Just because I've been listening to talk radio about texas expectations, it got me thinking about what ours should realistically be. They are - Top 10 to 15 program. Perennial 8 to 10 win team with 8 being the floor. Annually top 3 in east and be in the mix 8 out of 10 years. Win the east two or three times a decade. Win confererence once or twice a decade. I don't think this is unreasonable and would keep me content and satisfied.
I expect a true dual threat qb who can move the chains and make us less predictable, on 3rd down especially, and use the whole field to our advantage. An OL who can shove people around, see blitzes and pick them up. Rbs who can make a defender miss in the open field and an OC who can get that matchup. Wr's who can separate and an OC who will get them in mismatches. TE's who can be a factor and safety valve between the hashes. DL who can get in the backfield and beat their man, LB's not clueless in the passing game and dbs who play with instinct and can go get the ball. We do those things and the wins will come.
The first four are totally reasonable. The last one depends a lot on what kind of monster is coming out of the West, which lately has been a crazy one.
True but a healthy Tennessee should still be able to get one every decade. LSU, Auburn, and Georgia got championships last decade with that same behemoth lurking. A healthy Tennessee can do the same. And I agree with Card that should be the expectations if we have healthy Tennessee football program. But what does the interim look like? That's the issue. It would take a load of luck to just make this program healthy with one hire. How do we get back to health? How do we get back to a health that can withstand one coach leaving? Like Ohio State, Georgia, or hell Wisconsin even. That's what Tennessee needs. And you get that when there is an identity and a standard for how you play football, when you don't chase trends.
I really don't give a crap who the coach is that gets us there. If he's here next year and turns it around fantastic.
Pretty much nailed it. Should win the East once every three years, 3 times in a decade. And should win the SEC once or twice a decade. You’ve got to figure that Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Florida are going to get their fair share. If each of them are winning 2 conference championships per decade, that’s 8. We should expect to compete on par with those programs and get our share as well. And if an Auburn or A&M wants to step up and grab one, it’ll have to be at some other program’s expense, not ours.
I’d also say that a losing season should be a deal-breaker. At a place like Tennessee, you should never, ever lose more games than you win. Because you’ll never, ever play that many teams who have better talent, facilities, resources than you do. Especially on a 12-game schedule with 3-4 gimmes non-conference.
Honestly, it’d have been tough for me to really enjoy success with Butch. I could not stand the man...I’d have found a way to grin and bear it, but even championships would have been bittersweet for me with that guy. Dooley, I’d have been fine with if he won. Pruitt, I actually liked. They really covered the spectrum of likability, and cornered the market on incompetence.
Sure Card. But both established their legacies before a year 4. I really am not the quick hook guy I play on tv. But once a guy shows you his spots they don’t change.
I don't think we are far away from being there sometimes, then others I feel we are a million miles away. To some extent we shouldn't be shocked this is happening with pruitt. He was the best left that would actually take the job after the debacle. I wanted (still want?) the guy to win, but there's a reason I suppose he was still there when Fulmer took over. I'm ready for us to go big. At least make Stoops give a long pause and think about it. Who knows once you get him on the hook. If nothing else it tells the fan base yes we want to win. And then maybe it makes a Campbell or Fickle look at us differently. A person with zero ties to UT that can take the job without half the booster base hating him as soon as it's announced would also be nice. IMO that's the lone way we get everybody headed the same direction. It's got to start there.
