Just a question to raise some discussion. Will it be Guarantanos' team or will Dormady get the nod? I know both RBs will probably be gone but with John Kelly looking solid and Ty Chandler coming in I think we will be OK there. Wide receiver position should be good to better than this year. Still got at least another year of McKenzie and Tuttle. Might be thin at DB.
No way. I think we are losing too much talent and I do not think he has been restocking the way a Saban or any other great program does. It has all been built up to this year and then I think we tail off. We will not fall back to 5-7 days, but I expect 8-4 will be our norm under this guy. And we still don't have a damn QB coach on staff.
I think most are highly overestimating what we're losing. Especially when you consider guys like Sutton and JRM losses for this year, not next.
Barnett is pretty dang close to irreplaceable. The second best past rusher we've had under Jones will also be gone.
There will be some big shoes to fill but the silver lining with all of these injuries is that next years players are having to step up now. I don't anticipate a drop off to be honest.
The 15 class was strong so I'd expect next year's team to be just as good. Barnett will be impossible to replace but we have plenty of talent behind him. I think JG has to start at QB
Defensive end is loaded, though. I don't think you can replace him with one player, but you get Darrell Taylor, who's going to be an undersized pass rusher and someone like Phillips or Mixon who can set the edge against the run, you can use a few guys to cover for him. Kongbo and Phillips live up to the recruiting hype, we'll be alright. It will be different, but it will still be pretty damn good on the Dline.
I think this is the year. Then it's back to reality. I fully expect the next time we have to make a coaching change, we will be selling yet another rebuild (though not as bad as before), and we will have to settle for another no name.
Sucks to be a Michigan fan, I bet. Look at what those poor bastards are going through in year 2. Glad we kept the guy they desperately wanted.
This is why I don't see the dropoff, at least in talent. We return almost everything else on defense. Offensively we return a lot. So much will depend on the QB.
2017 schedule: GA Tech in ATL (Neutral) Indiana St @FL UMASS GA *off SC @Bammer @KY Southern MS @Missouri LSU Vandy 10 wins would be a good year. 8-4 probable. I'm anxious to see if we're better without Dobbs. He makes bone-headed throws, but we'll miss those legs...maybe...maybe JG is the next Vick. Maybe JG will tuck in his freakin shirt.
I was going to take your opinion into consideration but then I remembered your record for picking our wins and losses. LOL
QB - there will be a dropoff, at least at first. I think Guarantano is the guy and I think he'll be very good, but he'll be a RS freshman. He'll make mistakes. If Dormady starts, the run game has to change. RB - Losing a lot, but Kelly isn't bad, Fils-Aimes has looked good in very limited spots and Jeremy Lewis, the late signee, was a guy that was recruited by a lot of schools until his grades scared them off. Add Ty Chandler and there is talent there. WR - Byrd, Malone, Jennings, Preston Williams, Smith, Latrell Williams, Calloway, Johnson, George plus whoever signs. You're losing no one and gaining more guys. This is a matter of coaching what's there. This is a talented group. TE - Losing Croom but does that really matter? Devante Brooks is a year further along after two ACL tears, Wolf should be back, Austin Pope gets a year to get bigger and the little Wolf gets a year. This is a talented group OL - Losing Wiesman, hopefully Richmond gets better and can contribute and Coleman Thomas gets back to 2015 form. A lot of young guys there, but this is a group that needs better coaching DT - Losing Vickers, but you have Shy Tuttle, McKenzie, Picou and Alexis Johnson (he was just cleared of all charges) to go along with a really good recruiting haul in the 2017 class DE - Losing Barnett, LaTroy Lewis and Vereen, I guess Barnett could come back but why would he? You've got Phillips and Kongbo, Darrell Taylor, Austin Smith, Mixon and Butcher, who may be a DT now. The 2017 class has some guys who could contribute quickly too. Barnett is the hardest guy to replace on the field for Tennessee. LB - Losing JRM, but he's only played a game and 3 quarters this year. It sucks, but it's given guys a chance to play. It's also shown that Tennessee isn't great at LB. A lot of bodies there, but no one has really shined. Quarte Sapp looked good last year, but blew his knee out. Maliek Gray is probably an OLB here, he may contribute very early. We know what we have in Kirkland Jr. CB - Sutton is great, but he's been hurt. He's gone as well as Malik Foreman. Moseley has been okay, Martin has been awful, Buchanan looks good at times then gets beat. He's a freshman, hopefully he gets better and becomes a quality CB. Gaulden is a damn good nickel, Osborne has looked good in limited action. There's pieces there, but Martinez isn't a known as a guy that makes his players better, he's simply a recruiter. S - A strong spot. TKjr is a stud, Abernathy is really good and Nigel Warrior is there too. Evan Berry hasn't looked too bad when he's played, but he's a notch below the starters. Coaches really like Griffin too. So, the talent doesn't drop off much, except for QB and RB which is what will make or break next year. We don't really know what we have. If Guarantano lives up to the hype or they adjust the offense to fit Dormady, Tennessee should be okay.
Not necessarily. They have tried very hard to not have Brett Kendrick on the field since they were hired but they can't find a better tackle.
