This was always a bridge season.

#52
#52
kckempf said:
I've seen a few posts like this and I'd like to see one of the folks posting it go through the various problems the team has been dealing with during this 8 year probation and scholarship reduction and show what a better coach would have done to fix it.

This year's team had a legitimate path at ridiculously overachieving given the roster. Considering the limitations of the players we had, how would someone have avoided those problems?

Ohio State certainly figured it out, but they have both more money and scholarships than we do, and they still had two disappointing losses last year that had their fans calling for their coach's head.

Our penalty has been 28 scholarships. Probably the closest comparison are USC's 30 scholarship penalty in 2010 and Alabama's 21 scholarship penalty in 2002. If you remember how those affected them, you get a good idea of how much Heupel is getting done, having never had a complete team. This year's weakness is a roster full of freshmen and software from highly rated recruiting classes -- if he didn't recruit so well he'd already be out of town -- and consequently little room to backfill with veteran transfers (we used all our scholarships as it is). For the next two years we have to carry at least two scholarships in penalty, before we're finally in the clear. Thanks, Pruitt.
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15 years down the road, there will be several teams who won the national championship with at least 2 losses. Probably at least 1 with 3
 
#53
#53
ToineMac said:
Nobody expected us to be a playoff team at the start of this season. Personally I thought 9-3 was our ceiling. We lost to 4 teams this year and none of them were the "How the hell did we lose to that team" games that we have had in the past couple years. Even the Vandy team we lost to if has an argument to be a playoff team. It is very frustrating to be so close and it not happen yet but I need everyone to see the vision. We have the youngest roster in conference. We have top 10 recruiting class. Entire O Line can come back plus we have played some of the young guys in significant snaps this year due to injury. We lose 3 skill guys our top WR and TE and number 2 RB. We should be even better there next year. There's a lot to be optimistic about for next season. 4-4 in conference was our ceiling for 15 seasons and now that's our floor and you want to fire the people responsible. I'm not saying we don't need to make some changes. We will definitely need some portal help on defense, especially on the DL and secondary. I'm not opposed to some coaching change but keeping our contributors and young guys out of the portal and getting reinforcements need to be the priority.
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Next season is "train in the tunnel" season.
 
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#55
#55
ToineMac said:
Nobody expected us to be a playoff team at the start of this season. Personally I thought 9-3 was our ceiling. We lost to 4 teams this year and none of them were the "How the hell did we lose to that team" games that we have had in the past couple years. Even the Vandy team we lost to if has an argument to be a playoff team. It is very frustrating to be so close and it not happen yet but I need everyone to see the vision. We have the youngest roster in conference. We have top 10 recruiting class. Entire O Line can come back plus we have played some of the young guys in significant snaps this year due to injury. We lose 3 skill guys our top WR and TE and number 2 RB. We should be even better there next year. There's a lot to be optimistic about for next season. 4-4 in conference was our ceiling for 15 seasons and now that's our floor and you want to fire the people responsible. I'm not saying we don't need to make some changes. We will definitely need some portal help on defense, especially on the DL and secondary. I'm not opposed to some coaching change but keeping our contributors and young guys out of the portal and getting reinforcements need to be the priority.
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Clueless af
 
#56
#56
Before the season started most on here had us losing 4 or 5 games. We lost to three teams most expected us to lose (Bama, Georgia and Oklahoma) and we beat one most thought we would lose to (Florida) and lost to one we normally would beat (Vandy).

I don't like the Vandy loss at all, but I watch enough to know this Vandy team was not the same team of the past.
 
#57
#57
BernardKingGOAT said:
15 years down the road, there will be several teams who won the national championship with at least 2 losses. Probably at least 1 with 3
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We had one last year that won with 2 losses. I would not be surprised to see that again this year.

There will be only one undefeated team this year when the playoffs start - that will be either OSU or Indiana.
 
#58
#58
BigOrangeTrain said:
Just stop it. Year 5 is no bridge season. There should never be a TN HC in year 5, getting absolutely donkey stomped at home against Vandy. I don’t care how good Vandy is
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The team is very young. Two veteran DB's out with a Freshman DB having to start. Bridge season.

You idiots have to realize now that NIL era is here, it's leveled the playing field.

You want to get out frustration, take it out on Nico leaving or Boo Carter acting like a 5 year old all year. Don't come in here with the "Muh Vandy" 🐂💩
 
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#59
#59
BernardKingGOAT said:
23 and 24 year old guys who have already graduated from college and are talented are easier to coach. They may not be as talented as our players overall but they have an understanding of how to play much better, even before they get to their final destination. That's the model on a smaller scale Heupel needs to follow. Lose a Thomas at safety. Go out and get a grad from a G5 or lower P4 who was damn good to replace the portal loss
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I’d agree. It’s the new era. Hopefully we see our staff learn and evolve this cycle.
 
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#61
#61
Orange_Vol1321 said:
The team is very young. Two veteran DB's out with a Freshman DB having to start. Bridge season.

You idiots have to realize now that NIL era is here, it's leveled the playing field.

You want to get out frustration, take it out on Nico leaving or Boo Carter acting like a 5 year old all year. Don't come in here with the "Muh Vandy" 🐂💩
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No it's not a bridge season. No one forced Heupel to roll with a young roster. Look at Vandy. They used the portal and used it well. Nothing stopped Heupel from diving in. It was his decision to participate and to what level. No, he created this roster and staff. No excuses. The results are on him.
 
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#62
#62
Orange_Vol1321 said:
The team is very young. Two veteran DB's out with a Freshman DB having to start. Bridge season.

You idiots have to realize now that NIL era is here, it's leveled the playing field.

You want to get out frustration, take it out on Nico leaving or Boo Carter acting like a 5 year old all year. Don't come in here with the "Muh Vandy" 🐂💩
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Nico leaving didn’t hurt this team in the least. Every team deals with unfortunate injuries yearly. Vandy averages a 50th class over the last 4 years. We average the 14th. He was right. No reason to be embarrassed the way we were.

It’s not like we just happened to play a great game but fell a little short. We played and coached an awful game and were embarrassed. We once again lacked the fundamentals. We made some baffling decisions as far as staff goes in the second half. This is more than just “we were beat by a good Vandy team”.
 
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#64
#64
CAVPUT said:
No it's not a bridge season. No one forced Heupel to roll with a young roster. Look at Vandy. They used the portal and used it well. Nothing stopped Heupel from diving in. It was his decision to participate and to what level. No, he created this roster and staff. No excuses. The results are on him.
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Exactly 💯
 
#65
#65
ToineMac said:
Nobody expected us to be a playoff team at the start of this season. Personally I thought 9-3 was our ceiling. We lost to 4 teams this year and none of them were the "How the hell did we lose to that team" games that we have had in the past couple years. Even the Vandy team we lost to if has an argument to be a playoff team. It is very frustrating to be so close and it not happen yet but I need everyone to see the vision. We have the youngest roster in conference. We have top 10 recruiting class. Entire O Line can come back plus we have played some of the young guys in significant snaps this year due to injury. We lose 3 skill guys our top WR and TE and number 2 RB. We should be even better there next year. There's a lot to be optimistic about for next season. 4-4 in conference was our ceiling for 15 seasons and now that's our floor and you want to fire the people responsible. I'm not saying we don't need to make some changes. We will definitely need some portal help on defense, especially on the DL and secondary. I'm not opposed to some coaching change but keeping our contributors and young guys out of the portal and getting reinforcements need to be the priority.
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You can believe that if you like. Zero reason for getting boat raced in Neyland by Vandy in year 5!!! Or any year for that matter
 
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#67
#67
StuckInBamaVol said:
We are in year five. There is no excuse for a bridge year and having no top 25 wins, pathetically winning the games vs unranked SEC teams like we did, and not finishing in the top 25.

Quit making excuses. Not being in the top 25 ending the year is pathetic.

Call those teams iffy if you want, did they finish in the top 25?

No one says be great every year, let’s just try not to look like a **** show like we did.
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TBF-our schedule this year was a mess

We either played garbage teams or teams who will finish inside the T10 (assuming Vandy wins their bowl game).

Missing were the matchups vs #24 because that is simply the way the schedule played out.

Syracuse was expected to be much better than they turned out to be. Ditto Arky and Florida as I expected both to be in bowl games or on the cusp of it anyway.

We either played orphanages or top flight teams with no in betweens. Schedule has been set for years. Not like we planned things this way

In the end, you can only play who is on your schedule and we didn't get a choice in the SEC part.
 
#68
#68
It wasn't a bridge season until Nico left. Our hope for 2025 to be an elite year always depended on Nico becoming the elite QB he was recruited to be, but he never did and then he left. Our preseason over/under win total was 8.5 for a reason. It was always as likely we won 8 as 9 in the eyes of those who put their money where their mouth is.
 
#69
#69
ToineMac said:
Nobody expected us to be a playoff team at the start of this season. Personally I thought 9-3 was our ceiling. We lost to 4 teams this year and none of them were the "How the hell did we lose to that team" games that we have had in the past couple years. Even the Vandy team we lost to if has an argument to be a playoff team. It is very frustrating to be so close and it not happen yet but I need everyone to see the vision. We have the youngest roster in conference. We have top 10 recruiting class. Entire O Line can come back plus we have played some of the young guys in significant snaps this year due to injury. We lose 3 skill guys our top WR and TE and number 2 RB. We should be even better there next year. There's a lot to be optimistic about for next season. 4-4 in conference was our ceiling for 15 seasons and now that's our floor and you want to fire the people responsible. I'm not saying we don't need to make some changes. We will definitely need some portal help on defense, especially on the DL and secondary. I'm not opposed to some coaching change but keeping our contributors and young guys out of the portal and getting reinforcements need to be the priority.
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Situations and expectations change. Period.
 
#70
#70
stolitonic said:
TBF-our schedule this year was a mess

We either played garbage teams or teams who will finish inside the T10 (assuming Vandy wins their bowl game).

Missing were the matchups vs #24 because that is simply the way the schedule played out.

Syracuse was expected to be much better than they turned out to be. Ditto Arky and Florida as I expected both to be in bowl games or on the cusp of it anyway.

We either played orphanages or top flight teams with no in betweens. Schedule has been set for years. Not like we planned things this way

In the end, you can only play who is on your schedule and we didn't get a choice in the SEC part.
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And we struggled with the orphanages, so what makes you think we would’ve beaten the malnourished kids?
 
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#71
#71
volfan102455 said:
That is slowly changing for teams in the SEC. Bama and Georgia are NOT breezing through the SEC anymore dominating every team they play - games are closer.
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But they're still winning, making the SECCG and playoffs. The more things change, the more they remain the same.
 
#72
#72
stolitonic said:
TBF-our schedule this year was a mess

We either played garbage teams or teams who will finish inside the T10 (assuming Vandy wins their bowl game).

Missing were the matchups vs #24 because that is simply the way the schedule played out.

Syracuse was expected to be much better than they turned out to be. Ditto Arky and Florida as I expected both to be in bowl games or on the cusp of it anyway.

We either played orphanages or top flight teams with no in betweens. Schedule has been set for years. Not like we planned things this way

In the end, you can only play who is on your schedule and we didn't get a choice in the SEC part.
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And against the orphanages (at least the SEC ones), we looked like trash and just about gave the games away.

Our one win against a winning team was ETSU. Let that sink in.

A few injuries, a bonehead, and a transfer (which we ended up coming out ahead on that one anyway) does not a “bridge year” make. It’s on the head guy to make sure we have players along the chain of development that can contribute. It’s on the coaches to identify and develop the players and that’s really starting to show itself as a major issue on the defensive side of the ball. Outside of Redmond being thrown to the fire and being serviceable and a select few others, who on the defensive side of the ball showed anything more than a highlight reel set to the Benny Hill theme song?
 
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#73
#73
stolitonic said:
TBF-our schedule this year was a mess

We either played garbage teams or teams who will finish inside the T10 (assuming Vandy wins their bowl game).

Missing were the matchups vs #24 because that is simply the way the schedule played out.

Syracuse was expected to be much better than they turned out to be. Ditto Arky and Florida as I expected both to be in bowl games or on the cusp of it anyway.

We either played orphanages or top flight teams with no in betweens. Schedule has been set for years. Not like we planned things this way

In the end, you can only play who is on your schedule and we didn't get a choice in the SEC part.
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Those we do play, we played bad. Thats the problem. Every SEC game, outside Florida, we were ass.
 
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#74
#74
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
No one has more to lose when UT sucks than Josh Heupel and no one deserves more heat than him but I'm trying to explain what actually happened and you're calling it excuses.

It's reality. We were picked by most people to be a 9-3 team and we are an 8-4 team.

It's been discussed that we were a couple of plays away from some wins (and, to be fair, some losses) this year.

You're acting like we were 4-8.
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No one expected to have every game, outside of Florida, to be close.

I’m not saying fire him, I’m saying fire Banks.
 
#75
#75
Orange931 said:
I’m starting to believe some of you think it takes 10 years for a coach to “get his system in place and his players”. Excuse after excuse just because you wanna take the “safe route” of not having to search for another coach. We all want Heup to miraculously turn us into a well oiled machine, but the outlook just doesn’t look good.
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Why would we need to think it takes 10 years?

Tennessee's offense was just fine in year 2 .... Hooker was a Heisman candidate until the South Carolina game and Hyatt won the Biletnikoff. Tennessee led the nation in scoring offense.
 
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