Vols finish 7-5–how do you grade Huepel’s first season?

#176
#176
Team results have been better than I expected. I am not at all certain about the d coordinator Banks. He has had a talent deficit to deal with for sure, the fast paced offense has left him with a very tired group on many occasions. I'm just not sure his scheme will be SEC ready even with added talent. Josh's eye for talent is suspect. Milton's starts when Hendon was there.... I still don't know if Josh would have tried Hendon if Milton had not been hurt. The next two years recruiting will tell the tale.
 
#178
#178
B close losses to Pitt and Ole Miss. That loss to Florida stings. The wins were some toss ups early in the season and getting what you can with all those transfers gives everyone hope.
 
#179
#179
I cant believe anyone would rate him lower than an A. We are actually relevant again, we are competing in games way before we should be, its fun to be a damn Vol again...heck with the losses first of the year, we usually make excuses that a coach needs his whole first season to change culture and put his system in place and Heupel did it in three games. Pretty good if you ask me.
 
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#180
#180
Ampman said:
After seeing the game plan and effort that Huepel got out of his crowd and team, I'd say he's on the right path with the right ideas. Your guys gave it hell, and I'll admit that I was having a mental break by the end of the first. "Great freaking job there causing panic early! Seriously!"

Yeah, I'll admit that I only created an account here to troll, and after that Ol Miss game it was deserved, but I've grown to like this team fanbase this week.

You guys gave it everything, caused one hell of a 1st quarter heart attack, and never really backed down. Huepel should be just fine, and I wish you all the best of luck next year. I mean that.

Go Dawgs.
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You need more to do.
 
#182
#182
onthehill71 said:
Team results have been better than I expected. I am not at all certain about the d coordinator Banks. He has had a talent deficit to deal with for sure, the fast paced offense has left him with a very tired group on many occasions. I'm just not sure his scheme will be SEC ready even with added talent. Josh's eye for talent is suspect. Milton's starts when Hendon was there.... I still don't know if Josh would have tried Hendon if Milton had not been hurt. The next two years recruiting will tell the tale.
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Banks has done a pretty good job from what I’ve seen. I thought we would be Sunseri bad on D. Josh’s eye for talent is suspect because he started Milton over Hooker? That’s ridiculous. First off, he brought Hooker in didn’t he? Second, reports are that Milton wasn’t overthrowing in practice. That alone would even the playing field so when you add in Milton having more time to develop the decision made sense. I credit him for making the change so swiftly. He easily could’ve gone back to Milton for another game or two but he wasn’t stubborn and made the change after only a game and a half. Yes it started with an injury but it never turned into a QB controversy. If anyone knows QBs, it’s the guy that was a Heisman runner up and Nat’l Champ as a QB.
 
#183
#183
hUTch2002 said:
Banks has done a pretty good job from what I’ve seen. I thought we would be Sunseri bad on D. Josh’s eye for talent is suspect because he started Milton over Hooker? That’s ridiculous. First off, he brought Hooker in didn’t he? Second, reports are that Milton wasn’t overthrowing in practice. That alone would even the playing field so when you add in Milton having more time to develop the decision made sense. I credit him for making the change so swiftly. He easily could’ve gone back to Milton for another game or two but he wasn’t stubborn and made the change after only a game and a half. Yes it started with an injury but it never turned into a QB controversy. If anyone knows QBs, it’s the guy that was a Heisman runner up and Nat’l Champ as a QB.
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Look up Chris Weinke for guys that allegedly know QB's, he WON the Heisman and a Nat'l Champ and was in the NFL for a number of seasons...don't recall this board doing anything but dogging the guy.
 
#184
#184
brockytop said:
I give it a B+ all things considered (71 scholarship players, new system on both sides of the ball, extended injuries to Cooper Mays and Tiyon Evans, etc..).

Season could’ve been an A with win over Pitt or Ole Miss and an A+ beating both. Only other close game so far was UK and it would’ve subtracted 1/2 a grade with loss instead of win.

What’s your grade?
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B+
Milton was horrible, how do we not see that in pre season? He looked like he did in Michigan last year. That cost us Pitt game for sure.

We’re fun to watch. We need to recruit two entire defensive rosters. I like the dude and he’s doing the right things. Recruiting is my only concern, I think not this class but the next one will define his tenure. I hope he’s here for 10 years.
 
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#186
#186
Just not sure you can really count three wins (probable) against basically jv teams nothing to jump up and down about.
 
#187
#187
I'd give him a solid A-.

No matter what, we were losing to Bama and UGA and likely by 20+ each. There was just no way we could compete with their talent/depth going into the 4th Quarter, so I judged those games (I know, I know) on the first 3 Quarters and if there was quit in the 4th. Bama was 24-17 going into the 4th and UGA was 27-10 (could have been 27-13). That's actually beyond what I was expecting and I didn't see any quit despite the fact that the D was exhausted in the Bama game.

We won the games we should have won and we were competitive in the big games. I'm still a bit sore over close losses to Pitt and Ole Miss and especially the loss to Florida stings given where we are and where they are late in the season. Overall, however, I'm pleased.


I'm only concerned with recruiting. Everything else looks good though.
 
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#189
#189
A. We’ve played with maximum effort and our scheme on offense has been amazing to watch. Give him years of accumulating talent and solidifying his culture and we will be competing for the conference
 
#190
#190
C+

Only one win against teams with winning record - Kentucky by 3 points.

Scored 14 points against Florida - Lost by 24.

Scored 24 points against Alabama - Lost by 28.

Scored 17 points against Georgia - Lost by 24.
 
#191
#191
JonGrudensAgent said:
One more point regarding Dooley and Pruitt.

Both of those guys apparently had zero interest in recruiting in state and burned a lot of bridges.

Not saying TN can survive on just in state recruiting but the talent level is considerably better than it was in say Fulmers heyday.

To completely ignore the in state guys like previous coaches did and let teams like Clemson poach players from their back yard was unforgivable.

It's Heupels job to overcome those things and mend the fences. That's probably the biggest question mark i have with him right now.
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Everything I've read is coaches like Heupel. I can't imagine how an offensive recruit could watch a game and not want to play in his offense. He's is a brilliant offensive mind, dialing up TD's regularly. I can't wait to see what he can do with higher caliber players.

I agree with you, have to do better in-state. We also need to get strong in the Carolina's and Virginia again. That's always been bread and butter for TN.

Knoxville TN is within a days drive to 75% of the population of the United States. We are very convenient and that is advantage for recruiting. The disadvantage is we don't have fertile recruiting grounds that are loyal. When TN is winning we are attractive, when we're not those kids will go elsewhere more so than a place like UF, UGA, and LSU. Beat the little 4 (UK, Vandy, Mizzou, Scar) consistently and we will pickup more of the regional talent we need to get to the next level. UK especially is taking too many good players that would normally be on TN's roster, even if just providing depth. That will provide a solid foundation to begin adding game changing talent to.

Like you, I hope Heupel and crew can take things to the next level. Get a top 25 class this year and I'm good due to investigation. Get a top 20 class next year I still won't freak out but will be concerned. Needs a top 12 class in 2024 and beyond though.
 
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#193
#193
Solid B. We have to do better on third and short against good defenses. Ran our small backs right into a stout defensive line multiple times vs Bama and UGA and we got stuffed every time. Have to have an answer to that. Repeating that mistake over and over isn’t the answer. QB situation got fixed albeit after we had the opportunity to boat race Pitt and didn’t. Had an defense that played really hard and we asked too much of them to be so thin. We didn’t really have a choice there. We got 7 wins and it’s a solid coaching job overall.
 
#197
#197
Instead of a grade, I will answer with a set of questions. What emotions did you experience in 2020 when you heard the announcer say „Guarantano drops back to pass….“? Now compare that to the emotions from this year when you heard „Hooker drops back to pass….“? For me the first was extistential terror and dread and this year it was gleeful anticipation. That is a very good grade the way I measure these things
 
#199
#199
Lost starting RB & backup, both starting WRs, starting left tackle & backup, starting left guard, starting center, and every QB on scholarship.

Played a harder schedule while learning an extremely different system.

Went from 108th scoring offense to 9th.

Grade accordingly.

FFc6tC3UYAU-hH2
 
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#200
#200
I think a B+ is a fair grade. Only got ran out of the building really one time and that was by Georgia. Florida was close going into the 4th, same for Alabama. We unfortunately played Florida before the wheels fell off, play that game in October or November and I think it has a dramatically different ending. Wins over Pitt and Florida would have elevated it to an A for me, Ole Miss gets it to an A+.

The job this staff did with all things considered gives me great hope for the future of the program. Recruiting has to improve but I truly believe that will come around in time. We need the NCAA to announce if they accept the steps the University took in response to the Pruitt recruiting tactics to fully move forward in recruiting.
 
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