Outlook for the next few years

[NeverWe'llSever]

Heupel is on double probation until he beats Vanderbilt this season. There is no off season, you simply buy another team. The lack of a seasoned SEC level QB on the roster is going to be a huge issue.

No excuse for another loss to Vanderbilt. None. Immediate hot seat is in order for that. And a 3rd straight loss should be grounds for immediate termination. I can somewhat justify the pathetic performance of last year’s game. That Vanderbilt team won 10 games. But it has to be a one off in order to do so. This year’s Vanderbilt team will certainly not win 10 games and probably flirts with bowl ineligibility.

 

[OrangeMoundTNVol]

Heup has stacked the QB room, the WR room, the o line room. The d line room, the LB room. The DB room is being stocked with elite size and attributes. Multiple 6'3 safeties and 6'2 corners. The future is super bright.

 

[Jaxon_Vol2017]

Yes, it’s always the fans’ fault for not lowering their expectations.

What does the University of Tennessee owe you? You're a fan, nothing more.

 

[OffTackleVol]

My thoughts are, we have the budget capacity to win it all. We don’t have a HC to win it. We have able and willing boosters. We have a coach and an AD that have pulled back on the portal, apparently due to probation restrictions.

I see a coach in Heupel that in a room with Vitello and Barnes, he’s the odd man. It’s year 6 and we shouldn’t be in wait and see mode. Heupel better hope this S&C coach has a massive impact, because fans aren’t going to tolerate 7-5. Players won’t either and all the effort of building that young roster could evaporate when the winter portal opens.

"We don't have a HC to win it." Idiotic take...........

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

What does the University of Tennessee owe you? You're a fan, nothing more.

They should put that on the ticket right below the part about the talent fee.

Every AD and HC at a power program says the goal is to win championships. Should there be some progress toward those goals? I think that is a reasonable expectation.

 

[WaywardVol]

"We don't have a HC to win it." Idiotic take...........

How was that idiotic? He’s a good coach. But he’s married to his gimmick offense which, IMO, will never work when it comes to winning a championship. I think he has a fairly high floor. And he’s certainly better than the slop coaches we had that proceeded. To say that I don’t see him as a championship level coach is not a bizarre or off the cuff remark. It’s an observation based on what I’ve seen so far. Going around and calling someone an idiot in anonymity on the Internet takes zero thought, so congratulations.

 

[OffTackleVol]

How was that idiotic? He’s a good coach. But he’s married to his gimmick offense which, IMO, will never work when it comes to winning a championship. I think he has a fairly high floor. And he’s certainly better than the slop coaches we had that proceeded. To say that I don’t see him as a championship level coach is not a bizarre or off the cuff remark. It’s an observation based on what I’ve seen so far. Going around and calling someone an idiot in anonymity on the Internet takes zero thought, so congratulations.

Reading comprehension issues? I didn't call you an idiot. But, I have come to realize that you're not very football smart from your previous posts..........

 

[WaywardVol]

Reading comprehension issues? I didn't call you an idiot. But, I have come to realize that you're not very football smart from your previous posts..........

I’ll make sure and take “online football expert” off my resume. So far, your response is 100% shots at other people. So, at least I have a take and can articulate it. You’re one of those that wants to make it their life ambition to take other’s takes personally. A territorial fence post pisser. There’s a group of you guys who simply take shots and antagonize, hoping to get a reaction, because just like in sports, it’s the reaction that gets the flag. If you’re so fragile add me to your blocked list.

 

[OffTackleVol]

I’ll make sure and take “online football expert” off my resume. So far, your response is 100% shots at other people. So, at least I have a take and can articulate it. You’re one of those that wants to make it their life ambition to take other’s takes personally. A territorial fence post pisser. There’s a group of you guys who simply take shots and antagonize, hoping to get a reaction, because just like in sports, it’s the reaction that gets the flag. If you’re so fragile add me to your blocked list.

LOL, I apologize for striking a feeble nerve. When I have some time, I'll rebuke some of your nonsense like "Heup is married to his gimmick offense, which IMO, will never work when it comes to winning a championship."

 

[rocytop2624]

I always see the comparison of Richt and Heupel in these discussions.

Didn't Richt have consistent top 10 recruiting classes for several years? Does Heupel?

The rap on Richt, which was correct, was he "did less with more" than a coach should. Is that true of Heupel?

Unless UT is going to put up top NIL money year after year vs the billionaires coming from the oil states and big alumni fanbases of the B1G, we're not going to be able to buy enough talent to build (read: buy) a Natty winning roster.

It's the money now.

Richt was a substandard coach which is why he retired a couple of years after leaving GA. Heupel isn't a perfect coach but name one coach you'd rather have who isn't a "pipe dream" like Cignetti.

Does Indiana have more NIL money than Tennessee?

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Does Indiana have more NIL money than Tennessee?

Indiana got (and is getting) at least $20M from Mark Cuban before their ascent to the Natty and that was on top of what they already had.

I don't know but they are an outlier to the GA, Bama, tOSU, TX, aTm, LSU programs who commonly inhabit the playoffs using big money.

Cuban money and Cignetti's old school buy in grit DEFINITELY pushed Indiana to the Natty.

 

[rocytop2624]

7-6 or 8-5 again is my prediction for this season but i could also see 4-8 or 5-7. We could conceivably lose every SEC game. Heupel is back for 2027 regardless though.

27 is his year. If he stinks it up in 2027 then it maybe time to move on.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

27 is his year. If he stinks it up in 2027 then it maybe time to move on.

If someone like Oregon or Miami comes for Faizon Brandon with a $6M or $7M / yr offer, what then? Do you think we'll match it?

If Faizon isn't here in 27, is it still his year?

I'm telling you, it's going to be a money race from now on to keep your roster and reach for a Natty.

It's obvious from watching Mensah go to Miami or watching Leavitt get stolen from the Knoxville airport that programs with money are shameless about using it.

 

[wmcovol]

The program is just now exiting the “$hithole” Pruitt left it in. This years senior class is the last class recruited under the serious threat of NCAA penalties & scholly reductions.

Looking forward Tennessee has a promising QB situation, very promising OL, WR & TE rooms. The RB room could get real strong soon. The defensive staff is a huge upgrade & the def talent level continues to increase. Probably need a couple more big men inside but otherwise talent upgrade is coming.

Yes the schedules in the future are tough. But guess what? So are everyone else’s in the SEC.

 

[Vol423]

Imo Hype is a good field coach, with the exception of clock management. I think his weak pont is evaluating talent. if we have the talent he can win, but it appears our roster is getting weaker instead of better. But i do think we should keep Hype.

I think it's quite the opposite. I have no idea how you reach that conclusion.

 

[WaywardVol]

LOL, I apologize for striking a feeble nerve. When I have some time, I'll rebuke some of your nonsense like "Heup is married to his gimmick offense, which IMO, will never work when it comes to winning a championship."

Pack your lunch hot shot

 

[bpalmer28]

We are always giving excuses about how young we are. We have been one of the youngest rosters in the league
for several years. Everyone else talks about re-loading, we always talk about re-building. Year 6 and we are nowhere
close to SEC title. CJH is what he is. 8-4 or 9-3 and will sprinkle a 10-2 in occasionally. He will not be an SEC champ.
Only way we get to a playoff is through expansion to 16 or 24. We will have to be satisfied with that and we will not
go deep in the playoffs.

I don't know about everyone else but that is my expectations for Tennessee Football, regardless of who the coach is.

If a coach can average 9 wins and occasionally make a run at winning a championship, he will have done what very few coaches in Tennessee Football history have been able to do. We made a run in 2022. It has taken us longer than I think it should to gear up for our next run but if we win 8 games with a roster as young as ours in 2026, I'll feel good about where we're at.

My only complaint about Heupel is that he hasn't managed the QB position as well as I expected him to. When we hired him, I thought we'd consistently have one of the best QBs in the country. But the list of QBs who he's had that are not championship-caliber is getting longer each year. Since signing Hooker he's signed Tayven Jackson, Nico, Merklinger, Aguilar, and MacIntrye. None of those guys have performed at a championship level, although the jury is still out on MacIntyre. I think he did as much as anyone could with Aguilar, but we're still waiting to see a post-Hooker NFL caliber QB. Four years is a long time to wait. We are bordering on being desperate for things to work out with Faizon.

 

[TennEddie]

Heup has stacked the QB room, the WR room, the o line room. The d line room, the LB room. The DB room is being stocked with elite size and attributes. Multiple 6'3 safeties and 6'2 corners. The future is super bright.

The only way to prove this is on the field.

 

[Volador]

Well, any of us that chime in here with our thoughts are no better than the local weatherman on our TV. Partly cloudy outlook with patches of sunshine.

 

[SpookyAction]

I always see the comparison of Richt and Heupel in these discussions.

Didn't Richt have consistent top 10 recruiting classes for several years? Does Heupel?

The rap on Richt, which was correct, was he "did less with more" than a coach should. Is that true of Heupel?

Unless UT is going to put up top NIL money year after year vs the billionaires coming from the oil states and big alumni fanbases of the B1G, we're not going to be able to buy enough talent to build (read: buy) a Natty winning roster.

It's the money now.

Richt was a substandard coach which is why he retired a couple of years after leaving GA. Heupel isn't a perfect coach but name one coach you'd rather have who isn't a "pipe dream" like Cignetti.

Richt was the best coach in the SEC from signing day to August every season.

 

[backdoorcutvol]

All I want is to beat Texas, LSU and Vandy this year.

 

[brockytop]

since 1950, the vols average 7.5 wins per year so he beats that average getting 8-9 per year.. he may never win a natty... very difficult especially being in this conference..

You seem to be forgetting there are more games played now. Winning 8 of 13 games is a lower winning % than winning 7 of 11 and winning 9 of 13 is just above % wise.

Plus, as an example, what Johnny Majors was making in 1991 is still less than a coach making a million dollars today. Huepel’s making NINE TIMES that amount, right?

 

[LWSVOL]

You seem to be forgetting there are more games played now. Winning 8 of 13 games is a lower winning % than winning 7 of 11 and winning 9 of 13 is just above % wise.

Plus, as an example, what Johnny Majors was making in 1991 is still less than a coach making a million dollars today. Huepel’s making NINE TIMES that amount, right?

I don't concern myself with salary so what they made/make is irrelavant to me. Just not a concern I have ever had. Same for players getting paid. No concern of mine.

IMO, money doesn't drive production. Players and coaches should produce to the best of their ability if making $100 or $9,000,000 dollars. As a fan I judge that based on resources they have versus resources they are going against.

As far as the % I understand that. But the 13 game schedules are much harder than the 10 and 11 game schedules from years ago. Take the 90s, it was Tennessee and Florida as the dominant teams in the SEC. Now you have 6-7 teams that are all fairly equal and then the others are capable of an upset on any given Saturday. Much tougher, IMO

 

[vol94]

Cannot have a rebuilding year in year 6 unless you have replaced the entire coaching staff and had massive roster replacement.

Agree - You don’t see GA, Bama, Ohio St, etc “rebuild-” they reload every offseason. And now w/ the portal, no excuse to rebuild.

As much as it pains me to admit, my beloved Vols aren’t in the same league as the teams mentioned above. We may beat them during any given yr, but they are winning championships.

 

[brockytop]

I don't concern myself with salary so what they made/make is irrelavant to me. Just not a concern I have ever had. Same for players getting paid. No concern of mine.

IMO, money doesn't drive production. Players and coaches should produce to the best of their ability if making $100 or $9,000,000 dollars. As a fan I judge that based on resources they have versus resources they are going against.

As far as the % I understand that. But the 13 game schedules are much harder than the 10 and 11 game schedules from years ago. Take the 90s, it was Tennessee and Florida as the dominant teams in the SEC. Now you have 6-7 teams that are all fairly equal and then the others are capable of an upset on any given Saturday. Much tougher, IMO

Just because it’s of no significance to you the money aspect of coaching and player pay is a SIGNIFICANT part of the equation in today’s world when it comes to expectations of winning.