Week 1 to 2

I mean if we are throwing out last year, then yikes. The 2017 season is the best thing the current staff has going for them right now.

 

No one is saying that. Definitely take it into account.

But it's foolish to just assume WVU's defense is just as bad as last year. And it's equally foolish to pretend that we will be facing defensive juggernauts all season.

 

No one is assuming they are just as bad on defense as last year, but it's perfectly reasonable to point out that they were terrible last year on run D, therefore us struggling is cause for concern. Your response to that is "last year".

 

I was disappointed with the game today, but I accept there will be growing pains.

We have to beat Florida though. And I still say if we go 5-7 then this coach will never win anything here.

 

Yeah, only a one game improvement over a Butch coached team that mailed it in early in the season would be a terrible sign for the future.

 

But the comparison was made to "SEC defenses" as if every team we will play from here on out will be better on defense.

Kentucky and Vandy gave up 5 yds/carry last year too. The SEC east isn't exceptional defensively, and the good teams that we do play (UGA, Bama, Auburn) are going to beat the hell out of us regardless.

 

The only teams that are comparable to them in the east (not counting us) from a defensive standpoint is Kentucky and Vandy. The 3rd closest in run defense was Mizzou and they were 50 spots better than WVU. If you go to total defense, Kentucky was the only team comparable. Mizzou was 20 spots better and Vandy was 40 spots better.

It's likely that WVU will be just as bad defensively as any team we will face in the SEC this year. Only putting up 14 points and barely 300 yards against this defense is a major cause for concern for 8 of the remaining 11 games.

Edit: Just for fun, WVU's total defense ranking last year was closer to UTEP and Charlotte than it was to any SEC school.

 

They re not in the top 3rd of this conference but they were better than I expected. Also hard to compare total Ds for a season when comparing that league with a defensive league as well.

We have issues but the severity won't be known for a few weeks starting with UF.

 

We go 5-7 and Pruitt will need to go ahead and pack his shit and get out. The floor should be 6-6.

 

The issues Tennessee have are fixable. Youth was in position but didn't make a play, the more reps they get, the better they will be. I expect Pruitt won't be going cover zero anymore either.

The oline can be shuffled. They did put a lot of guys out there until they found what they liked.

Guarantano showed he can win games with his arm. Jordan showed he's a physical grinder.

Week to week improvements can be had, let's hope it's done.

 

Tuttle did a good job all game.

 

I'm not really down on the staff or team. Look at Kiffin's first game and look at how that season ended.

The staff won't admit it, but it's a feeling out period the first few games. Tennessee opens with an FCS school, we're back baby instead of what it is right now.

Tennessee will play better defenses, but they won't play a defensive scheme like that again. There's one qb they'll play that's comparable to that douchebag too.

 

This. I think by Florida we will see a much better team.

 

If Randy Sanders come in to Neyland and doesn’t lose by at least 28, Pruitt should be fired immediately.