Where I'm at. I'm sure I'll let preseason hype get the best of me, but so much of this roster is going to be rebuilt.
The fact that Pruitt and co have done good things this year shouldn't cloud the fact that this roster will be very dependent on newcomers next year. Have patience and be realistic.
Not buying 10 wins in year 2, though I’d love to see it. Too many freshman and JUCOs on the O and D line. I do think every game except Georgia and Alabama is winnable. 8-9 wins would be a solid year 2. Go to a January bowl, sign more stud recruits, and then make a playoff run in year 3.
This is where I’m at. It feels good to be optimistic about the future for a change but first things first. I definitely see 8, possibly 9 wins next year but I’m more concerned about the recruiting right now. If we get the guys we need, years 3&4 are going to be a really fun time to be a Tennessee fan. I’m looking forward to introducing my 12 year old daughter to what Tennessee football is really all about, as opposed to what she’s seen her entire life thus far...
Who are some coaches that changed programs that didn't have it rolling in year 2? Of course we all know Johnny Majors. And I'm not sure it's fair to say he "changed" Tennessee. Any others?
And yet... We're definitely . beating: GSU BYU (they used to be good, but their new coach has been a big disappointment) Chatt UAB (they're actually okay, but we'll win) Vandy We should beat: South Carolina (they honestly should never beat us again with Will Muschamp coaching) Mississippi State (how good will they be without fitzgerald) Kentucky (it's always just going to be kentucky) Missouri (I think they will beat us this year, but then going forward I don't think it's unreasonable to assume we beat them ever year...we'll always have way more talent than them) We should lose to: UGA Bama They're still gonna just have way more horses than us next year. Coin flip Florida This is the first time I'd really looked at the schedule. 7-5 would be a disappointment. I could live with 8-4. 9-3 would be substantial positive progress and proof we've got ourselves a coach. 10-2 would be jaw-dropping, but probably isn't happening.
Before my time, but I think Johnny Majors absolutely changed Tennessee in the sense that he pulled them out of the ditch and made them a national brand.
Depends on what your definition of “rolling”is? Brian Kelly lost five games in each of his first two seasons in South Bend.
I would argue Dabo Swinney, but even he went to the ACC Champ game in his second year (first full year, though), but had 5 losses that year.
It's fine to have benchmarks for progress, but make sure they are realistic. Grade Pruitt on the program he inherited and how realistic the build time is.
But outside of two or three coaches in the last 30 years, you are not going to find one that has won anything that didn't win it in year 2 or 3. Whether that is because schools are making too much money now and are fire happy or if it is just a truism of sports. I believe it is just a truism of sports.
Dabo is a good example. I'll retract my earlier statement a little. N\We need to look elite by end of year next year though.
8-4/9-3 is perfectly reasonable for next season. If we’re still at 8 or 9 wins in ‘20, then there’s a problem.
Sounds like an improved problem, though. I mean, if we start plateauing at 9, we can look at tweaking assistants, etc. With Butch, he dug in his heels about his infallible system. And don't forget what happened with the defense, that was his meddling too. The only place to go from 2017 is up, is all I am saying. The problems aren't getting worse than where Pruitt started.
If you don't count his interim half-season, Dabo went 6-7 in year two. If you do count it, he was 9-5 in year two, despite only having four games against teams that finished in the rankings (#6 TCU, #19 Miami, two games against #13 Georgia Tech). Chris Petersen was 7-6 in year two at Washington. Jim Harbaugh was 5-7 in year two at Stanford (who admittedly was a smoking crater when he took over).
A little more bullish on our chances against UGA at home, a little more concerned about Mississippi State, who has been a consistently tough out for several years now, and Missouri on the road. I don't think we've played a good game in CoMo yet--they've outscored us 89-39 in three games (obvious caveat being all three were under Butch)
Theres 11 games that could he had. UGA included. Bama is a loss. 10-2 is absolutely doable. I think 9-3 is realistic. I wont be ready to fire him at 8-4 7-5 is a setback. 6-6 or worse, start the coaching search again.
