Talent doesn't matter!

#1
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BruinVol

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#1
Ok now that the title has your attention hear me out.

Talent certainly does matter if you want to win the SEC title or go to the college football playoffs. However we aren't in that conversation right now so that isn't my point here.


I firmly believe that when looking at all power 5 programs that ain't in the playoff discussion the difference between talent levels between teams mean very very little when determining the outcome of games. I don't think you can find a measurable talent difference between those level teams successful or not.


Games amongst those level teams are decided by coaching, execution and a teams mental approach. Talent doesn't matter and a teams mental approach or maybe better said confidence is much more important than many think imo.


With that said imo the florida, South Carolina, Vandy, Missouri, and Kentucky games for us will be decided by coaching, execution and the mentality of our team.

Now if CJP is the guy to lead this program in a few years into the upper tier where talent does matter he MUST find a way to win at least 3 of those games. Talent shouldn't even be discussed when playing those games.
 
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#3
#3
I think it’s safe to say we’ll win next week and Charlotte for 3 guarantees. I think we also beat Vandy. I think Florida could be #5. I don’t see much more than that this year. They’d really have to find a groove to hit 6 wins, I believe.
 
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#5
#5
Funny I always thought the saying was “ It’s more about the jimmy and joes’s Than x’s and o’s “
Guess I had that backwards. Op I get your point but talent matters . Every young man playing football today has the potential to become An NFL player but only a handful have the TALENT to get there.
 
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#6
#6
VolAllen said:
I think it’s safe to say we’ll win next week and Charlotte for 3 guarantees. I think we also beat Vandy. I think Florida could be #5. I don’t see much more than that this year. They’d really have to find a groove to hit 6 wins, I believe.
Click to expand...

Nyet! Kentucky will cave during the season--it's what they do. Also, SCe and Missouri are very takable this year. Don't despair!
 
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#7
#7
DonDiego said:
Nyet! Kentucky will cave during the season--it's what they do. Also, SCe and Missouri are very takable this year. Don't despair!
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@SC is going to be tough. Mizz will be a shootout and we’ll really need to play a good game. KY and Vandy are very likely. As is Florida.
 
#8
#8
VolAllen said:
I think it’s safe to say we’ll win next week and Charlotte for 3 guarantees. I think we also beat Vandy. I think Florida could be #5. I don’t see much more than that this year. They’d really have to find a groove to hit 6 wins, I believe.
Click to expand...

We will not know how good we may be until the Florida game. If we beat Florida think about how the morale will skyrocket. We then have a legit chance to beat SC, Kentucky and Missouri. Think positive.
 
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#9
#9
93AllvolSc said:
Funny I always thought the saying was “ It’s more about the jimmy and joes’s Than x’s and o’s “
Guess I had that backwards. Op I get your point but talent matters . Every young man playing football today has the potential to become An NFL player but only a handful have the TALENT to get there.
Click to expand...
Or as some of us country folks will tell you, "You can have the Best Horse Trainer in the World in your stables, however, If your Stable is only filled with JackAsses, You are not going to Win the Kentucky Derby"!!!
 
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#12
#12
BruinVol said:
Ok now that the title has your attention hear me out.

Talent certainly does matter if you want to win the SEC title or go to the college football playoffs. However we aren't in that conversation right now so that isn't my point here.


I firmly believe that when looking at all power 5 programs that ain't in the playoff discussion the difference between talent levels between teams mean very very little when determining the outcome of games. I don't think you can find a measurable talent difference between those level teams successful or not.


Games amongst those level teams are decided by coaching, execution and a teams mental approach. Talent doesn't matter and a teams mental approach or maybe better said confidence is much more important than many think imo.


With that said imo the florida, South Carolina, Vandy, Missouri, and Kentucky games for us will be decided by coaching, execution and the mentality of our team.

Now if CJP is the guy to lead this program in a few years into the upper tier where talent does matter he MUST find a way to win at least 3 of those games. Talent shouldn't even be discussed when playing those games.
Click to expand...


How does any of this explain how an unranked Texas A&M almost, and should have, beat a much more talented upper tier Clemson?
 
#14
#14
VolAllen said:
I think it’s safe to say we’ll win next week and Charlotte for 3 guarantees. I think we also beat Vandy. I think Florida could be #5. I don’t see much more than that this year. They’d really have to find a groove to hit 6 wins, I believe.
Click to expand...


Florida losing close to UK means we can beat one but not them but not Kentucky?

This team should be much closer to comleteyb understanding the new systems by the UK game than the Fla. game. No reason. to think Kentucky isnt a possible win also if Fla is a possible win.
 
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#15
#15
temptn said:
How does any of this explain how an unranked Texas A&M almost, and should have, beat a much more talented upper tier Clemson?
Click to expand...

I think it proves my point even more. Clearly
Clemson had a significant gap in talent but the momentum of the game and a new mentality as a team for A&M under Fisher allowed that gap to be closed.
 
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#16
#16
temptn said:
How does any of this explain how an unranked Texas A&M almost, and should have, beat a much more talented upper tier Clemson?
Click to expand...
If you look at their recruiting rankings over the last five years, I don’t think that’s the case. Not counting this true frost class here are the rankings for 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014.

Texas A&M
13, 18, 11, 5

Clemson
16, 11, 9, 16

I’m guessing that is not what you expected. Fact is Texas A&M had better recruited talent with its experienced roster. I’d guess that Clemson has had less attrition but I don’t know for sure.
Clemson’s freshman class was ranked 8th and A&M 42 by rivals. I’m not sure how many true freshman played for either team but that may have been the edge.
Dabo has gotten a ton out of his talent. In fact, I’d say they’ve done the best since they’ve won the NC, played in it twice and finished in the top ten in at least one poll five of the last six years.

Here’s the really sad thing. In those same years UT finished 17, 14, 4, 7

So, what does that mean. It means talent and coaching matter. To say it’s one or the other is, well, stupid. It’s both. The players in Clemson’s program have had a superior culture and experience to maximize their potential.

Jimbo is a scary proposition in the West. Look at what he has done out of the gate. I really wish Pruitt had gone with more experienced people on his staff, especially at OC.
 
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#17
#17
KeyVol14 said:
I for one think we have a shot at all of those games because I’m honestly believe with adequate coaching last year we should have won 7 games.
Click to expand...
My point exactly.....as bad as that staff coached last season...Florida and Kentucky were W’s in their own houses we let slip away. The team cashed in against Mizzu and didn’t even show up against Vandy. We also have way better talent if healthy than Vandy, Kentucky, and Mizzu.....just saying.
 
#18
#18
We were a 4-8 team last year and we should've beaten Florida but we gave it away and we lost to SC 15-9 and were two yards from making the game winning TD in the 4th quarter. SC almost lost to LA Tech last year as well (17-16 comeback). Yes we have a shot. Our freshman have bought in and created a spark that this team needs.
 
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#19
#19
BruinVol said:
Ok now that the title has your attention hear me out.

Talent certainly does matter if you want to win the SEC title or go to the college football playoffs. However we aren't in that conversation right now so that isn't my point here.


I firmly believe that when looking at all power 5 programs that ain't in the playoff discussion the difference between talent levels between teams mean very very little when determining the outcome of games. I don't think you can find a measurable talent difference between those level teams successful or not.


Games amongst those level teams are decided by coaching, execution and a teams mental approach. Talent doesn't matter and a teams mental approach or maybe better said confidence is much more important than many think imo.


With that said imo the florida, South Carolina, Vandy, Missouri, and Kentucky games for us will be decided by coaching, execution and the mentality of our team.

Now if CJP is the guy to lead this program in a few years into the upper tier where talent does matter he MUST find a way to win at least 3 of those games. Talent shouldn't even be discussed when playing those games.
Click to expand...


If talent doesn’t matter then I guess we can start saving a ton of money by slashing our recruiting budget
 
#20
#20
In my head and largely due to media hype, I had bought into the idea the Game Chickens could have been giant killers. Thisd morning, not so much, by the 3rd quarter they just didn't want to be there on the field. Debo who?
 
#21
#21
Good coaching and having the team in superior shape can give you an edge when playing a better team
Just look at Boise State! They have had some good coaches like Houston Nutt & Peterson. Their talent level is not good but they beat Okla-homo. I attribute coaching to that
 
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#22
#22
Stop talking about last year as if meaningful, except for highly rated recruits leaving. That is about as meaningful as KY beating UF. Mullen always drops at least one game a year he shouldn’t, I just hope it doesn’t get him fired too soon.
 
#23
#23
Taking it game by game appears that this is the first real coaching a lot of these guys have had since they've been at Tennessee. Looks like a lot of players developed bad habits under Butch Jones and bad habits are hard to break in a couple games and a few practices. I suspect it will be a long season key games are florida, Missouri, Kentucky, and Vandy. Those four games determine our season win total. We'll win three and lose 5 these four determine the final record.
 
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#24
#24
IMO, people tend to look at talent equally across the board or team in this instance and that's not always the best way to judge.

Take WVU, for example. On paper, UT was clearly the more talented team. What that type of data doesn't tell/show is how does the talent compare based on position group?

Grier, the WR's, and the coaching staff (as a unit) was much better than their "individual recruiting rankings" because they all know how to make that system work.
 
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#25
#25
Talent definitely matters, but based on how many busts UT has had in the last 15 years, the star system does not.
 
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