Toughest Games 2015

#101
#101
KBVol said:
With all due respect, how is McElwain "their Dooley"? The guy was the OC for some of those Alabama NC teams and then went to Colorado State and really improved that program significantly.....4-8 to 8-6 to 10-2. Dooley never did shiite anywhere....he was a losing head coach before coming to Tennessee and doing everything he possibly could to completely wreck our program. I hope you're right, even though it likely doesn't matter for our head to head games, but I just dont see the comparison.

Btw, I definitely agree with your stance on the Florida game. LOL at anybody who says we should beat Florida after 10 straight losses....it just never happens no matter what.
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Mac is more Jones than Dooley. Everything he does is a carbon copy of Jones first year here.
 
#102
#102
ChismsHeadband said:
Here's how I see it...

First four games of the season: 2 gimmes, 2 contests, 4-0
v. Bowling Green W 100%
Oklahoma W 65%: New OC and completely reshuffled staff. Still have QB woes, starting either incumbent mediocre Trevor Knight or a hyped up RSFr. Still lots of talent at RB, but question marks at WR and CB.
Western Carolina W 100%
@Florida W 75%: Obvious new staff. Obvious OL woes, which our DL should be taking advantage of from the get-go. It might look like 2013, only in reverse, and Dobbs should play a lot better. Just please avoid injury against that defense.

Second third of the season: Grind of the SEC: 3 proving games, and Kentucky.. 2-2
Arkansas L 50%: Literally a toss-up to me. Very contrasting styles of play. We can boast star talent all day, both us and Arkansas finished the season extremely impressively. And they did it in a loaded SECw. I don't understand all the disrespect they get on this board. Conservative sake, I pencil it in as a loss.
Georgia W 70%: Revenge game. Rowdy atmosphere. They have a first-year QB and a new OC. While they do return 4 OL starters, and they have Chubb at RB, I feel like the reason we always play them close is because Richt calls predictable games. Last year, Gurley ran all over us and we were still in it. They'll feed Chubb, we'll take shots on the chin, but I still feel good about this one. Particularly if we're coming off a loss to Arkansas.
Beautifully-timed BYE Week
@Alabama L 50%: Another toss-up to me. They've lost 3 OL starters, their star WR, a starting RB, and their QB. I know they're stacked on stacked on stacked, but that's a ton of production to replace, and I think Amare Cooper will be the toughest piece for them to replace. Worth mentioning that while we're coming off a BYE, their previous three weeks leading up to our match-up is as follows: @UGA, Arky, @A&M (then us, then their BYE). The more I look at this one, the more I like our chances, but I'm still calling a loss, merely to temper my own expectations.
@Kentucky W 80%: They might be a little tougher of an out, but they're still losing. No way we drop this one.

Last four games, the home stretch: 2 gimmes, and 2 that can't be overlooked, 3-1.
South Carolina W 80%: They lose a lot, have to replace a lot. They should be more balanced than last year-- their offense will be knocked down a notch with a new, unfamiliar QB; and their defense can't get any worse. We still make enough plays to beat them without heading to OT. Butch 3-0 against Spurrier.
North Texas W 100%
@Missouri L 50%: They're another underrated team. They lost their two star DE's two years ago and went to the SECCG last year. They return an established QB in Mauk and a proved coach and system with Pinkel. If this were a home game, it'd be different, but I'm calling another loss.
Vanderbilt W 85%: They always play us tough, like it or not. We'll win by 2 TD's, but probably not much more.

This makes us 9-3, 5-3 in the SEC, 5-1 in the division. Maybe, maybe not enough to get us to the SECCG (remember, we went to the SECCG in 2007 with 9 wins). Most importantly, the East is wide open, and we'll have more than a puncher's chance in every game, provided there are no critical injuries.

Next year has the potential to be one of the most memorable non-championship years in all of Big Orange history. There's already so much to like about this team-- the players, the coaching personnel, the mindset, the rejuvenation of our identity. It's gonna be a good one.
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I agree with most of this but I feel we are slightly underating Oklahoma. Esp on the WR part. They have Shepard and Westbrook plus Andrews at TE. Also they only have a problem on 1 CB. Sanchez is proven and will make plays. He will get an Int (if not banged up like last year) the let a 20 yard gain happen. He is the perfect example of a riverboat gambler. Their safety play did look good, but it was only a spring game. This will be a hard game so more like 55% than 65%.
 
#103
#103
KBVol said:
Agree with your analysis 100%.

9-3 is what "should happen" imo. 8-4 is the floor...10-2 or better is a special season.
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You've still got the critics saying even if we go 9-3, that unless Florida is one of those wins the hype will supposedly be lost.
 
#104
#104
Coug said:
You've still got thcritics saying even if we go 9-3, that unless Florida is one of those wins the hype will supposedly be lost.
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I'm definitely not one of those guys. 9-3 with a shot at 10 wins after the bowl game would be a very good year imo. Plus, I fully expect to lose to Florida again no matter what....of course, anyone who's read my horribly cynical posts regarding the Florida game knew this already.
 
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#105
#105
Coug said:
schedule.jpg


Oklahoma
Georgia
Alabama
Missouri

Looking at our schedule I think these will be our hardest games. Florida and Arkansas I think we can and probably will win. AT Alabama and AT Missouri are going to be difficult but I could see us adding Missouri to the win column this year. Right now the talking heads don't like our odds in the Missouri game. Georgia being a home game is going to be yet another rowdy, electric environment. We SHOULD easily go 8-4, possibly 10-2 regular season.
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Think these are the toughest in order

Ala
Ark
GA
Mizzou
OU

Arky will be a team we match up badly with. Oklahoma will be in the 20-25 ranking range. Good chance Ala, Ark, GA and Mizzou are all ranked ahead of them atleast based of a lot of these preseason polls. But TN,OU, Mizzou, Ark will all be fairly close in the preseason rankings.
 
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#106
#106
KBVol said:
I'm definitely not one of those guys. 9-3 with a shot at 10 wins after the bowl game would be a very good year imo. Plus, I fully expect to lose to Florida again no matter what....of course, anyone who's read my horribly cynical posts regarding the Florida game knew this already.
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I agree. I count UF,Ala, Mizzou and GA as losses until we prove we can beat them.I can see us anywhere from 6-6 to 9-3 or 10-2. I'm optimistic but Butch still has to prove he can beat teams besides UK, Vandy, SCE and bad OOC teams. But won't take long this season to prove he can coach as well as he does everything else. And I honestly think he can but still has to be proven.
 
#107
#107
jasonvol18 said:
Think these are the toughest in order

Ala
Ark
GA
Mizzou
OU

Army will be a team we match up badly with. Oklahoma will be in the 20-25 ranking range. Good chance Ala, Ark, GA and Mizzou are all ranked ahead of them atleast based of a lot of these preseason polls. But TN,OU, Mizzou, Ark will all be fairly close in the preseason rankings.
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I guess ARMY is just an exhibition game. haha
 
#113
#113
KBVol said:
I'm definitely not one of those guys. 9-3 with a shot at 10 wins after the bowl game would be a very good year imo. Plus, I fully expect to lose to Florida again no matter what....of course, anyone who's read my horribly cynical posts regarding the Florida game knew this already.
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Florida will be one of those wins, trust me. :)
 
#116
#116
1. at Alabama - unlikely we win this game unless Dobbs has a Manzeil type performance in Tuscaloosa.
2. at Missouri - people need to stop discounting them. I think this late november game in Columbia will decide who wins the SEC East.
3. vs. Arkansas - tough rugged team that will be our toughest matchup at home
4. vs. Georgia - still extremely talented but once again missing that final piece to make them a contender. I think we handle them but it'll be a battle.

I got us winning every other game on the schedule. Oklahoma is a shell of what they used to be. We'll blow them out in Neyland. Florida is rebuilding with a new coach and QB. We go into the swamp and dominate them. The rest of the schedule should be a cakewalk though South Carolina and Kentucky will be formidable. 10-2 is my final prediction. We'll split the Arkansas/Georgia games at home, lose to Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and win at Columbia over Missouri take home the SEC East title.
 
#119
#119
Bama is only game I don't see us being quite there yet for.. every other game is winnable and I see us at 10-2 when it is all said and done. That has been my number since jan
 
#121
#121
I think we've got a hell of a lot better chance with Dobbs at the wheel instead of keep it too long Worley.
 
#122
#122
Coug said:
I think we've got a hell of a lot better chance with Dobbs at the wheel instead of keep it too long Worley.
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I really do not see why comments like this are needed...it makes me ashamed to be associated with people that feel the need to take jabs at players who gave all they had and represented the university very well.
 
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#123
#123
ImportedVoL said:
I really do not see why comments like this are needed...it makes me ashamed to be associated with people that feel the need to take jabs at players who gave all they had and represented the university very well.
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After that comment, I watched Jws highlights on youtube.
He actually released in under the standard 3 count on each play shown. By the new standards, Peyton would fall into the statue description. Looking back, Justin was just a pocket passer with no pocket. :unsure:
 
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#124
#124
ItsAllVols said:
Need to consider the following

@Bama - They are the reason Sutton is working at nickel position, so he can move him to a receiver and not a side.

@Florida - New coaching staff

Oklahoma - New offensive coach

UGA - New QB and Offensive coach

Ark - New offensive coach

Of course we have a new Offensive coach also, but to his credit the players say he didn't change much.
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Some of us here in Arkansas are encouraged by our new offensive coach, as we expect him to challenge our QB to open up the passing game (within Bielema's limits, of course). That starting QB has been beat up, and could go down at any time, and that's a concern, as our backup has had limited playing time. You have recruited better than we probably ever will. Our O-Line is strong, our RB's are tough, and I hope we can slow the game down and wear out your defense. What worries me is your potential to score explosively, as we are not built for that. The 3 we lost to the NFL on defense are my biggest concern this season, as they were a big reason we were so strong in November. AND we have not won an away SEC game in forever, so I'm counting on this one being a tough fight.
 
#125
#125
hawgball said:
Some of us here in Arkansas are encouraged by our new offensive coach, as we expect him to challenge our QB to open up the passing game (within Bielema's limits, of course). That starting QB has been beat up, and could go down at any time, and that's a concern, as our backup has had limited playing time. You have recruited better than we probably ever will. Our O-Line is strong, our RB's are tough, and I hope we can slow the game down and wear out your defense. What worries me is your potential to score explosively, as we are not built for that. The 3 we lost to the NFL on defense are my biggest concern this season, as they were a big reason we were so strong in November. AND we have not won an away SEC game in forever, so I'm counting on this one being a tough fight.
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I think Arky is UTs 2nd toughest game behind Bama.
 
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