This is just it. Chaney will figure out the limitations of JG, fix what is fixable, and avoid what is unfixable, and play to his strengths. Also, if we can improve the run game, that'll do wonders to take pressure off Gurantano as well. I expect the offense to take a nice step this year.
7-5 minimum. 8-4 or better is my expectation or I’m just not seeing how this is going to work out. Failure to make a bowl game would be damning.
They probably need to hit 7 wins but the real question will be in what the product looks like. Chaney should have enough weapons to put a fairly productive offense out there.
Assuming we chalk the big 3 up as losses and the 3 easy ooc as wins, tell me what you have seen that makes you think we can win 5 of the other 6. Because I dont see any we should be clearly favored in considering the only one we currently hold a winning streak against is Kentucky.
If we go 5-7 again, fahr Pruitt, Fahr Heavy, Fahr em all, shut it down and burn Neyland to the ground.
What I’ve seen that gives me hope is that we have a coach (and a staff) that understand what it is to be part of a championship caliber program and aren’t afraid to: Work to get there, and: Take actual responsibility for shit when it goes wrong without spewing out bullshit cliches and catchphrases at every possible opportunity. It’s a new day, Card... while I appreciate the negativity (or realism... depending on your POV ) this program just has a completely different vibe than in the past decade plus.
This. I (along with the rest of us) have endured the seemingly unendurable but 5-7 would be the end of me as a UT fan. If we can’t get to a bowl game next season then there’s no point in wasting any more of my Saturdays on the Vols...
The coaching upgrades alone are worth a win over SC in the first year. They re not gonna be much better than the team we had beat at their place last year. Vandy isnt gonna better after Schurmer, BYU ain't WV. Mizzou is harder to figure they lost a generational QB but replaced him with a talented player. If the hires are no better than what we had and the roster is no better than it was, you could argue 5-7 as possible. I dont see either being the case.
A lot can change in a year with a team. The returning players are a year older, have year in Fitz' S&C, the D has a year in this scheme, upgrade at OC and young but better talent on the Oline. They ain't going to win the SEC, but the whole picture looks a lot brighter than last year's 5-7 team.
I love the changes from year one to year two Pruitt made with the staff. Wasn't expecting it but it gives me hope that he changed what needed to be changed fast.
You've got guys in year 3 and 4 gaining 30 pounds in off season workouts. That says a lot about Butch's S&C