Whether you like it or not

[A Typical Vol Fan]

There aren’t going to be any changes to the staff this off-season on the defensive side of the ball after last night. It may have been the weakest link all season long, and it may have cost us a chance at a national title, but I think Heupel is going to value stability and have little/no staff turnover.

 

[Stephen Gray]

There aren’t going to be any changes to the staff this off-season on the defensive side of the ball after last night. It may have been the weakest link all season long, and it may have cost us a chance at a national title, but I think Heupel is going to value stability and have little/no staff turnover.

I think since a change would lose us recruits it was always gonna be risky. Whether it was or is still worth it is a different question. I don’t really understand the defense well enough to determine. It does sort of feel like we should not be as bad as we were through the season on parts of that side but I’m no expert.

 

[TnVol!]

I'm good.

 

[VolForLife83]

An upgrade over Banks would be nice, but Martinez needs to go.

 

[Volfan8282]

There aren’t going to be any changes to the staff this off-season on the defensive side of the ball after last night. It may have been the weakest link all season long, and it may have cost us a chance at a national title, but I think Heupel is going to value stability and have little/no staff turnover.

It was freaking Vanderbilt. I understand they had a pulse at times this year but they’re always capable of being dominated like that. That game didn’t shift anything for me.

 

[Volintheswamp]

It’s really hard to judge the defense because the talent hasn’t been there. Plus this type of offense will always put strain on the defense. Without real SEC depth on the defense, we’re all just making assumptions.

 

[Sarms58]

I'm good.

Me too…it’s a process. We need to let these coaches recruit players they want and see where we go. Everyone sees the 5* QB commitment we have but look at the defensive commitments- three 4* DL studs, a 4* athlete who will probably play LB, a 4* CB and a 4* safety…I’m good with this staff because I do believe they got this year’s team playing better ball than they played last year.

 

[sjt18]

An upgrade over Banks would be nice, but Martinez needs to go.

That's like cutting your finger off because your arm is broken.

 

[BelieveTheHeup93]

It’s really hard to judge the defense because the talent hasn’t been there. Plus this type of offense will always put strain on the defense. Without real SEC depth on the defense, we’re all just making assumptions.

That simply isn’t true. Look at Mississippi State and even Ole Miss

 

[sjt18]

There aren’t going to be any changes to the staff this off-season on the defensive side of the ball after last night. It may have been the weakest link all season long, and it may have cost us a chance at a national title, but I think Heupel is going to value stability and have little/no staff turnover.

All I will say is that he has to look at the problems on D and make the right choice. UT is getting more talent. So Heupel's call is whether Banks is a capable coach being held back by a lack of talent or if more talent will just partially cover up the deficiencies of an inadequate coach.

I agree that the best of all worlds would be to keep the staff together. Culture is a big part of what they're doing. But he has to take a look at Banks' skill.

 

[DaddyChad]

There aren’t going to be any changes to the staff this off-season on the defensive side of the ball after last night. It may have been the weakest link all season long, and it may have cost us a chance at a national title, but I think Heupel is going to value stability and have little/no staff turnover.

None of us knows. I do think the Carolina game really, really pissed him off though. No idea if he makes changes or not yet but I could definitely see something changing there.

 

[DaddyChad]

That's like cutting your finger off because your arm is broken.

Yeah but we really, really hate that damn finger.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

There aren’t going to be any changes to the staff this off-season on the defensive side of the ball after last night. It may have been the weakest link all season long, and it may have cost us a chance at a national title, but I think Heupel is going to value stability and have little/no staff turnover.

Stop thinking you know what Heupel will or won’t do.

 

[Majors]

James Banks on the field showed how much he saves our DBs. Banks playing with backups was better than starters playing without Banks.

 

[Majors]

Stop thinking you know what Heupel will or won’t do.

Some may decide to move on…if your coaches are not being recruited to leave that’s a problem too.

 

[volfeeva]

10-2 is a vast improvement ,but that stinker last weekend needs to get fixed

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

10-2 is a vast improvement ,but that stinker last weekend needs to get fixed

It already has

 

[Lurker]

Don’t replace coaches. Replace personnel. This staff was very solid when you consider that most of our current DBs and linebackers, while extremely loyal and hardworking, wouldn’t start for virtually any other top-20 team. Evaluate the coaches after we reload the defense. The next class should help.

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

There aren’t going to be any changes to the staff this off-season on the defensive side of the ball after last night. It may have been the weakest link all season long, and it may have cost us a chance at a national title, but I think Heupel is going to value stability and have little/no staff turnover.

What else is in that crystal ball

 

[TheVolunteer002]

It was freaking Vanderbilt. I understand they had a pulse at times this year but they’re always capable of being dominated like that. That game didn’t shift anything for me.

That's pretty much where I'm at as well. Our defense played good at times this year, but it was mostly trash. The secondary has been abhorrent for most of my adult life, so I'd love to see that change.

 

[ThreatLevelOrange]

There aren’t going to be any changes to the staff this off-season on the defensive side of the ball after last night. It may have been the weakest link all season long, and it may have cost us a chance at a national title, but I think Heupel is going to value stability and have little/no staff turnover.

Judge them when they get some talent. FYI, here were the injured DBs that didn’t travel last night.

Burrell
Rucker
Turnage
Slaughter
Flowers

Each of those guys has started at a point this year. But all of our guys seem to be roughly the same from a talent standpoint. We don’t have any playmakers in the secondary.

 

[DaddyChad]

Don’t replace coaches. Replace personnel. This staff was very solid when you consider that most of our current DBs and linebackers, while extremely loyal and hardworking, wouldn’t start for virtually any other top-20 team. Evaluate the coaches after we reload the defense. The next class should help.

Maybe that’s a fair point. It’s possible though that even with the talent we had we underachieved. Jmo but we never should be at the very bottom in pass defense. I’m fine with whatever Heupel decides but I’m fairly certain Banks isn’t the guy to get us where we need to be. I would like to see them make a run at someone with a history of having overachieving defenses in this conference, jmo.

 

[A Typical Vol Fan]

What else is in that crystal ball

You would be hearing smoke. Every single source with credible publications say he probably isn’t going to make a move. If you wanna bury your head in the sand, go for it

 

[A Typical Vol Fan]

Stop thinking you know what Heupel will or won’t do.

I absolutely don’t know what Heupel is going to do. My assumptions are made because people from credible organizations covering UT have heavily implied there will be no changes made. If you want to choose not to believe them, that’s fine, but I believe — based on how they are acting and what they have said about the subject — no changes will be made