I agree with every post in this thread, good, bad and otherwise. A good argument can be made for all. I feel like we have adults in charge now. Legit dudes who understand football, and what a football team is supposed to look and play like. Whether or not that shows up next year, or to what degree, is anyone’s guess. But I’m as optimistic as I’ve been in years, while acknowledging the tough road still ahead.
This is why I’m content in not expecting a huge improvement with our record for 2019. We should have a remarkable change in effort on both sides of the football but nearly every conference opponent will still be better than we are.
Ive said it several times, but I expect 7-5 at the worst next year. That's what should happen and what I also believe will happen. That's 2 more wins than last year with an easier OOC game in BYU vs WVU. We also play teams we lost to last year that are breaking in new QBs, two of which carved us up pretty good. And we're replacing AU (road) with MSU (home). We're bringing back pretty much everyone except DL from last year. 2nd year under the same strength coach(and its showing), and weve upgraded the staff, particularly in an area of significant importance (OC). I just dont see how anyone can see the same results as last year. Not hating on Card or anyone else for that matter, but I really need help understanding how there is more reason to believe 5-7 next year is more realistic or to be expected versus going 7-5. Enlighten me. And we really should have been 6-6 last year (USce). I think we beat them this coming year.
Honestly my best argument would be that you just have so many unproven defensive players. And while true I don’t think it’s a very good argument, given their talent level and the prowess of the defensive staff.
Its just the defensive line though really. We know what we have in the secondary and LB becuase we really didnt lose anything there. Gooden will be a starter. If Solomom gets eligible theres another. Hopefully Savion Williams is the other guy, and we have at worst a serviceable DL.
Like a said it’s not a very good argument. If you forced me to predict how this team goes 5-7 I’d assume bad injury luck.
That's where I'm at as well. I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing what this upgraded staff and new young talent is going to look like. I'm not too hung up on the record but no bowl would obviously be a fail and looking disorganized, sloppy and generally overwhelmed would also be an obvious fail. I think we'll bowl and I think we're going to look like a talented young team with a bright future.
We're Tennessee. If we at least didn't think we were good in spring and summer, we'd suck all year. If Pruitt is going to be the guy, we should take a big step forward this year.
