What record

next year we get what we wanted this year... Arnett and Dallas get a year in the system, a year in the conditioning and weight room and will have Hunter back as well as DaRick. We'll have a fully new recruiting class to add to our depth. Maggitt and Johnson get a year under their belt and can bigger, stronger and even a little faster because they'll understand the system and run at better angles. Bray will be back and we have another qb coming in that can possibly be a legit backup to Bray. Maybe things even click for Worley, who knows. Going into the season all of us UT fans that knew anything, knew Worley was full of questions because he was viewed as a system qb. Only one who has ever absolutely raved about him is Brinkley and he's biased because he's called of Worley's HS games. Maybe we can even get a kicker worth a da** in recruiting and maybe Harry will get replaced or at least figure out how to coach his O-line up. Next year is completely different.

If none of that happens, then it's absolutely time to blame coaching.

 

South Carolina and UGA are mediocre teams too.

The entire team took a gigantic mental step backwards when they lost those two. With an offense that was rolling on like it was, you had a puncher's chance to hit a big play every time Bray dropped back. Now, I get excited when Tennessee gains 3 or more yards.

 

So you think it's more or less the same team without those two? This offense doesn't come close to the one against Cincy. Our current O doesn't break twenty in that game.

 

Yes, but some of the teams we lost to are also mediocre at best. It's not crazy to think those two could have helped things.


Also, having watched a lot of OSU football this year, it makes it even more clear how bad quarterback play can kill an offense.

 

I think those guys gave us a puncher's chance against decent competition and no more.

Georgia is better than we would be with those two. I'm not sure what Carolina is just yet without Lattimore and Garcia, but my suspicion is that they have enough defense to carry the day.

Even with those two, we can't run, and we have holes all over the defense. That isn't the recipe for winning football.

 

We beat South Carolina with Bray and Hunter so 4-4.

 

It's enough to win the East, which, in theory, would lead to Dooley to improving his reputation and getting better recruits and improving the team.

I know this team is a long way from challenging for a NC. I don't think Dooley can ever lead Tennessee there. What he can do is win the East a few times while it's way down and build this team up for his successor. Or, it could be he firmly grasps the job by going 8-4, 9-3 and never win anything.

 

How much of a psychological edge did we lose when we lost Hunter? And does that edge make a difference?

 

I think it makes a huge difference especially with a team this young. If you had 40 seniors and juniors to kind of lead the way, it would help a lot. These young guys are used to being super stars and feeling invincible. They didn't really have to sit back, they were thrown right in. You have to wonder how many of them have ever dealt with losing a great player on their team in high school.

You replace an AA candidate with Zach Rogers and some inexperienced freshmen. The whole team was shook up when he went down.

 

And when all you have is what is behind him the ceiling is lowered until he gets back. The length of the psychological part is determined by how the staff deals with it. As you said the upperclass leadership is not there so thats mainly on the staff right now. Thats why I think he should remove any talk about Hunter and Bray going forward they are not part of the equation right now. He needs to focus and talk about what is.

 

I've stated this several times, but it is worth repeating again: your last sentence is exactly my fear. I see plenty of indication that it is also the most likely outcome.

 

Justin Hunter going down didn't lose the Florida game for us, but the response of shutting down for 1.5 quarters did. So yeah, I think we could have beaten Florida with Hunter, but we also could have made it a last second affair without him.

 

I predicted a 6 win season. I did so because I felt we didn't have enough depth to compete this year. Didn't know anything about injuries or who would get hurt but overall, just felt we lacked the experienced depth to compete.

If we bring back our injured players, than we have to bring back others injured players. Carolina beat us with their 4th string running back..

 

Injuries are part of the game. When 1 or 2 guys wreck your season then you don't have enough depth.

 

Correct. In this case, we didn't have enough depth before the injuries though. Next year will be better hopefully.