What Other Message Boards Are Saying: 2016 Texas A&M Edition

[KnoxRealtorVOL]

We're nervous. They're nervous. They are, however, a good bit more confident than we are. The only looming doubts for them are Trevor Knight's inconsistency, a few key injuries, and that fact that they keep starting 5-0 but haven't started 6-0 in over 20 years. On the field, they feel they are better.

In regards to what their fans know about us, I saw a lot of swing-and-misses. Neither of our programs have had a true reason to closely follow each other since they joined the conference, so maybe it's understandable, but our fanbase knows much more about them than they know about us.

So without further ado, here's what the Aggie faithful are saying about Saturday's matchup in the stadium that is ALMOST as cool as Neyland:


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-They are all very unhappy with their performance against South Carolina. A lot of "If we struggle like that with SC, how are we going to beat Tennessee and Alabama?" kind of talk.

-The general opinion is that the opening line is too high

-Apparently......... they've beaten some good teams.............

I'm not saying this means we win, but Tennessee hasn't beaten a good team yet

-Most of the Tennessee discussion I see out of them references Tennessee's "luck" and inquiring about when it finally runs out.

-This is from a thread titled "Which Tennessee will we get this weekend?" It drew some mixed responses:

They have talent for sure but with all the circumstances of their situation right now I'm betting they come out pretty flat. I hope we establish the run early and punch them in the mouth between the tackles the entire first half

If you let them off the mat they will beat you. you also have to be smart. Georgia wasnt smart

We are going to get the Tennessee team that A&M will crush.

heir rush defense is not very good.
Get the rushing game on early.
Get Trevor a few QB runs to get his butterflies out.
Then, expose their secondary like Georgia did.
Ohhhh...and let Hall and Garrett lose on their QB.

-These takes on Dobbs are..... interesting.....

Dobbs is a runner, however, not in the same breath as Trevor Knight or Jalen Hurts. I'd say more escapability. He won't beat us with his legs like Trevor Knight did to Arky

Dobbs is a runner, yes, but it's already been stated that he's not a juke, make you miss, type of ball carrier.

:lolabove: :lolabove:

-Their opinion of Trevor Knight is different than I expected. To summarize, they see him as a great runner, but a very streaky passer and a very streaky player altogether. There is a thread devoted to his "bonehead plays":

Its the same guy I watched at OU for three years make the same plays--he'll win you an Alabama game and look like a quarterback, but most of the time he just leads you on until you finally realize it always going to be half-hearted hand jobs and MD 20/20 every weekend.

And that's why you run the ball as much as you can and take his bone headed mistakes out of the game plan.

That's Trevor Knight. You just never know what you're going to get. One week it's a stud, the next it's a scrub.

-Confidence:

Tennessee's defense is awful.

We should roll them

Tennessee isn't very good people

-Less confidence:

Tennessee is very explosive. That's dangerous for us IMO. They can throw the rock and have guys that can catch in tight quarters. It'll be a very tough game I think.

CBs are going to have to play REALLY well next week.

Wow. I'm actually pretty nervous about this one. They looked pretty physical.
Need full compliment of starters back

-This is how we are perceived in the college football world now, and it feels great:

I think a case could be made this is perhaps the biggest home game in Sumlin's tenure here. we are three - zero in S EC play, College game day is coming, both teams are undefeated and in the top 10 midway through the season.

You could argue that the Alabama game from 2013 was bigger or perhaps the Florida game in his season opener here in 2012, but I think if we win this game it will open a lot of eyes that the Aggies are able to compete with and beat some of the upper level teams in the SEC such as Tennessee

-Has obviously watched UT football a lot this season:

I've watched Butch Jones off and on over the last few years. His teams tend to start games with scary high energy and focus, and then, somehow, go to pieces by the end. Toughness seems to be a non-renewable resource for his squads. I predict that after the last 2 games of theirs, they're going to be extra brittle coming into this Saturday.

To be fair, this was one of the responses:

Op, have you watched Tennessee at all this year

-General score predictions have them winning a high-scoring affair by 4-7.

-They all have very mixed opinions on Sumlin. Most refer to him as the luckiest head coach in history. That being said, they love Chavis.

-They feel Myles Garrett is the key. They believe if he is healthy he is going to absolutely annihilate Dobbs and it's basically a sure win. If unhealthy, it will be a close game.

-In a thread asking them to predict their rushing yards, they showed very little respect for our run defense. The responses ranged between 250-350 yards.

-Matchup summary:

Word is JRM and Kirkland will both still be out, and Sutton is definitely out. Hurd has a "lower leg injury" which may just be code for being in the doghouse.

Garrett, Noil and Eluemenor will be back for us. Harvey and Trayveon are fine. RSJ will probably be out until Bama and I don't know about Ford.

The keys are containing Derek Barnett and making Dobbs beat you from the pocket as much as possible. Interestingly, the keys for them are containing Garrett/Hall and making Knoght best then from the pocket.

Both teams will move the ball well between the 20s, especially with 3 of their 4 best defenders out. A concern for me is that Tennessee is more willing to stick with the run and not get cute in the redzone. This is a game unlike Auburn and USC where FGs get you beat because the other offense is a real threat every time they have the ball.

That being said, we saw what Tennessee is when you pack it into a phone booth and force Dobbs to throw from the pocket all game against App State and Ohio. Those teams had nothing to lose and sold out to stop the run and the read and both could have (App State should have) won with inferior talent.

-Per their "insiders," RB Keith Ford will be out for our game.

-"Insiders" on another board say Ricky Seals Jones has a high-ankle sprain and will be out.

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We haven't been beat in 11 games, and Texas A&M is going to be the one to end it? No way.

If you're there, wear orange and get loud. Let's move to 6-0.

GBO. No matter what.

 

[fatvol]

A&M has allowed an avg of 40 yards more passing and only held teams to 15 yards rushing less than what UT has... not exactly jaw dropping.

Tough game that either UT will win on a late score or lose by double digits.

 

[OneVolNation]

Good competitive intelligence report. Thanks for the scoop.

 

[Capt Straight]

Sounds like their posters have a lot of hot air and are already making excuses for losing Saturday to us! We will light them up with Jennings et al!

 

[Aesius]

A&M has more pressure on them to win this game than we do. If they lose to us, they are toast in the West because they will probably lose to Bama and be two games behind in the division.

Also, we already know our team will never lay down and will 100% fight to the bitter end. Will they?

They went to OT vs UCLA, but...it's UCLA.

 

[photovol]

The Vols defense better get better quick or they will get picked apart and run over against A&M, unfortunately

Go Vols

 

[SpringBokVol]

If we can manage Garrett and contain Knight. UT will win.

If our o line is leaky and our run defense is soft then we lose.

 

[praxite33]

F it. UT wins. They find a way.

 

[SanAntonioAggie]

You'll find that most Ags like posters you have on this forum are confident in our team but understand that Tennessee presents a great challenge this Saturday. We've seen to many 5-0 campaigns under Sumlin that have turned into 3-5 or 4-4 finishes to be overconfident for this game or any game against a high quality opponent this season. What most Ags do know is that Tennessee is a school that loves football as much as we do and has a great tradition. This matchup Saturday is why we cam to the SEC, to play against the best.

 

[Volnukem]

A&M has allowed an avg of 40 yards more passing and only held teams to 15 yards rushing less than what UT has... not exactly jaw dropping.

Tough game that either UT will win on a late score or lose by double digits.

Don't forget that part of that is bolstered by a 205 total yards allowed game against an FCS opponent.

 

[Other_Guy]

You'll find that most Ags like posters you have on this forum are confident in our team but understand that Tennessee presents a great challenge this Saturday. We've seen to many 5-0 campaigns under Sumlin that have turned into 3-5 or 4-4 finishes to be overconfident for this game or any game against a high quality opponent this season. What most Ags do know is that Tennessee is a school that loves football as much as we do and has a great tradition. This matchup Saturday is why we cam to the SEC, to play against the best.

Um, only "as much"? Jk welcome

 

[nagle]

Sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[KappinSpaulding]

F it. UT wins. They find a way.

This is the only logical way to look at this season.

 

[hmhawk]

Thanx once again ctvol!!!!!!!!

 

[Dudleys87]

Kamara pick play easily neutralizes Garrett and everything changes.

 

[Hacksaw]

The Vols defense better get better quick or they will get picked apart and run over against A&M, unfortunately

Go Vols

Shoop has this week to improve our run defense from last week's effort. We obviously have several guys at key spots in the defense who are non-starters. He needs to help them make a major improvement. He's proven himself able to get results with worse talent.

 

[KBVol]

Lol at the idiot who said Dobbs won't beat you with his legs like Knight....what a buffoon. Dobbs is an elite running qb. Nobody can tackle the kid whether he tries to juke them or not and he runs with more power than you'd think his thin frame would generate. They underestimate Joshua Dobbs at their peril.

 

[volfanvfl]

Dude said Dobbs isn't elusive 😂

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

Dude said Dobbs isn't elusive 😂

Those guys obviously don't watch a lot of football.

What Dobbs did to that athletic Florida defense last year is something no other QB in college football (except Lamar Jackson) could do.


When he wants to run he's as elusive and powerful a running QB as there is.

 

[volfanvfl]

Aggie fan on Barnett vs Garrett : " Worse division and UT's creampuffs make our creampuffs look less creamy. "

 

[jakez4ut]

i think there's just a lot of unfamiliarity between the teams and the fans. there's a great unknown out there, and how we really match up with each other, and it's obvious they don't watch us regularly, and it's also equally obvious from some of the threads i've seen here this week, a lot of our fans haven't watched them.

both teams are better than either fan base is giving credit for. i think aTm has a match up advantage offensively, with our injury situation. they have the skill and experience to take advantage of it.

i think they're underestimating our offense though. neither defense is what i'd call ultra reliable, past the front 4's for both teams.

i am expecting a fairly high scoring game, and it will be up to a just a few guys to make some big plays in this game, and being on the road in what should be a very hostile environment, we absolutely can't turn it over. we need to win that battle.

my gut says, for both teams, this could be a 2nd half game, as they both settle in and make adjustments. i'm leaning toward picking aTm due to our defensive injuries and being in their place, but at this point, this season, i just can't count us out considering how we've played in big spots in big games. this team makes plays. and they'll need to do it again Saturday. the match up that i think makes or breaks us is if we can consistently stop aTm's offense. those defensive injuries could be the tipping point in this game.

 

[A-RodWiLks]

Those guys obviously don't watch a lot of football.

What Dobbs did to that athletic Florida defense last year is something no other QB in college football (except Lamar Jackson) could do.


When he wants to run he's as elusive and powerful a running QB as there is.

Your Jackson4Heisman campaign popping up on Louisville's board coincides with you bailing VN after Ohio game. Too bad they lost to Clemson and you had to come back...

 

[wtmvol]

Your Jackson4Heisman campaign popping up on Louisville's board coincides with you bailing VN after Ohio game. Too bad they lost to Clemson and you had to come back...

Ok, I'm intrigued by this...

 

[BigOrange15]

Aggie fan on Barnett vs Garrett : " Worse division and UT's creampuffs make our creampuffs look less creamy. "

Are the SEC East teams worse than the cream puff OOC teams that Garrett gets his sacks against? I'll wait.

 

[jakez4ut]

Aggie fan on Barnett vs Garrett : " Worse division and UT's creampuffs make our creampuffs look less creamy. "

i'd be inclined to buy that if we loaded up 3 wins on the likes of Vandy, KY and USCe.

that's just a lack of knowledge of who we've played. VT is playing well, and ranked agian, FL still bosts a top 3 defense, and is ranked and GA played it's best game all year, and was also ranked at the time.

at worst, our schedule is a wash against theirs, and in reality, i don't think there's much doubt that considering that each of the 5 teams we played won 9 or more games, all went to bowl games and 2 won their division and 1 won their conference last year.

bottom line, i'm not apologizing for our schedule to this point. not that they should either. but hardly "creampuff".