Utah State opens as early Vegas favorite @Tennessee

#276
#276
Jeepkuntry said:
I hope we continue to be the underdog. This will make em hungry. I expect a tight game, with us getting the W late.
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Does anyone really think this kind of stuff motivates Division One college athletes?

If it takes:

1. Being a 2 point dog at home to a team that has roughly 1/4 your budget...

2. Against a team of guys that could mostly only dream about making it to the SEC...

to get your guys motivated...

then I would say that I like Utah State's chances in the game.

Further, I would say that however motivated they are on the day of the game isn't really going to matter.

What will matter is how motivated and focused they have been all winter.
 
#277
#277
ag4fr said:
Does anyone really think this kind of stuff motivates Division One college athletes?

If it takes:

1. Being a 2 point dog at home to a team that has roughly 1/4 your budget...

2. Against a team of guys that could mostly only dream about making it to the SEC...

to get your guys motivated...

then I would say that I like Utah State's chances in the game.

Further, I would say that however motivated they are on the day of the game isn't really going to matter.

What will matter is how motivated and focused they have been all winter.
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I think for the right team the "chip on the shoulder" mentality can create something extra in a game. But in this particular game, I hope Jones does not repeat the mistake I believe he made vs Vandy. He had the more talented team and for sure did when their whole starting secondary was out. But he publicly stated that he thought they had to "manage" the game to win it. IMHO... what they really needed to do is go in with a bad "we gonna smack 'em around" attitude.

I think the correct psychology in that game would have been to act as if Vandy needed to play way over their heads to win.
 
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#278
#278
sjt18 said:
I think for the right team the "chip on the shoulder" mentality can create something extra in a game. But in this particular game, I hope Jones does not repeat the mistake I believe he made vs Vandy. He had the more talented team and for sure did when their whole starting secondary was out. But he publicly stated that he thought they had to "manage" the game to win it. IMHO... what they really needed to do is go in with a bad "we gonna smack 'em around" attitude.

I think the correct psychology in that game would have been to act as if Vandy needed to play way over their heads to win.
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Utah State is clearly the underdog in this game.

Regardless of what a few pointy-headed statisticians in Las Vegas say, we are the underdogs in this game with everything to prove and nothing to lose.

It's P5 vs. G5. It's SEC vs. Nobody. It's huge program vs. small-time.

This is how it will play out.
 
#279
#279
1982Alum said:
We are a 6-6 team at best right now and frankly this game looks like a loss. We have too many holes and a talented freshman class does not equate to great things in the SEC. We are on the right track with Butch but we need more than one class to get better and stay better. Plus we actually need a QB who can run or pass (or both) consistently. Oh, and an offensive line that can run block AND pass block and a defensive secondary that doesn't resemble a sieve.
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Really? I mean we haven't even started spring practice and a game against an overachieving school the last couple of years is an automatic loss. We have way too many debbie downer fans. I expect we will be better in a lot of positions this year including defensive line. The only drop off I see will be in the O-line. But then again, the current personnel may be a better fit for what Butch is trying to run than the power blocking group that just left. Talent and coaching along with a rocking stadium will get the Vols a victory. I would even suggest it will be a 10 point win 31-21.
 
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#280
#280
ag4fr said:
Does anyone really think this kind of stuff motivates Division One college athletes?

If it takes:

1. Being a 2 point dog at home to a team that has roughly 1/4 your budget...

2. Against a team of guys that could mostly only dream about making it to the SEC...

to get your guys motivated...

then I would say that I like Utah State's chances in the game.

Further, I would say that however motivated they are on the day of the game isn't really going to matter.

What will matter is how motivated and focused they have been all winter.
Click to expand...

I like when fans take what other fans say as to how the team is feeling. Last I checked fans don't play the game. Enjoy the trip to Knoxville, but your team will be leaving with a loss. Believe that playa.
 
#281
#281
Uhhh... UT fans were saying this is big motivation for yiour team. I havevno idea whether it really is, or not.

But mostly ii dont think D1college athletes really pay all that much attention or can really crank their game up or down on ganeday.

Either UTs superior athletes will be physically and mentally prepared for the game, or they will not.
 
#282
#282
ag4fr said:
Either UTs superior athletes will be physically and mentally prepared for the game, or they will not.
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Way to go out on a limb, Nostradamus. Next will you tell us that UT may score more points that Utah State or they may not?
 
#283
#283
ag4fr said:
Uhhh... UT fans were saying this is big motivation for yiour team. I havevno idea whether it really is, or not.

But mostly ii dont think D1college athletes really pay all that much attention or can really crank their game up or down on ganeday.

Either UTs superior athletes will be physically and mentally prepared for the game, or they will not.
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Pedigo'd. :blink:
 
#284
#284
GreveHaller said:
Way to go out on a limb, Nostradamus. Next will you tell us that UT may score more points that Utah State or they may not?
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Come on guys. I know you are UT fans, but take off the Dan'l Boone coon skin caps and put on your logic and reasoning hats and think about the subject of the thread...

Boys in Vegas are saying you won't be prepared.
 
#285
#285
sanddune50 said:
Really? I mean we haven't even started spring practice and a game against an overachieving school the last couple of years is an automatic loss. We have way too many debbie downer fans. I expect we will be better in a lot of positions this year including defensive line. The only drop off I see will be in the O-line. But then again, the current personnel may be a better fit for what Butch is trying to run than the power blocking group that just left. Talent and coaching along with a rocking stadium will get the Vols a victory. I would even suggest it will be a 10 point win 31-21.
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I am positive on the OL for several reasons. One, it is a talented group. Perhaps not the athletes UT had last year but still talented. Two, they are mature. They are not being asked to start as Fr without a chance to develop and learn behind other good OL's. Three, they'll have a good year in the system with the benefit of having watched the mistakes of others. Four, and most importantly, they're meaner than the guys they replace.

Given the choice between a "mean" OL with a little less talent and an highly athletic OL that isn't mean... I will take the mean guy every time.

IMO, UT's OL will be a surprise to most observers.
 
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#286
#286
ag4fr said:
Uhhh... UT fans were saying this is big motivation for yiour team. I havevno idea whether it really is, or not.

But mostly ii dont think D1college athletes really pay all that much attention or can really crank their game up or down on ganeday.

Either UTs superior athletes will be physically and mentally prepared for the game, or they will not.
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It won't come down to players. UT has the better athletes. There should be no shortage of motivation or even the slightest chance they overlook USU.

If UT loses, it will be because of coaching. I am NOT predicting the end of Jones' career at UT if he loses to USU... but he shouldn't and I suspect many who are currently on board with him will take a couple of steps back if he does.
 
#287
#287
ag4fr said:
Come on guys. I know you are UT fans, but take off the Dan'l Boone coon skin caps and put on your logic and reasoning hats and think about the subject of the thread...

Boys in Vegas are saying you won't be prepared.
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It's not the Dan'l Boone coon skin caps. It's the fact that most of us that have ever played a sport past 8th grade realize your post is horribly wrong. To say players don't get up for certain games more than others tells me you haven't participated in many athletic endeavors. So I suggest you take your Joseph Smith polygamy cap off and not talk in absolutes about the mentality of players in a sport you are obviously not very familiar with.
 
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#288
#288
sanddune50 said:
It's not the Dan'l Boone coon skin caps. It's the fact that most of us that have ever played a sport past 8th grade realize your post is horribly wrong. To say players don't get up for certain games more than others tells me you haven't participated in many athletic endeavors. So I suggest you take your Joseph Smith polygamy cap off and not talk in absolutes about the mentality of players in a sport you are obviously not very familiar with.
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Polygamists didn't wear hats, they grew beards.
 
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#289
#289
ag4fr said:
Come on guys. I know you are UT fans, but take off the Dan'l Boone coon skin caps and put on your logic and reasoning hats and think about the subject of the thread...

Boys in Vegas are saying you won't be prepared.
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Davy Crockett duma$$
 
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#290
#290
sanddune50 said:
It's not the Dan'l Boone coon skin caps. It's the fact that most of us that have ever played a sport past 8th grade realize your post is horribly wrong. To say players don't get up for certain games more than others tells me you haven't participated in many athletic endeavors. So I suggest you take your Joseph Smith polygamy cap off and not talk in absolutes about the mentality of players in a sport you are obviously not very familiar with.
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LOL! Thanks for the polygamy reference.

Sorry Bubba. This is not high school sports anymore.

This is college football. These are highly skilled and trained athletes. These are not a bunch of kids from the neighborhood that, given the right pep talk, are going to run onto the field looking for blood.

If your coach can't get D1 SEC level athletes prepared and "up" to play a home opener against a Mountain West conference foe, you need to be looking for another coach.

The guys in Vegas are not putting a lot of stock in your 5* and 4* guys against our 2* and 3* guys.

Read into that whatever you like.
 
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#292
#292
ag4fr said:
Come on guys. I know you are UT fans, but take off the Dan'l Boone coon skin caps and put on your logic and reasoning hats and think about the subject of the thread...

Boys in Vegas are saying you won't be prepared.
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The betting lines in Vegas are based off last year and multiple media reports that UT will struggle again this fall. They are based, as always, on perceptions that may or may not be true going into a season.

They aren't based off of any serious comparison of the rosters. The "educated" bettors MIGHT be betting on Wells over Jones... because that IS your game. If Wells is THAT great of a coach then he gives his team a chance at Neyland against a team that will be more talented at almost every position.
 
#293
#293
Vegas may well end up revising the line seriously. I've been peeking into the USU site off and on. Seems like they're having some real coaching and player shake ups there. Not sure how serious because I only skim stuff and not read with more than passing interest. But seems like they're losing players, maybe due to certain coaches being hired away. Seems like multi-coaching changes in key positional duties. This is where Butch's unified and long time together staff is an advantage. Seems to be just a lot of changes just as spring training is approaching. Also it seems we're both fielding a number of inexperienced offensive and defensive players. The advantage for us may be that our new talent is higher rated and we have a significant number of early enrollees who will make a difference. Plus a lot of our 2013 players are now in their 2nd year with the system and some even saw limited PT already. We may be facing a somewhat depleted and less prepared USU team, which I think sucks if true. Would rather have them full strength so we can see the progress of our team as a battle unit. We certainly don't need another SAB game performance, so being seriously battle tested is to our benefit.
 
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#294
#294
ag4fr said:
LOL! Thanks for the polygamy reference.

Sorry Bubba. This is not high school sports anymore.

This is college football. These are highly skilled and trained athletes. These are not a bunch of kids from the neighborhood that, given the right pep talk, are going to run onto the field looking for blood.

If your coach can't get D1 SEC level athletes prepared and "up" to play a home opener against a Mountain West conference foe, you need to be looking for another coach.

The guys in Vegas are not putting a lot of stock in your 5* and 4* guys against our 2* and 3* guys.

Read into that whatever you like.
Click to expand...

If you don't think the line will be in UT's favor by game time, you're kidding yourself.
 
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#296
#296
BeecherVol said:
Gonna be a tighter game than most think.
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Possibly. Or could be like the NC State and Cincinnati games. Both of those teams were favored against the Vols by quite a few analysts. Many fans said those games would be very tight and wondered on the boards if UT could even win against them.

IMO, I think UT will positively surprise a few teams, analysts and fans this season.
 
#297
#297
VOLinCO said:
Possibly. Or could be like the NC State and Cincinnati games. Both of those teams were favored against the Vols by quite a few analysts. Many fans said those games would be very tight and wondered on the boards if UT could even win against them.

IMO, I think UT will positively surprise a few teams, analysts and fans this season.
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Also seemed like a lot if people thought the Western Kentucky game last year was going to be close.
 
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