Tennessee projected top 10 defense in 2020 (ahead of Bama)

[VolsSince78]

Our DL showed great improvement at the end of the season when they just happened to be playing weak competition. This happens every year, and then fans project that performance to the next year against stronger competition. They are improving, but they aren't good yet. I agree with your overall assessment. I just am not sold on our defensive line as a unit yet.

Maybe you missed some or all of the Bama game. Bama’s O wasn’t weak competition. Our D line handled their line and H Back very well.

 

[Remy]

We'll find out what kind of D we actually have in Norman, Oklahoma.

 

[Vol Revolver]

He may have that chance but he has to be able to play bigger and not go down so easily. He had decent numbers vs BYU but then wasn't a factor until the last two games against a couple of non-athletic D's. Take the Vandy game with those two big runs out and he averaged 3.86 ypc.

He didn't show better running ability. He can't disappear for 9 games and be special.

I hope he develops into a great back. He wasn't one this past year and will have to develop a lot to become one.

I agree that grey has alot more to prove but in his defense, he had 8 or less carries in 10 games last year and in 5 of those games he had 3 or less carries... Hard to say he disappeared when he was barely given the ball....The good thing is when he actually did get enough carries to get in a groove he showed up... Time will tell I guess...

 

[sjt18]

Our DL showed great improvement at the end of the season when they just happened to be playing weak competition. This happens every year, and then fans project that performance to the next year against stronger competition. They are improving, but they aren't good yet. I agree with your overall assessment. I just am not sold on our defensive line as a unit yet.

Not busting your chops but USCe, UK, VU, IU, and even UAB were better than BYU and GSU.

I don't think you can compare with UF, UGA, or Bama until UT actually has an O that can stay on the field and produce points in those games. You have to have both sides of the ball when facing a high level opponent. That's why I think it is so critical to get MUCH more out of the QB position than the Vols have gotten for the last 3 years.

 

[Proud Army Wife]

You don't think Eric grey is a future superstar? I think he is an Alvin kamara in the making

I do too. He made some mistakes after all he was a freshman. He's good at spotting openings and cutting obstacles (which last rb we had that did that efficiently was Kamara). He's got the brains and physical talent, elusiveness, and some speed. I expect we'll a lot more of him this season. I wish we had a bruiser like Halen Hurd to team up with him.

 

[Proud Army Wife]

So now we are doing preseason rankings for units? Preseason rankings are getting out of hand. With that said, I’ll take a seventh ranked every day and twice on Sundays. Offense is fun to watch but having a stifling defense that teams hate playing against is more fun for me

Certainly would be refreshing since we haven't had one around these parts in years.

 

[Proud Army Wife]

At the current rate, our defense won’t survive the offseason due to prison time/ self inflicted gunshot wounds.

Guys that aren't on the depth chart have too much time on their hands.

 

[Devo182]

No offense, but our offensive line play wasnt THAT good last year. It may have been middle of pack in the SEC (which is still an improvement from worst in P5 football) but it was far from nationally elite.

There are some posters who think we have the best OL in the country. I think those individuals will be disappointed this fall.

Not saying we have to be the absolute best in the country, but not being top 15 is a disappointment when you're talking 4 5*s (none true freshman this time) and a 6th year center. Multiple reserve guys that are 3+ year guys (Johnson, Carvin, Calbert, Locklear).

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

I think we need to really sit back and think about what this projection signifies and the importance of it. After 2018 many on here was thinking Pruitt just wasn’t the guy and wasn’t a good HC. After the first what 5-6 games of 2019, I believe there was a significant portion of the fan base who wanted him fired. Now look.

Now granted it’s nothing more than a projection but would anyone have honestly thought we would be favored over Bama at anything while Saban was there? I know I didn’t. I think it just goes to show what kind of massive turn around Pruitt has accomplished with this team.

 

[Devo182]

Maybe you missed some or all of the Bama game. Bama’s O wasn’t weak competition. Our D line handled their line and H Back very well.

Once Tua left, yes. They were on a tear before he was injured. Tua was just that good. Hopefully with a normal human at QB for 4 quarters, we will have a chance this year.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

No offense, but our offensive line play wasnt THAT good last year. It may have been middle of pack in the SEC (which is still an improvement from worst in P5 football) but it was far from nationally elite.

There are some posters who think we have the best OL in the country. I think those individuals will be disappointed this fall.

I have seen people say we potentially have the best OL in the country. And it’s definitely possible. Especially if you go by their rankings. We are talking about having an OL full of 5*s at every position.

Yes the OL wasn’t that good last year but at least they improved. If they improve even more and play up to their potential then it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility that our OL is the best. I sure hope it is.

 

[GoVols64]

We have talent and are developing younger talent. Is it top 10 talent? IDK but we do know a few things:

1. Players will be better this year but who will fill the voids at LB and DE? Need a young stud to step up!

2. Our defense rose in the rankings playing weak offensive teams over the final stretch. They did their jobs though and that matters most.

3. We really don't know how good our defense will be but we 100% need an offense that can give them some rest and allow them to play their best football for four quarters.

 

[99bubble]

I think we need to really sit back and think about what this projection signifies and the importance of it. After 2018 many on here was thinking Pruitt just wasn’t the guy and wasn’t a good HC. After the first what 5-6 games of 2019, I believe there was a significant portion of the fan base who wanted him fired. Now look.

Now granted it’s nothing more than a projection but would anyone have honestly thought we would be favored over Bama at anything while Saban was there? I know I didn’t. I think it just goes to show what kind of massive turn around Pruitt has accomplished with this team.

BOT, good post. Really good perspective and, I think, spot on. We are sitting here talking about the potential to have a breakout season and some real fun watching a team play hard and with discipline. Hopefully it will be a lot of fun for all of us who suffered through "The Decade of the Dismal"

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

We have talent and are developing younger talent. Is it top 10 talent? IDK but we do know a few things:

1. Players will be better this year but who will fill the voids at LB and DE? Need a young stud to step up!

2. Our defense rose in the rankings playing weak offensive teams over the final stretch. They did their jobs though and that matters most.

3. We really don't know how good our defense will be but we 100% need an offense that can give them some rest and allow them to play their best football for four quarters.

Defense held Alabama to their lowest point total of the season. I don't think playing weak teams is necessarily why we rose in the rankings, defense was pretty good once Bituli and Thompson got back on the field.

 

[GoVols64]

Defense held Alabama to their lowest point total of the season. I don't think playing weak teams is necessarily why we rose in the rankings, defense was pretty good once Bituli and Thompson got back on the field.

No doubt the D was good and improved with them. Again, not saying we weren’t good, just that level of competition went down later in the season.

Bama was moving the ball without a ton of trouble until Tua went out. Again, the D did it’s job against great athletes but if Tua plays the entire game I think they score more.

 

[dcm3w]

It's possible. Bama's defense has been on the decline and with all their attrition from the NFL, injuries, etc and inexperience they could be bad.

 

[dcm3w]

Defense held Alabama to their lowest point total of the season. I don't think playing weak teams is necessarily why we rose in the rankings, defense was pretty good once Bituli and Thompson got back on the field.

They lost Tua pretty early in the game

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

They lost Tua pretty early in the game

So what. Pretty sure injuries are part of the game. Tua had already thrown 1 interception, he could have thrown a couple more for all I know had he not gotten hurt. One should never assume what coulda have happened in sports.

 

[dcm3w]

So what. Pretty sure injuries are part of the game. Tua had already thrown 1 interception, he could have thrown a couple more for all I know had he not gotten hurt. One should never assume what coulda have happened in sports.

Lol Tua was a Heisman candidate the past two years. Plus, he threw one the year before against us and still demolished us. You can live in that hypothetical but let's be honest, he is way better than Mac Jones.

 

[rjd970]

Bama , Ga , and Fl would have still stomped us if they were the last three games. Stats against poor teams do not really matter, just fluff.

Probably, but let’s not forget we were criminal officiating and one boneheaded play away from being in position to win against Bama. That score was not indicative of how much better they were than us.

 

[tnutater]

Probably, but let’s not forget we were criminal officiating and one boneheaded play away from being in position to win against Bama. That score was not indicative of how much better they were than us.

The fact remains that we could not run the ball or throw with consistency against the three. Our offense is still behind our defense. If we win 9 games(with bowl). I will have hope that we are improving. A mid tier SEC team is way better than what we have been...a bottom dweller. We are still Jimmys and Joes behind half the SEC.

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

Lol Tua was a Heisman candidate the past two years. Plus, he threw one the year before against us and still demolished us. You can live in that hypothetical but let's be honest, he is way better than Mac Jones.

Never said he wasn't. My reply was made because you can't debate an assumption when it comes to sports. Only simple minded folks debate woulda shoulda coulda comments.