You Know...

[MontereyVol]

This is a dark day for UT Football. Some of you people have no idea what has happened today and the fallout will last a few years. I have tried to support CPF but today or yesterday or whatever day it was that he did not offer our OC to CTT, is the day I found that he didn't have the future of this program as his priority. Our program lost today and not a football game. We lost a good coach, a good recruiter, a coach the players could look up to and know he could relate to them, not to mention he is a good human being.

Today because CPF was afraid to make a decision, we lost.

Good luck Coach Trooper Taylor

Lets wait and see who we get before we start the doomsday speeches.

 

[hmanvolfan]

While I like Coach Troop, he is not Coordinator material at this point in his career. I believe he didn't even get that position at Okie State (believe he got co-coordinator)

 

[rdl2k9]

Didn't make a decision.. Good one. I can just see it now. Fulmer steps up to the podium and starts...

"Hey all you guys on Volnation, I just wanted to make sure you knew. I have NO idea who I'm hiring or what I'm doing. Trooper Taylor wants the job but I'm JUST NOT SURE! What should I do? Oh hell, I don't know."

Or could it be Trooper put his name in the hat, Fulmer said he wasn't ready and made a decision for the future of the program. You don't just "try somebody" in a position like this. I can do it at my job because it's small time as far as publicity goes.

Fulmer already said what he was doing. He was going to the meetings in January to interview coaches.

I don't know whether it was the right decision or not, but I sure do know that he's more qualified than me to figure it out

 

[utmba93]

I stand by my post Tennessee football lost, and this one is 100% because of CPF.

Fulmer will wish him well. Troop got a promotion to OC. My guess is that Troop will be thankful for his time at UT.

A lot of criticism that CPF gets has some basis, but you are flat wrong to say he didn't make a decision.

Morevoe, the best recuiter we have is still at UT. If you don't believe that you didn't watch the Vols in the 90's or you don't watch the League now.

CPF may have his faults concerning innovation etc as he is a traditionalist, but your criticism of him on this count is not warranted.

 

[g8terh8ter_eric]

While I like Coach Troop, he is not Coordinator material at this point in his career. I believe he didn't even get that position at Okie State (believe he got co-coordinator)

It's a title and raise created by Gundy and the university to help with recruiting. HE will probably work with the receivers again as well.

 

[dan4vols]

While I do think TT brought some positives to the table for this program I'm ok with him heading to Stillwater. I'd just as soon have him learn to be an OC on someone else's dime as ours. You can suffer assistants in a learning curve with their raw talent but a coordinator needs imo to be seasoned before they're on the payroll.

 

[iceman9]

It's a title and raise created by Gundy and the university to help with recruiting. HE will probably work with the receivers again as well.

This sounds about right, and at the same time TT will get some first hand experience with game planning, good luck to Troop, hope he does well.

 

[utvolpj]

Troop got a promotion to co-OC.

fixed. Lets not act like he's next in line for the HC position

 

[utmba93]

fixed. Lets not act like he's next in line for the HC position

Thanks

 

[Ooltewah Vol]

Morevoe, the best recuiter we have is still at UT. If you don't believe that you didn't watch the Vols in the 90's or you don't watch the League now.

If you are speaking of CPF yes he is a recruiter. I believe if you will read my post you will see I never said CTT was our best I said he was a good one. Now as for how long I have watched well let me just say this. Not only have I watched (let’s see 46 years it would be now) I played the game for 12 years so you have no idea of the knowledge of the game or UT football I have. I most likely was involved in some way shape or form of UT football longer than most on this board have been out of diapers. So let's not debate that one.

What ever the reason CPF made his decision we will never know for sure. Regardless of it I will be right there in the same seats I have had for almost 20 years and yes I am a donor for them. I will be in Tampa with my orange and the spirit and love I have for my university. All my post referred to was Tennessee lost when CTT took an opportunity and we did not give him one to be an OC here.

Now finally, I am scolded for some criticism of CPF on this board. Dear Lord in heaven 90% of this board calls for his job each week. All I said was I did not believe he had the best interest of our football teams future.

It's an opinion, an observation but I do believe I am on track and of the same opinion as the majority of Tennessee fans. Maybe not the ones on this board but of the Vol faithful and family, I have had too many conversations already this afternoon and evening to believe I am in the minority.

 

[volfan2024]

While I do think TT brought some positives to the table for this program I'm ok with him heading to Stillwater. I'd just as soon have him learn to be an OC on someone else's dime as ours. You can suffer assistants in a learning curve with their raw talent but a coordinator needs imo to be seasoned before they're on the payroll.

Well said Dan4. I will add this, I think Tennessee is lowballing on paying their assistant coaches, the best I can tell. I still think Fulmer should allow some of his raise go to help pay a good o/c, possibly one that could be our next head coach.

 

[utmba93]

Morevoe, the best recuiter we have is still at UT. If you don't believe that you didn't watch the Vols in the 90's or you don't watch the League now.

If you are speaking of CPF yes he is a recruiter. I believe if you will read my post you will see I never said CTT was our best I said he was a good one. Now as for how long I have watched well let me just say this. Not only have I watched (let’s see 46 years it would be now) I played the game for 12 years so you have no idea of the knowledge of the game or UT football I have. I most likely was involved in some way shape or form of UT football longer than most on this board have been out of diapers. So let's not debate that one.

What ever the reason CPF made his decision we will never know for sure. Regardless of it I will be right there in the same seats I have had for almost 20 years and yes I am a donor for them. I will be in Tampa with my orange and the spirit and love I have for my university. All my post referred to was Tennessee lost when CTT took an opportunity and we did not give him one to be an OC here.

Now finally, I am scolded for some criticism of CPF on this board. Dear Lord in heaven 90% of this board calls for his job each week. All I said was I did not believe he had the best interest of our football teams future.
It's an opinion, an observation but I do believe I am on track and of the same opinion as the majority of Tennessee fans. Maybe not the ones on this board but of the Vol faithful and family, I have had too many conversations already this afternoon and evening to believe I am in the minority.

It that was truly all you said, then I would have said nothing. While I've responded to support my share of Fulmer criticism, I've ignored hundreds of others. Yours was a doomsday post criticizing Fulmer for not making a decision as opposed to having made a decision with which you disagree.

Today is not the end of Tennessee football as we know. We can all rest assured of that FACT. Our team will run through T next fall as they always do the sound of 100k plus fans roaring our satisfaction to be associated with Tennessee football.

I've posted here that I thought the best outcome would be some combination of Kippy Brown and Trooper, but I also agree that Troop was not ready to take over the Vol offense. Kippy is in a whole different league--and if Trooper supporters can't see that, so be it.

Now, KB may not get the job either. But, I will not come back and announce the end of Vol football if Fulmer chooses someone else. I'd prefer other choices within the family, but there are some people who post here whose opinions are not unfounded. Some support coaches outside the UT family. Guess what? If one them is chosen (e.g. Chris Hatcher), I'll be fine with that and the Vols program will continue.

Evenutally, even CPF will go (retirement or otherwise) and my only choice will be whether to stay with the Vols or abandon ship. I've stayed through more than the loss of a 3-year position coach, and I'll stick with them when Fulmer is gone; and through as many HC's as I can live to enjoy. My bet is that you feel the same.

This will pass... and the Vols program will go on.

Go Vols!

 

[kptvol]

Well said Dan4. I will add this, I think Tennessee is lowballing on paying their assistant coaches, the best I can tell. I still think Fulmer should allow some of his raise go to help pay a good o/c, possibly one that could be our next head coach.

Trooper Taylor was the highest paid assistant coach on staff. He even had the title of assistant head coach.

 

[The Dude]

Trooper will be missed for his recruiting and player relationships, but both of those can be replaced and we can get a better coach.

 

[Godfatha]

I'm not too terribly sad about him leaving. There was always this semi-drama around him about getting the OC coordinator position.

 

[duckman398686]

Improved compared to what? Were the running backs as good as they were under Randy Sanders? No. Were the wide receivers as good as they were in '90s? No.

anybody that takes a group of receivers that were thought in the pre-season to be a weakness on the '07 squad and mold them into a group that had a solid season is ok in my book. and nobody said that we were comparing things to the 90's. did i say that? let me re-check my original post....:ermm:

 

[kptvol]

anybody that takes a group of receivers that were thought in the pre-season to be a weakness on the '07 squad and mold them into a group that had a solid season is ok in my book. and nobody said that we were comparing things to the 90's. did i say that? let me re-check my original post....:ermm:

They weren't a weakness, they were just unproven. Our three top guys have been with the program for three years. It isn't like he had three freshmen out there.

 

[duckman398686]

They weren't a weakness, they were just unproven. Our three top guys have been with the program for three years. It isn't like he had three freshmen out there.

true. i'm just saying people weren't expecting alot.

before the season started i heard the following:

"lucas taylor can't catch. he's not ut material"

"taylor is a butterfingers"

"if austin rogers is starting, we are in real trouble"

"if josh briscoe is getting significant playing time, we are in real trouble"

etc.....

i think it was safe to say people were expcting the wr's to be a weak spot on the team.

 

[voldurham]

Well said Dan4. I will add this, I think Tennessee is lowballing on paying their assistant coaches, the best I can tell. I still think Fulmer should allow some of his raise go to help pay a good o/c, possibly one that could be our next head coach.

Read recently on a Duke board that Cut is going to be given a $2 million budget to pay his staff at Duke. Isn't that more than UT pays its assistants?!?

 

[kptvol]

I mean I look at it like this. If those guys are so awful... Where was our super-recruiter to bring us better receivers?

If they weren't bad recruits, maybe the just weren't developed? Where was our world-class wide receiver coach to teach them?

 

[hatvol96]

true. i'm just saying people weren't expecting alot.

before the season started i heard the following:

"lucas taylor can't catch. he's not ut material"

"taylor is a butterfingers"

"if austin rogers is starting, we are in real trouble"

"if josh briscoe is getting significant playing time, we are in real trouble"

etc.....

i think it was safe to say people were expcting the wr's to be a weak spot on the team.

We finished 9-4. We lost 100-37 to our two biggest rivals. We completed about 3 downfield passes all season. I'd consider that being in trouble. Our wideouts have pretty numbers because our offense is now a welfare recipient's version of Texas Tech. None of those guys would see the field at Florida, Oklahoma, or USC, to name three schools.

 

[utmba93]

true. i'm just saying people weren't expecting alot.

before the season started i heard the following:

"lucas taylor can't catch. he's not ut material"

"taylor is a butterfingers"

"if austin rogers is starting, we are in real trouble"

"if josh briscoe is getting significant playing time, we are in real trouble"

etc.....

i think it was safe to say people were expcting the wr's to be a weak spot on the team.

So, are you saying you think all three of these guys performed well this year?

My beef would be with dropped balls and gettting seperation on deep patterns.

Lucas did well, but Rogers and Briscoe may have exceeded the dismal expectations fans had of them, but they weren't impressive by UT standards, did you think?

 

[duckman398686]

We finished 9-4. We lost 100-37 to our two biggest rivals. We completed about 3 downfield passes all season. I'd consider that being in trouble. Our wideouts have pretty numbers because our offense is now a welfare recipient's version of Texas Tech. None of those guys would see the field at Florida, Oklahoma, or USC, to name three schools.

playing the blame game with the wr's for losing those 2 games the way we did is ridiculous. our defense was horrible all season barring a few games. if you're going to blame anybody, there is your culprit.

 

[Voldaddy]

They weren't a weakness, they were just unproven. Our three top guys have been with the program for three years. It isn't like he had three freshmen out there.

Any time Austin Rogers is a starter at WR for a supposed high level SEC team, that is a weakness.

Everyone has their own opinion on Trooper. I agree with Ooltewah Vol. It was a big loss in more ways than one. Like mentioned, every position he coached improved. It wasn't by dumb luck. Is he the greatest ever? Of course not. Will UT survive without him? Sure.

To think the WR's and RB's couldn't have gotten any worse before Trooper took over is asinine. Nobody here with 2 functioning brain cells can say Meachem, Swain, and Smith would have prodcued the way they did with Pat Washington still around. Now if you want to say Pat Washington is incompetent more than Trooper is a great WR coach then you may have an argument.

Kippy Brown? Is anyone here really excited about the return of Kippy Brown? If so, how? We would be getting an old guy coming to wrap his career up. I want new blood in Knoxville, someone with different ideas, with energy and motivation, looking to make a name for themselves. I'll take Chris Hatcher 10 to 1 over Kippy.

I guess Richt and Saban are idiots for naming Bobo and Applewhite as OC's since they don't have long proven track records of production and results.

 

[hatvol96]

playing the blame game with the wr's for losing those 2 games the way we did is ridiculous. our defense was horrible all season barring a few games. if you're going to blame anybody, there is your culprit.

The lack of talent at wide receiver is indicative of the overall personnel weaknesses. The fact guys like Austin Rogers see the field is indicative of recruting and evaluation failures that result in guys like Ryan Karl being starters.