Turned a corner I think

[Kinglberry]

I'm not going to read through hundreds of pages to see if any one else has already said this, so if I'm not the first to express this observation, my apologies.

I've been watching this team for years now, as many of you have. With so many opportunities to see failure this past decade, looking for reasons, seeing many of them, sometimes you can overlook some and not really give them enough relevance. What I saw Saturday took time to realize at first, then admire it as I recognized it and feel it just like CJP. I was sitting here, down a bit, frustrated reading the boards and much negativity, watching this team journey to another loss. During the third quarter, this team seemed to change. It happened when the Georgia player came in and did the unsportsmanlike penalty. After that, the guys looked to be standing taller, not confident like they were going to win like Georgia, but pissed off finally that they weren't gonna take it anymore. This team hasn't shown any real fight in years, they get a little up in wins, but I've never really seen passion like I watched yesterday. It was just a start and hasn't fully grown yet, but they changed. Deciding that enough was enough. If we're going to lose, fine, but it won't be because we didn't fight back. I saw a team defense, with a few exceptions, that was trying with strip and generate that turnover to flip the game, I saw an attitude on offense that just because we aren't as talented, we aren't going to give in. They made me hopeful for the future, moreso than I've been. I can understand the emotions by coach, it's wonderful to finally see the beginnings of that occur. I believe it will spread and grow stronger as the season elapses. It may not get the victory we all want, but it has, I believe, truly began the climb back. Chip on the shoulder, playing with determination and anger, hitting back instead of circling and jabbing. This is a team that will start being fun to watch again.

 

[Hacksaw]

Maybe.

Or maybe UGA felt like they had the game in-hand and took their foot off the gas a little bit, before realizing they needed to finish strong and quickly and easily scoring the last 2 TDs of the game.

 

[Vol-a-Roo]

I think there are several of us VFL that saw that same change yesterday. It is the most fight I've seen in a UT football team in years and it makes me more hopeful that we are finally making our way out of the long, cold, darkness that has enveloped our beloved program for the past 15 years.

 

[tbones0711]

Well this time last year the deal was when are we going to score an offensive td or was for a long time after the UF game. When I see UT getting good push from both lines I feel we have turned the corner. It has been stated repeatedly probably since football began being analyzed that the game is won-lost in the trenches. I'm certain that CJP wants to establish a power run game and it's not happening yet. We need to be big,strong and deep. We currently aren't near that. While, in you case, the heart and desire are starting to show we need to go out and get more material. Good post and Go Vols!!!

 

[volfannbama]

Are we officially moral victory u?

I liked the fight they showed, but its.meaningless unless it turns into results.

 

[Vol-a-Roo]

Maybe.

Or maybe UGA felt like they had the game in-hand and took their foot off the gas a little bit, before realizing they needed to finish strong and quickly and easily scoring the last 2 TDs of the game.

I don't think for a minute that GA would ease up on us or any team for that matter. They are trying to prove themselves to be the best team in the country. BAMA wouldn't ease up so what makes you think GA would.[/QUOTE]

 

[Wrangler95]

I liked their fight yesterday,the score was 24 to 12 with less than 4 minutes to go!

 

[VolInNW]

Are we officially moral victory u?

I liked the fight they showed, but its.meaningless unless it turns into results.

Disagree. Not claiming a moral victory. Just progress. When you’re rebuilding a program you become a farmer, not a hunter. You work with your team and fix it from the inside. A lot of the progress is not measured in Ws right away. I saw improvement yesterday. And that can grow into Ws pretty darned quickly if the coach stays on it.

Not saying Pruitt will be able to pull it off, but we already had the splashy approach to a rebuild with PT Barnum Jones. There was no foundation to his splash.

I like Pruitt’s approach so far. Time will tell.

 

[volfannbama]

Disagree. Not claiming a moral victory. Just progress. When you’re rebuilding a program you become a farmer, not a hunter. You work with your team and fix it from the inside. A lot of the progress is not measured in Ws right away. I saw improvement yesterday. And that can grow into Ws pretty darned quickly if the coach stays on it.

Not saying Pruitt will be able to pull it off, but we already had the splashy approach to a rebuild with PT Barnum Jones. There was no foundation to his splash.

I like Pruitt’s approach so far. Time will tell.

Besides the fight, the only actual progress I saw yesterday was the dline, but yeah at least thats something.

 

[IPleadInsanity]

They met my expectations yesterday. Just be mildly competitive and show improvement.

 

[Johnnyreb#VFL]

I like it OP.

If nothing else, those boys PROVED they belonged on the same field as Georgia (second best team in the nation, maybe the best). Could not say that last year.

 

[IN Jed]

As I stated yesterday, it was great to see this team fight. I fear it was a false confidence because up until crunch time, UGA was fighting with one hand tied behind their back and we saw what happened to put the game out of reach.

Hoping for continued progress against Auburn and even more the next week.

 

[lifeVol]

CJP saw it too. That is what he's been trying to create in this bunch. I think it made him proud to see it. Its just a seed but it has a chance to grow now rather than the withering of the CBJ era.

 

[Hacksaw]

I don't think for a minute that GA would ease up on us or any team for that matter. They are trying to prove themselves to be the best team in the country. BAMA wouldn't ease up so what makes you think GA would.

Happens all the time. And it's a lot more likely than the team suddenly having some miraculous transformation. I liked the way we showed some fight and didn't quit. But when the chips were down, this same team of fighters gave up two quick TDs late in the game.

Oh, and Georgia isn't Bama.

 

[ConantheVolbarian]

Happens all the time. And it's a lot more likely than the team suddenly having some miraculous transformation. I liked the way we showed some fight and didn't quit. But when the chips were down, this same team of fighters gave up two quick TDs late in the game.

Oh, and Georgia isn't Bama.

Oh ST##. It must be miserable to be so negative about everything. Tennessee was supposed to lose this game by 31 or more points. After a disastrous game against Florida where nothing went right, this same team went on the road to face the #2 team in the nation and was only down 12 points late in the game.

Do you get that? Being down only 12 points is a lot better than being down 30 or 40 points. Spare me the BS about there being no such thing as moral victories. The Vols weren't expected to be in the game in the 4th qtr yesterday, but they were.

It takes effort to be as negative as half of this fanbase is. Last week it was "oh Florida is terrible and we are even worse." Now that Florida went to MSU and won and Tennessee played better against Georgia, the Negavols are saying they are overrated and aren't worthy of being #2. Now there's some mental gymnastics!

Oh, and one last thing...... One of those last tds "when the chips were down" came off our only turnover of the game. And let's not pretend that their first touchdown wasn't a fluke either. Despite all that, Tennessee was the first team to hold Georgia under 40 points this season and should have held them to 31. But no... That's not something to build on for a team that got shutout by Ga 41-0 last year and went winless in SEC play.. Oh! And they also went over a month without scoring an offensive touchdown... But no... We haven't seen any improvement. *sarcasm.*

 

[Kinglberry]

Well this time last year the deal was when are we going to score an offensive td or was for a long time after the UF game. When I see UT getting good push from both lines I feel we have turned the corner. It has been stated repeatedly probably since football began being analyzed that the game is won-lost in the trenches. I'm certain that CJP wants to establish a power run game and it's not happening yet. We need to be big,strong and deep. We currently aren't near that. While, in you case, the heart and desire are starting to show we need to go out and get more material. Good post and Go Vols!!!

Agreed, definitely need the roster flip.

 

[Kinglberry]

Ex

CJP saw it too. That is what he's been trying to create in this bunch. I think it made him proud to see it. Its just a seed but it has a chance to grow now rather than the withering of the CBJ era.

Exactly

 

[McDad]

Are we officially moral victory u?

I liked the fight they showed, but its.meaningless unless it turns into results.

True. But the odds we are beating UGA were very small. This team could have easily mailed it in. But they didnt.
Still, to your point, this season will be disheartening.

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

I mumbled something like that the other day. I had been watching the panthers play and Cam took a bac hit and his RB jumped all over the offender. I said I would like to see the team be as protective of our QB. I saw they tried harder to protect him. We are improving but it will happen on their schedule not ours.

 

[RollerVol]

I happened to see some fire in some eyes that hasn't been there in a while...the glow felt good...can't wait for it to turn into a bonfire...

GO VOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[The Original Fade]

Maybe.

Or maybe UGA felt like they had the game in-hand and took their foot off the gas a little bit, before realizing they needed to finish strong and quickly and easily scoring the last 2 TDs of the game.

In the playoff era no team considered a contender can afford to ease up.

 

[The Original Fade]

BTW, I bet Georgia loses twice this year. Their Oline allows way too much pressure on Fromm. That’s a problem

 

[Alto1]

Maybe.

Or maybe UGA felt like they had the game in-hand and took their foot off the gas a little bit, before realizing they needed to finish strong and quickly and easily scoring the last 2 TDs of the game.

Yea right! Lol
Kirby doesn’t take his foot of the gas.

 

[Hacksaw]

Oh ST##. It must be miserable to be so negative about everything. Tennessee was supposed to lose this game by 31 or more points. After a disastrous game against Florida where nothing went right, this same team went on the road to face the #2 team in the nation and was only down 12 points late in the game.

Do you get that? Being down only 12 points is a lot better than being down 30 or 40 points. Spare me the BS about there being no such thing as moral victories. The Vols weren't expected to be in the game in the 4th qtr yesterday, but they were.

It takes effort to be as negative as half of this fanbase is. Last week it was "oh Florida is terrible and we are even worse." Now that Florida went to MSU and won and Tennessee played better against Georgia, the Negavols are saying they are overrated and aren't worthy of being #2. Now there's some mental gymnastics!

Oh, and one last thing...... One of those last tds "when the chips were down" came off our only turnover of the game. And let's not pretend that their first touchdown wasn't a fluke either. Despite all that, Tennessee was the first team to hold Georgia under 40 points this season and should have held them to 31. But no... That's not something to build on for a team that got shutout by Ga 41-0 last year and went winless in SEC play.. Oh! And they also went over a month without scoring an offensive touchdown... But no... We haven't seen any improvement. *sarcasm.*

Dude, grab hold of the reins!

I am on record saying that I have seen improvements so far this season -- I will provide links if you don't believe me. I'm certainly not "negative about everything" (although if I was, I guess it would be a lot easier to dismiss me). I've been accused of being both a negavol and a sunshine pumper. I take that as a good indicator that I am a pretty reasonable fan. And I didn't say OP is wrong in his assessment, just that there is another plausible explanation.

 

[KBVol]

I liked their fight yesterday,the score was 24 to 12 with less than 4 minutes to go!

A bit misleading. With 4 minutes to play, Georgia had just run the 12th play of a 75 yard, 7:39 minute, soul-crushing drive that extended the lead to 19 points. They scored 1 play later, and then for good measure, again a minute or 2 later after the 1 billionth fumble of Jeremy Banks’ very young career. To act as though Tennessee ever actually threatened Georgia in a manner that made the outcome ever in doubt is a bit disingenuous.