Tennessee in position to win the East in 2020

[PulaskiVolFan]

It's true but we also say it's gonna be "our year" next year.

Bama will be a good team and they're always going to be in contention. I just think they're the weakest Bama team in the past decade.

They've got a difference maker coming back from injury at MLB and I think they will shift back to a more balanced attack featuring the power running game. Once again they have arguably the best RB room in the conference and Saban knows how to utilize a dominant position group as well as any coach. I think like you in that they definitely show a bit of a chink in their armor but I think they'll be really good too. We're catching them at a good time schedule wise this year as well if the schedules hold up.

 

[jasonvol18]

“[T]he Southeastern Conference’s best coaching staff....”. The first place that the author lost me.... Yes, this staff seems to be an upgrade over what we’ve had, but it is not the best staff in the SEC right now. Sorry.

And then the author puts up pure fantasy in the predictions. We might squeak a win over Florida or Georgia (would still be a surprise), but predicting wins over both.

Did D4H write that?

We absolutely have the best coaching stsff in the SEC, especially as recruiters. We have 3 former Recruiters of the year on staff. This is an elite coaching staff.

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

Agree on Oklahoma, this is the first time that Lincoln Riley has break in an inexperienced QB. Second game of the year for them as well, so it'll all still be pretty new.

As for the other games, Bama is beatable, we we're very competitive against them last year at Bama. I don't really have faith in Mac Jones. Florida is here, but they're pretty tough. If Georgia was here I'd feel really good since they have a new QB and new offensive line.

Personally from easiest to hardest:
Oklahoma
Bama (probably a tie between them and Georgia)
Georgia
Florida

The Fl game is going to be lit if we upset Oklahoma. Fl could be great this year but they've got question marks along the OL, their running game and they also are replacing some good DL and WRs. I don't think their fanbase is completely sold on Trask. If he improves from last season he'll play himself into a pro prospect, if he has a sophomore slump ( I know he's a Sr but it'll be his 2nd year coming off a suprisingly good 1st year) and they struggle to run the football they'll be 3rd or 4th in the east. I think the Fl/Tn game is going to come down to our secondary vs their WRs and vice versa. It'll be the 1st time in a while that our secondary may have the advantage. Alontae and Thompson look to me like they are going to have monster years!

 

[hog88]

We absolutely have the best coaching stsff in the SEC, especially as recruiters. We have 3 former Recruiters of the year on staff. This is an elite coaching staff.

I hope they show it on the field this season.

 

[LakeMaryFLVol]

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

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

I smell freshly baked Home Cooked biscuits

 

[EZE]

We absolutely have the best coaching stsff in the SEC, especially as recruiters. We have 3 former Recruiters of the year on staff. This is an elite coaching staff.

You might want to wait and see the final rankings before making such bold proclamations.

And, no rational person would put Pruitt (or any other SEC coach for that matter) above Saban as a game day coach.

Just ludicrous to make this claim at this point.

 

[Vol8188]

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.

I just want to tell you that I love and please never change. I need your “realism” from time to time.

 

[99gator]

We absolutely have the best coaching stsff in the SEC, especially as recruiters. We have 3 former Recruiters of the year on staff. This is an elite coaching staff.

There is no other fan base in this country that so overrates their coaches quite like Tennessee.

The only coach a Tennessee fan never thought was worth a damn is the only one to actually win anything....Fulmer.

 

[GAVol]

There is no other fan base in this country that so overrates their coaches quite like Tennessee.

The only coach a Tennessee fan never thought was worth a damn is the only one to actually win anything....Fulmer.

This post brought to you by people who thought Ron Zook, Jim McElwain and Will Muschamp were good ideas.

 

[KBVol]

This guy is drunk.

 

[99gator]

This post brought to you by people who thought Ron Zook, Jim McElwain and Will Muschamp were good ideas.

In regard to a good idea....

Ron Zook: No
Mushcamp: Yes
McElwain: I said "who dis".

And for sake of argument, there is a difference between "i think we have a good coach" and "we have the best staff in the league". I guarantee you that at no time did any Florida fan claim that they had the best staff in the conference during the Ron Zook, Will Muschamp and Jim McElwain tenures.

There are five coaches in this league that have won or played for a national championship. Pruitt is a game over .500.

I also didn't think Muschamp was awesome anymore after losing to Georgia Southern.

 

[KBVol]

We absolutely have the best coaching stsff in the SEC, especially as recruiters. We have 3 former Recruiters of the year on staff. This is an elite coaching staff.

Top 4 or 5? Maybe, I guess. Best in the SEC?....no chance.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

This guy is drunk.

If he's drunk, KB, that's the longest bender in history. Because 8188 necro'd a 4-month old thread to tell D4H he loves him...that's what you and the gator are responding to.

 

[BigOrangeFanatic]

I knew pretty early that Jones and Dooley were losers. I think we have something in Pruitt. May not ever win a NC, but i do think he can get us contending for SEC championships.

 

[PandamoniumReigns]

After reading this thread, one thing stands out .....I am firmly convinced that KTown King and D4H are the same person. Or they are identical twins with the same brain mindset. And they/He are somehow intertwined with Pulaski.

As far as the article goes, if TN stole a win from Ga or FL it would have to be GA. There is some sort of curse or something involved in the TN/FL series. TN has the talent to win either or both. Not saying they have more talent than GA or FL, but TN has enough talent to pull off a win in both games. The plausibility of that happening though is about as good as Kesling calling an entire game without saying a player's name wrong. It could happen, but probably not.

 

[USAFgolferVol]

You might want to wait and see the final rankings before making such bold proclamations.

And, no rational person would put Pruitt (or any other SEC coach for that matter) above Saban as a game day coach.

Just ludicrous to make this claim at this point.

Rodney Garner was an elite recruiter, but not such a great coach. Just saying because being an elite recruiter doesn't make one a good coach. Two entirely different skill sets. Some are good at both

 

[tbones0711]

I agree. The staff has proven they can recruit but we lost several assistants with big-time SEC experience and mostly replaced them with far less proven coaches. It's not to say they aren't better but there's little factual evidence to prove that our staff are the best game day coaches in the SEC....

Pruitt needs to punt more on 4th down instead of going for it. Worst team in college football, (4th dwn. conv.), last year 'cause of that shat.

 

[tbones0711]

On the staff...I mean UGA's staff isn't "special"... They have unanswered questions at oc (nice name tho), and the defense is Kirby.. Who hasn't exactly proven to be awesome on game days...

Uf? Nope. Mullen has his resume and rep as an offensive/qb guru... But they just lost their DC.... Questions at several other spots.

USCe? They hired rocker to save their defense and messed around with their oc situation..

LSU lost basically everyone lol.. So it's at least an unknown as a group..

Bama has turnstiles at their complex and just lost Cochran...

Auburn... New OC, they have Gardner and a good staff overall..

ATM? We got cjg from them but they have a good staff overall.

It's not as big a stretch as some of you think to throw us in that conversation.... If you're talking collection of coaches. I realize that there are several head coaches that would all rate higher than Pruitt individually...

As for predictions on the season... Difficult to do. No spring. And the off season and off season conditioning in general have been completely turned upside down. That's bad for everyone but our offense needed the reps. Defense should be pretty good... Season goes as our qb situation goes... So any prediction should have an asterisk by it lol. We still don't "know"what we're gonna get from any of the three on roster and HB is a true freshman, also not 100% sure what we can expect from him yet at this level esp with no spring competition.

I like getting ou early. I like getting uf at home. I like getting UGA late but hate it's in Athens... That one seems like it'll be difficult..

I think we can win 2 of those 4 big games. Bye before bama.. At home... They will have played 7 straight... Great spot on the schedule if looking for possible upset..

I'll say 9-3*. Tougher than expected game to watch out for...@ Arkansas right after bama.

I expect @USCe will be back to being a dog fight as well...


Just hope we get to see it honestly... Could be a good year.

Idon't think UF's DC, Todd Grantham, has left the gators. He's probaly the best in the SEC right now.

 

[tnutater]

Rodney Garner was an elite recruiter, but not such a great coach. Just saying because being an elite recruiter doesn't make one a good coach. Two entirely different skill sets. Some are good at both

Rodney Garner was and is the best bag man in college football.
Big wallets make elite recruiters.
Talent makes elite coaches.

 

[EZE]

Rodney Garner was an elite recruiter, but not such a great coach. Just saying because being an elite recruiter doesn't make one a good coach. Two entirely different skill sets. Some are good at both

Are you trying to say that Saban isn’t a good game day coach? If so, we’ll have to agree to disagree.

 

[wmcovol]

Pruitt needs to punt more on 4th down instead of going for it. Worst team in college football, (4th dwn. conv.), last year 'cause of that shat.

Or have a better selection of plays for 4th down.

 

[Devo182]

Pruitt needs to punt more on 4th down instead of going for it. Worst team in college football, (4th dwn. conv.), last year 'cause of that shat.

Doesn't make them bad decisions. Have to be process-oriented as a coach, not results-oriented.

Plus, we have an improved OL this year. Should be a good year to go for 4th and it's often analytically correct.

We've had the SEC's worst rushing attack over the last 3 years, I think that changes this year.

 

[spyfish007]

There is no other fan base in this country that so overrates their coaches quite like Tennessee.

The only coach a Tennessee fan never thought was worth a damn is the only one to actually win anything....Fulmer.

For the record I thought Fulmer was a good coach who was too conservative at times and too loyal at times. He also got complacent at the end. Majors was a good coach too with just a lower ceiling than Fulmer as Majors was even more conservative.

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

For the record I thought Fulmer was a good coach who was too conservative at times and too loyal at times. He also got complacent at the end. Majors was a good coach too with just a lower ceiling than Fulmer as Majors was even more conservative.

You're not going to like Pruitt if you don't like conservative coaches.

 

[Smokeytom]

You're not going to like Pruitt if you don't like conservative coaches.

His number of 4th down and onside kick attempts say otherwise.