Realistic expectations now that Solomon is eligible!!!

[McDad]

in all seriousness, does anyone know whatever happened to that guy?

He got in on BitCoin very early and bought tons of it. He sold half his portfolio a few years ago. Last I heard he was looking at a partial ownership of a couple of minor league sports franchises.

 

[DiderotsGhost]

My big concern is still depth.

* We lose JG, we're starting a Freshman QB
* We lose Bryce Thompson (and he's suspended for now), we have a true Freshman starting CB
* We lose any starting D-linemen and there's a dropoff
* The D-line is pretty thin even w/o losing any more bodies
* If Darrell Taylor gets injured, our pass rush takes a major hit

Some positions look better now than they did several months ago. Sounds like Eric Gray is very promising at RB, so he can step up if anything happens to Chandler. The O-line struggled immensely last season, but depth is much better now; albeit we have a lot of youth. To'oto'o sounds like the real deal at LB and that helps there immensely. But still too many position groups where we have a big drop-off if we lose starters.

 

[DougVol]

I feel confident in saying our Defense will be much improved and our record will look like this...

GSU - W
BYU - W
CHAT - W
FLA - W
UGA - L
MSU - W
ALA - L
USC - W
UAB - W
UK - W
MIZ - W
VAN - W

Our glaring weaknesses were the OL and the DL and with the additions of Wright and Morris and the news about Trey the Offense is going to be stout this year. I can’t wait to see what Chaney does with this team. On the defensive side of the ball the news about Solomon was huge because I feel he was the missing piece and Ansley and Pruitt will put together a great defense that will shock some people. My shades are on and all I see is ORANGE!!! Flame away.

So you’re saying UT is back?

 

[VolMarine1371]

I feel confident in saying our Defense will be much improved and our record will look like this...

GSU - W
BYU - W
CHAT - W
FLA - W
UGA - L
MSU - W
ALA - L
USC - W
UAB - W
UK - W
MIZ - W
VAN - W

Our glaring weaknesses were the OL and the DL and with the additions of Wright and Morris and the news about Trey the Offense is going to be stout this year. I can’t wait to see what Chaney does with this team. On the defensive side of the ball the news about Solomon was huge because I feel he was the missing piece and Ansley and Pruitt will put together a great defense that will shock some people. My shades are on and all I see is ORANGE!!! Flame away.

Thought you said realistic expectations?

 

[BeardedVol]

Mother of God this thread is "off-season insanity" in its purest form.

 

[McDad]

Mother of God this thread is "off-season insanity" in its purest form.

Just a few more days to go, Breaded Vol.

 

[butchna]

It's no wonder so many people on here live in a state of perpetual disappointment. One up to now average player is not going to change the trajectory of the team. To add multiple wins based on his participation is fantasy.

It’s one guy’s take. I never get less disappointed when we lose...no matter the setup or preparation.

 

[Pride85]

It's no wonder so many people on here live in a state of perpetual disappointment. One up to now average player is not going to change the trajectory of the team. To add multiple wins based on his participation is fantasy.

It is amazing how some on here complain about the number of stars of a recruit, anything less than 5 stars is a joke. We add a 5 star transfer and these same people now act as if it will have zero impact to get this player on the field.

 

[GBOTango]

6 - 6 and we make it to the Little Debbie Snack Cakes bowl.

 

[VOLywood]

Emmitt Gooden injury hurts so much. Love the Solomon news, but I still think 7 or 8 wins is the best we do.

 

[WoodsmanVol]

But if he is a stud this year, can we please start calling the middle of the line Solomon's Temple?

Now that's funny. I wondered who would catch my references to the David's son thing.

 

[Sara Clark]

Some like him, many don't, read if you like.

Finebaum shares thoughts on Pruitt, Tennessee ahead of 2019 season

 

[Tennesseefan2019]

Some like him, many don't, read if you like.

Finebaum shares thoughts on Pruitt, Tennessee ahead of 2019 season

Great article thanks Sara!

 

[Sara Clark]

Everything Jeremy Pruitt said on SEC Teleconference

 

[vegasvolfan]

I feel confident in saying our Defense will be much improved and our record will look like this...

GSU - W
BYU - W
CHAT - W
FLA - W
UGA - L
MSU - W
ALA - L
USC - W
UAB - W
UK - W
MIZ - W
VAN - W

Our glaring weaknesses were the OL and the DL and with the additions of Wright and Morris and the news about Trey the Offense is going to be stout this year. I can’t wait to see what Chaney does with this team. On the defensive side of the ball the news about Solomon was huge because I feel he was the missing piece and Ansley and Pruitt will put together a great defense that will shock some people. My shades are on and all I see is ORANGE!!! Flame away.

You think we go from 5 wins last year to 10 wins this year? In my opinion, no way.

That would mean we possibly win the NC the next year at that rate. Or it means you think he is that big of a different maker. I don’t think he is that big of a disrupter. He apparently has put on a big brace and I don’t think his stats even as a freshman indicate that he makes up for losing Thompson, Buchanan, Gooden and Kirkland Jr. on D this year along with the other two linemen that graduated.

I think our Defense struggles AGAIN this year, but again due to injury.

GSU - W
BYU - W
CHAT - W
FLA - L Not in the swamp and not after losing Thompson, Buchanan, Kirkland Jr., Gooden
UGA - L
MSU - Maybe a W. They have some good returning talent.
ALA - L
USC - L USC is returning a lot of players including a healthy Bentley. This game is also away.
UAB - W
UK - Maybe a W. In Lexington. Their lines look stacked again.
MIZ - L We lose this game. Against Bryant. Much of Missouri returns. In Columbia.
VAN - W

I think we win 6-7 games max.

Now if we had Gooden, Thompson and Buchanan, I would have us winning 7-9 games.

This excludes bowls.

I personally was hoping he wouldn’t be eligible until next year.

 

[Tennesseefan2019]

You think we go from 5 wins last year to 10 wins this year? In my opinion, no way.

That would mean we possibly win the NC the next year at that rate. Or it means you think he is that big of a different maker. I don’t think he is that big of a disrupter. He apparently has put on a big brace and I don’t think his stats even as a freshman indicate that he makes up for losing Thompson, Buchanan, Gooden and Kirkland Jr. on D this year along with the other two linemen that graduated.

I think our Defense struggles AGAIN this year, but again due to injury.

GSU - W
BYU - W
CHAT - W
FLA - L Not in the swamp and not after losing Thompson, Buchanan, Kirkland Jr., Gooden
UGA - L
MSU - Maybe a W. They have some good returning talent.
ALA - L
USC - L USC is returning a lot of players including a healthy Bentley. This game is also away.
UAB - W
UK - Maybe a W. In Lexington. Their lines look stacked again.
MIZ - L We lose this game. Against Bryant. Much of Missouri returns. In Columbia.
VAN - W

I think we win 6-7 games max.

Now if we had Gooden, Thompson and Buchanan, I would have us winning 7-9 games.

This excludes bowls.

I personally was hoping he wouldn’t be eligible until next year.

The South Carolina game is in Knoxville. Last season's game was in Columbia.

 

[SmokyRiverDog]

6-6

 

[vegasvolfan]

The South Carolina game is in Knoxville. Last season's game was in Columbia.

Well well... I came back to say I have been wrong about something all over these boards and stand (well lounge) corrected again. Solomon will get to play next year too I think, so scratch that. It is huge news because he will play again next year after having a year to develop. I still don’t think he makes that big of a difference this year because of the other injuries and Thompson may be done for good.

Regarding the SC game, being at home gives us a ceiling of 8 games this year IMO.

 

[vegasvolfan]

It is amazing how some on here complain about the number of stars of a recruit, anything less than 5 stars is a joke. We add a 5 star transfer and these same people now act as if it will have zero impact to get this player on the field.

It isn’t that. You are only looking at part of the equation. We had the worst D in the SEC two years in a row. We are missing five players from that D and have no idea what will replace that. A previously injured 5* in his first year on our D, who did not put up 5* numbers his Freshman year isn’t likely to make up for all of that.

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

Da fuq? I thought you said "realistic". We're looking at 6-6 to 9-3 depending on O/D line play. We don't have the talent to take down UGA or Bama yet and we don't have the depth to steal one from UF in the swamp yet either. It's coming, but it wont be 2019.

How much depth do we need? We are going to play 10 OL, 10 DL, we have 3 quality RBs, at least 6 good WRs, at least 7 LBs that will play. We do lack depth at CB but that's all. Depth is no longer a problem.

 

[Power T-Rev]

I like the enthusiasm and optimism, OP. But 10-2 is highly unlikely.

It would be nice, but sadly that's not reality

 

[McDad]

How much depth do we need? We are going to play 10 OL, 10 DL, we have 3 quality RBs, at least 6 good WRs, at least 7 LBs that will play. We do lack depth at CB but that's all. Depth is no longer a problem.

In Pruitt's SEC Teleconference, he mentioned depth. Said something along the lines of they have created depth this year because it was a factor last season. But he did not say depth is no longer a problem.

 

[Pride85]

It isn’t that. You are only looking at part of the equation. We had the worst D in the SEC two years in a row. We are missing five players from that D and have no idea what will replace that. A previously injured 5* in his first year on our D, who did not put up 5* numbers his Freshman year isn’t likely to make up for all of that.

Again, not expecting a huge pop (did you see the records I was looking at?). But before his eligibility, all you read was doom and gloom. Without him we were dead, no chance, he was critical. Now a large portion of that group are under the impression we will still not have a chance with him. Consistency matters (well anyplace but this board)

 

[Johnnyreb#VFL]

OP typing this thread

 

[TNnative]

I've been saying 8-4 is the expectation with this schedule. That was before and after Gooden was hurt. I am not putting an extra win on one player being declared eligible. But the possibility of 9 wins is a little more likely.