I am looking forward to the game. I still think the game will be closer than most think and will not be a blowout. I think that our defense will prove challenging enough for an offense still gelling that we will keep the score reasonably low. I think Tennessee defense will do the same to the Hokie offense just to a higher degree. So I give the points nod to Tennessee and hoping that the spread is not too large. Defense seems to gel earlier in the year than the offense so that should keep this game close. Good luck to both teams and let's all hope for a great, close game with no injuries.
What's up Hokies??
- Thread starter RockyTopRowdy58
- Start date
9-4 is 9-4... We beat a 10 win Northwestern team like a drum in last year's bowl game. And 3 of the 4 losses were to teams that won 10+ games, 2 of which were in the CFB Playoffs.
Our schedule always has a high quality P5 OOC team + Florida, Georgia, Bama every season.
That is a lot tougher than the overwhelming majority of schools throughout the country.
You're correct there is still some steps to take before Tennessee is "back"... But you are most definitely discounting what Butch Jones has accomplished.
We had a MAC level roster when he took the job. We have played more freshman than anyone for two straight seasons, and he has increased his win totals from 5 to 7 to 9 in three short years. In year 4, we are pre-season top 10.
That deserves more respect that your giving it, IMO.
They beat Tennessee under Dooley 4 or 5 years ago. Have only beaten Tennessee one time in 30+ years.
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2010 1-5star, 11-4stars...#9 recruiting class
2011 12-4stars...#14 recruiting class
2012 11-4stars...#17 recruiting class
2013 5-4stars...#21 recruiting class
Thats 4 top 25 recruiting classes. Hardly a MAC roster.
Butch Jones has won 12 games aginst FBS power5 teams since his arrival.
SCarolina...x3
UK...x3
Vandy...x2
missouri
UGA
Iowa (bowl)
Northwestern(bowl)
Good bowl games against ranked opponents and a win over #19 UGA. The other 9 wins were against lesser teams and teams with losing records.
In year 4 If Jones doesnt win the SEC East or at least beat Florida theres a good chance there wont be a year 5.
You cannot take our recruiting rankings from 2010 to 2013 into consideration unless you also consider the extremely high rate of attrition that several classes prior to Butch had. Anyone who even remotely follows Tennessee can accept that our roster prior to Butch was embarrassingly bad. Period. No arguing that. Taking recruiting rankings for face value in this instance is short sighted, to say the least.
5-7 in year 1
7-5 in year 2
9-4 in year 3
And we still only have 5 seniors in our starting 11 on O and D.
I would love to have stronger wins, but isn't it natural to lose to the better teams on your schedule? An awful lot of dicing and slicing on your part, IMO.
Also, Butch first W vs USC they were ranked 10th in the country and had a great year. They also were bowl elligible in Butch's 2nd W vs the Cocks.
Edit: Lets say Tennessee goes 10-2, doesn't win the east, but plays in the Sugar Bowl... We firing Butch?
Edit #2: Tennessee hasn't had a player drafted the past two NFL drafts, that should be pretty strong evidence of where the talent level was on the roster Butch inherited.
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UT has never had a "MAC level roster"...NEVER. Just because your recruiting wasnt on par with Bama doesnt mean it was MAC level. You have 30 Srs on your roster. Many of them are 3and 4star talents. Its not that they suck, its just that they were recruited over after Butch arrived. While top25 classes are good, top 5 classes with 5star talents are better. Attrition hits every team.
You cant cry "MAC level talent" when making an excuse for shortcomings and then boast about beating #10 ranked SC and making bowls with that same talent.
I dont care about the future of UT or its coach but I live in SEC HELL and get a daily dose of UT football and alot of the Vol faithful question UTs choice of hire and think UT could have got better than Butch Jones. Many blame him for blowing games last season. Alot of them are tired of losing to the gators. A decade of losing to one team is hard for an arrogant fanbase with lofty expectations to handle. Sooner or later Jones is going to have to remove all doubt and win big.
If you can't differentiate between the roster Butch inherited and the roster Butch has built, thats on you...
Today in Volquest's season prediction, one of our writers stated the following, "That work primary consisted of rebuilding a roster that had a distinct Conference USA whiff about it when Jones rolled in."
Our roster was in the bottom 2 or 3 in the league when Butch got the job. Not sure why you are so adamant that it was any better...
There is no coincidence that as Butch adds classes our win totals increase, again, evidence that the roster he inherited was horribly undermanned.
1. Where did I make excuses? I see facts in my post above.
2. If you think Tennessee was as talented as the 2013 gamecocks you have lost your mind. The Cocks went 11-2 that season.
You cant boast about beating an 11-2 South Carolina and then when someone brings up (example)losing to an unranked Vandy in Neyland that same year say ...but, but, but we got "MAC level roster" talent. If that talent was good enough to beat a top 10 gamecock team it should have been good enough to beat an unranked commodore team.
Its also no coincidence that your SEC schedule has gotten softer too, which is also a contributing factor to your win totals increasing.
2013
#19 Florida L
#6 UGA L
#11 USC W
#1 Bama L
#10 Mizzu L
#9 Auburn L
2014
#12 UGA L
#3 Ol Miss L
#4 Bama L
#19 Mizzu L
2015
#19 UGA W
#8 Bama L
Cant hide behind scheduling and excuses forever. Jones is going to have to prove he can win the big one.
Its also no coincidence that your SEC schedule has gotten softer too, which is also a contributing factor to your win totals increasing.
2013
#19 Florida L
#6 UGA L
#11 USC W
#1 Bama L
#10 Mizzu L
#9 Auburn L
2014
#12 UGA L
#3 Ol Miss L
#4 Bama L
#19 Mizzu L
2015
#19 UGA W
#8 Bama L
Cant hide behind scheduling and excuses forever. Jones is going to have to prove he can win the big one.
Forever... ITS YEAR FOUR.
The effort you put into stating Butch needs to win better games is impressive, especially considering it was an obvious point that I wasn't disputing to begin with. Most teams lose to the better teams they play, that's how that works.
Nice debate Rowdy. FWIW, playing VT early seems to springboard opponents into national Championships. Best of luck
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