if you've got a craving for something a little different maybe taking a look at Tennessee's roster and schedule for this up coming season would be interesting in advance of the Battle at Bristol.
I guess my question is this: Can you break down the Vol's roster and project where they may stand come 2016 to give us an idea of what kind of match-up we could be looking at? Perhaps not as in depth, but similar to the position group analyses you did for VT where you looked at current depth and outlook as well as future depth and outlook. Which position groups will be strengths for them and which ones will be weaknesses? What do you think will be the specific battles to keep an eye on? A way-too-early pregame review, if you will. It is, after all, the off season.
I love all the work you do Andy. I think it would be cool, if feasible, to get a rough-sketch idea of what UT might look like but I completely understand if it's not a viable topic to write about.
Edit: Okay, well I asked the question before actually reading your link. I don't know if this question would fall into your mailbag for this week or add to your mountain of research projects. Should you decide to use my question you can credit it to either VPIhokieME from TKP or Alec M. from NOVA. Your choice.
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I can help partially answer your question. If you talk to a Vol fan who really keep up with their recruiting, you'll know that in 2016 they're going to have 172 stars on their defensive line.
So apparently their DLine is going to be pretty good.
I keep trying to tell them those stars don't mean a thing if those kids can't stay out of trouble and on the team, much less translate that hype to on the field production. Tennessee recruits extremely well but that hype hasn't resulted in winning a lot of football games.
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I keep trying to tell them those stars don't mean a thing if those kids can't stay out of trouble and on the team, much less translate that hype to on the field production. Tennessee recruits extremely well but that hype hasn't resulted in winning a lot of football games.
They are definitely on the rise. I would not be surprised if we saw an Arkansas/UT SECCG in the next half decade. Tennessee has two straight years of a top recruting class, and was seriously lacking talent until then. It takes more than two years to rebuild a football program, no matter how much money you throw at it.
Also, it almost sounds that you are suggesting that 5* are (more) likely to get in legal trouble - let's give these kids the innocent-until-proven-guilty, and not just assume that some will be kicked off the team for legal issues.
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Tennessee has been "on the rise" since Phil Fulmer's last days. When they actually make it back to an SECCG, let's talk. It's looking more and more like it will happen soon, but until then they are Miami to me. They are not back.
I'm not suggesting ANYTHING about 5* players. I'm suggesting Tennessee loses a lot of highly touted players to criminal acts and general attrition. Look at their history in the past 10 years. As a team, they cannot stay out of trouble.
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I will say this: Butch Jones is doing good things. He is trying his best to build a good team. I really like Butch. I would love to steal him away from Tennessee when Frank decides to hang it up.
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Yea, I kinda threw out the last 10 years, and only looked at the last two. Butch is creating a culture there, which is a very tough thing to do after the Kiffin/Dooley disaster. I liken Butch at UT to Buzz at VT (an edgy coach leaves, followed by a desperate Hail Mary hire). I believe we will be a top 6ish in the ACC (basketball) in 4-5 years. I expect UT to be in the mix to win the SEC east in the same time period.
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Agreed. The few rational UT fans I have realize that they seem to only be recruiting top notch players who like to get kicked off the team. I don't like Butch Jones because it seems sneaky that they all of the sudden are always at the top of the recruiting boards, but yet he seems to take only players that lack discipline. I also don't like his face, but that's not really justified.
I will say that their QB of the future, Josh Dobbs, looks like a good one and well rounded to boot. Just a shame he chose a poor engineering school to go to when there is a much better one for aerospace engineering just a few hours Northeast. Him vs. what might be Dwayne Lawson in 2016 could be a lot of fun to watch.
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I will add that the lack of off-field discipline isn't a purely Butch Jones thing. Lane Kiffin and Derek Dooley brought in top talent that didn't pan out too. I will also add that the attrition of their top talent isn't always due to run ins with the law. They've had their transfers and wash outs too. But most teams have their low and mid tier talent wash out. Tennessee has seen some of their top tier talent disappear prematurely in recent years.
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Comments
if you've got a craving for something a little different maybe taking a look at Tennessee's roster and schedule for this up coming season would be interesting in advance of the Battle at Bristol.
I guess my question is this: Can you break down the Vol's roster and project where they may stand come 2016 to give us an idea of what kind of match-up we could be looking at? Perhaps not as in depth, but similar to the position group analyses you did for VT where you looked at current depth and outlook as well as future depth and outlook. Which position groups will be strengths for them and which ones will be weaknesses? What do you think will be the specific battles to keep an eye on? A way-too-early pregame review, if you will. It is, after all, the off season.
I love all the work you do Andy. I think it would be cool, if feasible, to get a rough-sketch idea of what UT might look like but I completely understand if it's not a viable topic to write about.
Edit: Okay, well I asked the question before actually reading your link. I don't know if this question would fall into your mailbag for this week or add to your mountain of research projects. Should you decide to use my question you can credit it to either VPIhokieME from TKP or Alec M. from NOVA. Your choice.
I can help partially answer your question. If you talk to a Vol fan who really keep up with their recruiting, you'll know that in 2016 they're going to have 172 stars on their defensive line.
So apparently their DLine is going to be pretty good.
I keep trying to tell them those stars don't mean a thing if those kids can't stay out of trouble and on the team, much less translate that hype to on the field production. Tennessee recruits extremely well but that hype hasn't resulted in winning a lot of football games.
They are definitely on the rise. I would not be surprised if we saw an Arkansas/UT SECCG in the next half decade. Tennessee has two straight years of a top recruting class, and was seriously lacking talent until then. It takes more than two years to rebuild a football program, no matter how much money you throw at it.
Also, it almost sounds that you are suggesting that 5* are (more) likely to get in legal trouble - let's give these kids the innocent-until-proven-guilty, and not just assume that some will be kicked off the team for legal issues.
Tennessee has been "on the rise" since Phil Fulmer's last days. When they actually make it back to an SECCG, let's talk. It's looking more and more like it will happen soon, but until then they are Miami to me. They are not back.
I'm not suggesting ANYTHING about 5* players. I'm suggesting Tennessee loses a lot of highly touted players to criminal acts and general attrition. Look at their history in the past 10 years. As a team, they cannot stay out of trouble.
I will say this: Butch Jones is doing good things. He is trying his best to build a good team. I really like Butch. I would love to steal him away from Tennessee when Frank decides to hang it up.
Aww, I guess we don't agree after all... :(
As long as we agree on our hatred for UT in general.
Yea, I kinda threw out the last 10 years, and only looked at the last two. Butch is creating a culture there, which is a very tough thing to do after the Kiffin/Dooley disaster. I liken Butch at UT to Buzz at VT (an edgy coach leaves, followed by a desperate Hail Mary hire). I believe we will be a top 6ish in the ACC (basketball) in 4-5 years. I expect UT to be in the mix to win the SEC east in the same time period.
Agreed. The few rational UT fans I have realize that they seem to only be recruiting top notch players who like to get kicked off the team. I don't like Butch Jones because it seems sneaky that they all of the sudden are always at the top of the recruiting boards, but yet he seems to take only players that lack discipline. I also don't like his face, but that's not really justified.
I will say that their QB of the future, Josh Dobbs, looks like a good one and well rounded to boot. Just a shame he chose a poor engineering school to go to when there is a much better one for aerospace engineering just a few hours Northeast. Him vs. what might be Dwayne Lawson in 2016 could be a lot of fun to watch.
I will add that the lack of off-field discipline isn't a purely Butch Jones thing. Lane Kiffin and Derek Dooley brought in top talent that didn't pan out too. I will also add that the attrition of their top talent isn't always due to run ins with the law. They've had their transfers and wash outs too. But most teams have their low and mid tier talent wash out. Tennessee has seen some of their top tier talent disappear prematurely in recent years.
It's not called the Fulmer Cup for nothing
I just googled Fulmer Cup.
Wow!
It's one of the things that gets me through the offseason.
Right on cue....
Freshman QB in trouble
Agree 100% on Dobbs