Rebuilding year

[DarkVolder]

One of my felllow collegues suggested that this upcoming season was a rebuilding year for us in 2026. I disagree yes we got a new DC and a new QB but a coach going into his sixth season especially coming off a disappointing five loss season last year shouldn’t have anymore rebuilding and wasted seasons at this point in his coaching career. Thoughts?

 

[TheVolsFrog]

With the way CFB is today, we should no longer call it a rebuilding year and instead call it a reloading year

 

[NATHAN05]

With the way CFB is today, we should no longer call it a rebuilding year and instead call it a reloading year

In keeping with the theme of "state of college football" I'm not sure how to feel this year. I think CH has played his poker hand very well, he just keeps losing to better hands on the flop.

I think the Miami, LSU, Texas, and Tech $$$ and disregard for rules is absolutely messing with everyone badly.........especially SEC/BIG XXXIIL teams who are used to splitting all the blue chips. Danny White is going to have to loosen the purse strings. Who would have thought it'd have been this way even just 3 or 4 years ago?

As far as personnel, ON PAPER, Nico should be a Jr. this year. ON PAPER/ 4 years ago, we thought we had the proper specialists with adequate backups in the wings.

So, I'm not sure how to feel about this season with all that is going on in CFB and with unforeseen changes in personnel (which are a catalyst from the state of CFB ultimately). I'm hoping for a good showing and a playoff berth, but I'm realistic. Unless there is a complete meltdown, I'll give CH a pass if we don't make the playoffs this year, still think he's what we need right now and I'm tired of playing n the carousel.

 

[xpsyclonex2002]

I think it's a fair assessment. New QB. No real college experience. New DC. New faces all over the field. My expectations are less than when Nico took over. At least he had a good showing in a bowl game to give us something to judge from. We really have nothing but expectations from the new QB. That's not to say we get boat raced this year. I don't see us reverting to a 5 win team. But we won't improve on this year. But then again, there's always the JH factor. He's full of surprises.

 

[obxvol]

We are always rebuilding for one reason or another. It happens so often that my friends actually make fun of us. They’re always asking me if it’s gonna be another rebuilding year. I have university of Tennessee plates in Virginia and I almost put rebild on the plate.

 

[volmandu]

I agree its rebuilding but not 7-5 or 6-6 type rebuild year .. it is go 9-3 or 10-2 to show you can contend for championship next year type rebuild imo

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

I agree its rebuilding but not 7-5 or 6-6 type rebuild year .. it is go 9-3 or 10-2 to show you can contend for championship next year type rebuild imo

If that's correct, Heupel would be under a tremendous amount of pressure (job security). And if he achieves that level of success, he's definitely one of the best coaches in the country.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Every year is a potential rebuilding year now.

Let's say we agree this is a "building year" for the Faizon era and Knowles to get his D installed but after this year Faizon decides he'd like to go to Miami or Ohio State or wherever and a couple of Knowles chosen DBs decide they like it better elsewhere, then what? Does 2027 look good?

We're never going to have the money to throw around like TX oil billionaires or super rich in the Miami area or whatever.

Saying Danny should "loosen the purse strings" is laughable when we simply don't have the long list of wealthy donors TX schools can call on.

It is what it is in this era. We may get raided after this season.

 

[TheVolsFrog]

In keeping with the theme of "state of college football" I'm not sure how to feel this year. I think CH has played his poker hand very well, he just keeps losing to better hands on the flop.

I think the Miami, LSU, Texas, and Tech $$$ and disregard for rules is absolutely messing with everyone badly.........especially SEC/BIG XXXIIL teams who are used to splitting all the blue chips. Danny White is going to have to loosen the purse strings. Who would have thought it'd have been this way even just 3 or 4 years ago?

As far as personnel, ON PAPER, Nico should be a Jr. this year. ON PAPER/ 4 years ago, we thought we had the proper specialists with adequate backups in the wings.

So, I'm not sure how to feel about this season with all that is going on in CFB and with unforeseen changes in personnel (which are a catalyst from the state of CFB ultimately). I'm hoping for a good showing and a playoff berth, but I'm realistic. Unless there is a complete meltdown, I'll give CH a pass if we don't make the playoffs this year, still think he's what we need right now and I'm tired of playing n the carousel.

In the prediction thread I wanted to say 6-6 but decided to say 7-5. Too many unknowns, new QB with no playing time, new defense that's been posted takes a while to fully implement, then you also have teams like KY that we normally beat that has got a new coach which could means they could have a new way of approaching things.
Read LSU spent $40 mil on their teams. It's going to be hard to compete with teams that spends that type of money

 

[TheVolsFrog]

Every year is a potential rebuilding year now.

Let's say we agree this is a "building year" for the Faizon era and Knowles to get his D installed but after this year Faizon decides he'd like to go to Miami or Ohio State or wherever and a couple of Knowles chosen DBs decide they like it better elsewhere, then what? Does 2027 look good?

We're never going to have the money to throw around like TX oil billionaires or super rich in the Miami area or whatever.

Saying Danny should "loosen the purse strings" is laughable when we simply don't have the long list of wealthy donors TX schools can call on.

It is what it is in this era. We may get raided after this season.

Reloading year

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

We have to get used to the fact that we don't know who is staying until the portal closes, like Duke lost Mensah on the last day, and until the very last possible enrollment date passes when we could add a guy already in the portal.

If Duke can get their $4M a year QB poached on the last day of the portal, ANY of our guys can get poached. They just can and we need to realize that and there's nothing our AD or Coach Heupel or Barnes or anyone can do about it.

If you ain't got the dough, you can't be sure of what kind of loaf you'll get.

 

[savannahfan]

Every year is a potential rebuilding year now.

Let's say we agree this is a "building year" for the Faizon era and Knowles to get his D installed but after this year Faizon decides he'd like to go to Miami or Ohio State or wherever and a couple of Knowles chosen DBs decide they like it better elsewhere, then what? Does 2027 look good?

We're never going to have the money to throw around like TX oil billionaires or super rich in the Miami area or whatever.

Saying Danny should "loosen the purse strings" is laughable when we simply don't have the long list of wealthy donors TX schools can call on.

It is what it is in this era. We may get raided after this season.

This is the way it is for everyone under the new "rules" (or lack thereof). It makes no difference how much money you can "throw around' every year can and mostly will be a rebuilding process as guys will move on to greener pastures. "Greener" get it?

 

[Oldvoldad]

With the way CFB is today, we should no longer call it a rebuilding year and instead call it a reloading year

Exactly! Rebuilding is a thing of the past.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

This is the way it is for everyone under the new "rules" (or lack thereof). It makes no difference how much money you can "throw around' every year can and mostly will be a rebuilding process as guys will move on to greener pastures. "Greener" get it?

Right. The old school idea of "rebuilding" or "getting ready for our push next year" is not applicable.

Faizon may leave for a bag and suddenly our "QB of the future" is gone. I'm sure Duke thought "No way. We've legally got Mensah locked up" but he'll be in Miami this year.

Rebuilding, reloading, getting set up for a run next year......... can all disappear at the whim of a billionaire who wants to throw $50M extra on a school this year.

 

[volroadwarrior]

In keeping with the theme of "state of college football" I'm not sure how to feel this year. I think CH has played his poker hand very well, he just keeps losing to better hands on the flop.

I think the Miami, LSU, Texas, and Tech $$$ and disregard for rules is absolutely messing with everyone badly.........especially SEC/BIG XXXIIL teams who are used to splitting all the blue chips. Danny White is going to have to loosen the purse strings. Who would have thought it'd have been this way even just 3 or 4 years ago?

As far as personnel, ON PAPER, Nico should be a Jr. this year. ON PAPER/ 4 years ago, we thought we had the proper specialists with adequate backups in the wings.

So, I'm not sure how to feel about this season with all that is going on in CFB and with unforeseen changes in personnel (which are a catalyst from the state of CFB ultimately). I'm hoping for a good showing and a playoff berth, but I'm realistic. Unless there is a complete meltdown, I'll give CH a pass if we don't make the playoffs this year, still think he's what we need right now and I'm tired of playing n the carousel.

Good analysis. White has to open the bank on players with less emphasis on bank balance. He has the dollars to have gotten a proven QB and more. He also should have put up the cash for another high scorer for basketball. Not sure the "on probation" works anymore. Winning will bring in the cash.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Good analysis. White has to open the bank on players with less emphasis on bank balance. He has the dollars to have gotten a proven QB and more. He also should have put up the cash for another high scorer for basketball. Not sure the "on probation" works anymore. Winning will bring in the cash.

Interesting take that Danny "has the dollars" when estimates I've seen put us at about #15 in NIL money. Assuming half of those above are looking at proven QBs, we can get the #8 QB on the market from the portal. You think that will be a proven guy?

 

[Cartervol]

I just can't put much stock in calling it a rebuilding year when Indiana can win a national title and go undefeated.. It's all upside down anymore and a free for all if you spend the money.. Different day and age in college football...

 

[DonDiego]

We are always rebuilding for one reason or another. It happens so often that my friends actually make fun of us. They’re always asking me if it’s gonna be another rebuilding year. I have university of Tennessee plates in Virginia and I almost put rebild on the plate.

Friends in Virginia make fun of Tennessee football? Now that's some friends with cajones!

 

[IndianaVol]

Rebuild has always meant, to me, that a team has went 3 or 4 yrs with excellent results including a championship or two with a core group of players.
That core group has moved on and the program has to be rebuilt because that core has been destroyed and the talent level depleted.

Reload means you have a philosophy and culture in place, are seeing decent results, maybe won a title but maybe not, but haven't really had a key set of core players that drives 2, 3, or more years of high performance.
You loose one or two pieces every year that must be replaced.
MOST teams these days are in a constant state of reload.

 

[WaywardVol]

With the way CFB is today, we should no longer call it a rebuilding year and instead call it a reloading year

Rebuild? You either win in the portal or you don’t. If you’re Ohio State and you can win 11 games in your sleep, you can develop and recruit High school kids. We aren’t that. Did we win the portal? Yet to be seen. I think a lot of folks or undervaluing how easy the schedule was the previous two years. Last years 8-5 was a losing altitude 8-5. S&C was obviously a problem. Discipline was a problem. It looks like those were addressed. I still think Heupel’s offense is a major issue. It puts up crazy numbers, but I think it’s a liability in this league. Look how Illinois controlled the LOS and controlled the clock. Heupel’s offense has been a shiny object and I see a lot of fans who are entranced by it, and missing the big picture.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Rebuild has always meant, to me, that a team has went 3 or 4 yrs with excellent results including a championship or two with a core group of players.
That core group has moved on and the program has to be rebuilt because that core has been destroyed and the talent level depleted.

Reload means you have a philosophy and culture in place, are seeing decent results, maybe won a title but maybe not, but haven't really had a key set of core players that drives 2, 3, or more years of high performance.
You loose one or two pieces every year that must be replaced.
MOST teams these days are in a constant state of reload.

The problem is that teams used to be able to know where the holes were going to be: Okay, Peyton is gone after this year, Tee needs to be ready, etc.

Now it's: Wait? G-Mac is leaving after this year? Well, Faizon is here and I hope he's..... Wait, he's leaving too? That can't happen??? Wait, no. Both cannot..... what do you mean Indiana offered Faizon $7M a year? G-Mac is getting $7M too from LSU? What????

 

[Volador]

Been Groundhog Day in Knoxville for years

 

[NATHAN05]

Every year is a potential rebuilding year now.

Let's say we agree this is a "building year" for the Faizon era and Knowles to get his D installed but after this year Faizon decides he'd like to go to Miami or Ohio State or wherever and a couple of Knowles chosen DBs decide they like it better elsewhere, then what? Does 2027 look good?

We're never going to have the money to throw around like TX oil billionaires or super rich in the Miami area or whatever.

Saying Danny should "loosen the purse strings" is laughable when we simply don't have the long list of wealthy donors TX schools can call on.

It is what it is in this era. We may get raided after this season.

Thank you for your question. I think the reason @volroadwarrior and I were using the "loosen the purse strings" dialogue in reference to Danny White, is because we had a record earnings year putting only 2 schools ahead of us. In fact we're about $20 million+ from school #4 and double most schools. In fact this is an excerpt from Know News Sentinel:

University of Tennessee athletics reached an eye-opening $304 million in revenue in the 2024-25 fiscal year and posted its largest surplus in recent memory, records show. ~ Adam Sparks, 01/15/2026

Danny has come out in several press conferences and said "We're on probation (don't forget it)" and "We're playing by the rules of a $20.5 million cap. My point was LSU ($40.5 million roster per Brian Kelly), Texas, Texas Tech, Miami (with their $10 million Duke QB), and Indiana (Mark Cuban $$$) ARE NOT playing by the rules and they're wiping out other teams. My point was if we have the $$$ just spend it. "Loosen the purse strings Danny, and let Heup, Barnes, Lady Vols, and Baseball get who they need." Clearly the $$$ is there raised by tickets, talent fees (from patrons), donations (from patrons), etc and we deserve an A++++ product. We've done our part and given our $$$.

 

[utvols74]

Unless you have multi-year contracts for NIL, I"m not sure how you build a reasonably consistent program year over year. With injuries, player personal issues, now NIL, portal and the ever illusive playing time for everyone - even 3*s, how can anyone realistically hope for a similar roster year over year. I think this "rebuilding" and/or "reloading" thinking is the past paradigm. Now, for roster development, it is "Do you have more money than the next highest bidder?"

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

At no point in Y6 with our budget should there be a rebuilding year. It's a crutch.

This is the 4th "rebuilding" year since 2021 (2021, 2023, 2025, and now 2026).

Either Heup is the guy to navigate this new landscape long-term or he's not. Continously offering up a crutch does nobody any favors...