The hype train

Damn you, Droski.

 

here are my, I don't know shit, predictions:

appy state - win
vtch - win
ohio - win
florida - win
at Georgia - win (qb is going to suck)
at A&M - loss
Bama - loss
USC - win
ten tech - win
Kentucky - win
mizzu - win
vandy - win

this is really a remarkably easy schedule. i'd almost put 9 games in the lock territory. 8 if you think florida will be good, which I don't. Georgia could surprise I guess and it's on the road. A&M could disappoint, but i see them as an upside surprise this year.

 

No one will care. We'll still get credit for playing a 1980s schedule and the masses will hail Butch as a god.

 

I could see Kirby Smart looking like shit all year then beating us.

 

And every other coach in the conference.

 

Channel your Buddha.

 

I'm on board. Fill this [itch bay] with coal and let's go!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Just getting to Atlanta would have been good for last season. This year, they need to come back with some hardware from ATL or they can GTFO.

 

Glad you see the humor now.

 

Yeah, but it'll be funny because UT fans would laugh at him all year and talk about what an awful hire he was, then all of a sudden he's the reason Saban won all them champinships. Kind of the exact same situation as with Donkeymouth over at Florida.

 

I call him hee haw. Reminds me so much of that opening animation.

 

You're already in it for $50 pal.... Let's not get too crazy here!!!

 

Both funny.

 

Here are my thoughts. I would love to hear some perspective on the passing game.

When we hired Shoop, I was excited to see what he would do with our defense. I've been impressed by him since I saw what he did at Vanderbilt. Since it is the off season, I did the only thing I could do: dig up statistics on his past performance to try and predict his success at Tennesse. All signs point to the Shoop led defense having a tremendous year. In fact, I think we will have the best defense in the country. A few predictions about the defense I've pulled out of fairly thin air ( Utah mountain air):

• You will see a much more aggressive defense that rushes the QB consistently and effectively. This will lead to more turnovers, interceptions, sacks. This prediction is really more of a fact.
• 4th down conversions will drastically improve. Last year was embarrassing, this year the Vols will have a top 5 3rd down conversion % and top 5 4th down conversion %.
• A DE (Barnett?) will have 13+ sacks by years end.
• Cam Sutton will be up for the Thorpe award.
• Opponents will average ~15.5 points per game. No one will score more than 28 all year.

IMO, the passing game will be the difference in a good or great season. The receivers have potential and Ethan Wolf looks good. I like the chances for Croom to succeed under Larry Scott. However, Azzanni inspires zero confidence. In fact, I think he makes our receivers worse. Can our receivers thrive in spite of Azzanni? Which Josh Dobbs will we see in the first 8 games? A few vague offensive predictions from thin air (Rocky Mountain, 14k elevation air):

• The season will go as our passing game goes.
• OL will be much improved.
• Hurd and Kamara will combine for 2100+ yards rushing, 700 yards receiving, 20+ rushing TDs, 8-10 receiving TDs.
• Kamara will avg 6-7/ypc (again)
• If the passing game can score 1-2 TDs per game, we will be undefeated.

We can contend for a SEC and a National Championship. The absolute floor is that we win the East. CBJ will owe a BJ to Bob Shoop for this year's success. Bob Shoop will leave and go head coach somewhere else. Butch will sell the hell out of our success on the recruiting trail and pull in a top 5 class the next 2 years.

Oh and Lane Kiffin leaves Alabama to be HFC at Auburn, Hawaii, or somewhere in between.

 

I have to agree with Hoss about Shoop. He was the driving force behind the James Franklin train, and the main reason they won 9 games there. No reason he shouldn't win big with UT resources and against this patsy schedule. If somehow he doesn't, it'll be hard for to not view that as Butch totally screwing it up.

 

There are no definite losses on this schedule. Bama is the only team with as much or slightly more talent.

11-1 should be the worst we do, however you just can't get a good feel about managing expectations until they actually do it.

I'm going with 9-3 or 10-2.

 

The difference between us and Bama (aside from them having Saban and staff) is more of a depth of talent and psychological one. They've been winning at their level for years, our guys are still working towards that

 

Like I said before, if they go 10-2 and push Bama or whoever in the SECCG, I'll have a hard time being mad about it

 

The only problem with 10-2 is there's a chance we're not in Atlanta, depending on who the losses are to. Gotta sweep the east to increase the chances, and then you still have to hope everyone else has 2 losses.