Tennessee in position to win the East in 2020

[SN-A-C Orange]

If they can get him they probably should... but someone else has to drop IMO. Six scholarship QB's ...

Did we give a scholarship to Hill? I thought he was walk on all the way.
I can only see K Hill transferring if NCAA adds one time free transfer rule this summer.

 

[jakez4ut]

I like Shrout. I think he has great potential. He could be a very good SEC level starter IMO. I think his best path to success though is somewhere like ND State where he plays on talent and learns OJT.

I personally think all of that shakes out based on whether either or both think they're getting a fair shot. I think the only way either starts for UT is if they beat out JG this year. I just don't think a 4 way 2021 spring battle for the position gives them a real opportunity.

me neither....and i do think they'll get a fair shot.....if there's one thing we know about JG is that he's been exactly what they've wanted him to be in terms of a practice player. all you ever heard was how great he is in practice....game day comes...and....well we know that, not gonna sidetrack us here.

point being, if shrout or maurer (hill or bailey too for that matter) out perform JG in practice, you have to think that bodes well for how they've developed. cause apparently the gap was pretty wide last season, in terms of what they saw in practice/prep/film study etc.......

which is one of the reason why no spring camp really hurts.....

 

[jakez4ut]

I think given what he's being paid, we should see more than what he has produced so far in terms of technique and penalties, and after hearing about Chaney having to go down and directly coach the oline more than a few times last leason, my faith in Friend's skills is pretty low.

He's got more talent on the oline this season than he has had since leaving Georgia, and potentially more.

i don't think that was a case of chaney "having to go coach the line" as much as it was Chaney being the OC and knowing the OL was a point of emphasis, so he's doing what he should be doing in that regard...not simply there to usurp Friend cause chaney thinks he sucks or something.....

i think the OL is as good as it's been since 2013. expectations are high, rightfully so....

 

[xpsyclonex2002]

Our 5-star tackles were true freshmen, 5-star Guard Trey Smith was recovering from blood clots, and 5-star Guard Cade Mays was playing for Georgia. How many other teams will have 4 five stars starting on their o-line?

The o-line will lead the way and transform Tennessee into the most dominant rushing team in the country.

And i get that. But stars don't translate to production. Butch Jones's recruiting classes prove that. Despite the 5 stars, they've never been on the field together. On paper, they should be a road grader. In practice, we have no idea.

 

[BlackCreekVol]

Tennessee’s 2020 football schedule with game-by-game predictions.

Vols' 2020 football schedule with game-by-game score predictions

Oh please, 8lb 7 oz Baby Jesus let this come true! I’ve been patient (not really) for 15 years

 

[VolInNW]

As much as I would like to see those results (10-2, losses only to bubba and sooners) I think it is a bit of a stretch to steal both the Fl and Ga games. I think stealing one is certainly possible though.

I would feel pretty confident if we had a QB that matched the OL but that still has to shake out and right now, JG is still the weakest link, or at least the most unpredictable one. If HB was in his 2nd year starting I would be gunning for them all but I think it will take one more year before the East is a plausible bet.

We are another recruiting class and year of development away from being in a decent position to beat UF/Bama/uga. Add JG to that, and I just don't see a win there this year. OU? Who knows? Again....JG. I see another loss there. That said, 8-4 is entirely doable, without a blowout to any of the aforementioned 4 teams. 8-4 with no blowout is what I hope for and expect this year.

 

[VolInNW]

I think given what he's being paid, we should see more than what he has produced so far in terms of technique and penalties, and after hearing about Chaney having to go down and directly coach the oline more than a few times last leason, my faith in Friend's skills is pretty low.

He's got more talent on the oline this season than he has had since leaving Georgia, and potentially more.

 

[leeroyphi136]

Vegas has the over/under for UT wins this season at 7.5
I bleed orange through and through, but we aren't winning the East this year.

 

[BeardedVol]

And i get that. But stars don't translate to production. Butch Jones's recruiting classes prove that. Despite the 5 stars, they've never been on the field together. On paper, they should be a road grader. In practice, we have no idea.

This.

Having great individual talent, won't matter if the 5 guys on the line aren't coached to work well as an effective unit.

 

[Longsufferingvol]

I think we steal one in Athens. I like our chances now that the game will be later in the year. I feel better about the Oklahoma game than the Florida game, but both of those games will be really tough.

 

[HarderKnox59]

Tennessee goes 11-1 regular season with loss to Oklahoma on the road and wins East and loses to Auburn in the title game. 11-2 heading to New Years six bowl to play Penn St. and curb stomps James Franklin's ass!
Finish 12-2 ranked #5.

And just how many Vol fans see Tennessee doing that with JG taking the snaps ?

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

We do have an easier conference schedule than UGA but they’re also better than we are and if you lose head to head that’s basically 2 games unless we pulled a 3-way tie with them and UF. It’s possible but not likely this year.

Why is it not likely?

As much as I would like to see those results (10-2, losses only to bubba and sooners) I think it is a bit of a stretch to steal both the Fl and Ga games. I think stealing one is certainly possible though.

I would feel pretty confident if we had a QB that matched the OL but that still has to shake out and right now, JG is still the weakest link, or at least the most unpredictable one. If HB was in his 2nd year starting I would be gunning for them all but I think it will take one more year before the East is a plausible bet.

I think our terrible running game has been our weakest link the last 2 years.

Honestly, this team has enough talent and experience to win the SEC. It's very unlikely but it'll come down to our QB play. If our QB play is All-SEC level then I can see us in the SEC champ.

LSU, UGA, BAMA have all lost their starting QBs and lost tons of talent.

Do you think we can win the east with a running game that only produces around 150 yards a game?

No reason we can't contend.....if we get solid QB play.

So if our running game doesn't improve do you think we can still contend?

No. Its called being a realist.

We have the best o-line in the country and a 3-headed monster at RB. Nobody will stop us on the ground. Ball control will win us the East.

This is a sensible statement I can agree with. Ball control and opportunistic nasty defense will win the east this year. It'll be us Fl or Ga.

I think we steal one in Athens. I like our chances now that the game will be later in the year. I feel better about the Oklahoma game than the Florida game, but both of those games will be really tough.

I think the FL game is going to be a good one this year, 2 really talented teams going at it!

And just how many Vol fans see Tennessee doing that with JG taking the snaps ?

Once again, our running game showing huge improvements will be what takes us over the top. Check out our OCs history of developing QBs, the QB position should be the least of our concerns.

Vegas has the over/under for UT wins this season at 7.5
I bleed orange through and through, but we aren't winning the East this year.

I don't think Vegas means much to our neverJG couch coaches around here. Nearly every single one of them claim we should have killed Indiana yet Vegas didn't see it that way.

We are another recruiting class and year of development away from being in a decent position to beat UF/Bama/uga. Add JG to that, and I just don't see a win there this year. OU? Who knows? Again....JG. I see another loss there. That said, 8-4 is entirely doable, without a blowout to any of the aforementioned 4 teams. 8-4 with no blowout is what I hope for and expect this year.

I'm glad Pruitt and the team are taking a different approach. I can't imagine him sitting around looking at our roster and saying to himself, I hope we can avoid getting blown out.

 

[08Vol]

Tennessee goes 11-1 regular season with loss to Oklahoma on the road and wins East and loses to Auburn in the title game. 11-2 heading to New Years six bowl to play Penn St. and curb stomps James Franklin's ass!
Finish 12-2 ranked #5.

Auburn is bad or average every even year b/c they play both Bama and UGA on the road. Bama is the favorite for the West this year but I can see A&M having a breakout year and winning it.

 

[hUTch2002]

Why is it not likely?

QB and schedule mostly. I think we are a year away from a serious run at it. We shall see.

 

[Franklin Pierce]

Tennessee will finish third in the East until further notice.

 

[hUTch2002]

Vegas has the over/under for UT wins this season at 7.5
I bleed orange through and through, but we aren't winning the East this year.

I agree with you but stranger things have happened. If Trask goes down and Newman doesn't work out then the East could be wide open and it isn't too hard to imagine both of those things happening.

 

[08Vol]

I think given what he's being paid, we should see more than what he has produced so far in terms of technique and penalties, and after hearing about Chaney having to go down and directly coach the oline more than a few times last leason, my faith in Friend's skills is pretty low.

He's got more talent on the oline this season than he has had since leaving Georgia, and potentially more.

Don’t forget, Fulmer was also reprimanded by the NCAA for helping in practice too. He was watching an O-line practice and got so upset with it he walked onto the practice field to coach the players in a drill.

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

QB and schedule mostly. I think we are a year away from a serious run at it. We shall see.

You don't think our lack of a running game has anything to do with it?

 

[hog88]

QB and schedule mostly. I think we are a year away from a serious run at it. We shall see.

We could make a run at it this season but it will require Pruitt doing something he has yet to do. Have a team ready to play at the beginning of the season.

 

[dcm3w]

Do you think we can win the east with a running game that only produces around 150 yards a game?

I've been critical of our run game for the past decade. The last two 1k yard rushers were Hurd and Neal. They barely squeaked past that mark as well. The only time I could say we had a dominant ground game during that period is when we had Dobbs, Hurd, and Kamara and that was mismanaged.

Gray came on at the end of the year and I really like him but it's hard to say if he can be our featured back. His best care scenario is splitting time with a complimentary big back. Sort of what Georgia has been doing with RBs. We recruited 2 this off-season but I'm not sure how much they'll contribute this year.

Jordan and Chandler have shown flashes but they've been inconsistent/injury prone.

 

[BigOrangeFanatic]

So if our running game doesn't improve do you think we can still contend?

Our running game will get better if the passing game gets better. Mainly due to the fact that our OC is a pass happy/pass first kind of coordinator. If the QB plays is solid it will open the running game up more, not to mention our OL is going to be better as well. But the QB postion is THE

I'm sorry man, I just don't hold the same view you do of JG, which is what your trying to make this out to be, that none of the offensive struggles we have had are on him.

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

I've been critical of our run game for the past decade. The last two 1k yard rushers were Hurd and Neal. They barely squeaked past that mark as well. The only time I could say we had a dominant ground game during that period is when we had Dobbs, Hurd, and Kamara and that was mismanaged.

Gray came on at the end of the year and I really like him but it's hard to say if he can be our featured back. His best care scenario is splitting time with a complimentary big back. Sort of what Georgia has been doing with RBs. We recruited 2 this off-season but I'm not sure how much they'll contribute this year.

Jordan and Chandler have shown flashes but they've been inconsistent/injury prone.

I think it's really holding our offense back. We've improved our OL play significantly and should see some positive production out of the running game this year, I think that could be the difference in winning 10-11 games as opposed to 8 or 9 wins.

 

[hUTch2002]

You don't think our lack of a running game has anything to do with it?

Our lack of offensive production overall certainly does and there is blame to go around there. I will say that the O-line started looking better the second half of last year, including against Bama.

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

Our running game will get better if the passing game gets better. Mainly due to the fact that our OC is a pass happy/pass first kind of coordinator. If the QB plays is solid it will open the running game up more, not to mention our OL is going to be better as well. But the QB postion is THE

I'm sorry man, I just don't hold the same view you do of JG, which is what your trying to make this out to be, that none of the offensive struggles we have had are on him.

That's simply not true, I believe JG is absolutely to blame for his erratic play but I don't believe he is the reason our running game has stunk the last 2 seasons. We couldn't even make 3rd and 1 vs Ga State last season, how is that JGs fault?

 

[hUTch2002]

We could make a run at it this season but it will require Pruitt doing something he has yet to do. Have a team ready to play at the beginning of the season.

That's true. All excuses are gone now. I don't think anyone here would argue against that, then again this is VN!