When looking back at this year to make sense of it, the insights come from a dark moment... We had just lost to BYU and a dejected mind was looking for hope. For me I told myself 3 things:
1. This is an elite coaching staff that "knows what good looks like"
2. This coaching staff said that they like this teams makeup and talent. Many times Pruitt said as much about the Dline... Ending his statements with something to the effect of, "they just haven't played and need experience."
3. Against GSU Darrell Taylor, Alonte Taylor, and Nigel Warrior we're the only players on D that started who had meaningful snaps. So it really was inexperienced. And against BYU, UT outplayed them by 2 tds so there was hope.
Then came Florida and I lost all hope.... BUT
If you look at the last 8 games you saw a team that was playing above it's talent level on Defense, and probably at it's talent level on offense (our offense was ranked about 55th over second half of season and played against 4 top 30 defenses).
So at the end of the season, here are my thoughts on next year...
1. With this staff, UT will be better at every position except receiver where there won't be as big of a drop-off as people think and we will pass for more yards next year and maybe OLB. And yes, I think we will be better a MLB and DB. If BK comes back then the Oline will be most improved group on team even with TS leaving. Just look at what the staff did with Emerson, Bennett, Nigel, Bumphus and others that would have been 4 year losers under Butch. This same thing will happen next year with players like Crouch, Fields, Keyton, Simmons, insert player name here.
2. 2nd year in Chaney's system. Look at UGA year 1 vs 2 in Chaney's system. Huge difference that will result in a running game breakout for Ty Chandler (yes I said Ty, not Eric Gray). Ty has the misfortune of spending his first 2 years behind miserable O lines and that has been 2 years of holes not existing and not building on the skillset of finding and hitttting the hole. Just wait and see the vision come back in year 2 with Chaney.
3. Talent. I know UT is only recruiting in the top 15 for now, but between Pruitt's evaluation ability and this staffs ability to develop players probably puts UT in the top 10 in talent.
So next year I think UT wins the games it should win especially with KY Mizz, Vandy, Ark, and SC all being pretty down next year.
Then it will pick off 1 or 2 against OU, UF, UGA, and Bama.
1. This is an elite coaching staff that "knows what good looks like"
2. This coaching staff said that they like this teams makeup and talent. Many times Pruitt said as much about the Dline... Ending his statements with something to the effect of, "they just haven't played and need experience."
3. Against GSU Darrell Taylor, Alonte Taylor, and Nigel Warrior we're the only players on D that started who had meaningful snaps. So it really was inexperienced. And against BYU, UT outplayed them by 2 tds so there was hope.
Then came Florida and I lost all hope.... BUT
If you look at the last 8 games you saw a team that was playing above it's talent level on Defense, and probably at it's talent level on offense (our offense was ranked about 55th over second half of season and played against 4 top 30 defenses).
So at the end of the season, here are my thoughts on next year...
1. With this staff, UT will be better at every position except receiver where there won't be as big of a drop-off as people think and we will pass for more yards next year and maybe OLB. And yes, I think we will be better a MLB and DB. If BK comes back then the Oline will be most improved group on team even with TS leaving. Just look at what the staff did with Emerson, Bennett, Nigel, Bumphus and others that would have been 4 year losers under Butch. This same thing will happen next year with players like Crouch, Fields, Keyton, Simmons, insert player name here.
2. 2nd year in Chaney's system. Look at UGA year 1 vs 2 in Chaney's system. Huge difference that will result in a running game breakout for Ty Chandler (yes I said Ty, not Eric Gray). Ty has the misfortune of spending his first 2 years behind miserable O lines and that has been 2 years of holes not existing and not building on the skillset of finding and hitttting the hole. Just wait and see the vision come back in year 2 with Chaney.
3. Talent. I know UT is only recruiting in the top 15 for now, but between Pruitt's evaluation ability and this staffs ability to develop players probably puts UT in the top 10 in talent.
So next year I think UT wins the games it should win especially with KY Mizz, Vandy, Ark, and SC all being pretty down next year.
Then it will pick off 1 or 2 against OU, UF, UGA, and Bama.
