rebuild. Just settle in for a bumpy ride.
 
#39
#39
With the questions mark UF has with their secondary, if UT's o-line is halfway decent and your defense shows up, y'all could easily runaway with that game. UF's defense will probably take a step back with their recent departures.
 
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#41
#41
With the questions mark UF has with their secondary, if UT's o-line is halfway decent and your defense shows up, y'all could easily runaway with that game. UF's defense will probably take a step back with their recent departures.
No way we beat Florida, ever. We'll beat Alabama like 30 years in a row before we beat Florida. Florida is our only guaranteed loss every year. We could go 14-1 and win the natty against Dallas, but that one loss will be to a 1-11 Florida team with an interim coach.
 
#42
#42
I have a feeling this is going to be a Johnny Majors type of rebuild from the 70's.

I agree. The more I look at the roster the more I think we overachieved last year to get to 5 wins. That might have been a 3 or 4 win squad which is difficult to stomach. I give Pruitt all the credit.
 
#43
#43
No way we beat Florida, ever. We'll beat Alabama like 30 years in a row before we beat Florida. Florida is our only guaranteed loss every year. We could go 14-1 and win the natty against Dallas, but that one loss will be to a 1-11 Florida team with an interim coach.
Tennessee can beat Florida 2016 is a great example of how it can be done;)
 
#44
#44
11 Wins: 5% IN YOUR FACE STEP ASIDE THE ORANGE IS THE TRUTH AND WE ARE ENLIGHTENED GENIUSES!
10 Wins: 20% have to stay healthy all year. O line steps it up and we have no weaknesses. Incredible chemistry from coaches and players alike. We are on fire.
9 Wins: 50% Solid team, solid talent, solid effort, solid coaching, contagious attitude of winning and competition. Butch and cheese central looserville and all fake bs mentality is an afterthought in every vien of the program.
8 wins: 25% I am comfortable with the direction. The breaks didn't break our way this year but we continue to continue towards better program and blueblood program may not return for another 1-3 years.
7 wins: 4%: Come on, give me a freakin break. We have all had enough of this crap like 6 years ago and we are spinning our freaking wheels, again.
6 or under: GTFO of my face before I pierce your soul with my good looks you are a freaking moron: leave me this instant fool.

Georgia State W
BYU W
Chattanooga W
@Florida WIN!
Georgia L
Mississippi State W/L
@Alabama L
South Carolina W/L
UAB W
@kentucky W
@Missouri W
Vanderbilt W
 
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#45
#45
No way we beat Florida, ever. We'll beat Alabama like 30 years in a row before we beat Florida. Florida is our only guaranteed loss every year. We could go 14-1 and win the natty against Dallas, but that one loss will be to a 1-11 Florida team with an interim coach.
I will take this bet little faith minion.
 
#46
#46
If we stumble to a 3rd losing record in 4 years 2 in a row with JP, does Fulmer give him a 3rd year to get it figured out? If we went 5-7 again or worse idk what to think then....I think most fans by that point would say it’s not working out get a new guy in and start over...
If you were given a billion dollars, and suddently aliens showed up on your doorstep. Would you wear purple overalls and marry a 91 y/o widow?
 
#47
#47
Jeremy Pruitt got a lot of on the job training 2018.
A quick look at last years schedule.
View attachment 204783
Pruitt's first game - one of those neutral site season openers with a big name opponent. West Virginia ended the regular season ranked 15th with an 8-3 record.
Two winnable cream puffs.
Then a brutal run Florida, @Georgia, (bye) @Auburn, Alabama and @South Carolina. 3/5 of those teams, Florida, Georgia and Alabama all ended in the top 10.
Charlotte was a cream puff, and helped to prepare for Kentucky.

Kentucky ended up 12th. My theory on the Kentucky win was this: While we were playing Charlotte, UGA rolled into Lexington that day. Winner take all for the east. Biggest home game for the Wildcats in decades. Not only did UGA win, but it was a grueling game for Kentucky, and a huge loss. When they rolled into Knoxville Nov.10, they were psychologically beaten and it showed.

Missouri and Vanderbilt killed us. Why? Well they both had great quarterbacks, both of which are graduated. This will be a factor in 2019.

We all know we had huge depth issues and poor play from the OL. (Funniest post of the off-season - most well wishers telling Drew Richmond good luck transferring to USC, however one of you knuckleheads said "I hope they have a good playbook for 1st and 15". That was well played!!)

So 2019 looks like this.

View attachment 204784
I DO like the neutral site out of conference tough opponent to start the season. We barely survived GT and got our butt handed to us by UWV. For 2019, it's a blessing to have a warm up game with Georgia State.

BYU - A worthy opponent. Should win, but you never know. This game should be a pretty good crystal ball for the rest of the season.

Chattanooga - Finally, another warm up game before Florida. Have you ever noticed that traditionally, Florida has this kind of schedule before we play them and it seems to help them. They DO start out with a neutral site big game (Miami), however a week before the REAL season starts. That game is on 8-24 and I can't remember why. I think that helps them - an early start. They have to go to Lexington the week before we head to the swamp, so a little tougher opponent on 9-14 than we have. Note: Florida had 5 underclassmen declare for NFL draft. That should help too.

Bye week before UGA.. That's good. (They also have a bye week as well, after playing Notre Dame) Pruitt had an extra week last year to prepare for Auburn, and I think it helped. Also, game in Knoxville.

Mississippi State - I see this one as hard because it's back to back with UGA, BUT.... it's also in Knoxville. (Has the home field had an advantage to us lately?? Only Kentucky last year)

At Alabama - Dang.. can't say much positive about this except it's only the second away game of the season. The travel schedule up to this point shouldn't have taken it's toll.

Back to Knoxville and then South Carolina comes to town.. Think we had a brutal schedule last year? Check out South Carolina's schedule... SECW rivals are Bama and Texas A&M. Non conference has Clemson and NC State. Road games: At MO, TAM, UT, UGA. Sometimes the schedule Gods aren't kind.

Then we get a bye before Missouri. See comment about bye before Auburn last year. By November, teams are pretty bruised up. Before they play us, MO goes to Kentucky, bye, then to UGA, and a home with Florida before we get them. Two tough games in a row for them prior to us. That is favorable. Plus Locke is gone. Yes, I know they scored a big name at QB, but did I say Locke is gone???

Vanderbilt.. Going out on a limb.. We beat them because ....well just because. Home game and that shifty little QB they had last year has graduated.

So there you have it. I see it as (finally) a schedule that isn't as crushing as some we have had in the past. Competition is somewhere in the range of 2-3 top 15 teams.

A reason for optimism? Comment away.

What if Tua get's injured? All other qb's are untested. I'm sure they have a stable, but Hurtz is gunning for Bama now.
 
#48
#48
If we stumble to a 3rd losing record in 4 years 2 in a row with JP, does Fulmer give him a 3rd year to get it figured out? If we went 5-7 again or worse idk what to think then....I think most fans by that point would say it’s not working out get a new guy in and start over...
Let's just cross this bridge when we get there.

I believe we'll know whether CJP is the right coach after this year. However Pruitt's seat won't be hot until at least after the 3rd or 4th year.
 
#49
#49
No way we beat Florida, ever. We'll beat Alabama like 30 years in a row before we beat Florida. Florida is our only guaranteed loss every year. We could go 14-1 and win the natty against Dallas, but that one loss will be to a 1-11 Florida team with an interim coach.

 
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#50
#50
The questions start with how improved is the o-line and how many babies are playing on defense
The problem is the Oline literally may be a starting 5 with a total of 1 combined start. If Trey Smith plays we may have a whopping 20 combined starts but I wouldn’t count on him playing this year. The D line will have a lot of inexperience as well. I do think the coaches will scheme around it better on offense but that’s tougher on D.
 

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