Overall, great improvement as season progresses

[volnighthawk]

Game loss against the Dogs was a little disappointing but expected. Many people blame Hooker but the real reason is that both our OL and DL got outplayed. When a QB drops back and has 1-2 seconds before a couple of 380 pound 6'-7" guys are about to slam you on the ground. it would make anyone very concerned and release your passes too early (overthrows) or too high lol. Overall, he does a great job, and his skills have given the Vols a chance to beat most any team.

 

[joevol33]

Unlike the prior coaches, I like where we're heading with this one. We need some depth, and defense, but I think he can build something.

 

[peaygolf]

90% of UT fans would have jumped all over a 7-5 season back in August. I really wanted 1 win over the big 3, but 7-5 with a Bowl game and a win over a ranked UK isn't so bad. Improvement, and future has a glimmer of hope, not just a pipe dream.

 

[OrangeTsar]

Team definitely looks better and I am more optimistic that I have been in a while, but there are only three real markers for progress that matters and they didn’t really move. Early season, loss to Florida, middle season, loss to Alabama, late season loss to Georgia. And in none of those games were we in in when it mattered, in the 4th quarter. Until one of those three markers flips, it is all hopes and wishes. Not being a downer, just a realist. Tennessee is supposed to win championships. PERIOD

 

[Sara Clark]

Yes, you are correct. I honestly thought 5 wins was our ceiling.....This is definitely a team who has improved as the season has went on. I find myself hopeful for the future, not sure I've been able to say that in years. Side note: I was not going to renew season tickets next season. I ordered them the other day. GBO!!!!

 

[The Original Fade]

90% of UT fans would have jumped all over a 7-5 season back in August. I really wanted 1 win over the big 3, but 7-5 with a Bowl game and a win over a ranked UK isn't so bad. Improvement, and future has a glimmer of hope, not just a pipe dream.

totally agree

 

[Volsfannn]

Double digit losses to Florida, Alabama and, Georgia is great improvement? Please explain to me how we looked improved in any of the 3 games. Let me guess, team plays with more passion? Can tell they're improved? Let me ask a question. If you're calling plays and for two drives in a row, knowing your defense is gassed, would you stick with the hurry up and run 45 seconds off of the clock? Or would you slow it down a bit a let defense catch their breath? Just saying I love the fast paced offense but when it isn't working to well and you're still in the ballgame in second quarter, let the defense catch a breather. And I'm tired of watching this team get the opposing offense in a 3rd and long and giving up 1st down, regardless of what anyone says 80% of the time that is the play calling and not a dang thing to do with depth

 

[Volsfannn]

90% of UT fans would have jumped all over a 7-5 season back in August. I really wanted 1 win over the big 3, but 7-5 with a Bowl game and a win over a ranked UK isn't so bad. Improvement, and future has a glimmer of hope, not just a pipe dream.

It's a lackluster season if tennessee doest win a game against Florida, Alabama, or Georgia.

 

[Sara Clark]

@Freak You really should consider adding a "Boo" button.

 

[Volsfannn]

Team definitely looks better and I am more optimistic that I have been in a while, but there are only three real markers for progress that matters and they didn’t really move. Early season, loss to Florida, middle season, loss to Alabama, late season loss to Georgia. And in none of those games were we in in when it mattered, in the 4th quarter. Until one of those three markers flips, it is all hopes and wishes. Not being a downer, just a realist. Tennessee is supposed to win championships. PERIOD

Exactly. The best comment on this thread. Throw Pitt in the mix also. Tennessee should win that game. Thanks for being real.

 

[Fullfillmer]

Game loss against the Dogs was a little disappointing but expected. Many people blame Hooker but the real reason is that both our OL and DL got outplayed. When a QB drops back and has 1-2 seconds before a couple of 380 pound 6'-7" guys are about to slam you on the ground. it would make anyone very concerned and release your passes too early (overthrows) or too high lol. Overall, he does a great job, and his skills have given the Vols a chance to beat most any team.

Hooker deserves his share of the blame. I think he was too close to the los at times and this created some challenges to him both physically and mentally. Ga has a bigger, taller dline / front seven than everyone else and I think it gave Hooker some problems. He can and has played much better. The oline and dline played pretty well all things considered. Ga had 26 first downs and we had 22. That's with a 2 -0 turnover advantage.

The score doesn't reflect it - but we were not that far off from playing them even. We broke down in the red zone, our qb had an off night, we had two turnovers vs. zero and we gave up field position a few times when we went for it on fourth down. Need a few more Jimmy and Joes. If this staff can recruit - they can get this ship turned around. That's a big if.

 

[NovaVolunteer]

Exactly. The best comment on this thread. Throw Pitt in the mix also. Tennessee should win that game. Thanks for being real.

Only we haven’t been beating SC, Missouri, Kentucky and Vandy so gotta start somewhere right, or I guess if we don’t win the SEC every year than we should fire all the coaches and start over.

 

[peaygolf]

Double digit losses to Florida, Alabama and, Georgia is great improvement? Please explain to me how we looked improved in any of the 3 games. Let me guess, team plays with more passion? Can tell they're improved? Let me ask a question. If you're calling plays and for two drives in a row, knowing your defense is gassed, would you stick with the hurry up and run 45 seconds off of the clock? Or would you slow it down a bit a let defense catch their breath? Just saying I love the fast paced offense but when it isn't working to well and you're still in the ballgame in second quarter, let the defense catch a breather. And I'm tired of watching this team get the opposing offense in a 3rd and long and giving up 1st down, regardless of what anyone says 80% of the time that is the play calling and not a dang thing to do with depth

I never said "Great" improvement.

 

[spacificislander]

Exactly. The best comment on this thread. Throw Pitt in the mix also. Tennessee should win that game. Thanks for being real.

Do you really not think that we have improved from last year till this year? Or just not great improvement?

 

[tabrams]

Do you really not think that we have improved from last year till this year? Or just not great improvement?

Yea we are better… but nobody is stating the biggest problem that lies ahead… we lose a lot of key players off this team… plus whoever transfers/ quits….

So it’s possible our defense and oline could be worse next year….our only chance to get any better fit next year is to pray that key players don’t leave (Tillman, Hooker, Cade, etc), and to bring in about 9-10 great players from transfers, if not 11-12…

QB, RB, TE, WR, DL, LB, DB
We hv no depth honestly anywhere….
This roster is close to being decimated…

 

[chuck0303]

Team definitely looks better and I am more optimistic that I have been in a while, but there are only three real markers for progress that matters and they didn’t really move. Early season, loss to Florida, middle season, loss to Alabama, late season loss to Georgia. And in none of those games were we in in when it mattered, in the 4th quarter. Until one of those three markers flips, it is all hopes and wishes. Not being a downer, just a realist. Tennessee is supposed to win championships. PERIOD

Well, when we get the number of quality recruits we need (& they all don't transfer out prior to the start of the season) and the coaches have time to develop the players then maybe we have a realistic chance of beating some or all of the top 3. Until then it's not realistic to HOPE & expect us to beat those teams. This year has been a good step forward, surprisingly, considering all the players we lost the coaching staff & the players remaining have done a phenomenal job I think.

 

[chuck0303]

Double digit losses to Florida, Alabama and, Georgia is great improvement? Please explain to me how we looked improved in any of the 3 games. Let me guess, team plays with more passion? Can tell they're improved? Let me ask a question. If you're calling plays and for two drives in a row, knowing your defense is gassed, would you stick with the hurry up and run 45 seconds off of the clock? Or would you slow it down a bit a let defense catch their breath? Just saying I love the fast paced offense but when it isn't working to well and you're still in the ballgame in second quarter, let the defense catch a breather. And I'm tired of watching this team get the opposing offense in a 3rd and long and giving up 1st down, regardless of what anyone says 80% of the time that is the play calling and not a dang thing to do with depth

Well, negavol, explain to all of us how we're supposed to beat those teams when 30+ players transferred before the start of the season--mostly very good players? We're waiting. Did Bama, GA, & FL all have that many losses of good quality players? Hmmmm, is that crickets I hear?

 

[volfan1954]

Game loss against the Dogs was a little disappointing but expected. Many people blame Hooker but the real reason is that both our OL and DL got outplayed. When a QB drops back and has 1-2 seconds before a couple of 380 pound 6'-7" guys are about to slam you on the ground. it would make anyone very concerned and release your passes too early (overthrows) or too high lol. Overall, he does a great job, and his skills have given the Vols a chance to beat most any team.

why weasnt grounding called at least twice on ga

 

[slobberknocker]

Game loss against the Dogs was a little disappointing but expected. Many people blame Hooker but the real reason is that both our OL and DL got outplayed. When a QB drops back and has 1-2 seconds before a couple of 380 pound 6'-7" guys are about to slam you on the ground. it would make anyone very concerned and release your passes too early (overthrows) or too high lol. Overall, he does a great job, and his skills have given the Vols a chance to beat most any team.

Only idiots are blaming Hooker. I approve this message.

 

[driscokid]

Double digit losses to Florida, Alabama and, Georgia is great improvement? Please explain to me how we looked improved in any of the 3 games. Let me guess, team plays with more passion? Can tell they're improved? Let me ask a question. If you're calling plays and for two drives in a row, knowing your defense is gassed, would you stick with the hurry up and run 45 seconds off of the clock? Or would you slow it down a bit a let defense catch their breath? Just saying I love the fast paced offense but when it isn't working to well and you're still in the ballgame in second quarter, let the defense catch a breather. And I'm tired of watching this team get the opposing offense in a 3rd and long and giving up 1st down, regardless of what anyone says 80% of the time that is the play calling and not a dang thing to do with depth

It’s possible that you were not satisfied either back in the early 2000s when we lost a couple of games

 

[Volnuck]

It's a lackluster season if tennessee doest win a game against Florida, Alabama, or Georgia.

Yes, that used to be the standard we clung too, however that is not reality today. Have our goals been lowered, NO! It is just a fact of where we are at and have been due to Tennessee’s own bad decisions for 13 years. This team has improved and definitely played at a higher level than we expected. Still a long way to go to compete with the Big 3.

 

[OrangeTsar]

Well, negavol, explain to all of us how we're supposed to beat those teams when 30+ players transferred before the start of the season--mostly very good players? We're waiting. Did Bama, GA, & FL all have that many losses of good quality players? Hmmmm, is that crickets I hear?

Those are all very good reasons for not winning the big three games. That does not make those loses sting any less. Vol fans are tired of always waiting till “next year”. Not that we can do anything to change that of course. But don’t just go around calling fans nega VOLS just because they hate losing

 

[Volsfannn]

I never said "Great" improvement.

Is literally the name of the thread

 

[Volsfannn]

Do you really not think that we have improved from last year till this year? Or just not great improvement?

We lost all the big games by roughly same amount of points so really not much improvement. People are sunshine pampers instead of realists. Doesn't matter beating Kentucky, Tennessee has won that game every year of my lifetime except 3. Being competitive against Bama Georgia and Florida is what matters. Where I come from losing by double digits is not competitive in any way.

 

[Volsfannn]

Well, negavol, explain to all of us how we're supposed to beat those teams when 30+ players transferred before the start of the season--mostly very good players? We're waiting. Did Bama, GA, & FL all have that many losses of good quality players? Hmmmm, is that crickets I hear?

Not crickets there sunshine. Florida sux this year look who beat them but tennessee can't. Where is the improvement? Moral victory university