Optimistic But Realistic 2011 Predictions

#1
Volru

Volru

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#1
I have seen alot of very optimistic predictions, some extremely optimistic, for the 2012 season on the Volnation over the summer. I guess this is my last chance to make my own.

What do I have too lose? If I am right on, I can boast about my keen insight. If I'm wrong, who will remember by the end of the season anyway?

I am always optimistic that our beloved Volunteers will do better than the preseason polls predict, but our young players are bound to take some lumps this year against some SEC upperclassmen. Bottom line, if we lose to the teams ranked higher and beat the teams ranked lower, we go 6-6 in the regular season. That is par, not historically for the Tennessee, but realistic enough this year that I will not fall into a deep funk with that outcome.

I am, however, optimistic enough to believe Tennessee has the talent, in spite of its youth, to beat higher ranked teams. I believe this team will get at least one win these players can build on for the future. I can easlily see Tennessee beating Georgia or South Carolina, or maybe Akansas, but my gut tells me we beat LSU this year.

That said, with so many young players exploit, even lower ranked teams may be able to create some mismatches with their seasoned veterans. Just as I am expecting a signature win or two, I would not be surprised by an unexpected, prehaps even embarrassing, loss. (North Texas 1977, Rutgers 1979, Army 1986, Memphis 1996) You only need to go back to last year's UAB win that took two overtimes to appreaciate just how realistic that is. My gut on that tells me, though I hate to speak it, Kentucky is due.

My optimistic prediction, we go 7-5 regular season with some extreme highs and lows along the way. Right or wrong, one thing is certain. These talented young players will put on quite a show. I see alot of big plays on offense and defense. It won't always go our way, but this team will be fun to watch.
 
#2
#2
Our young team is going to have its ups and downs, but did you watch the Kentucky game last night?
 
#4
#4
Another one of these? *yawn

..you lost all credibility with ur UK prediction.
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#5
#5
I think this team has the talent to win a lot of games. Do we have enough experience and depth now to stay in tough games for four qtrs? That is whats gonna be the difference in a 6-6 season and a possible 9-3 imo. I think back to Dooleys first presser when he said he wasnt gonna give sound bites and make predictions of how many games we will win but we will be a fun team to watch. The talent we have on this team, its gonna be a fun year to watch UT football thats for sure!! 23 hours to go GBO!!!
 
#6
#6
SandoVOL said:
Our young team is going to have its ups and downs, but did you watch the Kentucky game last night?
Click to expand...

Didn't see it, but read it was ugly early. It was a shut out though after they allowed field goal in the 1st Quarter. They have a whole season to hone their offense before we play them. Lets just say, I am old enough not to take the KY game for granted.
 
#8
#8
I'm not sure if you watched Kentucky last night, they looked horrible and I am definitely chalking that up as a win now. I've been scared about them beating us the last two years, but I am not anymore, they lost a lot of their offensive weapons. I think we go 8-4, MAYBE 7-5 with a loss to UGA. We have 8 home games, we are going to win at least 6-7 of them. In fact we could win all of those games, but I expect to lose at least 1.

Definite wins: Montana, Buffalo, Cincy, Vandy, Kentucky, Middle Tennessee
Losses: Alabama, Arkansas
Probable Losses: Florida
I think we win: UGA, LSU
Tossups: South Carolina, but I am leaning on the loss there, they have too much offensive firepower.

8-4 or 7-5 at worse, LSU is overrated and we will have major revenge against them.
 
#9
#9
Volru said:
Didn't see it, but read it was ugly early. It was a shut out though after they allowed field goal in the 1st Quarter. They have a whole season to hone their offense before we play them. Lets just say, I am old enough not to take the KY game for granted.
Click to expand...

So am I - but I will be taking the KY game for granted. 27 and counting based on what I saw on the field. Joker gone by the end of 2013. That is one bad football team. They have virtually no talent on offense. If Western connects on two wide open touchdown passes in the end zone - KY loses. The only reason KY won was because Western was even more inept on offense than they were. Not an SEC quality team.

As to us I believe it will be 8-4. Could be a little better if we get a big win early at Florida. Could be a little worse if we skin our knees against Cincy.
 
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#10
#10
atxvol2010 said:
I'm not sure if you watched Kentucky last night, they looked horrible and I am definitely chalking that up as a win now. I've been scared about them beating us the last two years, but I am not anymore, they lost a lot of their offensive weapons. I think we go 8-4, MAYBE 7-5 with a loss to UGA. We have 8 home games, we are going to win at least 6-7 of them. In fact we could win all of those games, but I expect to lose at least 1.

Definite wins: Montana, Buffalo, Cincy, Vandy, Kentucky, Middle Tennessee
Losses: Alabama, Arkansas
Probable Losses: Florida
I think we win: UGA, LSU
Tossups: South Carolina, but I am leaning on the loss there, they have too much offensive firepower.

8-4 or 7-5 at worse, LSU is overrated and we will have major revenge against them.
Click to expand...

Im still not sold on this and im not sure why some are.
 
#11
#11
Everybody talks about how young we are true but didn't most of the team play some if not all of the games of last season. Everybody keeps talking about the youth but what they are forgetting is that most of them have played against all the teams in the SEC. Beside Fulton got his first start against Bama. Hunter caught a TD against Florida. Bray played almost the second half against South Carolina and I won't go through the rest but still. The one thing I think make us better is the fact yes they are young but most of them have played against big time SEC programs.
 
#12
#12
Volru said:
I have seen alot of very optimistic predictions, some extremely optimistic, for the 2012 season on the Volnation over the summer. I guess this is my last chance to make my own.

What do I have too lose? If I am right on, I can boast about my keen insight. If I'm wrong, who will remember by the end of the season anyway?

I am always optimistic that our beloved Volunteers will do better than the preseason polls predict, but our young players are bound to take some lumps this year against some SEC upperclassmen. Bottom line, if we lose to the teams ranked higher and beat the teams ranked lower, we go 6-6 in the regular season. That is par, not historically for the Tennessee, but realistic enough this year that I will not fall into a deep funk with that outcome.

I am, however, optimistic enough to believe Tennessee has the talent, in spite of its youth, to beat higher ranked teams. I believe this team will get at least one win these players can build on for the future. I can easlily see Tennessee beating Georgia or South Carolina, or maybe Akansas, but my gut tells me we beat LSU this year.

That said, with so many young players exploit, even lower ranked teams may be able to create some mismatches with their seasoned veterans. Just as I am expecting a signature win or two, I would not be surprised by an unexpected, prehaps even embarrassing, loss. (North Texas 1977, Rutgers 1979, Army 1986, Memphis 1996) You only need to go back to last year's UAB win that took two overtimes to appreaciate just how realistic that is. My gut on that tells me, though I hate to speak it, Kentucky is due.
My optimistic prediction, we go 7-5 regular season with some extreme highs and lows along the way. Right or wrong, one thing is certain. These talented young players will put on quite a show. I see alot of big plays on offense and defense. It won't always go our way, but this team will be fun to watch.
Click to expand...

Did you watch the Kentucky game lastnight? They were outgained BIG TIME by Western K. No way we lose to them this year. It's going to be a long season for them.
 
#13
#13
Volru said:
Didn't see it, but read it was ugly early. It was a shut out though after they allowed field goal in the 1st Quarter. They have a whole season to hone their offense before we play them. Lets just say, I am old enough not to take the KY game for granted.
Click to expand...

Dude it was only a shutout because the WKU quarterback was bad enough to even make the worst KY performance I have ever seen look good. He had wide open shots in the endzone at least twice.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#14
#14
Volru said:
I have seen alot of very optimistic predictions, some extremely optimistic, for the 2012 season on the Volnation over the summer. I guess this is my last chance to make my own.

What do I have too lose? If I am right on, I can boast about my keen insight. If I'm wrong, who will remember by the end of the season anyway?

I am always optimistic that our beloved Volunteers will do better than the preseason polls predict, but our young players are bound to take some lumps this year against some SEC upperclassmen. Bottom line, if we lose to the teams ranked higher and beat the teams ranked lower, we go 6-6 in the regular season. That is par, not historically for the Tennessee, but realistic enough this year that I will not fall into a deep funk with that outcome.

I am, however, optimistic enough to believe Tennessee has the talent, in spite of its youth, to beat higher ranked teams. I believe this team will get at least one win these players can build on for the future. I can easlily see Tennessee beating Georgia or South Carolina, or maybe Akansas, but my gut tells me we beat LSU this year.

That said, with so many young players exploit, even lower ranked teams may be able to create some mismatches with their seasoned veterans. Just as I am expecting a signature win or two, I would not be surprised by an unexpected, prehaps even embarrassing, loss. (North Texas 1977, Rutgers 1979, Army 1986, Memphis 1996) You only need to go back to last year's UAB win that took two overtimes to appreaciate just how realistic that is. My gut on that tells me, though I hate to speak it, Kentucky is due.

My optimistic prediction, we go 7-5 regular season with some extreme highs and lows along the way. Right or wrong, one thing is certain. These talented young players will put on quite a show. I see alot of big plays on offense and defense. It won't always go our way, but this team will be fun to watch.
Click to expand...
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#16
#16
The gator game will tell us alot about this team.I think we have a helluva good shot this year.8 wins imo.:):):)
 
#17
#17
I am still extremely confused as to why anyone would put this team at 8 wins. 7 wins means we beat everyone we are supposed to (And I worry about Cincy) and we beat either FLA, GA, Ark, Bama,or SC. I am not convinced with this young of a team we beat any of those. I think we are a 6 win team this year but next year is when we blow up. God, I hope I'm wrong and we go 13-0 but I just don't see it.

Here's to hoping I'm wrong.
 
#18
#18
What I have consistently said is this: Those who say we're going to be amazing next year--as in championship level, better believe that we will be pretty darn impressive for the second half of this one. If you believe we will win the SEC in 2012 you should also believe we'll take at least 4 of the last 6 and be in the other 2 games.
 
#21
#21
SandoVOL said:
Our young team is going to have its ups and downs, but did you watch the Kentucky game last night?
Click to expand...

They looked horrible.I bet their fans were pissed.All of the so called experts picked them to beat Tennessee.What a joke.
 
#23
#23
I'm at the 7-5 prediction myself baring a Bray injury,which is I hate to say very possible with his small size.If that happens we may not make a bowl game.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#24
#24
oldsmokey67 said:
They looked horrible.I bet their fans were pissed.All of the so called experts picked them to beat Tennessee.What a joke.
Click to expand...

On what basis? Seriously, would possible reasons would they have to make that prediction?
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#25
#25
VOLtownUSA said:
How can anyone consider a prediction that has us losing to UK optimistic?
Click to expand...

Because the prediction included beating a preseason top five team too. About KY, we have been very fortunate to have such a long winning streak any SEC team. Doesn't anyone remember how Hacksaw Reynolds got his nickname?

The more we believe losing to KY can't happen, the wider the door is opened for an upset. Year after year, no matter how good or bad they are, Kentucky manages to put together a great game against a top SEC team. We are not immune.
 
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