THE REASONS THE VOLS WILL FINISH BETTER THAN 24TH

#1
dduncan4163

dduncan4163

Have at it Hoss
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#1


Really good video

Big takeaway from the video is this is the most talented team Heups had in Knoxville. It's young and inexperienced but it's the most.

They also talk about how good the culture is inside the program. The team is united and that gets me excited. It's the opposite of the Butch, Dooley days. These kids fight for each other and their coaches. Heup has us on the cusp of greatness. Gonna be a wild season.

GBO
 
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#3
#3
dduncan4163 said:


Really good video

Big takeaway from the video is this is the most talented team Heups had in Knoxville. It's young and inexperienced but it's the most.

They also talk about how good the culture is inside the program. The team is united and that gets me excited. It's the opposite of the Butch, Dooley days. These kids fight for each other and their coaches. Heup has us on the cusp of greatness. Gonna be a wild season.

GBO
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PC Jr. said:
The team will be solid … next year. Legitimately worthy of excitement. I think this year remains a rebuilding year.
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I think you are both correct. This.will be the most talented team CJH has fielded at UT....but it will be a rebuilding year. Most likely outcome is 9-3 but that could go a game in either direction based on injuries and the way that funny shaped ball bounces. Will have a lot of close SEC games this year due to our defense keeping us in games but our offense being sluggish like last season. If the passing game ever hits its stride though...watch out. We could beat anyone with a good passing game because our running game and defense will be top shelf like last year IMO.
 
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#5
#5
These guys are on the more rational side of analysis. There’s a lot of drivel out there in pod land but these three all make solid points. I believe we are a better team. Will it translate into more than 8 wins? Who knows. Should be a fun season regardless. Let’s ride. 😎🍊🏈
 
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#6
#6
I'm really excited for this season because:
#1 - Heupel hasn't lost more than 4 games in a season since 2021. That alone should give us a certain amount of confidence.

#2- the big question mark is the QB spot, but we've had less than ideal QB play the last few years and still made a playoff last year.

#3- the defense, rushing offense and special teams will still be elite.

#4 - We've quietly upgraded talent wise in a lot of spots, especially the o-line. A lot of folks are saying the o-line will be much improved. That will only help the running game and passing game.

#5- The OC has talked about adding more wrinkles to the offense and hinted at getting RBs more involved in the passing game, which is something we haven't really done the past few years. That also (maybe) suggests the coaches feel more confident in our current QB room and feel more comfortable opening the playbook.

#6- we get Georgia early in the year at home and they have their own question marks. They used to be an early season game and we fared well against them back then.


It will be an interesting season. Can't wait to see how it plays out! I may or may not be 6 tall boys in. Go Vols!
 
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#7
#7
dduncan4163 said:


Really good video

Big takeaway from the video is this is the most talented team Heups had in Knoxville. It's young and inexperienced but it's the most.

They also talk about how good the culture is inside the program. The team is united and that gets me excited. It's the opposite of the Butch, Dooley days. These kids fight for each other and their coaches. Heup has us on the cusp of greatness. Gonna be a wild season.

GBO
Click to expand...

For me, it's the schedule. That's why I see us as ranked too low. Look at the schedules of some of the playoff teams from last year. You get a scheduling gift like this and you'd better take advantage of it.
 
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#8
#8
dduncan4163 said:


Really good video

Big takeaway from the video is this is the most talented team Heups had in Knoxville. It's young and inexperienced but it's the most.

They also talk about how good the culture is inside the program. The team is united and that gets me excited. It's the opposite of the Butch, Dooley days. These kids fight for each other and their coaches. Heup has us on the cusp of greatness. Gonna be a wild season.

GBO
Click to expand...


I could see this team losing to Georgia early, then getting better and better as the season goes on because the talent is there, just inexperienced. Then they take 2 of 3 from Alabama, Oklahoma, and Florida and make the CFP…and go into the postseason hitting on all cylinders because, by then, that inexperienced talent is experienced.
 
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#13
#13
dduncan4163 said:


Really good video

Big takeaway from the video is this is the most talented team Heups had in Knoxville. It's young and inexperienced but it's the most.

They also talk about how good the culture is inside the program. The team is united and that gets me excited. It's the opposite of the Butch, Dooley days. These kids fight for each other and their coaches. Heup has us on the cusp of greatness. Gonna be a wild season.

GBO
Click to expand...

Not to be a negavol, but most teams are united at the beginning of the season. The strength of the glue and talent within this team has yet to be tested. That said, the former often comes in the form disappointment, Hopefully we don’t see much of that.

I have said if our OL, WRs, and QB take a step forward and our D is as good as last year, we could see the playoffs again—especially if our defense is even better than last year like some are predicting.

That’s an awful lot to expect from a team that lost its best RB, WR, center, multiple starting OLs, and QB from an offense that struggled as it was, along with virtually its entire Dline.

The other part of the equation is whether or not the teams we play against that we beat last year have improved. Oklahoma and FL both lost their fair share of players to the NFL. I just read Oklahoma lost over 40 players!?! That’s incredible and hard to believe.

I’m keeping expectations low much like I did in 2023 which allowed me to mostly enjoy that season. I am thinking we go between 8-4, or 9-3. I was dipping to 7-5 until I read this about OK and Arkansas.
  • Oklahoma Total Departures: Oklahoma lost 46 players from their 2024 roster for the 2025 season.
  • Reasons for Departure:
    • 20 players exhausted their eligibility.
    • 26 players entered the transfer portal.
Arkansas football team lost many players in 2025, with about two dozen players entering the transfer portal and several others running out of eligibility, particularly impacting the secondary and receiving corps.

Not only have both teams lost a lot of players, both of those games are at home.

So, when you look at the world of shoulder, we SHOULD at least go 9-3. If we do better than that I will be pleased and continue to hold VERY high expectations for 2026. It’s conceivable, because FL lost 7 players including their starting QB to the NFL, and it’s hard to be surprised with what Heuepel has been able to pull off so far.

If we do worse than that 8-4, I will be disappointed and very concerned.
 
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#14
#14
I think we will be better than 24th as well. But I don’t think the QB play will be that good. I really thought Merk would have been better than he has been. I think JA will be the worst QB Heupel has had since coming here. The defense and run game will likely carry us again.
 
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#15
#15
BigOrangeTrain said:
I think we will be better than 24th as well. But I don’t think the QB play will be that good. I really thought Merk would have been better than he has been. I think JA will be the worst QB Heupel has had since coming here. The defense and run game will likely carry us again.
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Talent wise yes. But can he be the game manager? Will the OC use safe, short passes on first downs to keep us from being too one dimensional? Can he be effective enough on the QB draw to force the D to shadow him and open up some space in the secondary? Will the OL be able to overpower opponents for our run game and force defenses into pulling safeties to the LOS?

He doesn’t have to be the most talented QB ever if we Taylor the offense to our strengths and we don’t turn the ball over. My biggest concern coming in is his turnovers - he threw a lot of picks against much weaker competition than he will be seeing this year. He has to be ok with throwing the ball away, punting and us playing great defense.
 
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#17
#17
I'll add that, out side of UGA and Bama, our next two perceived toughest games are @Florida and Oklahoma at home. Our game @UF is in November rather than September, so the heat and humidity won't be nearly the factor it typically is. Also, Florida plays Georgia, @kentucky and @ Ole Miss in three consecutive week prior to our game after having an earlier 4 game stretch of @lsu, @Miami, Texas and @Texas A&M, while we have Oklahoma, a bye week, then New Mexico St the three prior weeks. Florida also has Florida St the week after us. Similarly, Oklahoma plays Texas, @ South Carolina and Ole Miss the three weeks prior to them coming to Neyland, while we play Arkansas, @bama and @kentucky.
Schedule matters, not just for who you play but when you play them and where the game falls on each team's schedule.
 
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#18
#18
BigOrangeTrain said:
I think we will be better than 24th as well. But I don’t think the QB play will be that good. I really thought Merk would have been better than he has been. I think JA will be the worst QB Heupel has had since coming here. The defense and run game will likely carry us again.
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I don't see Aguilar or whoever it is as being worse than Milton. I don't think UT's starting QB will be worse than Nico either. So, UT should be in good shape! Some of you who read this please remind Big Orange Train how many TDs Nico threw in six games vs Bama, FL, UGA, OU, UK, and Arky and vs the whole SEC schedule? The only REALLY GOOD game he had was vs Vandy who was #97 in passing yards allowed! Nico did have a pretty good game vs #21 UK in passing yards. But, UT owns UK almost yearly! What did Nico do vs Arky who was #110 in passing yards allowed out of 133 teams? Nico completed only 59% for 158 yards and NO TDs vs #110 pass D Arky!!! It will be very hard for UT to have a worse passing game as long as the OL and WR play is equivalent or better than 2024!
 
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#23
#23
The main reason the Vols will finish higher than many expect is because the offensive and defensive lines will be stout and deep. It all starts up front.
 
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