Regular Season Thoughts

#1
crusse10

crusse10

THIS MAN IS A PERVERT
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#1
When you look back on this regular season, what will you remember? Will you look at the close loss to Alabama? Will you say what should have happened had the 2nd half (of the season) team showed up to start the season?
Or will you look at it in large part as a success? Will you consider it a good starting point and highlight the UGA win as well as the Silver Anniversary against UK?

I'm very curious about what the view of the Nation is as a whole.
 
#2
#2
I've been impressed. I think we accomplished what most of us on here thought we would. 7-5 and a(probable) New Year's Day bowl...I think we'd all take that if it was offered to us at the beginning of the season. Sure we should have beaten UCLA and Bama, but we didn't. The future looks bright with contending for a division title next season and hopefully a NC the year after. The Vols are back.
 
#3
#3
It is good to have quality wins with authority for a change, but I can't help but think what could have been if we played the beginning of the season the way we finished and also what would have happened without the injuries... Hard to believe that I wish more than anything that we had Crompton coming back next year... I will also be reminded and sad at how close Berry came to breaking the record (I guess there is still one more game) and look back at how I'm glad Berry has set a great example for the youngsters and hopefully Jackson will learn from him.
 
#4
#4
I love the fight and attitude of this team. I am so happy to see people proud to be Vols again. The woulda, shoulda, couldas' are an endless list, so I'll leave that alone. The most exciting part of this season to me was Wes Brown dragging the Vandy player 10-15 yards for the pick six (while Kiffin was nailing Crompton)and having most of the team dog-pile him in celebration afterwards. It showed we have a "team" again, not a bunch of selfish prima donnas. V,B
 
#5
#5
I'll remember a bunch of guys who got to have fun playing football again. The redemption of Crompton, emergence of Hardesty, twin Sr honor students anchoring a patchwork OL and a hurting d-lineman carrying a Vandy player to the endzone

I have a feeling we will look back at this season in a few years as the base of some really good things
 
#6
#6
I'm impressed at the way the team competed. Also impressed with the adjusts coming out of halftime by the coaches. Nice to have coaches that actually adjust to something another team is doing. As far as the close losses, you almost always get those in the first year of a new coaching staff and system. They were much more fluid and organized by the end of the year. It looks good going forward. We'll have more depth and better talent in the future and a staff that has been together for awhile. I think we're in for a treat in the next couple of years. Next year maybe not so much but it'
s coming.
 
#7
#7
Here's what will stick in my mind. We had some letdowns, but we had some major in your face moments.

1) gators didnt blow us out.
2) we beat bama, period. We had them, we now have their number, we'll be ringing you up next year.
3) Kiffin is a great coach, has a great staff, and he isnt finished here.
4) With some gapping holes of lower talent, the defense put together some monster shots on people.

Tennesee Football is BACK
 
#8
#8
The year went about as I expected, which is a good thing since I firmly believe we are headed in the right direction at a very good pace.

I wish we could have mustered one more win, but I am not disappointed. It doesn't really matter which game even though bama would have been the sweetest.

The team (staff) was finding its way the first few weeks since they didn't really know what they had and how to best use them.

It is obvious that this team is waaaay better coached than before. That with the stellar recruiting that is taking place and the sky is the limit! I just hope we can keep most of these coaches for a few years.
 
#9
#9
The Coaching Staff

1st Being able to Coach up players

2nd Recruiting

To me; these are the things UT needs to build a SEC and BCS Champion

Alot of respect for Coaching from confidence, no excuses, to NOT throwing the kids under the bus for the mistakes like in our past.

This just shows alot of class in the staff :good!:
 
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#10
#10
1. This staff made a patchwork OL that could run and pass block. something lacking the previous years. (coaching)
2. Over coming injuries on D and still be competitive. (coaching)
3. Players giving their all to be a Vol. (motivated, coaching)
4. Freshmen contributing heavily on the field
5. Seniors buying in and playing hard
6. The evolution of Crompton by mid season
7. Hardestys ability to carry the team at times
8. Taking a less talented team then last year and going 7-5 ( coaching )
9. CLK not backing down
10. Recruiting, recruiting recruiting
 
#11
#11
The thing that stood out the most to me is that there is never any quit in this team. The score doesn't matter, the injuries don't matter, they never quit giving their all. It started with the coaches in recruiting last winter and carried over to every phase of this program.
 
#12
#12
The reason we didn't start the season like we finished is because it was a learning process for the coaches as well as the players. It took some time for this staff to gel and to figure out the players abilities. I'll remember how well coached this team was, and how hard they fought each game. They didn't know what "quit" meant. It has been years since I've seen this much determination from our players.
 
#13
#13
utvolpj said:
I'll remember a bunch of guys who got to have fun playing football again. The redemption of Crompton, emergence of Hardesty, twin Sr honor students anchoring a patchwork OL and a hurting d-lineman carrying a Vandy player to the endzone

I have a feeling we will look back at this season in a few years as the base of some really good things
Click to expand...

Great post. Pretty much sums it up for me.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#14
#14
Better than predicted season by almost everybody including most Vol fans. Love the way to the staff was able to get the kids to buy into how they wanted to do things. Loved the emergence of Crompton and the offense starting the 2nd half of the Auburn game. Hardesty? Are their enough accolades to describe this kid and his season? I'm very happy with how the season overall turned out. We left the Swamp with an L but the Gators felt like they lost. Bammer is still scared. It's good to be a Tennessee Volunteer right now.
 
#15
#15
I will remeber this season for the rise of the Crompdaddy... as well as the outstanding season that Hardesty has had.... and you can't forget the great quotes from Coach Kiffin!!! GO VOLS!!!!!!! :thumbsup:
 
#17
#17
To me, by far the best scene of the year was Brown dragging players into the endzone at the end of the Vandy game and JC gettin sacked by Kiffin and the joy of the celebration that ensued. Truly a magical moment. It capped off a good season and really paints a bright picture of the future.
 
#18
#18
And the hit Berry put on Tebow. Berry won that contest, even a fool could see that.
 
#20
#20
It was a decent season, given the circumstances. I certainly could never say I was "very happy" with a season in which we lost 5 games, no matter what. I was impressed by the team's fight and discipline, and by the fact that overall the team did not make a lot of mistakes. I thought the run blocking was MUCH IMPROVED over the last several fulmer years--very noticeable to me. I was very disappointed in the special teams, and by the fact that the passing game was TERRIBLE in the first one third of the season and cost us the auburn and ucla games. It's nice to get better over the course of a season, but most teams do--and the fact is we've got to start beating florida. I do like this staff, however, and think the program is back on the upswing.
 
#21
#21
Should have beaten UCLA and finished 8-4. Well coached team that made great strides this year. The future looks bright. 2011 can't get here fast enough.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#22
#22
utvolpj said:
I'll remember a bunch of guys who got to have fun playing football again. The redemption of Crompton, emergence of Hardesty, twin Sr honor students anchoring a patchwork OL and a hurting d-lineman carrying a Vandy player to the endzone

I have a feeling we will look back at this season in a few years as the base of some really good things
Click to expand...

This is a great list.

I'd add the feel-good story about the walk-on field goal kicker. He and the Sullins brothers kind of put me in the Vol spirit.
 
#23
#23
Games we overachieved/played above expectations:
I give them an A for the Georgia game. We simply blew them outside the stadium.
I also give them an A for the way they played South Carolina.
I give them a A- for Alabama. Out gaining and outplaying them and keeping them out of the endzone while WE score the only TD in the game shows we played a great game. Just couldn't close the deal in the end.
The way we blew out W. KY to start the year served notice that were not scared to score above 50.
The way we hung in there with Florida. Probably their lowest scoring game up to then. FL scored lower than 23 in only one other game this year (13) against LSU.

I give them a C for Ohio.We played just well enough to win. A C+ for Memphis.
They simply scored too many on us and exposed some weaknesses in our defense.
A C- for Vandy we won but the game was closer than the actual score.
Games we should have had, I give them a D for Auburn, UCLA
I give them a F for Ole Miss.
Overall a B-
Were 7-5 what most predicted and going bowling. Not too bad for CLK's 1st year.
 
#24
#24
My impressions:
- In game adjustments, the 1st to 2nd half defensive changes against UK were amazing
- Innovative and aggressive play calling
- Finally great O-line play and coaching
- Continued improvement through the year excluding the Ole Miss game
- Competititve in every game accept Ole Miss and a field goal kicker away from beating Auburn and Alabama
- Totally different dynamic on the side-line...players on the side-line into the game and showing great energy instead of hanging around the bench and goofing off
- Players consistently playing at and above their potential
- Much better on field discipline. Off field discipline seemed better as well considering improved grades and lack of off field disturbances other than the stupid brain farts by the two idiot Freshman
- A HC who isn't going to take crap from anyone and shows a wry sense of humor and a touch of craziness
- Re-energized and improved recruiting
- Overall higher caliber of assistant coaches which has postively impacted all of the above

This whole season from the moment Kiffin was announced has been a breath of fresh air on so many dimensions, much better than I could have hoped for.
 
#25
#25
The biggest surprise to me has been the players who now have a shot at being drafted. At the start of the season I thought Rico and EB if he declared would be it for the Vols. I now see Hardesty, Dan Williams, Scott and even Crompton late rounds going in the draft. It is amazing what coaching can do for a player.
 
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