Honestly, I'm having a difficult time assessing what they think. Why I made the comment I did. I've seen nothing to indicate to me they have a willingness to run him off no matter what happens. Perhaps their strategy is to let him pursue another job??? I don't know.
It may be my misread of your attitude toward this whole thing... but I don't buy that UT has a talent deficit right now and if guys aren't ready to step into their roles then that's still on Jones.
Also, you throw a million at a DC plus add the staff UT has added... and 7 is the ceiling? Eight should be the absolute floor.
well i would have fired him after the Vandy game last year. losing to USCE and Vandy last season were far more egregious than his overall records against UF and UGA.I thought those were sufficient reasons...
I'm willing to listen to your reasoning....I'd love to hear two better reasons for why he should be let go at 8-4...:hi:
It wasn't a surprise, though. Seniors graduate and NFL-caliber talent generally moves on in three years. It happens to every team and coaches plan for it. We have a few gaps to fill, but we shouldn't have question marks all over the field. We have a lot of talent, so I'm hoping we don't.
well i would have fired him after the Vandy game last year. losing to USCE and Vandy last season were far more egregious than his overall records against UF and UGA.
the first two years no one expected to be competitive with those schools, so honestly, i don't really care. would have been nice to pull an upset...but hardly expected.
the last two years he's beaten GA and split FL (should be 2 in a rwo there too)...so with comparable talent, he's 3-1 against those two in the last 4 games.
that's good....really good.
and 8-4 this year, he's not getting fired. doubtful it will happen at 7-5.
but if you're going to fire him...you fire him because he just is what he is. average to slightly above average coach that can recruit and maintain bowl worthy seasons....and that's just not what TN football is.
problem with that.....the administration doesn't see things that way, and until proven otherwise, the only thing that matters over there is $$$. and you don't have to win titles or be in the playoffs to get a ton of it.
you just can't suck to the point where people stop coming to games and you're not competitive enough to get to those middle and 2nd tier bowl games.
I'm assessing what I'm seeing of the players that will be put on the field to play the games week in and week out. Where I think these players are in relation to being ready to go win football games. I will leave it to many others to state the reasons why.
Paying the DC a million bucks and adding the staff they have does not ensure a set number of wins just because you added them. Players still have to go make plays. I don't see the number of play makers required to make the plays consistently. But that is just me. Others have different viewpoints.
agree with this statement 1000%
problem with that.....the administration doesn't see things that way, and until proven otherwise, the only thing that matters over there is $$$. and you don't have to win titles or be in the playoffs to get a ton of it.
you just can't suck to the point where people stop coming to games and you're not competitive enough to get to those middle and 2nd tier bowl games.
Perspectives change when there are lots of empty seats and those $$$ start being threatened. I suspect a 5 loss regular season would scare the administration and particularly because some of the late season games are easy not to attend.
How bout some qualifiers:
If we have no more major injuries
If Tuttle is back at 90% or more by game 3
If Wiggins solidifies the secondary.
If Sapp or McDowell solidify the lbs.
If Kongbo can reek havoc up front.
If Kelly and one other are elusive and/or bruising runners.
If Wolfe becomes a better blocker.
If we can have at least 5-8 healthy oline.
If one of our qbs shows accuracy and a little mobility.
If Jennings matures and requires double teams or zones.
If Byrd is proven to be a better wr than cb.
If Daniel continues to be a great weapon.
If Medley can increase his fg accuracy by 5-7 yards.
If Berry is healthy enuf to be a great return weapon.
If Scott calls a great game as OC.
If all of this happen and we get a little luck........
I vote for 9-3.
How bout some qualifiers:
If we have no more major injuries
If Tuttle is back at 90% or more by game 3
If Wiggins solidifies the secondary.
If Sapp or McDowell solidify the lbs.
If Kongbo can reek havoc up front.
If Kelly and one other are elusive and/or bruising runners.
If Wolfe becomes a better blocker.
If we can have at least 5-8 healthy oline.
If one of our qbs shows accuracy and a little mobility.
If Jennings matures and requires double teams or zones.
If Byrd is proven to be a better wr than cb.
If Daniel continues to be a great weapon.
If Medley can increase his fg accuracy by 5-7 yards.
If Berry is healthy enuf to be a great return weapon.
If Scott calls a great game as OC.
If all of this happen and we get a little luck........
I vote for 9-3.
..and you can't get ANYONE to see that CBJ should've already been fired!
I either get griped at for writing posts that are too long....or griped at for writing posts that are too short....
You guys are just too smart for me...
Those ought to be sufficient....but are not to most on here...who still cling to injuries for an excuse!
However, I didn't say they were the ONLY reasons....
No Tenn. team wins the East without being able to beat both UGa and Fla...or at least one of them...Besides UT...those two programs are dominant....or didn't you know that? ...CBJ couldn't even beat USCe or Vandy in year 4 with the SEC title on the line....those two losses would've been reason enough for me....
As I've stated before...
Fla fired Zook...and the 'chump (even though he won 10 games one year)...
UGA fired Donnan for winning 62.5% of his games in the SEC and almost 68% overall...after his 4th year and posting his 2nd 8-4 finish..
Bama fired Curry after he won the SEC and finished a season at 10-2 for Gene Stallings!
Heck-fire bud.....CBJ has won 58.8% overall and is 14-18 in the SEC--a whopping 43.8% overall...and 9-7 SEC (56.3%) over the last 2 years...and you can't get ANYONE to see that CBJ should've already been fired!
I either get griped at for writing posts that are too long....or griped at for writing posts that are too short....
You guys are just too smart for me...
But we do in fact have question marks all over the field, on both sides of the ball...
Offense-
QB- which first year starter will it be? QD or JG?
RB- can Kelly be "the guy"? Who is/are his bavkup(s)
TE- can Wolf take a big step forward and be more consistent and better catching the ball and blocking? Who's his backup?
OL- some say the strength of the team? Can it be much better, much more physical? How good is Smith? Can Richmond play like a 5star at LT? Who are the starters?
WR- who can step up as the #2 and #3 WRs to take pressure off JJ? And....can JJ be a true #1?
Defense-
DE- we're talented here but completely unproven....neither Kongbo nor Phillips have really even played the position for Tennessee, and Taylor has gotten very, very few game reps.
DT- who's healthy enough to help a good, solid Vickers? Will Shy be healthy? How good is KMac? Can Alexis Johnson play at this level? How much will we have to play the freshmen?
LB- questions everywhere.....
CB- ditto....who's gonna start? Can Wiggins play here? Can Martin, who's been a disappointment, do a 180 and realize his potential? Is Moseley vastly improved so that he becomes a very good, above average reliable cover guy?
Nickel- honestly, if Gaulden stays healthy, we're good here
Safety- is Warrior, our most talented guy here, up to speed and ready to start and play a ton? Feel pretty good about both TKJr (although he's limited athletically) and Abernathy. Will Evan Berry be a good backup?
We have talent at most every position, but there are questions about experience and actual production just about everywhere. Virtually nowhere where we can honestly say "yeah, that position is locked down, no worries there".
He would survive that this year but he should have to beat UF, UGA and Bama next year or should be sent packing.
Also I'm still expecting a 10-2 season. I don't see us losing all these games. Of UGA, FL and LSU I think we only lose one at most.