This fanbase doesn't get it

[BlinghamptonVol]

I really thought we should have given Pruitt more time. I mean his first season was really year 0 because everything was Botch’s fault. Year one, then, he started an 8 game win streak and won a bowl game (suck it Indiana!). Then his third season was Covid riddled. I mean what would Saban and Dabo have done in that scenario?

 

[GVol1966]

Those turnovers and 3 and outs due to a slew of offensive penalties put the D in some bad spots.

Absolutely, we had a chance both games to really turn up the heat on the opponents but squandered it

 

[stolitonic]

Johnny's first 4 years at UT:

4-7
5-5-1
7-5
5-6

Different times my friend.

40-45 years ago, there just was not the $$$$ in college football that there is now. TV deals in the billions, even unproven coaches contracts starting at 4 million a season?

Schools simply cannot wait 5 or 6 years anymore hoping they have "the one".

Hell, look at Nebraska. Scott Frost is their version of Majors-school hero, came home from a successful stint at another school, etc, etc. Will be a miracle if he survives through this season-his 4th.

 

[VolArmy74]

Wrong! No rational person expects or wants a firing after 2 games. We're just frustrated because we've seen this before. 1) hold on to a coach too long 2) get destroyed on the field by our rivals. 3) watch the admin stumble. 4) settle for the cheapest no name hire. 5) hear from the happy fans about how this hire will be different. 6) repeat

Fulmer is the only coach we held on to too long.
Volnation has a ton of irrational posters, many of whom have been calling for Huepel to be fired already. They are complete idiots but love firing post after post about it. Being frustrated at the state of the program is no reason to be a brain dead idiot and act like Huepel's story is already written. He's actually everything you want in a young, hireable coach at this point in football. Very good offensive mind, great QB recruiter and developer, top assistant for a HoF head coach, successful at a G5 school.

Those are the coaches you can hire. Texas hired an assistant with major personal baggage and they are the richest program in football in the most talent rich state. P5 winners don't move to other P5 rebuilding projects.

Year one, look for improvement. We stand a much better team right now than we were in November 2020, we scored more than 20 points one time in our last 6 games last year.

I also fully trust Huepel on the QB, even if he starts Milton next week. The irrational fans are apparently thinking we were going to contend for the East this year. We aren't. Huepel should play whatever QB he wants to develop for next season, no matter who it is. I've already pointed out how Lock was a complete disaster before Huepel got there and was an occasional disaster the next season in year 1. Year 2 with Huepel, year 3 of his career, he was absolutely outstanding with 4000yds 44tds and 13 ints.

Wins now are nice and I hope we win every game. But Huepel should only be judged on the team playing hard and player development this season.

 

[volbound1700]

Good, it's finally settled. CJH = Saban, Dabo and Carroll. I was starting to think he was just a stop-gap since we'd been turned down by a bunch of other coaches because the admin. has spent the last 2 decades driving the program into ground. Whewww!

To be fair, the current administration did not cause this. They just inherited it. You want to blame someone, find Mike Hamilton.

IMO, the Dooley hire was the big mistake that started the downturn.

 

[TC 83]

None of those coaches would run from shotgun on 4th and inches in the red zone and hand it off to 3rd string freshman RB. Those are the play calls that will make UT fans crazy. TN fans want our team to be physical and there is nothing physical about being in shotgun on a 4th and inches. Run your spread offense but also be able to use power when needed. I don’t know why coaches are so stubborn/one dimensional on pro/spread offenses. Glad we put over 30 on Pitt but 7pts are owed to special teams…who by the way played great. 130 yards in penalties is on coaching. Clean it up/adjust/change/move on. If TN plays clean next week and takes care of business then we’ll see how much improvement has been made at UF. Even in a loss there can be moral victories but yesterday’s loss was deflating bc it was all self inflicted mistakes in a game that TN desperately needed to make a bowl and help recruiting. I guess we all need to root for Pitt this year. Maybe they’ll win their division? Maybe they’re good enough to challenge NC, Va Tech, Miami? I don’t know. I do know that TN should have/could have won that game yesterday and found a way to TN ourselves again. It just seems we can’t ever get the momentum the program is so desperately needing.

 

[volsfan24018]

We got this same lecture with Dooley, Butch, and Pruitt. Everyone understands. Just sucks seeing so many close games go the other way over the years.

 

[Vol Farmer]

I really thought we should have given Pruitt more time. I mean his first season was really year 0 because everything was Botch’s fault. Year one, then, he started an 8 game win streak and won a bowl game (suck it Indiana!). Then his third season was Covid riddled. I mean what would Saban and Dabo have done in that scenario?

You’re still hungover right?

 

[508mikey]

Nick Saban's first 4 years at Michigan State: 6 wins, 6 wins, 7 wins, 6 wins. First year at Bama 7 wins.
Dabo Swinney's first 3 years at Clemson: 4 wins (in 7 games as the interim coach), 9 wins, 6 wins.
Brian Kelly's first 2 years at Central Michigan: 4 wins, 6 wins. First 2 years at ND: 8 wins, 8 wins.
Pete Carroll's first year at USC: 6 wins.

You guys would all be on here trying to run these guys off if they had the same start here at UT than at their previous stops. I would argue we are in a worse spot than all of those other school's when they took over their programs. A decade plus of instability, looming NCAA investigation and sanctions, the toughest conference in college football and the vocal idiots expect this dumpster fire of a program to be turned around in 2 games. Hell, look at our basketball program as an example. Rick Barnes had a losing record his first two seasons combined before he got it turned around. We aren't in a position to turn this around in year 1 and most likely year 2 either.

The reality is that no matter who we hired; this was going to be a rough year. We haven't recruited at a high enough level, haven't developed enough guys, and the bulk of our best players all left the program before the season. I have no idea if Heupel is the guy or not. Heupel was pretty far down the list in terms of our coaching wish list so honestly he probably isn't the guy long term. However, the hope is that he can bring in some talent, get us to 7 or 8 wins a year, and we are a much more attractive job for the guy to take us beyond that. Either way, blaming this dumpster fire of a program on Heupel is asinine and ridiculous.

last 10 win Vols season - 2007 -- It sure is taking 'time' isnt it ?

 

[VolFreakJosh]

So they're turning us down because of our fans? Pls tell me you don't think that?

They turned us down because the admin decisions have put them in no win situations. 1) kiffins contract was joke and he left the program a mess. (Should have hired an interim coach to give us a chance to make a good hire after a year) 2) Dooley was a total joke who did nothing for 3 years and left the program in no better shape. 3) Hart made a terrible hire. Decided to wait, take his time and was left with a clown. 4) Currie had a whole year to set the table but never got beyond plan a and b, and it created an ever bigger mess. 5) Fulmer had no idea what to do and created an even bigger mess. Behind all of it was a revolving door of presidents and BOT who were clueless. That's why we're where we are.

Where did I say it was the fans fault?

I mentioned money can’t be an issue so what’s left?

Coaches don’t see this university as place where they can win anymore. Maybe in the early 2000s but we’ve been through too many obstacles down to the road to get a proven winner.

 

[deezvols]

Cool story bro

 

[sona]

How many coaches started out poorly and are now elite vs how many started out poorly and stayed that way or were average at best are there? Throwing out elite names with the suggestion that Heupel may develop in the same manner is ridiculous. Far more coaches hit their ceiling at mediocre or passable than climb to the upper echelons of coaching.

 

[Elhanan]

I’d love to suffer along with a top tier coach knowing they got what it takes to win big.

We haven’t hired a proven winner since Majors. So for now we’re all guessing on if these lower tier coaches can be successful here. Coach Hype is another dice roll.

I haven’t seen enough to decide so I’ll just wait and see. I think a lot of fans have been chased off by constant losses and “true fans” being jerks.

 

[Zues1]

YR

Nick Saban's first 4 years at Michigan State: 6 wins, 6 wins, 7 wins, 6 wins. First year at Bama 7 wins.
Dabo Swinney's first 3 years at Clemson: 4 wins (in 7 games as the interim coach), 9 wins, 6 wins.
Brian Kelly's first 2 years at Central Michigan: 4 wins, 6 wins. First 2 years at ND: 8 wins, 8 wins.
Pete Carroll's first year at USC: 6 wins.

You guys would all be on here trying to run these guys off if they had the same start here at UT than at their previous stops. I would argue we are in a worse spot than all of those other school's when they took over their programs. A decade plus of instability, looming NCAA investigation and sanctions, the toughest conference in college football and the vocal idiots expect this dumpster fire of a program to be turned around in 2 games. Hell, look at our basketball program as an example. Rick Barnes had a losing record his first two seasons combined before he got it turned around. We aren't in a position to turn this around in year 1 and most likely year 2 either.

The reality is that no matter who we hired; this was going to be a rough year. We haven't recruited at a high enough level, haven't developed enough guys, and the bulk of our best players all left the program before the season. I have no idea if Heupel is the guy or not. Heupel was pretty far down the list in terms of our coaching wish list so honestly he probably isn't the guy long term. However, the hope is that he can bring in some talent, get us to 7 or 8 wins a year, and we are a much more attractive job for the guy to take us beyond that. Either way, blaming this dumpster fire of a program on Heupel is asinine and ridiculous.

You're probably right. 20 years of suckage brings out the worst in people.

 

[TuVol4u]

Quote the post(s) where someone is expressing the expectation for an 'immediate turnaround'.

Nearly all of the criticism against Heupel that I've read, centers in his handling of the QB position which he is supposed to excel at, and some questionable play calls.

You seem to have set the bar for success to just bring "better than Pruitt", and that not how it works.

"better than Pruitt" is still a step in the right direction, no matter how you slice it.
Yes, Heupel has a QB controversy already. How its handled will probably set the tone for not only UTs success but his own in Knoxville.

"home run hires" "proven winner" "national title winning" and whatever cliched title fans throw out there aint fixing UT in years 1 and 2, no matter the "win now" climate and quite honestly is weak.

Sam Pittman is the best model for turning a sunk and lost program around right now in the SEC.
I think if UTs coaches do right, we will see similar results.

 

[TucsonVol]

Nick Saban's first 4 years at Michigan State: 6 wins, 6 wins, 7 wins, 6 wins. First year at Bama 7 wins.
Dabo Swinney's first 3 years at Clemson: 4 wins (in 7 games as the interim coach), 9 wins, 6 wins.
Brian Kelly's first 2 years at Central Michigan: 4 wins, 6 wins. First 2 years at ND: 8 wins, 8 wins.
Pete Carroll's first year at USC: 6 wins.

You guys would all be on here trying to run these guys off if they had the same start here at UT than at their previous stops. I would argue we are in a worse spot than all of those other school's when they took over their programs. A decade plus of instability, looming NCAA investigation and sanctions, the toughest conference in college football and the vocal idiots expect this dumpster fire of a program to be turned around in 2 games. Hell, look at our basketball program as an example. Rick Barnes had a losing record his first two seasons combined before he got it turned around. We aren't in a position to turn this around in year 1 and most likely year 2 either.

The reality is that no matter who we hired; this was going to be a rough year. We haven't recruited at a high enough level, haven't developed enough guys, and the bulk of our best players all left the program before the season. I have no idea if Heupel is the guy or not. Heupel was pretty far down the list in terms of our coaching wish list so honestly he probably isn't the guy long term. However, the hope is that he can bring in some talent, get us to 7 or 8 wins a year, and we are a much more attractive job for the guy to take us beyond that. Either way, blaming this dumpster fire of a program on Heupel is asinine and ridiculous.

The fan base gets it alright, but the coaches do not!

 

[hUTch2002]

But you get it?

I don’t even know what “it” is.

 

[FSUReb]

Freeze was never offered and Kiffin was a pipe dream just to troll the fanbase once again.

James Franklin was our top target and he turned us down. Tony Elliot also turned us down.

Seems like he ran out of options so he hired Heupel considering they’ve both worked together before.

There wasn’t going to be a happy ending either way.

The top talent is not interested in this job right now.

 

[Volbrando]

Pitt Points
Q1 - 0
Q2 - 27
Q3 - 7
Q4 - 7

We lost the game in the 2nd quarter. Eliminate many of the mistakes there and/or capitalize on the whiffs in Q1 and this game is a win.

The 2 quarter is when BG made it a ballgame until the half too. We start fast but can’t keep it up

 

[Volfan76]

None of them, that’s why they are not still here.

Yet you would have defended any one of them while they were here.

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

But you get it?

Apparent he does


You should pay attention.

 

[TJSVOLS]

Yet you would have defended any one of them while they were here.

You have no idea what you are talking about, but I’m sure you know exactly who is needed and should have been hired.

 

[Wylo]

Anyome that even questions CJH Jon status the first two years are boarder line insane.


If that was Pruitt coaching yesterday, the team would of quit and got blown out. Facts.

Still a loss, though...

 

[OrangeTsar]

Here is the question that I wish I had the answer to….Did Heupel pull Milton due to the injury or did he use that as an excuse do do what needed to be done. Phrased another way, if Milton had stayed healthy, would Heupel have stuck with him? If the answer is yes, then we have the wrong coach

 

[chattavol420]

Same ole post. We didn’t lose to uga it bama yesterday. We lost to an at best average team from a crap conference at hime when everything went our way early. Most tn fans aren’t devastated by the result as we know it’s going to take time to become a quality team again but it is a bit troubling looking at the mistakes heupel has made early in his career here. Mainly naming a starter with little to no qb competition at all Amd them stubbornly sticking with him and not giving anyone else any meaningful snaps. We’ve seen that script before. Most tn fans thought Pruitt was the only coach on earth that didn’t make qbs actually win the job. Also, that 4th and 1 sequence was about as bungled as you’ll ever see. Starting with not demanding a review and ending with one of the worth play calls you’ll ever see. Just a terrible start to his career here. now we all know he’s got at least 3 years guaranteed so I certainly hope he learns and grows on the job.