My only worry is the how we lost. The 8-4 doesn't bother me too much. You have years like this, especially in the turn around of a program with problems like we had. The 64-0 in the second half of Bama, Missouri, and Georgia is concerning. The 7-6 record of his first year was more impressive than the potential 9 wins this year. But, he's earned some leeway with the rebuild and these were probably going to be the tough years anyway, as the 2023 and 24 classes were most impacted by the culling of the Pruit Scandal. We'll be better next year, probably.
When we start losing to Vandy like we did when the dipshits were here ... then I'll worry. As mentioned above, between the injuries/depth, the receiver ineptitude, the QB limitations and the referee incompetence (which I have never seen so blatantly bad/lopsided), 8-4 is tolerable.
It’s hard not to have that look when getting your ass whipped. Team sees a limited qb and defense that can’t get off the field and it drains them. Having 3rd string and walkon dbs along with 1 good upperclassmen lb doesn’t help at all.
Sort of a small tell for me on Saturday was the crowd still being ready to explode, even setting the decibel record. This wasn't late Jones era where the fans stop coming and caring, the indifference you could smell in the air. They still believe in the Heupel regime, for the most part. They may be a little jaded after the last two weeks, but they'll be on board with the program by spring.
They have looked confused (LBers/Secondary) out there more times than I remember in the past couple years. Couple that with the crazy no-call holding of the DL/DE and it has been brutal.
About where I'm at. Only thing I'm really worried about is Heupel and how married he is to his philosophy. We didn't need to completely chuck it in the trash but the quick game should have been utilized much less. Too many times we wanted to just keep on going with it when we should have slowed it down just to let the defense rest and regain composure. And then we'd get hit with a backbreaker. Murderball is on the way back, hell UGA has pretty much reinvented the concept by adding an effective WCO passing game to an elite defense and powerful running game. If we're going to play this style of offense we HAVE to be efficient, and even with Hendon at his best, there were only ever a few times where you could say that about this offense.
clueless. Getting calls in late. Yelling out wrong calls. Playing with no instinct or scheme advantage or baiting teams into throws we want them to make. Almost every game seems like we haven’t watched film or the other team is running a new play every down. We have no idea what’s coming and decent qbs look like Brady. Ky, UF, Mo and Ga qbs lit us up for like 75% completion rates
That's BVS. Just like we ran into some matchup buzzsaws the last two weeks, this one is in our favor. Vandy can't match up with us on either line and we're likely to jump on them early. Senior Day crowd might be a little small but should be enough of an atmosphere to make them press once we squeeze the vices
My old azz has come away with one life lesson ... Never bet on the Vols and the Spread. Now maybe, it is an ill-conceived perception and the data will prove me to be a dumb-azz. But that is my story and I'm sticking to it.
I strained a calf jumping up and down screaming GO GO GO GO at the TV in my living room. I can only imagine how loud it was in the stadium. And let me just state, do not take anything I say or write on Saturday or even Sunday come off as I really feel. In the heat of the game and its aftermath, and after the last 20 years, I am ready to fire anyone and everyone. Once I cool down, things calm down. There are still a lot of red flags for me with this coach and his staff, and I hope he fixes them. And soon.
I can't blame them. The Coaches keep having them do the same thing over and over and expecting different results (insanity).
I catch a lot of shit on here for stuff I say during games. I also agree on some red flags. Some of those red flags can be addressed pretty much after the season is over.