Vols All the way with Battle

#2
#2
very nice...yep, that's what we'll have to do too...oh, you mean Coach Bill Battle...:D

GO VOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
#4
#4
Reminds me of the end of the Fulmer era.

However, Battle ended up becoming a multi-millionaire and owning a profitable company and a successful AD!
 
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#5
#5
He sure did. Remember the final straw? Our defense was so bad against Georgia we couldn't stop them. So, late in the game we went for it on fourth and one on our 41 yard line. Didn't make it, they ran repeatedly down our throats for the winning score.
 
#7
#7
OrangeByBirth said:
Battle's biggest problem was that his name wasn't Majors. Fans never got behind him and be was a lame duck from day one. Add the fact the he played for 'bama and he didn't have a chance to succeed. As a lame duck, recruiting was tough and getting the team to play like a team was even harder.
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Well his biggest problem was he was not a good head coach. Every year his record was worse. Yep, we should have hired majors when traitor Doug Dickey left. Politics kept this from happening. No the Haslem’s were not involved. Our roster was awful when he was fired. Good guy, bad coaching choice. Thank you Bob Woodfuff. We should have paid Dickey whatever it took to keep him here. I would love to hear what went on behind closed doors during this period.
 
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#8
#8
I'm going to beg to differ with you slightly on the Majors thing. Yes most fans wanted Johnny in 1969-70 when Battle was hired. But 1970-1972 really made a lot of people forget about Majors. Battle was doing great and Johnny was barely above average at Iowa St. Battle had support from practically every Tennessee fan then. Then Majors signed this kid named Dorsett in 1973 and Battle began to lose the program after the formentioned Ga game. The program really began a death spiral by 1975 and despite having some great individuals in 1976, Battle could never reclaim any momentum. Meanwhile Majors was winning a NC at Pitt in 1976.
 
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#9
#9
vettefool said:
Well his biggest problem was he was not a good head coach. Every year his record was worse. Yep, we should have hired majors when traitor Doug Dickey left. Politics kept this from happening. No the Haslem’s were not involved. Our roster was awful when he was fired. Good guy, bad coaching choice. Thank you Bob Woodfuff. We should have paid Dickey whatever it took to keep him here. I would love to hear what went on behind closed doors during this period.
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Not sure all the money in Knoxville could have kept Dickey here then. Both his and his wife's parents were in Florida. He mentions that in the video "100 Years of Volunteers". Mistake was not hiring Majors then thou. Battle is as fine a man as has ever been in college sports but he wasn't ready for that job. It came too early.
 
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#14
#14
Battle came in when I was a student at U.T. Like someone said, we were very happy with him for the first few years. He was awfully young at the time.
 
#15
#15
OrangeByBirth said:
Battle's biggest problem was that his name wasn't Majors. Fans never got behind him and be was a lame duck from day one. Add the fact the he played for 'bama and he didn't have a chance to succeed. As a lame duck, recruiting was tough and getting the team to play like a team was even harder.
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Well our current coach played at AL and I think most people are not counting that against him.
 
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#16
#16
OrangeByBirth said:
Battle's biggest problem was that his name wasn't Majors. Fans never got behind him and be was a lame duck from day one. Add the fact the he played for 'bama and he didn't have a chance to succeed. As a lame duck, recruiting was tough and getting the team to play like a team was even harder.
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Huh? It's hard to embrace this idea. He beat Bama his first season iirc. Started with an elite roster and took it to the cellar of the SEC year after year. The button attached by OP shows how much electicity their was behind this young (and hansome according to the ladies) coach. The guy was in over his head and eventually got exposed IMO. Once CJM won that natty, the tide had "completely" turned against CBB by the fanbase, who desired Johnny Come Home. Had he won an SECC or two by 75-76, then he would have been almost immortalized IMO.
 
#18
#18
VetVol said:
Well our current coach played at AL and I think most people are not counting that against him.
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Honeymoon period buys him a few years of grace, but past year 3-4 w/o some legit improvement will start some of the calls. Pruit's got this, though. Too much talent with assistants, and a head coach who has mindset of toughness, which we haven't had, since MAYBE Kiffin's year.
 
#19
#19
VetVol said:
Well our current coach played at AL and I think most people are not counting that against him.
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Honeymoon period buys him a few years of grace, but past year 3-4 w/o some legit improvement will start some of the calls. Pruit's got this, though. Too much talent with assistants, and a head coach who has mindset of toughness, which we haven't had, since MAYBE Kiffin's year.
 
#22
#22
njvols said:
Honeymoon period buys him a few years of grace, but past year 3-4 w/o some legit improvement will start some of the calls. Pruit's got this, though. Too much talent with assistants, and a head coach who has mindset of toughness, which we haven't had, since MAYBE Kiffin's year.
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If we dont at least beat Vandy and make a bowl this year, the honeymoon phase IS officially over with Pruitt.
 
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#25
#25
livefaith said:
Whew. Did he ever. Didn't we lose to Army and Rutgers soon thereafter?
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The Rutgers loss was in 1979 sandwiched in between Alabama game where the Vols lost a 17-0 first qt lead and the first appearance of Notre Dame in Knoxville where the Vols won 40-18.

The Army loss was in 1986 which would have been 100% on Majors.

These are just two examples of how life was so frustrating with JM as coach. One week, they'd beat Auburn, then get boatraced by Miss State, next theyd beat Alabama and lose to a bad GA Tech team, on and on.
 
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