Something feels off

#1

BelieveTheHeup93

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2021
Messages
1,582
Likes
2,596
#1
First off, this entire calendar year has been special for this program. Landing Nico in the fall along with all of the other big time recruits along with beating Florida, Bama, and routing LSU in Death Valley regardless of it being a noon game had me along with 99% of college football fans and analysts thinking we were poised to become a national powerhouse again sooner rather than later. I have been a huge fan of Heupel and almost the entire staff since the Pitt game last season. I even think the Georgia game was a little closer than the score indicated. They hit on some big plays and we missed on a few we normally hit. Georgia is definitely the better team, but it seemed like we beat ourselves a lot. This team hasn’t responded well since then though. Particularly our defense. Even against Missouri we looked bad at times. We put it together eventually though. What happened last night was and still is mind boggling to me. Have the players stopped buying in since the loss to Georgia? Our defense has been mediocre all season, but not bad enough to get torched like that. I know there have been rumors circulating since last night, and they very well could be speculation. Something just doesn’t sit well with me though. I can completely understand coming out flat to open the game. The energy was never there on the defensive side of the ball though, and I knew from South Carolina’s second offensive possession last night that we would lose the game. Something just jumped out on the screen that gave me that feeling.

Which brings me to the question of how something last night could happen when so much was on the line. Being unprepared and a lack of talent doesn’t explain the performance we had last night. We just didn’t seem to care, and I don’t see how that could happen after the season we’ve had. What’s so scary about everything is we’re going into Vandy this weekend with a new QB coming off a heartbreaking loss with Vandy on top of the world and smelling blood. It sounds crazy, but Saturday could be the most important game of the season for us. Anything less than a decisive win will likely lead to every bit of momentum and the culture that this staff has built within this program to come crashing down, and if that bleeds over into next season we could have a serious problem. Am I wrong in thinking we could be entering next season in a worse position than we entered this season despite 3 massive wins that seemed like they were the rockets that this program needed strapped to it to send it to the stratosphere? I really hope that’s not the case, but there are a lot of 2016 feelings right now. I’m not saying Heupel is fraudulent by any means, but the Florida, Bama, and LSU wins feel like a little like fools gold right now
 
Last edited:
#2
#2
First off, this entire calendar year has been special for this program. Landing Nico in the fall along with all of the other big time recruits along with beating Florida, Bama, and routing LSU in Death Valley regardless of it being a noon game had me along with 99% of college football fans and analysts thinking we were poised to become a national powerhouse again sooner rather than later. I have been a huge fan of Heupel and almost the entire staff since the Pitt game last season. I even think the Georgia game was a little closer than the score indicated. They hit on some big plays and we missed on a few we normally hit. Georgia is definitely the better team, but it seemed like we beat ourselves a lot. This team hasn’t responded well since then though. Particularly our offense. Even against Missouri we looked bad at times. What happened last night was and still is mind boggling to me. Have the players stopped buying in since the loss to Georgia? Our defense has been mediocre all season, but not bad enough to get torched like that. I know there have been rumors circulating since last night, and they very well could be speculation. Something just doesn’t sit well with me though. I can completely understand coming out flat to open the game. The energy was never there on the defensive side of the ball though, and I knew from South Carolina’s second offensive possession last night that we would lose the game. Something just jumped out on the screen that gave me that feeling. Which brings me to the question of how something last night could happen when so much was on the line. Being unprepared and a lack of talent doesn’t explain the performance we had last night. We just didn’t seem to care, and I don’t see how that could happen after the season we’ve had. What’s so scary about everything is we’re going into Vandy this weekend with a new QB coming off a heartbreaking loss with Vandy on top of the world and smelling blood. It sounds crazy, but Saturday could be the most important game of the season for us. Anything less than a decisive win will likely lead to every bit of momentum and the culture that this staff has built within this program to come crashing down, and if that bleeds over into next season we could have a serious problem. Am I wrong in thinking we could be entering next season in a worse position than we entered this season despite 3 massive wins that seemed like they were the rockets that this program needed strapped to it to send it to the stratosphere? I really hope that’s not the case, but there are a lot of 2016 feelings right now. I’m not saying Heupel is fraudulent by any means, but the Florida, Bama, and LSU wins feel like a little like fools gold right now
Paragraphs are your friends. Also, two paragraphs max should be the most you need to get your point across.
 
#3
#3
First off, this entire calendar year has been special for this program. Landing Nico in the fall along with all of the other big time recruits along with beating Florida, Bama, and routing LSU in Death Valley regardless of it being a noon game had me along with 99% of college football fans and analysts thinking we were poised to become a national powerhouse again sooner rather than later. I have been a huge fan of Heupel and almost the entire staff since the Pitt game last season. I even think the Georgia game was a little closer than the score indicated. They hit on some big plays and we missed on a few we normally hit. Georgia is definitely the better team, but it seemed like we beat ourselves a lot. This team hasn’t responded well since then though. Particularly our offense. Even against Missouri we looked bad at times. What happened last night was and still is mind boggling to me. Have the players stopped buying in since the loss to Georgia? Our defense has been mediocre all season, but not bad enough to get torched like that. I know there have been rumors circulating since last night, and they very well could be speculation. Something just doesn’t sit well with me though. I can completely understand coming out flat to open the game. The energy was never there on the defensive side of the ball though, and I knew from South Carolina’s second offensive possession last night that we would lose the game. Something just jumped out on the screen that gave me that feeling. Which brings me to the question of how something last night could happen when so much was on the line. Being unprepared and a lack of talent doesn’t explain the performance we had last night. We just didn’t seem to care, and I don’t see how that could happen after the season we’ve had. What’s so scary about everything is we’re going into Vandy this weekend with a new QB coming off a heartbreaking loss with Vandy on top of the world and smelling blood. It sounds crazy, but Saturday could be the most important game of the season for us. Anything less than a decisive win will likely lead to every bit of momentum and the culture that this staff has built within this program to come crashing down, and if that bleeds over into next season we could have a serious problem. Am I wrong in thinking we could be entering next season in a worse position than we entered this season despite 3 massive wins that seemed like they were the rockets that this program needed strapped to it to send it to the stratosphere? I really hope that’s not the case, but there are a lot of 2016 feelings right now. I’m not saying Heupel is fraudulent by any means, but the Florida, Bama, and LSU wins feel like a little like fools gold right now
Something felt off for me too. I then realized I was wearing only one shoe.
 
#5
#5
Losing to Georgia changed the whole team focus which up to then had been pinpointed on reaching the SEC Championship game. It’s why Hendon came back.
It’s just human nature that such a diverse group of players would respond in a wide variety of ways to that loss. Some people are wired to be able to refocus immediately on a new goal and some aren’t. Those who aren’t may follow along with the new group goals but they haven’t really gotten over that sudden hard fork in the road or moved beyond it yet. It’s that nagging thing that lurks in the back of your mind.
Now they get to deal with the loss last night of those recently set new goals and new ones will get set again. Some will adjust faster than others.
The team will be fine as they now have that distasteful experience of goal losses in the rear view and they will as individuals and a team grow from it. It can be a real group bonding brotherhood type of thing so distasteful they become determined to not feel a repeat.
 
#6
#6
First off, this entire calendar year has been special for this program. Landing Nico in the fall along with all of the other big time recruits along with beating Florida, Bama, and routing LSU in Death Valley regardless of it being a noon game had me along with 99% of college football fans and analysts thinking we were poised to become a national powerhouse again sooner rather than later. I have been a huge fan of Heupel and almost the entire staff since the Pitt game last season. I even think the Georgia game was a little closer than the score indicated. They hit on some big plays and we missed on a few we normally hit. Georgia is definitely the better team, but it seemed like we beat ourselves a lot. This team hasn’t responded well since then though. Particularly our defense. Even against Missouri we looked bad at times. We put it together eventually though. What happened last night was and still is mind boggling to me. Have the players stopped buying in since the loss to Georgia? Our defense has been mediocre all season, but not bad enough to get torched like that. I know there have been rumors circulating since last night, and they very well could be speculation. Something just doesn’t sit well with me though. I can completely understand coming out flat to open the game. The energy was never there on the defensive side of the ball though, and I knew from South Carolina’s second offensive possession last night that we would lose the game. Something just jumped out on the screen that gave me that feeling.

Which brings me to the question of how something last night could happen when so much was on the line. Being unprepared and a lack of talent doesn’t explain the performance we had last night. We just didn’t seem to care, and I don’t see how that could happen after the season we’ve had. What’s so scary about everything is we’re going into Vandy this weekend with a new QB coming off a heartbreaking loss with Vandy on top of the world and smelling blood. It sounds crazy, but Saturday could be the most important game of the season for us. Anything less than a decisive win will likely lead to every bit of momentum and the culture that this staff has built within this program to come crashing down, and if that bleeds over into next season we could have a serious problem. Am I wrong in thinking we could be entering next season in a worse position than we entered this season despite 3 massive wins that seemed like they were the rockets that this program needed strapped to it to send it to the stratosphere? I really hope that’s not the case, but there are a lot of 2016 feelings right now. I’m not saying Heupel is fraudulent by any means, but the Florida, Bama, and LSU wins feel like a little like fools gold right now

You are correct that things haven’t been the same since UGA game. I think the game was worse that the score. Just my opinion.

I’ve already posted about the drama among the team but will reiterate that it occurred. There is no denying that. Did it impact our team? Absolutely. Did it cause us to lose the game? I think we got our coached, out played and USCjr was more physical. They played better and our defense was horrible.

With that said, I am concerned about Vandy. At this point, it won’t impact next year’s team as we will have new players, a new starting QB, and possibly different position coaches.
 
#7
#7
Something definitely is off. Nobody is gonna get me to believe SC is a better team than us. I mean did anyone listen to Heupels post game? He seemed totally different. Like something else was weighing on his mind. Compare his post game against UGA to this one. TOTALLY different.

I don’t know if it’s the Banks thing or not. But something is definitely not right.
 
#8
#8
You are correct that things haven’t been the same since UGA game. I think the game was worse that the score. Just my opinion.

I’ve already posted about the drama among the team but will reiterate that it occurred. There is no denying that. Did it impact our team? Absolutely. Did it cause us to lose the game? I think we got our coached, out played and USCjr was more physical. They played better and our defense was horrible.

With that said, I am concerned about Vandy. At this point, it won’t impact next year’s team as we will have new players, a new starting QB, and possibly different position coaches.

What drama are you referring to?
 
#10
#10
First off, this entire calendar year has been special for this program. Landing Nico in the fall along with all of the other big time recruits along with beating Florida, Bama, and routing LSU in Death Valley regardless of it being a noon game had me along with 99% of college football fans and analysts thinking we were poised to become a national powerhouse again sooner rather than later. I have been a huge fan of Heupel and almost the entire staff since the Pitt game last season. I even think the Georgia game was a little closer than the score indicated. They hit on some big plays and we missed on a few we normally hit. Georgia is definitely the better team, but it seemed like we beat ourselves a lot. This team hasn’t responded well since then though. Particularly our defense. Even against Missouri we looked bad at times. We put it together eventually though. What happened last night was and still is mind boggling to me. Have the players stopped buying in since the loss to Georgia? Our defense has been mediocre all season, but not bad enough to get torched like that. I know there have been rumors circulating since last night, and they very well could be speculation. Something just doesn’t sit well with me though. I can completely understand coming out flat to open the game. The energy was never there on the defensive side of the ball though, and I knew from South Carolina’s second offensive possession last night that we would lose the game. Something just jumped out on the screen that gave me that feeling.

Which brings me to the question of how something last night could happen when so much was on the line. Being unprepared and a lack of talent doesn’t explain the performance we had last night. We just didn’t seem to care, and I don’t see how that could happen after the season we’ve had. What’s so scary about everything is we’re going into Vandy this weekend with a new QB coming off a heartbreaking loss with Vandy on top of the world and smelling blood. It sounds crazy, but Saturday could be the most important game of the season for us. Anything less than a decisive win will likely lead to every bit of momentum and the culture that this staff has built within this program to come crashing down, and if that bleeds over into next season we could have a serious problem. Am I wrong in thinking we could be entering next season in a worse position than we entered this season despite 3 massive wins that seemed like they were the rockets that this program needed strapped to it to send it to the stratosphere? I really hope that’s not the case, but there are a lot of 2016 feelings right now. I’m not saying Heupel is fraudulent by any means, but the Florida, Bama, and LSU wins feel like a little like fools gold right now
It's not "one" thing.

It's a few things that need to clear up over time
- better defensive coaching
- better veteran leaders on defense
- better culture of what NIL is for the team

With Milton at QB, I expect us to see probably 3 different QBs play the next games....
 
#12
#12
It's not "one" thing.

It's a few things that need to clear up over time
- better defensive coaching
- better veteran leaders on defense
- better culture of what NIL is for the team

With Milton at QB, I expect us to see probably 3 different QBs play the next games....

Do we have 3 other qb's lol? Isn't Tayvon Jackson hurt, too?
 
#13
#13
It's not "one" thing.

It's a few things that need to clear up over time
- better defensive coaching
- better veteran leaders on defense
- better culture of what NIL is for the team

With Milton at QB, I expect us to see probably 3 different QBs play the next games....
Who are they going to be? Shuler is probably 2nd team now...
 
#14
#14
Something definitely is off. Nobody is gonna get me to believe SC is a better team than us. I mean did anyone listen to Heupels post game? He seemed totally different. Like something else was weighing on his mind. Compare his post game against UGA to this one. TOTALLY different.

I don’t know if it’s the Banks thing or not. But something is definitely not right.

Well I think he knew deep down that Hooker was done and that changes his game plan a bit for the last 2 games .
 
#15
#15
Well I think he knew deep down that Hooker was done and that changes his game plan a bit for the last 2 games on top of his sense of guilt and sadness for him . I doubt he feels like it was all his fault, it wasn't , but you still feel like crap when a guy that was giving his all for the team may lose out on all of his dreams and ambitions in one nasty 45 min stretch .
 
#16
#16
Something definitely is off. Nobody is gonna get me to believe SC is a better team than us. I mean did anyone listen to Heupels post game? He seemed totally different. Like something else was weighing on his mind. Compare his post game against UGA to this one. TOTALLY different.

I don’t know if it’s the Banks thing or not. But something is definitely not right.
We didn't get beat by UGA the way SC beat us
He knew his starting QB was done for the year
He knew our playoff chances were over
He knew we were just massively embarrassed and whopped on National TV

Plenty of reasons to "sound different" then after the UGA L
 
#17
#17
You are correct that things haven’t been the same since UGA game. I think the game was worse that the score. Just my opinion.

I’ve already posted about the drama among the team but will reiterate that it occurred. There is no denying that. Did it impact our team? Absolutely. Did it cause us to lose the game? I think we got our coached, out played and USCjr was more physical. They played better and our defense was horrible.

With that said, I am concerned about Vandy. At this point, it won’t impact next year’s team as we will have new players, a new starting QB, and possibly different position coaches.
Not trying to discount SC, but how much can you improve in a week? They didn’t even manage a single offensive TD the week prior and have been anemic all year. Then they score TDs on their first 5 possessions. Plus their defense solves the Heupel machine in a snap. Not buying it.
 
#18
#18
First off, this entire calendar year has been special for this program. Landing Nico in the fall along with all of the other big time recruits along with beating Florida, Bama, and routing LSU in Death Valley regardless of it being a noon game had me along with 99% of college football fans and analysts thinking we were poised to become a national powerhouse again sooner rather than later. I have been a huge fan of Heupel and almost the entire staff since the Pitt game last season. I even think the Georgia game was a little closer than the score indicated. They hit on some big plays and we missed on a few we normally hit. Georgia is definitely the better team, but it seemed like we beat ourselves a lot. This team hasn’t responded well since then though. Particularly our defense. Even against Missouri we looked bad at times. We put it together eventually though. What happened last night was and still is mind boggling to me. Have the players stopped buying in since the loss to Georgia? Our defense has been mediocre all season, but not bad enough to get torched like that. I know there have been rumors circulating since last night, and they very well could be speculation. Something just doesn’t sit well with me though. I can completely understand coming out flat to open the game. The energy was never there on the defensive side of the ball though, and I knew from South Carolina’s second offensive possession last night that we would lose the game. Something just jumped out on the screen that gave me that feeling.

Which brings me to the question of how something last night could happen when so much was on the line. Being unprepared and a lack of talent doesn’t explain the performance we had last night. We just didn’t seem to care, and I don’t see how that could happen after the season we’ve had. What’s so scary about everything is we’re going into Vandy this weekend with a new QB coming off a heartbreaking loss with Vandy on top of the world and smelling blood. It sounds crazy, but Saturday could be the most important game of the season for us. Anything less than a decisive win will likely lead to every bit of momentum and the culture that this staff has built within this program to come crashing down, and if that bleeds over into next season we could have a serious problem. Am I wrong in thinking we could be entering next season in a worse position than we entered this season despite 3 massive wins that seemed like they were the rockets that this program needed strapped to it to send it to the stratosphere? I really hope that’s not the case, but there are a lot of 2016 feelings right now. I’m not saying Heupel is fraudulent by any means, but the Florida, Bama, and LSU wins feel like a little like fools gold right now
If we lose to Vandy this Saturday then it’s the 2016 season with Butch all over again and Heupel has lost the team which doesn’t bode well going into next season. All of a sudden this Vandy game is really big. Things could spiral out of control for Heupel and this coaching staff if they lose to a Vandy and then the bowl game to finish 9-4. Things change fast in the SEC.
 
#21
#21
Stop. Read what you just typed in that last sentence. Then read it again. Then read it again. Very slowly.

Hopefully you will get it.


:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
There’s a difference in a coach being fraudulent and us not actually turning the corner as much as we originally thought. Even after the Georgia game it felt like 2024 would be the year we really had a shot at winning it all. After last night though it feels like that momentum has hit a brick wall and it may never happen
 
#22
#22
Not trying to discount SC, but how much can you improve in a week? They didn’t even manage a single offensive TD the week prior and have been anemic all year. Then they score TDs on their first 5 possessions. Plus their defense solves the Heupel machine in a snap. Not buying it.
^^^^ This. The Kentucky Colonels don’t just suddenly up and start beating the Harlem Globetrotters
 
#23
#23
There was something definitely wrong with the team Saturday night. There are rumors about a Banks/Hooker altercation. As far as we all know it is speculation at this point. Looking at things we do know, I can see where some potential problems may be. To begin with, we all know about our lack of depth. At some point, true fatigue will set in. That would certainly be "something is off, not the same team." Hendon did not look good at all before the injury. This brings up another possibility. Has Hendon been playing with an issue in that knee? Was he off because he had a problem? He did not have contact when the ACL went, so was it a step that was "the straw that broke the camel's back?" If so, perhaps it was a truly bad week of practice? We all agree the Vols weren't the team we've seen all year. Moving forward will be difficult. We are about to see what Milton is capable of with a full week of practice as the starter. Most importantly, we are going to see how these young men and the coaching staff respond to abject embarrassment. The Vandy game could very well be a defining moment for Coach Heupel. I hope we are able to look back at the SCAR game as an anomaly.
 
#24
#24
There’s a difference in a coach being fraudulent and us not actually turning the corner as much as we originally thought. Even after the Georgia game it felt like 2024 would be the year we really had a shot at winning it all. After last night though it feels like that momentum has hit a brick wall and it may never happen
UT wasn’t great on offense, but 38 points on the road is enough. This was all on the defense. Brutal.
 
#25
#25
There was something definitely wrong with the team Saturday night. There are rumors about a Banks/Hooker altercation. As far as we all know it is speculation at this point. Looking at things we do know, I can see where some potential problems may be. To begin with, we all know about our lack of depth. At some point, true fatigue will set in. That would certainly be "something is off, not the same team." Hendon did not look good at all before the injury. This brings up another possibility. Has Hendon been playing with an issue in that knee? Was he off because he had a problem? He did not have contact when the ACL went, so was it a step that was "the straw that broke the camel's back?" If so, perhaps it was a truly bad week of practice? So, we all agree the Vols weren't the team we've seen all year. Moving forward will be difficult. We are about to see what Milton is capable of with a full week of practice as the starter. Most importantly we are going to see how these young men and the coaching staff respond to abject embarrassment. The Vandy game could very well be a defining moment for Coach Heupel. I hope we are able to look back at the SCAR game as an anomaly.
A few good points. Our defense did. It improve through the year last year either and was abysmal in the bowl game.
 

VN Store



Back
Top