Windy's football discussion thread.

#32,553
#32,553
Not so long ago, UTK's leadership was so effed up that nobody wanted to work for them. After the Hamilton fiasco, the best UT could do was Dave Hart. Dave had been jettisoned by FSU, found a parking spot at Bama, and came to UT to collect a paycheck until retirement. Given UT's reputation post-Hamilton, getting Hart wasn't too bad. He did hire Barnes. Folks want to fault him for hiring Butch Jones, but at the time, UT was a do-not-tread zone, politely shunned by experienced P5 coaches with histories of winning programs. UT was a cautionary tale, used by coaches to leverage their current employers or to get some press. Butch Jones actually wanted the job knowing he'd inherit 53 scholarship players, a dearth of O-linemen, a depleted budget, and a multi-year history of embarrassing incompetence. That Jones was beyond his ken became glaringly apparent once Dobbs was gone.

Then came Beverly Davenport, throwing Tennessee's own David Blackburn under a bus to hire Hamilton's protege, John Currie, the very same Currie who had been deeply involved in the mishandling of Fulmer's contract and dismissal and the following credibility crushing search for a replacement which culminated in the hiring of unemployed Lane Kiffin. Jay Cee proceeded to make a joke of UT with his search to replace the fired CBJ, leading to his and Davenport's dismissal.

At this point, UT had zero chance of having a job offer accepted by any reputable administrator or coach. UT was in a hole of its own making so deep that late night comedians considered it too bleak to be the subject of jokes. Tennessee resorted to drafting a retiring Wayne Davis, an accomplished dean with an impeccable reputation who accepted the mantle of interim chancellor out of honor and love for his university. Everyone knew Phil Fulmer wanted to be UT's new AD. He'd been quietly lobbying behind the scenes for the job. By stepping in during a dark time at UT, he could rehabilitate his own reputation as he helped to lift UT's out of the mire.

Davis and Fulmer brought enough credibility to enable hiring a football coach, but the pickings were slim, and any failure to secure a contract with a chosen candidate would have that brief respite of credibility floating away on the wind. In these circumstances, Fulmer made the best hire that he could, sealing the deal quickly and changing the perception of UT from unsuitable for dinner table conversation to hope renewed.

So, we're here. First time HC, Jeremy Pruitt improved upon CBJ's previous record of 4-8 (0-8), going 5-7 (2-6). He followed with an uneven 7-5 (5-3) + a Gator Bowl victory over Indiana. Everyone expected the Vols to improve in 2020, but covid-19 derailed everything. Even though the entirety of CFB should be enjoying a free pass this year, the Vols' 2-4 record and dismal second-half play since the Georgia game have snapped the resilience of Tennessee fans, frayed by a decade of broken promises, futility, and very public embarrassments. Fans are not giving a free pass, howling for accountability. However, all things considered, what is needed is a free pass for 2020. Cool heads stay the course and make smarter decisions in the future.
 
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#32,555
#32,555
Orangeslice13 said:
I just want to be competitive again. Whatever that looks like. I just have absolutely no faith that we have people at any level to get that done.

I know I say that a lot but my choices are to bitch or stop watching. I’m not Gonna stop watching so everyone should just put me on ignorance (shout out to @95 Vol Alum
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We all want to be competitive and of course none of us are going to stop watching..vfl for a reason.
 
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#32,557
#32,557
Tin Man said:
Not so long ago, UTK's leadership was so effed up that nobody wanted to work for them. After the Hamilton fiasco, the best UT could do was Dave Hart. Dave had been jettisoned by FSU, found a parking spot at Bama, and came to UT to collect a paycheck until retirement. Given UT's reputation post-Hamilton, getting Hart wasn't too bad. He did hire Barnes. Folks want to fault him for hiring Butch Jones, but at the time, UT was a do-not-tread zone, politely shunned by experienced P5 coaches with histories of winning programs. UT was a cautionary tale, used by coaches to leverage their current employers or to get some press. Butch Jones actually wanted the job knowing he'd inherit 53 scholarship players, a dearth of O-linemen, a depleted budget, and a multi-year history of embarrassing incompetence. That Jones was beyond his ken became glaringly apparent once Dobbs was gone.

Then came Beverly Davenport, throwing Tennessee's own David Blackburn under a bus to hire Hamilton's protege, John Currie, the very same Currie who had been deeply involved in the mishandling of Fulmer's contract and dismissal and the following credibility crushing search for a replacement which culminated in the hiring of unemployed Lane Kiffin. Jay Cee proceeded to make a joke of UT with his search to replace the fired CBJ, leading to his and Davenport's dismissal.

At this point, UT had zero chance of having a job offer accepted by any reputable administrator or coach. UT was in a hole of its own making so deep that late night comedians considered it too bleak to be the subject of jokes. Tennessee resorted to drafting a retiring Wayne Davis, an accomplished dean with an impeccable reputation who accepted the mantle of interim chancellor out of honor and love for his university. Everyone knew Phil Fulmer wanted to be UT's new AD. He'd been quietly lobbying behind the scenes for the job. By stepping in during a dark time at UT, he could rehabilitate his own reputation as he helped to lift UT's out of the mire.

Davis and Fulmer brought enough credibility to enable hiring a football coach, but the pickings were slim, and any failure to secure a contract with a chosen candidate would have that brief respite of credibility floating away on the wind. In these circumstances, Fulmer made the best hire that he could, sealing the deal quickly and changing the perception of UT from unsuitable for dinner table conversation to hope renewed.

So, we're here. First time HC, Jeremy Pruitt improved upon CBJ's previous record of 4-8 (0-8), going 5-7 (2-6). He followed with an uneven 7-5 (5-3) + a Gator Bowl victory over Indiana. Everyone expected the Vols to improve in 2020, but covid-19 derailed everything. Even though the entirety of CFB should be enjoying a free pass this year, the Vols' 2-4 record and dismal second-half play since the Georgia game have snapped the resilience of Tennessee fans, frayed by a decade of broken promises, futility, and very public embarrassments. Fans are not giving a free pass, howling for accountability. However, all things considered, what is needed is a free pass for 2020. Cool heads stay the course and make smarter decisions in the future.
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i actually read all of this. lol
 
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#32,560
#32,560
Dear Lord, let the Tennessee Vols football team gel at Auburn. Let them have stellar performances as individuals and as a team. Let them score in every quarter. Let them frustrate their hosts and limit their scoring. Let the Vols complete the game as victors. Let Auburn and their fans be left to contemplate two losses in a row to Tennessee teams who arrived upon their home field with losing records and outplayed them. Amen, and pass the White Lily biscuits, please.
 
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#32,563
#32,563
Tin Man said:
Dear Lord, let the Tennessee Vols football team gel at Auburn. Let them have stellar performances as individuals and as a team. Let them score in every quarter. Let them frustrate their hosts and limit their scoring. Let the Vols complete the game as victors. Let Auburn and their fans be left to contemplate two losses in a row to Tennessee teams who arrived upon their home field with losing records and outplayed them. Amen, and pass the White Lily biscuits, please.
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tenor.gif
 
#32,573
#32,573
BigO95 said:
View attachment 323380
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I did this very thing to someone in grade school, like 6th grade. We were all outside sitting in the grass watching the teachers play the 8th graders in softball. Principal saw me do it, stopped the game in frint of everyone, and drug me to the office for a paddling😂
 
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#32,574
#32,574
joevol33 said:
I did this very thing to someone in grade school, like 6th grade. We were all outside sitting in the grass watching the teachers play the 8th graders in softball. Principal saw me do it, stopped the game in frint of everyone, and drug me to the office for a paddling😂
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😂
 
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