the arc of history bends toward butch jones

#29
#29
Once everything happened with Nico, and Joey transferred in, I don’t think anyone would have scoffed at the projection of an 8-4 year.

It was only after the hot start and the
to-the-wire Georgia game that we thought of the possibility of something more.

Honestly, I think what stings the most is the feeling that we let ourselves be tricked and get too hopeful by the start of the season, rather than the actual end result.
 
#30
#30
stolitonic said:
TBF-most expected an 8-4 or 9-3 type season after the events of April.

Espn had us at 8.5 wins.

We were basically exactly what we were thought going into the season. Perhaps a bit better on the offensive side.

Like I said in another post, the Gilbert missed kick cooked our season before it really started. To go from that basic chip shot to a loss was too big a swing-for the fans and the team.

Much different than 2016 when we were viewed as a dark horse playoff team (when it was still 4 teams)

Take a breath.

We need to smoke some slow and over rated B10 team in the bowl and then regroup.

Get out issues on D resolved and get a bit of attitude


If those two things don't happen this offseason-I agree we are in trouble
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We are not winning a bowl if we play a Top 25 team.
 
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#31
#31
UTFranklinVol said:
since when has the 10 win season become the end all be all?

how many more SECCGs has Heupel been to than Jones? how many more SEC titles? how many playoff wins? how many wins over Georgia?

how many 10 win seasons did Brian Kelly have at LSU? what did it get him?
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Given where we’ve been, 10 win season should be appreciated. By all means, let’s go back to the 5-win seasons.
 
#32
#32
stolitonic said:
TBF-most expected an 8-4 or 9-3 type season after the events of April.

Espn had us at 8.5 wins.

We were basically exactly what we were thought going into the season. Perhaps a bit better on the offensive side.

Like I said in another post, the Gilbert missed kick cooked our season before it really started. To go from that basic chip shot to a loss was too big a swing-for the fans and the team.

Much different than 2016 when we were viewed as a dark horse playoff team (when it was still 4 teams)

Take a breath.

We need to smoke some slow and over rated B10 team in the bowl and then regroup.

Get out issues on D resolved and get a bit of attitude


If those two things don't happen this offseason-I agree we are in trouble
Click to expand...
I still get a little sick when I think about that kick. Shake it off, most important play is the next one and all that stuff, but man that was demoralizing.
 
#33
#33
stolitonic said:
TBF-most expected an 8-4 or 9-3 type season after the events of April.

Espn had us at 8.5 wins.

We were basically exactly what we were thought going into the season. Perhaps a bit better on the offensive side.

Like I said in another post, the Gilbert missed kick cooked our season before it really started. To go from that basic chip shot to a loss was too big a swing-for the fans and the team.

Much different than 2016 when we were viewed as a dark horse playoff team (when it was still 4 teams)

Take a breath.

We need to smoke some slow and over rated B10 team in the bowl and then regroup.

Get out issues on D resolved and get a bit of attitude


If those two things don't happen this offseason-I agree we are in trouble
Click to expand...
ESPN and other so called experts had LSU and Clemson in the top 10, South Carolina top 15, Arizona State and Florida ahead of us, Texas at number 1, and PSU at number 4.. Please stop referencing their nonsense.
 
#35
#35
UTFranklinVol said:
since when has the 10 win season become the end all be all?

how many more SECCGs has Heupel been to than Jones? how many more SEC titles? how many playoff wins? how many wins over Georgia?

how many 10 win seasons did Brian Kelly have at LSU? what did it get him?
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So Kiffin is also like Butch Jones right?
 
#37
#37
UTFranklinVol said:
how about let's go forwards instead
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That’s would be nice, but only 3 teams consistently win more than 10 games so it’s not as simple as everyone seems to think it is.

Edit: Also, it’s a process coming back from where we’ve been, especially if you’re building something to last. We weren’t expected to be 11-1 or even 10-2 this year. We will see how Heupel does this coming year and go from there. It’s not time to make rash decisions, but there’s no doubt the defense has to be far better.
 
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#38
#38
Daniel_Lincolns_Foot said:
Once everything happened with Nico, and Joey transferred in, I don’t think anyone would have scoffed at the projection of an 8-4 year.

It was only after the hot start and the
to-the-wire Georgia game that we thought of the possibility of something more.

Honestly, I think what stings the most is the feeling that we let ourselves be tricked and get too hopeful by the start of the season, rather than the actual end result.
Click to expand...

I see that argument, but I think it’s the eye test that is doing a lot of us in. If you watched the beginning of the year, we seemed motivated yet still had the same glaring defensive issues that we’ve had for 5 years. Then the motivation just disappeared. A good portion of the team on the field seemed completely disinterested.

The other thing - we won two games that could have easily been losses against bottom feeders. Add to that the Florida game (which we won) but disappeared in the second half. My eyes are telling me that this program has issues with discipline, fundamentals and player development - and all three are 100% on the coaches for the respective units.
 
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#39
#39
West Vol said:
Sniff? Well he got nine wins twice and lost some very close ones in there that if we’d have won probably would have had us in the playoff discussion under the current format, so yes?
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He did sniff it, but also bumbled his opportunity when he had had already beaten UGA and UF. Plus, he has the only 8-loss season in program history. Heupel is easily better.
 
#40
#40
DooleyOrangePants said:
I see that argument, but I think it’s the eye test that is doing a lot of us in. If you watched the beginning of the year, we seemed motivated yet still had the same glaring defensive issues that we’ve had for 5 years.

The other thing - we won two games that could have easily been losses against bottom feeders. Add to that the Florida game (which we won) but disappeared in the second half. My eyes are telling me that this program has issues with discipline, fundamentals and player development - and all three are 100% on the coaches for the respective units.
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My 2 biggest concerns with Heupel are the bizarre clock management decisions and the lack of discipline. Those 2 things have been consistent since he came. There has been enough good to overlook it for a while, in hopes it would get better, but neither has. I’m firmly still good with keeping Heupel, but I’ll admit seeds of doubt have started creeping in. He’s done a lot of good for us, so I’m content to see how he responds to that disaster from yesterday.
 
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#43
#43
hUTch2002 said:
He did sniff it, but also bumbled his opportunity when he had had already beaten UGA and UF. Plus, he has the only 8-loss season in program history. Heupel is easily better.
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Heupel being better isn’t really in question. I think the bigger picture is… as bad Butch was, he wasn’t that far off from achieving similar highs before he nosedived. As far as sneaking into the playoffs… Vandy may not quite get there, but they put together a season as good as ours last year and then getting left out and us getting in is more of a consequence of circumstance than anything else. These huge achievements that are supposed to be buying him more time on the job don’t seem quite as impressive when you step back.
 
#45
#45
West Vol said:
Heupel being better isn’t really in question. I think the bigger picture is… as bad Butch was, he wasn’t that far off from achieving similar highs before he nosedived. As far as sneaking into the playoffs… Vandy may not quite get there, but they put together a season as good as ours last year and then getting left out and us getting in is more of a consequence of circumstance than anything else. These huge achievements that are supposed to be buying him more time on the job don’t seem quite as impressive when you step back.
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I agreed with you until the last sentence. Given where we’ve been, beating Bama and Florida as much as we have, being nationally relevant again and making the playoffs are huge accomplishments. They aren’t enough to support Heupel or any coach in perpetuity, but they are enough to deserve more time. Those accomplishments are hopefully stepping stones to something more. If not, we should know in the next year or two.
 
#46
#46
hUTch2002 said:
I agreed with you until the last sentence. Given where we’ve been, beating Bama and Florida as much as we have, being nationally relevant again and making the playoffs are huge accomplishments. They aren’t enough to support Heupel or any coach in perpetuity, but they are enough to deserve more time. Those accomplishments are hopefully stepping stones to something more. If not, we should know in the next year or two.
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I’m very happy with the Bama and Florida wins, but Bama seems to have passed us back up in almost no time. Of the five Florida teams Heupel has faced, four had losing records.

The playoff run was really about beating one out of a very good UGA team and a pretty good Bama team and then not blowing it against the rest (which we didn’t totally pull off).
 
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