Hard to really set goals for the first year. It seems unlikely that we see something outside the 5-7 wins that everyone seems to expect. Just keep recruiting at a high level for now. I doubt we'll be able to determine much by watching the team this year. Usually you don't see much until year two, and I don't think we'll see a huge difference then, either. Seems like we could be losing a lot of the players who matter, and the talented players will be freshman.
Youre probably right but they can show improvement in certain areas as the year goes along. Doesn't mean it improves the win column, but at least you can stand back and say they are not digressing or giving up like under doo doo. Now, by year 3 we should start seeing a significant difference, if he's gonna be here for the long run.
Auburn was worse than UT last year. We'll be favored over them in the preseason (although that may change by November). And Vandy will probably be favored, but it's still hard for me to call it an upset.
I know this is going to sound like a stupid minor goal, but I'd like for them to absolutely destroy WKU. It would really help my psyche.
I'm not sure that improvement over the course of the first year is an important indicator of a good coach. Dooley did improve over the course of his first year at Tennessee. Saban had a disaster of a November in his first year at Alabama. Obviously, that's a small sample, and I'm not going to go back and look at the records of all successful coaches (I might look for some others when I get the time, but not right now), so it may not be a firm trend, but I suspect that improvement comes by fits and starts and not on a consistent gradual upward slope.
This is where I am on theses being upsets. I can see how Auburn could wind up being a game where calling it an upset could be legitimate, but it's hard to swallow beating Vandy as one when they've won two games in the last quarter century.
An upset in my mind this year would be a win over UF, ORE, Bama, UGA, or USCe. We are not supposed to win those games. A single win against VU, Mizzou, or AU would not qualify as an upset. I wouldn't be surprised if we beat any one of those 3 teams. To say that we beat all 3 would come as a surprise because it means we probably go 7-5 and I am not expecting this.
All the false starts and illegal procedures/formations on 3rd/4th and short while dipshit was here made me want to punch baby seals. The repeated lack of mental discipline in critical situations was one of the most damning indictments of the last regime. It was inexcusable.
People can cuss Kiffin for a lot, but that 09 team was the best disciplined team Tennessee has had in a long time
