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Hall of Famer [22965]
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"There'll Be No Sudden Rise For Jones' Fallen Vols(c/p)
Jul 15, 2014, 6:18 PM
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26 pm Tuesday, July 15th, 2014 There’ll be no sudden rise for Jones’ fallen Vols
By Mark Bradley
HOOVER, Ala. – Apparently Butch Jones is a persuasive guy. His Tennessee Volunteers compiled what Rivals rated the nation’s No. 5 recruiting class last winter, which is big deal for a once-proud program that has had one winning season — and that only 7-6 — since 2007. Ordinarily you’d look at such a class as a signal that better days are ahead, and they might well be.
Just not yet.
Jones appeared here Tuesday at the elongated SEC Media Days and ramped up the quantity of coach-speak by a hundredfold. He expounded on his team’s slogan — “The power of one” — without managing to make much sense of it. He spoke of “the great team chemistry” of his Vols, which sounded odd, given that these Vols just went 5-7 with five of those losses by two touchdowns or more, and given that Jones noted that his is “the only team in college football having to replace both the offensive and defensive interior lines.”
What Jones didn’t mention was Tennessee’s schedule, which is unmanageable. Phil Steele’s yearbook rates it the second-toughest in the nation, and no wonder: The Vols must play Oklahoma, Georgia, Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt on the road and Utah State, Florida, Alabama and Missouri in Knoxville. If Tennessee goes 3-6 in those games, it will have done pretty darn well.
“We’re still going through the realities of building a college football program,” Jones said. Then: “There’s a difference between earning the right to win and hoping to win.”
Then he mentioned something about “the relevance and the the magnitude of the University of Tennessee,” and once upon a time there was real heft to the Big Orange. Then Philip Fulmer was pushed aside and Lane Kiffin hired and then Derek Dooley and then Jones, and now a mighty program has been reduced to watching the likes of Vandy and Mizzou climb above it in the SEC East.
“It’s only a matter of time,” Jones said, speaking of what he views as brighter tomorrows, and maybe he’s right. But not this year. Not with that schedule.
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Legend [16058]
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Butch Davis is a GREAT coach...UT could easily win...
Jul 15, 2014, 6:23 PM
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Games against SCAR (beat them last year), UF (lost to Georgia Southern last year), Vandy, Ole Miss, and Utah State.
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All-In [38427]
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Re: Butch Davis is a GREAT coach...UT could easily win...
Jul 15, 2014, 6:38 PM
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Utah State ? Oh brother. I think UT finishes tied for 2nd in the SEC east ...this year.
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All-Conference [408]
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Re: Butch Davis is a GREAT coach...UT could easily win...
Jul 15, 2014, 6:55 PM
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You guys are crazy UT sucks. NO Qb. Lost their best OT.
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All-In [28802]
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They've also got very good RBs and WRs
Jul 15, 2014, 7:34 PM
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Not sure losing one player on the OL means their OL will suddenly suck, either. They may not have a very good QB, but it's hard to say they have "no QB" when the guy who started most of last year is back again.
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Trainer [47]
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Re: They've also got very good RBs and WRs
Jul 15, 2014, 8:23 PM
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> Not sure losing one player on the OL means their OL > will suddenly suck, either. They may not have a very > good QB, but it's hard to say they have "no QB" when > the guy who started most of last year is back again.
They didn't lose one tackle, all 5 starters on the OL graduated or left early.
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CU Guru [1081]
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All-In [28802]
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Pretty sad for UT to expect to go 3-6 in those games
Jul 15, 2014, 7:15 PM
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On the other hand, if I were a UT fan, I'd be pretty disappointed with anything less than wins against Ole Miss, Vandy, Utah State, Florida, and Missouri. That's a 5-4 record which would put them out of the running for anything important, but which I think is very doable for them. If they are playing a little above their heads, they very well could beat South Carolina and Georgia, too.
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Heisman Winner [119698]
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He'll be gone after 2014
Jul 15, 2014, 7:24 PM
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4-8 record.
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Team Captain [460]
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Re: He'll be gone after 2014
Jul 15, 2014, 7:36 PM
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most people thought Dabo would be gone by now after 2010. Strong recruiting changed that. Tennessee's class last year was amazing and this year is shaping up to be better. I think Tennessee will be patient with him. They have to be.
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Orange Blooded [4504]
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Any school bringing in 35 players should have a decent
Jul 15, 2014, 11:47 PM
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recruiting year.
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All-Conference [427]
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Re: He'll be gone after 2014
Jul 16, 2014, 7:48 AM
[ in reply to Re: He'll be gone after 2014 ] |
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I just wish we could have gotten M.North. Must have lost to the highest bidder, there.
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All-TigerNet [13190]
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This is one of your dumber posts
Jul 15, 2014, 11:39 PM
[ in reply to He'll be gone after 2014 ] |
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People in Knoxville love him. He is killing on the recruiting trail. He inherited a dumpster fire. Sure, UT is going to fire him 2 years in, makes sense.
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Orange Blooded [2826]
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Vols will surprise this season.
Jul 15, 2014, 7:33 PM
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They finish 3rd in the SEC Least behind Mizzou and the coots.
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Oculus Spirit [93668]
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I returned home to TN for about a decade.
Jul 16, 2014, 9:54 AM
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The average fan is quite humbled. I really enjoyed shoving it up their [strikethrough]###[/strikethrough] noses.
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