Someone make me feel optimistic about Team 121.

#152
#152
BeardedVol said:
That's the point, lack of talent hasn't been an issue, lack of coaching ability and player development has been.

I have hopes that the new coaching hires, even the ones that I think were poor choices, can make a difference, but CBJ has still in charge, and we've seen coaching changes under him before have little or no effect on how effective his system is on game day.
Click to expand...

yeah, but not wholesale changes like we've seen this off season. it's basically a brand new staff. and while i'm not overly confident in his game day decision making either, if we remain healthier, get a little better execution as a result of some of the coaching, then that could ease the burden on CBJ to have to be put in a position to make a decision based on what the chart says to do....:thumbsup:

but still...lots of questions abound regarding 121.

but i've seen enough already to want to see how 122 looks.
 
#154
#154
the key for shoop this season is finding LB's. he didn't run a 4-2-5 last year because he wanted to. especially with the personnel that wound up being available to run it, as early in the season as he had to make that change.

if we find any semblance of decent LB play, and we stay healthy on the D line, i expect the Defense to take a pretty good step forward.
 
#155
#155
If JK and the running backs combined with the OL give our new QB a chance I'll be optimistic. I expect better of the defense, or Lord help us all.
 
#156
#156
BeardedVol said:
So you are saying that the sheer act of Jalen Hurd quitting the team on 10/31/2016, caused the UT offense to not be able to score more than 3 points in the second half of the Vanderbilt game on 11/26/2016? :thud:
Click to expand...

Are you saying Hurd giving his all wouldn't have helped?
 
#161
#161
The defense can't possibly be any worse or beat up than it was last season.

That's about all I have for the OP right now.

Way too many question marks on offense from the staff down to the players to feel confident they replicate the performance from last season.
 
#163
#163
Many new players stepping up for 2017. New coaches everywhere.
Does anyone have an idea how all this will shake out?.
I am lost.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#166
#166
The players have actually been in the system several years now and are not new in fact. Butch has been preparing them for this season. I'm not concerned about the players. They just haven't been in your eyeballs. We have a lot of talent people! Jones has been here long enough to know what was needed. he knows who he hired. I think will do better than a lot of people expect.
 
#168
#168
1) We return 4 of 5 starters on o-line from an offense that set a school record for points, and even more experienced, talented depth. The most likely newcomer to the rotation is the #1 high school football player in the country.

2) We return a running back who averaged 6.4 yards per carry (on a significant sample size of carries). His backup will be a 4-star sophomore from South Florida or the #5 high school running back in the country last year.

3) We will start either a highly touted 4-star who's spent 2 years in the program or the #1 rated dual threat quarterback in the country who's spent 1 year in the program. Both were offered by Bama, and both (unlike last year) will receive guidance from a quarterbacks coach.

4) We replaced the weakest link on the coaching staff with a highly respected DBs coach. We lose our best corner, but we only got 2 healthy games out of him last year anyway. We have serious talent there, especially if Byrd moves over to defense, and with a little coaching, this could be the greatest area of improvement on the team.

5) We will not have the cataclysm of injuries we had last year. Besides the sheer improbability of that happening two years in a row (or ever), we've replaced our S&C coach with a well respected NFL guy. Plus, the returning players will help our defense return to the form they showed early last year. We get KMac back, we get Tuttle back, we get Sapp back, Kirkland at full strength...

6) We have an excellent senior punter, a dependable senior kicker, and the best kickoff returner in the country (assuming he can bounce back from injury).

7) We have fewer distractions (Hurd) and lower expectations.

8) Georgia, who we beat last year, loses 3 senior starters off an offensive line that was one of the worst in the country (101st in Adjusted Line Yards) and replaces them with either backups who couldn't beat out those sub-mediocre departing seniors, or true freshmen.

9) Florida, who we beat last year, lose their best DT, their best LB, their 2nd best LB, their best corner, their 2nd best corner, and best safety. They do return 4 of 5 starters on the o-line, but that line finished 113th in rushing last year. And behind that line, they'll either start an untested redshirt freshmen or a tested, ineffective junior at quarterback.

10) Not for this year, but general reasons to feel optimistic... We are Tennessee. We're coming off 3 straight winning seasons and bowl wins. We have legit talent in the program again. We've made it back from the dead, and are gaining strength year by year. We survived a catastrophic spate of injuries last year. We upgraded the staff immensely this year. 2018 looks to be a huge recruiting year, especially in state.

There is seriously a ton to be excited about, and I will never understand the doom and gloom here these days... It's like too many years in the dark days of Dooley despair made half you guys shut your eyes for good, and now you're walking around in the sunlight complaining how dark it is.

Go Vols!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 9 people
#169
#169
ice said:
Many new players stepping up for 2017. New coaches everywhere.
Does anyone have an idea how all this will shake out?.
I am lost.
Click to expand...

You came to the right place. The experts will arrive shortly to put you on the right path. Never mind the differing opinions, they will lead you safely. :)
 
#171
#171
There is no way to tell until they play a quality opponent. I am most concerned with the strength and conditioning program and the offensive line. The new S&C coach has the resume to give me some confidence. Hopefully he lives up to that and our players will stop getting pushed around and they will have fewer injuries.

The o-line is deeply concerning though. From what I have read/heard the poor performance could be attributed to the scheme or coaching. The scheme is not going to change and one of the guys already working with the line got promoted. Not a lot to hang your hat on there.
 
#173
#173
BeardedVol said:
In every one of the games that we scored 30 or more points, except for TA&M, Dobbs had 1 or more rushing TD, which in several of those, was the difference between winning and losing the game.

Acting like you could just plug any QB on the roster into the same 2016 team and get the same outcome is ridiculous. The CBJ's offense didn't work in 2016 without Dobbs saving plays, and running for more TDs than any of the RBs on the roster.
Click to expand...

To each his own I guess, because I would say it's more ridiculous to think that Dobbs was a saving grace than the defense was the major issue.

Let's see...

App State - -5yds rushing
VT - 106 yds rushing 2 TD's (Let's subtract those two TD's, we still win 31-24) He didn't save us. Defense should have never given up the yards or points to VT
Ohio - 59 yds rushing 1 TD ( Didn't save us, we still win 21 - 19 (No way Ohio should have scored 19 on us.
FL - 80 yds 1 TD (we win 31 - 28 without it) Once again, should last years FL team have been able to score 28...no.
Ga 26 yds rushing 1 TD (yes we would have lost without it, but is that what saved the game? No. It was a Hail Mary.) No way that GA team (with a freshman QB, which according to you has to suck) should have scored 31 pts on us.
AtM 57 yds rushing 0 TD's rushing (defense gave up 21 1st qtr pts...then another 27 the rest of the game.
Bama -31 yds rushing (offense sucked, defense sucked worse)
USCe 27 yds rushing ( many say Dobbs lost that game for us) Should last years USCe team have been able to score 24 on us? By this time of the year...we were expecting it...but no they shouldn't have.
TTU Dobbs could have sat out the whole game, we still would have killed them.
KY 129 yds 2 TD's (ok, without his 2 rushing TD's we lose...but come on, seriously KY scored 36 pts on our defense! Was it more Dobbs saving us or the defense trying to hand KY a win?)
Mizzou 190 yds rushing 2 TD's (lol...we could have taken both of his rushing TD's and one of someone else's TD's off the board and still won) The bigger question....how did that crap Mizzou team score 37 pts?
Vandy 53 yds rushing (he sure as hell didn't save shi* here did he?) Vanderbilt scored 45 pts on our defense!
Nebraska 118 yds rushing 3 TD's (He however did not save us in this game. UT was never not in control)

There are two games that even remotely come close to the "he saved our asses in a lot of games last year" that you claimed. Yet every damn game, maybe with the exception of Nebraska, our defense gave up points that should not have been given up.

Like I said....Defense was more of a problem than Dobbs was a savior.

I love Dobbs and wish him all the best in the NFL. Doesn't change the fact that some of you are worshipping him just a little too much.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#175
#175
Ok....with the exception of the '98 vs '16 talk. Only a real moron would think the '16 class would stand a chance...and the '98 class was not even the best class of the 90's.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top