Season could be a major struggle....

#51
#51
Chris Low may be right that the interior OL & DL could be problematic for UT. I don't really know enough about your returning players to assess that. UT signed some good OL players, but if true freshmen end up starting on the interior OL and at DT, it could make for some tough sledding.

In the SEC, if you can't matchup well in the trenches, it doesn't matter what kind of offensive skill position players and LBs/DBs you have. On offense you've got to be able to run the ball and protect the QB. On defense, you've got to be able to stop the inside running game. The big uglies in the trenches are where the rubber meets the road.

That's a tougher schedule than last season, picking up Oregon and LSU in place of UCLA and Auburn. UF has to reload after the loss of a lot of starters, but they have outstanding talent stacked up three to four deep at all positions.

If UT's two deep OL/DL can stay healthy and continue to develop well as the season progreses, Ole Miss and Kentucky later in the season could be wins #5 & 6, on top of the four mentioned by the OP. Either UGA or SC could potentially be a 7th win, but since those are road games, I think 6-6 is a more realistic expectation.

Really kind of early to project, anyway. Things might look a whole lot brighter for UT's OL/DL after spring drills, summer S&C and fall camp.

I like Dooley and think he'll do a great job of bringing UT back to where it belongs. Unfortuantely, SEC FB fans tend to have trouble being patient. So, I would like to see the Vols' 2010 season at least go well enough that fan support for Dooley does not start to deteriorate before he's had enough time to really show what he can do.

Good luck in 2010 Vols.
 
#52
#52
Can't wait to see what kind of team CDD puts on the field. This team has to have a big chip on on it's shoulder after the last few months. Don't know how good we will be but I do think we will be dangerous.
 
#53
#53
BearBryant said:
Lets see. First of all I think most UT fans are underestimating the talent at QB and offensive line. Running backs and recievers are going to be very productive. I hate to bring up Lil Kane, but don't forget what he said about Crompton having a great spring and fall practice and he so said Stevens looked excellent in the practice before the Bowl game. So look for Stevens to have a good year.

Sept. 4 UTMartin This obviously should be a rout! My Dad went to UTMartin 1-0

Sept. 11 Oregon It's difficult to imagine a west coast team winning at Neyland. But I'll go with a close loss 1-1

Sept. 18 Florida This is the one game I see as the major upset. Florida is not going to be as good as this past year, they lost too much talent plus Tebow. I don't care how good their Freshman class is you don't win with Freshmen in the SEC 2-1

Sept. 25 UAB This should be a rout. 3-1

Oct. 2 at LSU Who knows, LSU barely beat La Tech. Maybe Dooley knows how to beat them. but being at Baton Rough I'll go with LSU 3-2

Oct. 9 at Georgia This is winnable. I find it hard to believe Georgia will be any better than this past year. Don't count out Mark Richt when he is underdog. But UT squeaks out a win 4-2

Oct. 23 Alabama This being a big rivalry game anything can happen. I just can't see UT beating Alabama. So a close loss 4-3

Oct. 30 at South Carolina They scare me just because it seems UT never plays well against them. But I think UT wins this one. 5-3

Nov. 6 at Memphis This should be a rout 6-3

Nov. 13 Mississippi Ole Miss lost a lot of their best players. So UT wins 7-3

Nov. 20 at Peabody U A loss here seems impossible. 8-3

Nov. 27 Kentucky Being in Knoxville UT should win plus UK will not be as good as last year. 9-3.

My worst case is 7-5. That's it and I know I'm right because I can read into the future
Click to expand...

florida isn't going to be young. inexperienced. somewhat. young. no.

as an example, they will probably start 3 seniors and a junior on the defensive line.

it ain't going to be a bunch of freshman.
 
#54
#54
99gator said:
florida isn't going to be young. inexperienced. somewhat. young. no.

as an example, they will probably start 3 seniors and a junior on the defensive line.

it ain't going to be a bunch of freshman.
Click to expand...

Why does a guy with gator in his username refer to Florida as they?
 
#56
#56
We win the last four games + UTM and UAB.

We should beat LSU. At this point, I'd take whatever points we're getting there.

Seven wins at least, eight if we're dern lucky (USC or UGA?).

Optimistic, yes. But not far fetched.
 
#58
#58
Squoshua17 said:
This is crazy. So what if we have a killer schedule? When is the last EASY one we had? And how is it that 99.9% of our fan base thinks we're better off without Kiffin, but 50% thinks our record won't be? We will be better this year, I'm sure of it.
Click to expand...

The Kiff-head reasoning is more about his ethics than his (read staff's) potential. The win loss reasoning is not so much schedule as the loss of senior talent like EB and MH. That's my take. I said we'd lose more games this year than last before Kiff-head bolted.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#60
#60
volstexans said:
We win the last four games + UTM and UAB.

We should beat LSU. At this point, I'd take whatever points we're getting there.

Seven wins at least, eight if we're dern lucky (USC or UGA?).

Optimistic, yes. But not far fetched.
Click to expand...

as long as you know the difference between optimistic, assuming that on average the best will happen and realistic, assuming that on average that you get your fair share of breaks and no more. Realistic, 6-6.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#61
#61
I am using a coin flip this year. Heads, 7-5, tails 5-7. 6-6 is if the coin stands on it's side!
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#64
#64
UTM, UAB, VANDY, UM, and KY are locks IMO.

Oregon (top five team), Alabama (likely #1 or 2), LSU (at their place will be too tough for UT), and Florida are probable losses.

Georgia, South Carolina, and Miss are the most meaningful games for next year.

IF Tenn can pull out 2 of these 3 games, which I see them doing (Georgia and Miss)

I see Tenn scratching to a 7-5 record. With a bowl win, I see momentum for Dooley and another top-ten recruiting class, hopefully with a significant amount of D-tackles and O-linemen.
 
#65
#65
All-Out-Blitz said:
UTM, UAB, VANDY, UM, and KY are locks IMO.

Oregon (top five team), Alabama (likely #1 or 2), LSU (at their place will be too tough for UT), and Florida are probable losses.

Georgia, South Carolina, and Miss are the most meaningful games for next year.

IF Tenn can pull out 2 of these 3 games, which I see them doing (Georgia and Miss)

I see Tenn scratching to a 7-5 record. With a bowl win, I see momentum for Dooley and another top-ten recruiting class, hopefully with a significant amount of D-tackles and O-linemen.
Click to expand...


Kentucky is no lock in 2010.
 
#69
#69
strongtower said:
I might have to agree with this thread. We have a very hard schedule next year for sure.
Click to expand...
I just don't get the hard schedule, Bama and Florida at home, and 2 major cupcakes, one not even a division 1 team. Ever SEC team has a hard schedule since it is the SEC!! Beat a ranked team from another conference is a way to get recognized on a national level.
 
#70
#70
BearBryant said:
Lets see. First of all I think most UT fans are underestimating the talent at QB and offensive line.
Click to expand...
UT will start 4 new guys on the OL, 3 if you count Shaw as a starter last year. There's some talent but when talent meets equal or better talent that's experienced and also well coached... that talent won't get it done.

Shaw and Douglas are the only two OL's returning with significant experience. Victor Thomas who I believe will likely be the starting C has a little more game experience... but as a DT. The other upper classmen haven't proven themselves worthy of PT in competitive games. We know that Schofield, James, Stone, and Fulton either have or will arrive on campus with enough size and bulk to play in the SEC. Unless they have or will get bigger, Hood, Pair, Thomas, and Revis will not be factors.

The talent here hasn't been underestimated. A training table and S&C program can change these young guys alot in the off season but right now there are only 4-6 guys on this roster physically capable of playing in the SEC. Three to 4 of those will be Fr.
Running backs and recievers are going to be very productive.
Click to expand...
Not without an OL. I'm hopeful but realistic at the same time. It will take a herculian effort for UT to field a credible OL this year.
So look for Stevens to have a good year.
Click to expand...
Again, not if he's running for his life. I think he has the talent and experience to be very good. However we've seen him get frustrated and emotionally out of control. If the OL is a sieve, he'll blow up.
My worst case is 7-5. That's it and I know I'm right because I can read into the future
Click to expand...

If there are right now 7 or 8 OL's with legit SEC talent on the roster AND they come along at an above avg pace then 7 or 8 wins might be possible. If we get a couple more or some of these are huge surprises and become All SEC caliber then maybe better. If there are less or they come along at a normal pace then 5 or 6 wins are probably what we're looking at.
 
#71
#71
SOS22 said:
I just don't get the hard schedule, Bama and Florida at home, and 2 major cupcakes, one not even a division 1 team. Ever SEC team has a hard schedule since it is the SEC!! Beat a ranked team from another conference is a way to get recognized on a national level.
Click to expand...

Not every SEC team will play the East and the 3 best teams from the West- Bama, LSU, Ole Miss. No other SEC team is scheduled to play an OOC game against a team ranked as high as #4 in the country.

I am personally glad that UT finally started scheduling an FCS school like everyone else in the SEC. It will help keep starters healthy and get young guys experienced. I just wish they had scheduled them later in the season.
 
#72
#72
ALock4UT said:
If Kiffin can win some games that we weren't expected to win, then I expect Dooley to do that also. So 6-6 will be a lot better for me. If we only win what we are expected to win then Dooley isn't a great coach.
Click to expand...
Let's see. Why does everyone seem to think that douche bag did such a great job last year? What games did he win that we weren't suppose to win.

Western Ky -- How could you not win this game!

UCLA -- Does anyone believe UCLA was better than UT last year? We should be asking how did we lose this game @Neyland on top of it? Don't forget douche bags dumb play call at the end of the game!

Auburn losing to this trick play High School gimmick offense was embarassing to me at home. They should have lost to NORTHWESTERN for gosh sakes.

OleMiss and Virginia Tech were just total blowouts thatUT wasn't even in the game.

Now we are at DoucheBags two highligts both close LOSSES to Florida and Alabama. And let's admit Florida could have been worse without Tebow's fumble. Since when should UT highligts be LOSSES!

South Carolina, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt --- Somewhat excited about South Carolina, but even that one South Carolina may have outplayed Tennessee.

Georgia -- This is the only real plus to the whole season.

I think it's going to be EASY for CDD to improve on this performance. So 7 to 9 wins should be the result.
 
#74
#74
BearBryant said:
Let's see. Why does everyone seem to think that douche bag did such a great job last year? What games did he win that we weren't suppose to win.

Western Ky -- How could you not win this game!

UCLA -- Does anyone believe UCLA was better than UT last year? We should be asking how did we lose this game @Neyland on top of it? Don't forget douche bags dumb play call at the end of the game!

Auburn losing to this trick play High School gimmick offense was embarassing to me at home. They should have lost to NORTHWESTERN for gosh sakes.

OleMiss and Virginia Tech were just total blowouts thatUT wasn't even in the game.

Now we are at DoucheBags two highligts both close LOSSES to Florida and Alabama. And let's admit Florida could have been worse without Tebow's fumble. Since when should UT highligts be LOSSES!

South Carolina, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt --- Somewhat excited about South Carolina, but even that one South Carolina may have outplayed Tennessee.

Georgia -- This is the only real plus to the whole season.

I think it's going to be EASY for CDD to improve on this performance. So 7 to 9 wins should be the result.
Click to expand...



I am not going to sit here and defend kiffen and crew and break it down game by game or whatever, but if anyone actually watched the games and the progress of the team last year I don't know how they could not see a vast improvement from where fulmer had left it.


With that said, kiffen and crew would have struggled this year too. Until we get some key positions built back up we are going to have problems.
 
#75
#75
With the way the schedule is set up, we should go at least 7-5. The Bama game on 10/23 is the last game on the schedule were we go in with less talent than our opponent. Our toughest games are early in the season. This allows less experienced players to gain much needed reps against strong competition. It also allows the team to get used to the new schemes in time for the stretch run against weaker competition. Schedules like these are the reason that UT has such a strong record in November.

The number of LBs and DBs that got significant PT last season should also pay dividends this season. The O-line and QB positions are still issues, but should improve as younger players improve.

I see the South Carolina game as the beginning of a 5-0 finish.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top