The Official Johnny Majors Classic: Tennessee vs. Pittsburgh Game Thread, 12:00 PM ET, ESPN

[BreatheUT]

Counting a second buyout to Fulmer, they are in excess of 25 million on buyouts.

Would think we could get more for the money.

Could've put that money into hiring a big name if we were offering 6-7Mil. Maybe wishful thinking looking back.

I like the AD and Head Coach we have now. Heupel's just not flashy to change it overnight. I think he will turn out to be a good hire. At least I hope.

 

[TheVolsFrog]

Milton isn't going to change the way he throws the deep ball. He's a statue in the pocket and he's going to get seriously hurt doing what he does. We could put the punter back there drop kicking bombs and have a better chance of a deep completion than we will with Milton.

I will say I thought Milton did do a better job of putting air under the ball today and looks like the staff did work with him on that but it's just crazy how far he was still able to over through the WRs. Definitely has a cannon but can't get it under control.

 

[Dino0027]

Not sure it's hate for Bailey but a disgust for his fans that no matter what think he should be starting.
It's a lot of If Bailey was starting he would have hit those open guys for TD, well if Milton had hit them they would have been TD's. Wasn't there talk out of camp that Bailey was missing his WR also.

Hooker played good today. Good enough that I think he needs to be given a shot at QB1. Yeah that pick 6 came at a bad time but he threw good passes and had great runs which if he continues to start will open up more chances because he's got enough touch to throw to the open man sitting in the middle but also move the ball with his legs. That will give the opposing D fits.
Bailey may get his shot but because we lost today is no reason to make him QB1 just yet..

.

Hooker did play well today until it was a high pressure scenario. The play call was Garbage with no check down, but he forced a pass that cost the game at the end, which is why he wasn’t going to be the starter at VT. Hooker for the most part struggles in high pressure situations. Bailey played well last year when given the opportunity and played well in the spring. Bailey is not a burner as a runner, but extended plays running last year, like what is needed in this offense. He has a high ceiling, but unfortunately we won’t get a chance at UT.

 

[McDad]

Real question; How much fan support did Heupel lose today?

None.

 

[VolMarine1371]

Why is everyone acting like that 4th down call costed us the game? Just forget the fact that starting a Milton over Hooker had a bigger impact on the game than that 1 play. We had 3 turnovers, 13 penalties, and 6 starters out of the game and gave up 27 points in the 2nd quarter. All those was more contributing to our lose than 1 play.

 

[JPL]

This is a program that has been pummeled for 16+ years, new coach, same results, legitimate question. Fan apathy is a real thing! I dont think fans have the patience anymore to rebuild a constantly rebuilding program...

TN has steadily gotten worse since the Kiffin fiasco (accept for a couple of the Butch years). Fulmer messed up badly with the Pruitt hire. Fan apathy is probably at or near an all time high.

Everyone knows coach H was not White’s 1st choice. White made a serious push for a coach or two with a proven track record turning around losing programs. Not going to rehash what didn’t happen but White went with coach H after getting turned down (by more than 1) and we were offering serious $.

Is coach H better than any of the last 4 to coach TN…? Only time will tell. Tough day, so close, almost but coach H has logged his first loss as TN coach.

 

[davethevol]

Could've put that money into hiring a big name if we were offering 6-7Mil. Maybe wishful thinking looking back.

I like the AD and Head Coach we have now. Heupel's just not flashy to change it overnight. I think he will turn out to be a good hire. At least I hope.

I think for even 7 mil we wouldn’t have much interest. The top dollar coaches know how difficult it would be to win at UT because of our administration’s hampering of sports.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Real question; How much fan support did Heupel lose today?

I don’t think he lost very much because he is playing with lot of missing high cards in the deck. At the QB position, if Bailey can’t beat out the other two, we need to recruit very well very fast.. The QB we have committed seems to be talented, but his team does not have to rely on him because they have a very good running game and we don’t know how he reacts to lot of pressure.

 

[TenUhSee]

Milton isn't going to change the way he throws the deep ball. He's a statue in the pocket and he's going to get seriously hurt doing what he does when he plays SEC defenses. We could put the punter back there drop kicking bombs and have a better chance of a deep completion than we will with Milton.

LOL !!!

 

[Fightmaker]

I agree maybe hate was a little exaggerated. I'd like to see Hooker and Bailey get equal reps next week. Hooker's definitely better than Milton.

I didn’t have the greatest belief in Milton when I saw him play for the first time at Michigan. And my opinion of him gets worse every time I see him play. That fumble, my gracious.

 

[TheVolsFrog]

I think for even 7 mil we wouldn’t have much interest. The top dollar coaches know how difficult it would be to win at UT because of our administration’s hampering of sports.

They also know how quick the fan base turns after two games...Top dollar coaches can go anywhere else and not have to deal with what goes on here.

 

[TenUhSee]

 

[give_him 6]

Does anyone know what Dee Beckwith did to be in the doghouse?

 

[OrangeEtBlanc]

No it did not. Giving up 27 points in the 2nd quarter cost is the game. Or maybe the 3 turnovers. Or maybe 13 penalties. But most of all Milton starting over Hooker is what cost us the game.

If I could point to only one moment that cost the game, it would be the 4th down call.

Even after all that you stated, we still had a chance to win. Despite those penalties and the first 2 turnovers and the poor 2nd qrtr, we still could have tied the game with a different outcome on that one play.

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

Is bet there wont be 60k at TnTech game next week

75000

 

[Vol4life2]

The very definition of idiocy is defending our HC at this point. Anyone who does so reveals he has zero knowledge of the game of football. Zero.

See if you can follow: our infallible, brilliant, peerless, not-to-be-questioned coach chose Milton as his starter. Go ahead and try to argue that that was the correct decision. Once you have made a fool of yourself with that, then try to argue that even though said coach was wildly, catastrophically wrong with his first decision as to who to start, it was just a fluke and every other QB decision he has ever made has been flawless and perfect, including sitting a five-star sophomore with a 71% completion percentage against SEC competition for two guys who transferred from lesser conferences because they were replaced by underclassmen.[/QUOTE

Tough week to stop sniffing glue.

I thought we played pretty well considering it’s game two of CJH’s era. We could have won but didn’t. See ya next week!

Still a potential 5 to 6 win team.

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Could've put that money into hiring a big name if we were offering 6-7Mil. Maybe wishful thinking looking back.

I like the AD and Head Coach we have now. Heupel's just not flashy to change it overnight. I think he will turn out to be a good hire. At least I hope.

Definitely wishful thinking in hindsight.

I like Heupel and White.

I just have my doubts unless he drastically cranks the recruiting up. And the best way to get that is to win games like today and letting recruits see their vision on the field.

Missed opportunity today.

 

[VolMarine1371]

If I could point to only one moment that cost the game, it would be the 4th down call.

Even after all that you stated, we still had a chance to win. Despite those penalties and the first 2 turnovers and the poor 2nd qrtr, we still could have tied the game with a different outcome on that one play.

Your right. If we would have kicked the FG and then got ball had a chance to take lead maybe the play calling would be different. I think the biggest thing that costed us today was starting Milton over Hooker. We also had a TD called back on a block in the back on that missed FG return.

 

[TenUhSee]

what the hell was Heupel looking at to be playing Milton at QB ? would someone please find a good
optometrist in Knoxville and get his dang eyes checked ? thanks !

 

[GrizzlyVol]

3 turnover and 13 penalties and starting Milton lost this game.

Yep clean up the self harm **** and Hook is the guy...Milton had all the ✔ but the lights are too bright

 

[1967vol]

I have come to the conclusion that this Board is full of fake Vol supporters that post negativity to help ruin the program. Not everyone, of course, but a substantial number.

 

[butchna]

This that your guess if we can keep everyone mostly healthy?

The last staff pretty much decimated the program when we kept thinking it couldn't get much worse.

I think we could steal 1 or 2, and get to 5-7. I also think we could lose one we shouldn't. I still think this staff is much better than what we've had since Fulmer's 15 or so years leading the program.

That’s ANY team…no matter how talented. Two seasons ago, one injury (to Tua) limited Bama and they missed the playoffs. Similar injury the season before led to them being shellacked by Clemson.

 

[BeardedVol]

They also know how quick the fan base turns after two games...Top dollar coaches can go anywhere else and not have to deal with what goes on here.

What other new coach for a team has come in and made such a glaringly bad coaching decision with the one position that he is supposed to excel at?

Fans have every right to be miffed at Heupel for pulling Milton from the portal and trotting him onto the field.

 

[VolinSippi]

Might as well settle down and wait a few years. We can’t keep firing coaches and paying buyouts.

Yeah..... in a few years it will be a total of two decades of mediocrity. At lease I can look forward to baseball.

 

[BeardedVol]

I have come to the conclusion that this Board is full of fake Vol supporters that post negativity to help ruin the program. Not everyone, of course, but a substantial number.

How would pretending that what happened on the field today didn't occur, improve the play of the team?