Past 20 years, your most optimistic and pessimistic preseason expectations

[207 others]

2005 is cut off in this scenario, but would win easily imo.

For me optimism was 2007 vols, thought we would turn it around then and there, cutcliffe was back, senior Ainge, good class, everything seemed to be finally compiled to Fulmer's 1998. Heupel season after Hooker, but really Id say at the time the 2016 butch with the dobbs and kamara, hurds, barnett return we all had hope. I wouldn't say I'm very optimistic for this season as some of the others above.

For pessimism it was Pruitt after 5-7, and the no recruited lineman Dooley year.

 

[Unconditional Surrender]

Optimism: 2024
Pessimism: 2012 & 2017 tie

 

[VOLdo Raine]

This question has me in a quandary. I expect us to go 12-0 every year. I enter every game thinking we will win, or at least we have a chance to. Otherwise why would I even bother? So my most optimistic seasons have been 2011, 2017, 2021, etc, since my expectations went waaay over reality.

 

[dtwhitaker03]

Optimism: 2016 - Dobbs senior year. Hurd and Kamara at RB. Malone and Jennings at WR. Barnett getting sacks. All of which were returning starters.

The fact that the team went 9-4 is a travesty. To me, that was the beginning of the end for ol' Butch.

Pessimistic: Any year of Pruitt.

 

[Berry4Heisman14]

Optimism: 2016 - Dobbs senior year. Hurd and Kamara at RB. Malone and Jennings at WR. Barnett getting sacks. All of which were returning starters.

The fact that the team went 9-4 is a travesty. To me, that was the beginning of the end for ol' Butch.

Pessimistic: Any year of Pruitt.

Proved how bad of a coach he truly was. That team had the talent to go all the way

 

[HeuperDrive]

Optimism: 2016. I was very excited for this season. I really believed we’d compete for the national championship. I was fully bought in on Butch. I had no fear whatsoever. We all know what happened next.

Pessimistic: 2012 and 2017.

 

[BruisedOrange]

The 2005 season cured me of creating or accepting expectations for a season. Not coincidentally, we watched that season from where Hurricane Katrina had blown us over those last days of August. Overnight we lost all touch with our 20-year community of friends and colleagues in NOLA, now scattered across the country.

Since that year, I've considered each game to be its own movie, the script being written in real time. From game to game, I'm watching for character development, confidence to go deeper into the offensive and defensive playbooks, and seeing young guys grow up under fire. There's too much luck involved in making a good season and a lousy season. I don't start thinking about the season as a whole until November, and then only if something big in postseason is hanging in the balance.

I remember at some point realizing that, if "expectations" are a relationship-killer in a marriage... then they're probably doing something similar to my relationship with my beloved Vols. The years (and reading volnation during the two days following a game, win-or-lose) have only confirmed those choices for me.

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

For the last 20 years? Most optimistic I would say either 2006, 2016, or 2024. Most pessimistic would basically be any of Dooley's years, all of Pruitt's and Butch's first and last years.

And quite frankly I've reached the point where I expect about 8-9 wins per year until they spend/do whatever it takes to get a higher percentage of elite talent in here consistently.

 

[bpalmer28]

2007 was the most shocking disappointment. I was very optimistic. Still not sure how we went completely off the rails. The season with Bray, Hunter, and DaRick that was sabotaged by Sal Sunseri is 2nd. Maybe that was 2012? Not sure. The most pessimistic I’ve felt was Heupel’s first year. Our roster was completely destroyed by transfers triggered by NCAA investigations. Going 7-6 exceeded my expectations. I had pretty low expectations in 2025 as well because we seemingly had a UCLA reject at QB. 8-4 was a slight overachievement IMO.

This year I’m pretty optimistic…. genuinely think we can get to 9-3 with average QB play if guys stay healthy. If Faizon goes off I think we advance past the first round of the playoffs

 

[bpalmer28]

Optimism: 2016 - Dobbs senior year. Hurd and Kamara at RB. Malone and Jennings at WR. Barnett getting sacks. All of which were returning starters.

The fact that the team went 9-4 is a travesty. To me, that was the beginning of the end for ol' Butch.

Pessimistic: Any year of Pruitt.

I forgot about 2016… thought we had a chance to win the SEC

 

[bpalmer28]

For the last 20 years? Most optimistic I would say either 2006, 2016, or 2024. Most pessimistic would basically be any of Dooley's years, all of Pruitt's and Butch's first and last years.

And quite frankly I've reached the point where I expect about 8-9 wins per year until they spend/do whatever it takes to get a higher percentage of elite talent in here consistently.

well we currently have a top 1 QB, WR, OL on the team and top 1 RB on the way so you may get your wish soon!

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

well we currently have a top 1 QB, WR, OL on the team and top 1 RB on the way so you may get your wish soon!

True, they've definitely switched to a higher gear here lately. Hopefully it becomes consistent and/or they start getting a little more aggressive in the portal.