that didn't take long

[TheGrove68]

TX plans on being the lead show in the SEC. Every conference they've been involved with they've torched it. They'll do the same to the
SEC. Now, we're forecast as 6th in the East. With new re-alignment, we'll be 8 or 9 unless CJH works miracles, and that's not even knowing the sanctions we know are coming. I would take OU, but TX- NO WAY!

I could see Texas,OU,Bama,LSU,UGA,UF,Auburn and A&M forming a alliance and wanting unequal revenue sharing and other concessions. It's what Texas does and OU follows along like their lapdog.

 

[TheGrove68]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the championship games in all the sports aren’t rotated from east to western sites down the road.

Texas will try to get everything located in Texas.....games, offices etc. They will throw piles of money at it as well. A lot of programs might be swayed by it thinking that it will give them a leg up in Texas. It never works that way. Texas is a Pox on the world of college sports. They sow discontent, underperform as a program, act arrogant beyond belief, and demand special entitlement. This won't be good long term unless the other SEC programs keep them in check. In a few years the SEC powers that be will realize they sold their souls to the Devils......and wish they had not.

 

[TheDeeble]

Texas brings nothing but problems and a Fulmer sized ego and arrogance to a conference which was built on share and share alike, the success of the conference was more important that the success of any particular program, all boats were financially lifted by the success of the conference,

Texas single handedly destroyed the old Southwest Confetence, then drove Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri and aTm out of the Big 12, destroyed that conference as well and the SEC Presidents think Texas is a good fit for the SEC? The conference will be in lawsuits with Texas over something within 5 years of their entry into the SEC, how much money is enough for the conference schools from the conference tit? Very little upside for the fan base, particularly once the SEC Championship ends up in Dallas, the SEC baseball tournament ends up at the Rangers Stadium and the SEC basketball tournament ends up at the Alamo Dome.

Roy Kramer and Mike Slive would never allow a sh!7 show like this to even be mentioned when we should be talking about the upcoming football season.

This was my thoughts on Texas. They just cause problems for everyone else in their conference because they want to run things and make it all about them. Screw Texas, let them mess up some other conference.

Oklahoma? Yea sure whatever. Texas though? I'm guessing there's some benefit I don't see that a diff college couldn't bring. A&M already brings in the Texas market. Maybe Oklahoma said we'll only go if Texas goes or something.

 

[Dudleys87]

This was my thoughts on Texas. They just cause problems for everyone else in their conference because they want to run things and make it all about them. Screw Texas, let them mess up some other conference.

Oklahoma? Yea sure whatever. Texas though? I'm guessing there's some benefit I don't see that a diff college couldn't bring. A&M already brings in the Texas market. Maybe Oklahoma said we'll only go if Texas goes or something.

It’s the rivalry.

Not sure why anyone is worried about Texas. Remember what happened when they were “back”?

 

[RDU VOL#14]

How bad OU really was? Previous to Stoops they had a whopping 4 year stretch, 95-98 where they were bad. From 67-88 they were great. They have been great since what 99? It’s got nothing to do with being scared. Just with the reality check that we are near the bottom of the SEC. And adding teams like TX and OU doesn’t help us in the slightest.

You’re right I don’t think it helps us , but at the same time we’ve got to actually focus on controlling what we can control. We need continuity more than ever from the top on down. There is NO EXCUSE…None for what has taken place

 

[Jackcrevol]

weird

 

[Fullfillmer]

Tennessee will be happy to go 5-7 for the rest of our lives as long as they're making that sweet SEC cash! Sad but true

it definitely helps Texas and Oklahoma - will hurt or kill schools like Tennessee, Kentucky,
Miss, Miss State, Vandy, Carolina. Arkansas.
The rich will get richer - the rest …

 

[lukeneyland]

Many a once great sports program has fallen and drifted off into irrelevance. Starting to look like UT is joining their ranks in football. We're already looking at the Pitt game as determining our bowl chances. Used to be UF and UGA were going to be the difference in playing for hardware vs another Citrus Bowl. What I wouldn't give for those days again. Looks like our key opponents going forward will be the likes of UK, USC and Candy. As you said...just sad.

We can help change it. Pack Neyland, buy UT merchandise and keep football revenue up. We’ll be able to buy our way back the way football is headed. We got to keep fan support high

 

[miket4god]

I have to disagree and say that our admin wouldn’t have gone out and hired White if they were ok with mediocrity.

Agreed. Previous administrations would have been fine with it. Not so much anymore.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

We can help change it. Pack Neyland, buy UT merchandise and keep football revenue up. We’ll be able to buy our way back the way football is headed. We got to keep fan support high

The fans are not coming back without wins. A lot of those people who packed Neyland in the 90s and early 00s now have Tide stickers in their rear windows. They aren't coming back for empty promises.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

We have no clue what a realigned conference looks like once this is said and done, but how does Florida and Georgia playing Alabama every year help us beat any of them?

Now throw in cross-division play with Texas and Oklahoma in the mix, and most likely a 9+ game SEC schedule, and the path to the SECCG is even more difficult than it is now for a UT with poor relatively in-state talent, and even more recruiting competition in SEC states with the addition of two more teams.

This, I don't understand how them having to play Alabama helps us beat them. Sure it means one more loss for them but that has zero to do with us beating Florida, Georgia, and Auburn.

Personally a lot of this "it helps Tennessee" feels like a ton of wishful thinking and in some cases taking so-called positives and ignoring the negatives.

The problem with this is that you guys are arguing under the predication that Tennessee is ALWAYS going to be bad. My "BVS" has not reached a level where I think that. I absolutely believe we will be good again. At some point we will hit on the right moment where we have the right coach with the right administration and we will be cooking with grease again in football!

 

[MWAVolfan]

It's not about being afraid, it's about adding two more teams to the SEC, who already recruit heavily in the SEC states, but previously had the drawback of being in the Big12.

You can't win in the SEC if you can't consistently recruit at a high level, and adding Texas and Oklahoma, will make it harder for us to woo those players that are good enough to start for teams like Alabama/Georgia/Florida, but would still be 2nd or 3rd on the depth chart in spite of the talent.

It's a net loss for UT in terms of finding a path back to relevance in the conference.

I cant remember a time when Texas or OU beat out Tennessee for a recruit. You keep saying they recruit from the same states, but is that really true? I don't remember this ever being an issue. It's usually more regional than this and Tennessee pulls players more from Georgia/North Carolina or they go way out of the area to New Jersey or California.
Also, Texas A&M has not had much of an advantage over Texas or Oklahoma since joining the SEC. It's been Oklahoma in the playoffs ever year, not TAMU.

 

[ATLVols]

I wish Tennessee would veto it. Too confusing to have Texas and Tennessee (the original UT) who are both orange (color debatable for Texas who is more brownish orange).

This does nothing to help Tennessee and will only diminish our brand.

 

[lukeneyland]

The fans are not coming back without wins. A lot of those people who packed Neyland in the 90s and early 00s now have Tide stickers in their rear windows. They aren't coming back for empty promises.

That is one of the most baseless and unfounded things I’ve ever read.

 

[lukeneyland]

I cant remember a time when Texas or OU beat out Tennessee for a recruit. You keep saying they recruit from the same states, but is that really true? I don't remember this ever being an issue. It's usually more regional than this and Tennessee pulls players more from Georgia/North Carolina or they go way out of the area to New Jersey or California.
Also, Texas A&M has not had much of an advantage over Texas or Oklahoma since joining the SEC. It's been Oklahoma in the playoffs ever year, not TAMU.

That’s because OU typically only has 1 or 2 tough regular season games. They are a great program but a much easier path

 

[BigOrangeAl 1979]

That is one of the most baseless and unfounded things I’ve ever read.

. No that’s exactly true

 

[BeardedVol]

The problem with this is that you guys are arguing under the predication that Tennessee is ALWAYS going to be bad. My "BVS" has not reached a level where I think that. I absolutely believe we will be good again. At some point we will hit on the right moment where we have the right coach with the right administration and we will be cooking with grease again in football!

No. I argue from the verifiable position, that the path to relevance, will always be more difficult for UT, because Tennessee is not a talent-rich state, and success in the conference relies on consistent, high-level recruiting.

Adding two more teams, who already recruit the same states that we do, and have administrations that care about winning football, will not help UT win the recruiting battle.

 

[MWAVolfan]

That’s because OU typically only has 1 or 2 tough regular season games. They are a great program but a much easier path

Well then moving to the SEC wont help because that path will get a LOT harder. You cant tell a recruit that they have a good chance or beating Texas, Bama, Auburn, LSU, TAMU, UF and Georgia all in the same year. LOL

 

[BeardedVol]

I cant remember a time when Texas or OU beat out Tennessee for a recruit. You keep saying they recruit from the same states, but is that really true? I don't remember this ever being an issue. It's usually more regional than this and Tennessee pulls players more from Georgia/North Carolina or they go way out of the area to New Jersey or California.
Also, Texas A&M has not had much of an advantage over Texas or Oklahoma since joining the SEC. It's been Oklahoma in the playoffs ever year, not TAMU.

It's not about whether or not we've gone head to head with them over a recruit in the past, it's about adding two more options for recruits in SEC states to choose from, who might have considered UT because in spite of their talent they'd still be down in the depth chart at schools like Alabama, Georgia, Florida.

This is a losing scenario for UT. Doubly so if the conference realigns and dumps Alabama into the east.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

No. I argue from the verifiable position, that the path to relevance, will always be more difficult for UT, because Tennessee is not a talent-rich state, and success in the conference relies on consistent, high-level recruiting.

Adding two more teams, who already recruit the same states that we do, and have administrations that care about winning football, will not help UT win the recruiting battle.

Tennessee is top 10. We are 10th in the country in producing FBS football players. I'm sorry but I just don't buy the "Tennessee doesn't have enough in-state talent" excuse anymore. The difficulty in the path to relevance for Tennessee football has largely been self-imposed. We can and I believe we will become a very good football program again! When we get our own house in order, everything else will take care of itself.

This is a losing scenario for UT. Doubly so if the conference realigns and dumps Alabama into the east.

Be a defeatist if you want but I disagree. I think this is potentially a terrific opportunity.

 

[TheDeeble]

Tennessee is top 10. We are 10th in the country in producing FBS football players. I'm sorry but I just don't buy the "Tennessee doesn't have enough in-state talent" excuse anymore. The difficulty in the path to relevance for Tennessee football has largely been self-imposed. We can and I believe we will become a very good football program again! When we get our own house in order, everything else will take care of itself.



Be a defeatist if you want but I disagree. I think this is potentially a terrific opportunity.

What opportunities do you see? I can see increased tv money being one. But I haven’t come up with much otherwise. Nothing that helps rebuild football to being a serious threat to win the SEC. Yes a lot of our problems are self caused by poor administration decisions.

I’m not claiming to be an expert on such things. Is this new college football world of super conferences and player compensation an environment that will level the playing field or help the current elite to stay on top?

 

[LWSVOL]

The fans are not coming back without wins. A lot of those people who packed Neyland in the 90s and early 00s now have Tide stickers in their rear windows. They aren't coming back for empty promises.

lot of people are like me that packed Neyland in the 90s, much older and just can't attend like we did in the 90s. I was at every game (Home and away) from 89 through 05 when work did not get in the way. On several huge projects in some of those times and work required me there. But after 2005, my body started to go and no way I can now return.

They keep trying to get me to buy the tickets I had and donate again. Way past being able to do that. Section B if anyone wants to jump on them..

 

[VOLnMiami]

the longer Tennessee wallows with losing (35-69 SEC last 13 years) the harder the return

We've never had a problem getting good players, It's been Coaching thats been the problem...The right coach in place which I think we have now can make a HUGE difference....We'll have to wait and see on that comment but lets hope I'm right.

 

[BeardedVol]

Tennessee is top 10. We are 10th in the country in producing FBS football players. I'm sorry but I just don't buy the "Tennessee doesn't have enough in-state talent" excuse anymore. The difficulty in the path to relevance for Tennessee football has largely been self-imposed. We can and I believe we will become a very good football program again! When we get our own house in order, everything else will take care of itself.

Tennessee is only in the top 10 if you go by percentage of signees vs total players:

FL, GA, LA produce highest percentage of FBS football players

Alabama has less total football players in the state, and produces 30% more signees than us. Georgia has 40% more players than us, and produces almost 4x as many football signees.

That's talent-rich.

Be a defeatist if you want but I disagree. I think this is potentially a terrific opportunity.

Please explain how moving Alabama into our division gives us more opportunity for success.

 

[advancedrescue27]

It really stinks being down this low.

Been like this for as long as I can remember it seems. We always want more, the school always wants something different. Just like they’ve always done, take the money gained from the football program and use it to boost the other sports. To me this just allows them to get more money to these other programs. They’ve shown little interest in making the football program better, as long as the funds keep rolling in to prop up the other programs they are happy