Why do you disagree with Eric Berry and Me.....

#51
#51
Just a couple of thoughts on various posts. I would be absolutely thrilled to have Tee Martin behind center this season, or for that matter any season he would like to play.
It is unfair to both JC and Tee to compare...give JC this season and then compare at will.
He will need to really shine to be brought into a conversation regarding Tee.
I would be very happy with 8 or 9 wins, settle this season for 7 plus a bowl, IF we compete, IF we improve, IF we represent Tennessee Football "hit em in the mouth and make no f'n excuses."

QB is of course huge ??? But I think the talent level is a little down this year in the SEC than last year, Georgia especially. We will know a whole lot more once we play UCLA, but that game, Georgia, S.C., and Auburn could be/should be wins...toss in WKU, Ohio, Memphis, KY, and Vandy...and you are looking at 9.

I'll go 8-4, and if we get a decent opponent in the bowl, 9-4...and all left hungry for the 1O season to start.

Regardless...GO VOLS and I think Football Time In Tennessee is going to be exciting!
 
#54
#54
VolunteerHillbilly said:
Yes. From the UCLA game forwards, I think every game other than Ohio and maybe Memphis will be a sort of mini-season unto itsself.
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Going along with this type of theme. Every quarter in those other games will be also. If were are as in condition as well as I beleive we are. Then showing up in the 4th quarter could be the difference in all those games. Last year we were out of breath and dog tried in the 4th.
 
#55
#55
tums said:
An 8 win season this year would be a failure. Hell, this team was literally 3 PLAYS from being 8-4 last year. They aren't going to get worse. I agree 9-3 really should be at the bottom end. I see no reason they cant go undefeated at home. They have 8 home games. They play Kentucky, Ole Miss, Alabama, Florida on the road. One of those is def a win. I can see them beating Ole Miss too. Alabama would be awesome. Florida..........
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I wouldn't call 8 wins a failure... unless those losses were UGA, Bama, UF, and Ole Miss. The staff needs to prove that they are good for a win or two by beating 1-2 teams they aren't supposed to beat. I do agree however that 9 wins should be pretty reasonable.

I honestly think UT has enough talent + coaching to beat UGA and Ole Miss straight up. I think Ole Miss might be overrated... and am sure that Nutt is. They need some breaks to beat UF and/or Bama.
 
#56
#56
VolunteerHillbilly said:
It's not impossible but I just don't see 9 wins on the regular season schedule unless a few SEC teams are highly overrated and/or UTK wins all the games that they should win (WKy, Ohio, Memphis, UK & VU), takes advantage of the home field to beat the three visiting teams that will probably be comparable to UTK in skill level (UCLA, AU & SC), and pulls two upsets from amongst UF, UGA, Bama and Ole Miss. It's just a tall order. Personally, I think 7 wins and a respecable showing in a Bowl will be a successful season. Beats the hell out of 5-7.
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If Fulmer were still coaching... I'd say 10 wins is the standard. I don't know why that should change with a better top to bottom coaching staff in place.
 
#57
#57
sjt18 said:
If Fulmer were still coaching... I'd say 10 wins is the standard. I don't know why that should change with a better top to bottom coaching staff in place.
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If Fulmer were still here, I wouldn't put the standard above 6 unless we saw a massive improvement at QB.

We had great QBs nearly every season he was here, and last year we had one of the two worst QBs in the SEC. That can certainly change, but it is unfair to expect the guys who played QB last year to improve that much... and I believe that could be the only thing holding us back from 2nd in the East.
 
#58
#58
VolDad said:
Because our offensive players are learning their 3rd system in 3 years.
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The philosophy, strategies, and play selection will hopefully be much improved... but the Fulmer system up until last year was a multiple pro-style... Cut began to implement zone blocking.

The system is supposedly simplified and is for the most part a return to what UT did for years.
Because our talent is depleted
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Maybe but I'm not sure yet. The coaches seem to like what they have on D. They seem to like what they have on O at OL and RB. They also seem to have worked those guys and are rebuilding their confidence... trying to give them "swagger". You can beat someone that's more talented than you are if you believe you can and manage to make them believe it too.

IMHO, UT is OK one deep in most places. The bigger issue is depth.
Because we do not have a QB
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Again, maybe. Was it the talent or was it the system? Was it the ability to read and throw or the inability of WR's to consistently get open and be where they were supposed to be? Was it a lack of mental toughness... or a collapsing pocket?

Crompton, Stephens, and Coleman all looked bad last year. All were highly regarded talents as recruits. If they're as bad as the fans think... then I think Lamaison will be the man before the first game. But unless he's being deceptive, CLK doesn't seem to think they're that bad.
Because our competition is stacked
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At this point, I don't see any skill players to be afraid of on UGA's O except for Greene... and I'm pretty certain Cox won't be as good at getting him the ball as Stafford was.

I think alot of Jevan Sneed but think Nutt is a second rate coach who will be exposed.

I think there is a talent gap between Bama/UF and UT at this point. But Utah demonstrated that it doesn't always result in a loss if you have a team that is well coached and has gelled as a unit.
 
#59
#59
oUTKickedCoverage said:
If Fulmer were still here, I wouldn't put the standard above 6 unless we saw a massive improvement at QB.
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I didn't say expectation. I said standard. The standard should NEVER change. Ten wins and compete for a championship.

My "expectation" would be around the 7-8 win mark most are predicting for this staff and team. They would have had another year in Clawson's system and would have more of "his" players as Freshmen... so again, why change if they aren't worth wins just because they're better coaches?

We had great QBs nearly every season he was here, and last year we had one of the two worst QBs in the SEC.
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Or we had 2 or 3 talented QB's that couldn't overcome the fact that none of their team mates could be counted on not to be confused by their assignments on any given play. If one of those guys stank and was the only one returning then I wouldn't hold out much hope. But all of them alternately stank... as did the guys around them. That sounds more like a system problem than a player problem (necessarily).

That can certainly change, but it is unfair to expect the guys who played QB last year to improve that much... and I believe that could be the only thing holding us back from 2nd in the East.
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My expectations aren't based on them. They're based on the hope/expectation that Kiffin and his staff will be better at putting a competent QB under center this year than Fulmer and staff were last year. I also have hopes that a simpler offense that just "lets them play" will help matters significantly.


I honestly think there are many, many more question marks than definitive answers right now. I'm just stating some "could be's".

Maybe the players will be confused as all get out by the new system. Maybe the talent is too depleted. Maybe we don't have a QB. Maybe the competition is too good.... and maybe... the coaches aren't as good as we all hope and can't be counted on to be the difference in 2-4 games.

But for me it is too early to write off achieving the standard.
 
#60
#60
I say CLK has the team well prepared and we do well for his first season... 10 games is a pretty high bar but who knows it's college football. Agreed still to early to tell.
 
#61
#61
volmanic said:
I feel the most points our defense will give up the entire season is 28 in one game.
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I'm sorry but I think UF might just score a few more than 28, maybe like 38 or 40. South Carolina's pathetic offense put up 3 td's in one half on UT before pretty much running out the clock the whole second half, with all that being said, UT's defense is solid and is good enough to win 10 games, but the offense has got to hold up it's end of the deal, and if the offense struggles, which I think they will, the D will inevitably tire down and will give up points sooner or later.
 
#62
#62
It can happen, but probably not going too. Our schedule is absolutely brutal....enough said.
 
#63
#63
UTvol1fn said:
It can happen, but probably not going too. Our schedule is absolutely brutal....enough said.
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These are brutal:

South Carolina

2009 Schedule/Results
DATE OPPONENT TV TIME (ET)
9/03 @ North Carolina State ESPN360.com 7:00 PM
9/12 @ Georgia ESPN360.com 7:00 PM
9/19 Florida Atlantic TBA
9/24 Mississippi 7:30 PM
10/03 South Carolina State TBA
10/10 Kentucky TBA
10/17 @ Alabama TBA
10/24 Vanderbilt TBA
10/31 @ Tennessee TBA
11/07 @ Arkansas TBA
11/14 Florida TBA
11/28 Clemson TBA


Georgia:


DATE OPPONENT TV TIME (ET)
9/05 @ Oklahoma State 3:30 PM
9/12 South Carolina ESPN360.com 7:00 PM
9/19 @ Arkansas 7:45 PM
9/26 Arizona State TBA
10/03 LSU TBA
10/10 @ Tennessee TBA
10/17 @ Vanderbilt TBA
10/31 vs. Florida 3:30 PM
11/07 Tennessee Tech TBA
11/14 Auburn TBA
11/21 Kentucky TBA
11/28 @ Georgia Tech TBA
 
#65
#65
sjt18 said:
My expectations aren't based on them. They're based on the hope/expectation that Kiffin and his staff will be better at putting a competent QB under center this year than Fulmer and staff were last year. I also have hopes that a simpler offense that just "lets them play" will help matters significantly.
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I think many Vols fans are reacting to this question based on how bad last year made them feel about TN football and our beloved Vols.

Defense -
It is very obvious, based on defensive statistics, that we had a very good defense. If you factor in how many plays they were on the field, they did great. I think you can expect a similar result on defense this year.

Offense -
This, I admit, is the big question. Were we totally untalented at quarterback, which caused the rest of the team to underachieve, OR did the whole offensive team underachieve because they weren’t proficient with the clawfense? I choose to believe that after the UCLA game, the offense greatly lost confidence. If you look at major league hitters going thru a long batting slump, you know much of the game has a mental factor. Clawfense was the major factor for last year's problems, and CFP has implied the same, though, I don’t know if he stated it publicly.

Special Teams –
Since we actually have a special teams coach, I would have to expect better things here. We have seen discussions on VN for so long on this subject.

Since the attitude factor has greatly improved for the players because of the new coaching staff, I have to expect more out of the offense and 8 or 9 regular season wins plus a bowl win is certainly achievable.

Let’s have a great time watching and rooting for our orange and white reach 10!
:good!:
 
#66
#66
I think part of it is that so many of us are so thrilled about the possibilities of the Kiffin machine, we really, really don't want to set the bar too high his first year.

Not only is it purely rational to believe that the first year of a HC taking over for long-timer might be a work in progress, and the W-L should be less important than normal for judging him.

As well, at the non-rational gut and heart level, lot's of us are really hurtin'. I mean, man, on top of the pain of our ever-sinking success against Top 25 teams over the last decade, on top of the brutal ugliness of TN not even being eligible for a bowl game last year, one of the greatest Vol fans ever- you choose why- went out the hard way in a storm of Vol fan division, acrimony, and less credit than, despite himself, he'd definitely earned.

At that level of our [what we claim are minds] we really need Kiffin's first year to be some kind of success we predicted in the preseason. The last thing we need after so long is another post-season of saying, "Well, they cut off my left leg first by accident before they took the right, but on the plus side, they were able to save my nuts."

So, given how good so many other teams appear to be this preseason and that so many new people and ideas are in the drivers' seats, I go along with 7-5 or 8-4 because that's perfectly rational. Plus, there are certain tender parts of my anatomy that still haven't recovered from the cow I had last year. Little *****r had horns.
 
#67
#67
MemphisVol said:
I think part of it is that so many of us are so thrilled about the possibilities of the Kiffin machine, we really, really don't want to set the bar too high his first year.

Not only is it purely rational to believe that the first year of a HC taking over for long-timer might be a work in progress, and the W-L should be less important than normal for judging him.

As well, at the non-rational gut and heart level, lot's of us are really hurtin'. I mean, man, on top of the pain of our ever-sinking success against Top 25 teams over the last decade, on top of the brutal ugliness of TN not even being eligible for a bowl game last year, one of the greatest Vol fans ever- you choose why- went out the hard way in a storm of Vol fan division, acrimony, and less credit than, despite himself, he'd definitely earned.

At that level of our [what we claim are minds] we really need Kiffin's first year to be some kind of success we predicted in the preseason. The last thing we need after so long is another post-season of saying, "Well, they cut off my left leg first by accident before they took the right, but on the plus side, they were able to save my nuts."

So, given how good so many other teams appear to be this preseason and that so many new people and ideas are in the drivers' seats, I go along with 7-5 or 8-4 because that's perfectly rational. Plus, there are certain tender parts of my anatomy that still haven't recovered from the cow I had last year. Little *****r had horns.
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Ha....well said
 
#68
#68
I think they have a real shot at success this season with 9 or 10 regular season wins :

1) The Clawfence made the offense look alot worse than it really was and made the QBs look alot worse ( just look at the 07 O - Line states , the RB stats , and the WR states for 07 and see what the same guys did in 08 ) I expect a huge improvement in QB play . They need not be Manning out there to be successful .

2) Turnover margin was a cheif problem last year despite the fact that Berry was contributing to the positive side . Kiffin will fix this problem . It is a technique and disciple problem . It was a huge factor in many games last season that would have been competative ( see Florida )

3) Bama and UGA are starting new QB's with new starters on the offensive lines .

4 ) Chavis defenses were great ...but had trouble on 3rd and long. I can think of no other person that I would have game planning than Monte . He has faced mismatches , problems , great QB's , RB,s ...he will know what tod do .

5) UT still has talent ...they just don't have depth at certain positions . They have not used the offensive talent they have . If Cutcliffe can come in and turn their offense productive ...I believe Lane and Chaney can too .

Expect a fast , physical defense that creates turnovers . Expect improved QB play , a running game and play calling that exploits weaknesses and match ups. Expect the turnoover margin to improve . Expect a massive improvement in special teams .


Now go look at last seasons games and take away special teams play and move the turnover margin down to average levels ...they should be alot more competative . The vols were closer than most people beleive.
 
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