More reasons to believe in Shoop Defense

[WhatInVolnation]

2017 could be better.

We lose
Barnett
Sutton
JRM
Vereen
Lewis
Foreman

Thats some good talent. Now... look at what we'll have Returning

DE Phillips JR
DT Kmac JR
DT Tuttle JR
DE Taylor SO

OLB McDowell SR
MLB Kirkland JR
ST Sapp JR

CB Martin SR
CB Byrd SO
NB Osborne SO
FS Gualden JR
SS Kelly SR

That is a monster defense...

And Kongbo (barring him being one and done) and Warrior. Plus, Shoop, if he is 80% of the hype, is going to take the defense to the next level and he doesn't even have to have a ton of NFL players to field a very effective defense. I think the Shoop hire may be the best thing Butch has done (and recruiting) since he's been at UT and Shoop's defenses should always be, at minimum, solid units.

I think Butch, et al., have put UT in position to have a run of sustained success. There is quality depth across the board. This year is the first year in ages that we are discussing quality players not seeing the field because the players in front of them are more experienced and/or talented. 2017 is interesting to me on the offensive side of the ball since we lose Dobbs and almost certainly Hurd and Kamara. I, however, think the OL should be good and one of Dormady, Jones, or Guarantano should be an above average SEC QB and they will have P. William, Jennings, and Josh Smith to throw the ball to. A lot is riding on winning big on the field this year because Butch needs to do that to lock down another top 5 class to maintain the team's current talent level and to set the tone for a long run.

 

[Remy]

I 100% believe that by seasons end we'll have a top 10 defense. Our offense should be highly ranked too. Don't look now, but 2016 should be a special year. We are one of a few legit NC contenders.

IMO the champion will be one of these teams: TN, Bama, LSU, FSU, Clemson, OU, Baylor, Stanford, Michigan, Ohio State.

THOUGHTS?

OSU lost 12 starters to the NFL. They will not be ranked in any preseason top ten in the polls, hard to see them being NC material this year. The undeserving media darling this season is Notre Dame.

 

[VOLnMiami]

I haven't been this excited over a defense or DC in a long long time...Maybe since Marmies Army was prowling the field...This season is going to be a lot of fun!

 

[VOL 4 Life 83]

Here's what I like about Butch Jones.

We all know he is an offense-minded guy. Wants to manage the game with tempo and spread the field. However, Jones understands that to win big you have to have GREAT defense, especially in the SEC.

Not many offensive minded head coaches focus on the defensive side of the ball. Jones has proven he is committed to having a relentless defense by recruiting the type of players he does and hiring Bob Shoop.

 

[Boca Vol]

Here's what I like about Butch Jones.

We all know he is an offense-minded guy. Wants to manage the game with tempo and spread the field. However, Jones understands that to win big you have to have GREAT defense, especially in the SEC.

Not many offensive minded head coaches focus on the defensive side of the ball. Jones has proven he is committed to having a relentless defense by recruiting the type of players he does and hiring Bob Shoop.

With the way the game is centered around the O, I'm not sure you need a great D, just a solid D.

If UT simply holds on a 4th Down vs. UF & OU we're talking about the '15 D in a whole different light.

 

[VOL 4 Life 83]

With the way the game is centered around the O, I'm not sure you need a great D, just a solid D.

If UT simply holds on a 4th Down vs. UF & OU we're talking about the '15 D in a whole different light.

I get that part from last year. That's why Jones made the upgrade at DC.

However, so many times you see these high powered offenses and the head coach is an offensive minded guy, but fails to develop a solid defense at all. Teams like Auburn, Baylor, TCU come to mind.

Look at Jones' recruiting classes. Loaded to the brim with 4/5 star defensive players. He gets it, unlike many offensive minded head coaches who think they can get by on purely offense alone.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

OSU lost 12 starters to the NFL. They will not be ranked in any preseason top ten in the polls, hard to see them being NC material this year. The undeserving media darling this season is Notre Dame.

Have you been following anything?

Almost everyone has them in the top 10. Some as high as #3.

Ohio State will be preseason top 10. Maybe even top 5.

 

[08Vol]

I 100% believe that by seasons end we'll have a top 10 defense. Our offense should be highly ranked too. Don't look now, but 2016 should be a special year. We are one of a few legit NC contenders.

IMO the champion will be one of these teams: TN, Bama, LSU, FSU, Clemson, OU, Baylor, Stanford, Michigan, Ohio State.

THOUGHTS?

I think you need to add Oregon and ND to the list. Both have recruited well, run good schemes, and have good coaches. OK ST is a dark horse along with AU, UGA, MSU, Boise, UCLA, UNC, and Houston (I think they get blown out week 1). The final 4 will come from this group of 20 unless we have another 2007 type year.

 

[drodvol]

Have you been following anything?

Almost everyone has them in the top 10. Some as high as #3.

Ohio State will be preseason top 10. Maybe even top 5.

I Love the fact that everybody is loving Tenn right now... I am really loving all the positive vibes... I am excited for the upcoming season,... however, we haven't played the first game yet... WE will HAVE A GREAT SEASON THIS YEAR... I still need to see us play before I get so hyped up that I have a stroke... I want so bad for this to be the year... I AM NOT A NEGAVOL Ijust want to see us play before I voice a definitive opinion...

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

You know Florida is going to have an unbelievable freshman that no one's heard of who just destroys us.

Good grief

 

[butchna]

I get that part from last year. That's why Jones made the upgrade at DC.

However, so many times you see these high powered offenses and the head coach is an offensive minded guy, but fails to develop a solid defense at all. Teams like Auburn, Baylor, TCU come to mind.

Look at Jones' recruiting classes. Loaded to the brim with 4/5 star defensive players. He gets it, unlike many offensive minded head coaches who think they can get by on purely offense alone.

Agree with most of this save the TCU example. Patterson made his bones as a DC and has fielded some excellent defenses since ascending to the HC position. The recent high flying offense may have affected that...TOP sometimes does.

 

[SouthKnoxVOL]

You know Florida is going to have an unbelievable freshman that no one's heard of who just destroys us.

Yup....Bim Bebow....off the bench and leads UF to a 28 point 4th quarter comeback to win by 1...with only 3 minutes left in the game.

 

[Remy]

Have you been following anything?

Almost everyone has them in the top 10. Some as high as #3.

Ohio State will be preseason top 10. Maybe even top 5.

Saw a poll yesterday having them at #15 and gave the reason losing 12 starters to the NFL forebodes placing them in the top ten. Makes total sense to me, I don't understand how losing over 50% of your starting 22 and expect to be ranked in the top 5 would be close to reasonable. Are you following anything?!?!?

 

[Orange_Crush]

You know Florida is going to have an unbelievable freshman that no one's heard of who just destroys us.

smh... The constant repetition of these types of comments, thought to be witty and funny by the posters, are anything but. They are by definition old, tired and worn out--just the opposite of wit.

 

[The Artful Dodger]

2017 could be better.

We lose
Barnett
Sutton
JRM
Vereen
Lewis
Foreman

Thats some good talent. Now... look at what we'll have Returning

DE Phillips JR
DT Kmac JR
DT Tuttle JR
DE Taylor SO

OLB McDowell SR
MLB Kirkland JR
ST Sapp JR

CB Martin SR
CB Byrd SO
NB Osborne SO
FS Gualden JR
SS Kelly SR

That is a monster defense...

That is one ridiculously Athletic/Talented Secondary.

 

[08Vol]

Saw a poll yesterday having them at #15 and gave the reason losing 12 starters to the NFL forebodes placing them in the top ten. Makes total sense to me, I don't understand how losing over 50% of your starting 22 and expect to be ranked in the top 5 would be close to reasonable. Are you following anything?!?!?

With their recruiting and Meyer's coaching OSU is moving into "they don't rebuild they reload" territory. Remember when Butch said it takes 6-7 years to build a consistently great program? Well Meyer is starting year 6 at OSU.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

Saw a poll yesterday having them at #15 and gave the reason losing 12 starters to the NFL forebodes placing them in the top ten. Makes total sense to me, I don't understand how losing over 50% of your starting 22 and expect to be ranked in the top 5 would be close to reasonable. Are you following anything?!?!?

I have no idea how good Ohio State will be. That's not the argument. You said there's no chance they'll be a top 10 team then cherry picked the only poll to have them outside the top 10.

Almost everyone else has them in the top 10. And given how well they've recruited, I don't think it's crazy to think they could be that good.

I personally have them at #7 slightly ahead of Michigan.

 

[Remy]

I have no idea how good Ohio State will be. That's not the argument. You said there's no chance they'll be a top 10 team then cherry picked the only poll to have them outside the top 10.

Almost everyone else has them in the top 10. And given how well they've recruited, I don't think it's crazy to think they could be that good.

I personally have them at #7 slightly ahead of Michigan.

Reading comprehension problems much? No where concerning this subject have I put those two words together, "no chance." You are building a straw man for yourself and knocking it down. What a hero! Again, they lost >50% of their starting 22. The poll I saw had them in the next set of ten and gave sound reasons for it. Given they were not in the top 4 for the playoff round last year, lost >50% of their starters and your position is they will be better, i.e. a top 3 or 5 team? Now who's delusional?

 

[allenrikvik]

OSU is more about 'how good are they against their schedule, rather than how good they are against the balance of the teams'. This is the weakness for the TN as well as the the SEC

 

[Nasavol]

Good list. But take out Baylor and Stanford.

Take out Stanford, But, Baylor may be pretty tough now that their QB is healthy.

 

[QuickSmurf]

2017 could be better.

We lose
Barnett
Sutton
JRM
Vereen
Lewis
Foreman

Thats some good talent. Now... look at what we'll have Returning

DE Phillips JR
DT Kmac JR
DT Tuttle JR
DE Taylor SO

OLB McDowell SR
MLB Kirkland JR
ST Sapp JR

CB Martin SR
CB Byrd SO
NB Osborne SO
FS Gualden JR
SS Kelly SR

That is a monster defense...

+Kongbo, Bryd is going to be a wr and I agree with Butch about that. Also your list doesn't have Evan Berry which I believe he plays more this year. He's a stud.

 

[LittleVol]

+Kongbo, Bryd is going to be a wr and I agree with Butch about that. Also your list doesn't have Evan Berry which I believe he plays more this year. He's a stud.

Byrd will be a CB. Eventually.

Evan Berry has the most talent at safety on the squad imo. Before I found out hed be out for the spring, I picked him to be MVP of the spring.

5'11" 210 lbs 4.3 speed.
And I saw flashes of greatness from him at SAFETY, in his limited time
ex: Bowling Green game tackle for a loss.
: Northwestern game int for TD.

However... Gualden is an absolute baller. Right now... Gaulden may be our best DB.

I can see Evan stepping up, and Shoop putting Gaulden at nickle.

Its gonna be a battle.