Ok, what do we want this season?
by mike2ray on May 21, 2010 5:00 PM EDT
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Print[Note from Will - 5/21/10 8:55 PM] As I mentioned to the other guys earlier tonight, with Orgeron gone we're no longer chest bumping things to the front page. So this now gets the Dooley Special "Front Page. Boom." treatment.
There has been much talk about our impending struggles this season. Even so, we must all have an idea as to what we would like to see. Outside of irrational hopes, what do we actually want to see put on the field? Of course, every Orange blooded Tennessean wants to defy expectations. I am the same. However, being the realistic person that I am, I know some of our lofty goals probably can't be achieved this year. So, what is progress? What, as Vols fans, do we want to see? I would offer my own visions as to what I'm looking for.
I want to see Heart.
This team has been through hell the past couple of years. A storied and popular coach was replaced with a "up and comer" who promised oh so many things. Part of the pain of the departure is knowing that (my own opinion) if the former staff stayed, Tennessee would climb back up the ranks. However, I am also glad to be rid of someone who was NEVER a true Vol. The players must have also come the same realization. There have also been some players that have decided that Tennessee is not the place for them. I don't begrudge their decision. I know that it hurts us in the short term. In the long term, players who truly want to wear our Orange will be there.That is what I want.
That said, I want to see players who lay it on the line for Tennessee. I'm talking about players who don't hold anything back, don't have selfish egos, and want to win because this is Tennessee. I would wager to guess that Nick Reveiz is certainly that type of player. In my mind, he exemplifies the Volunteer spirit. If all players took his attitude, we'd rise from the ashes faster than anyone would have dreamed to hope. That brings me to another point.
I want to see competitiveness.
I know that it is possible that some games may get away from us. However, what I don't want to see is players quit. You can always tell that in adverse situations, some people go ahead and shut it down with time still on the freaking clock. That is something we cannot have. Yes, we may lose the game. However, let no one say that we ever quit. I had the fortune of being able to ask Coach Dooley a question at the Chattanooga Orange Caravan stop. I asked what he envisioned for this season. He said that he want's to instill certain values when the team steps on the field. He wanted to make sure that the team does all the right things. He also mentioned, that if everyone buys in and commits to the program as they should, we can become a better football team faster than anyone thinks.
I want the upset win.
This is probably the most lofty of my expectations. However, if it doesn't happen, I'm fine. I'll always be a Vol. But, I truly do think the possibility is there. Who knows what the other teams will put on the field? Nothing is set in stone! All the hate and malice that Florida had for us (and Kiffin) was only good for a ten point victory! We still beat Georgia like a drum! We had the national champions in field goal range of victory -- only to be thwarted by a pulled quadriceps (I still give no credit to that glandular monstrosity)!
Long story short.
I want this team to get better as the season goes on. I want them to give us reason to make some noise at home. I think it can happen. Yes, the challenges are still there but I will not believe that we will simply roll over and die for anyone who steps on our grass. This season may be not our best, but I want to have some thrills along the way. I want the players to realize that we are still freaking Tennessee!! I'm in this for the long haul. I'm always proud to say I'm a Tennessee Vol. I know that Dooley is instilling the same thing in the players.
As always, GO VOLS!!!!
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What I want to see...
in addition to the above, is good coaching.
In our game against Oregon, we’re going to have an overmatched offensive line facing off against one of the best defensive ends in college football. We’re not going to stop him cold, but I want to see us do our best to neutralize our weaknesses using good playcalling and in game adjustments.
If we’re doing 3 and 5 step drops all game against them, we’ll get whipped… and I’ll be extremely concerned about the Dooley regime. But if we recognize our limitations and work around them, we can compete with anyone… I know our defense is good enough if we don’t put them in a bad position and score when we get our opportunities.
No Alex Brown esque zero adjustments when a player is eating us alive, no running 40 times in a game when we’re getting <1ypc, no prevent defense with 2 minutes left, no squib kicks in a 2 point game, and no trying to run the clock out in a 3 possession game in the 3rd quarter.
Very well put in the article and by CabanX
I would also like to see the team and the fans gel together like days of yore and make Neyland Stadium a feared place again. A place that other teams dread coming too. Especially teams traveling across country to play us. a.k.a Oregon. We have to win at home. I want to see us at least split the games between Oregon and Florida. No one really knows what Oregon is going to be like without Masoli and the same goes for UF with Brantley. All the hype he is getting is similar to what Crompton got as well, and well look what happened. Add that to the mass exodus of jr’s they had coupled with graduates, who know what kind of team they will have. Really the only team without huge concerns is Bama.
I would also like to see a class representation of UT football not only on the field but off the field. No more attempted robberies, clothing store thefts, and drugs.
Lastly I hope for good health. If we can stay healthy, I think we can be competitive. Plenty of young players got snaps last year that they wouldn’t have gotten otherwise, lets hope that equals to solid depth this year,
"GIVE HIM SIX" - John Ward
Amen on health...
If we stay healthy, then there is no reason we can’t be relatively successful.
Give us a dozen injuries, or a couple on the offensive line and we’ll have trouble beating anyone.
Agree with everything said
Also, as a more moderate expectation, I want a bowl game and a 26th straight win over Kentucky.
by Incipient_Senescence on May 21, 2010 8:58 PM EDT reply actions
Wins...
UT-Martin = 99%
Oregon = 33%
Florida = 20%
UAB = 90%
at LSU = 40%
at Georgia = 40%
Alabama = 20%
at South Carolina = 50%
at Memphis = 80%
Ole Miss = 50%
at Vanderbilt = 75%
Kentucky = 60%
Based on those numbers, It’s a little better than 50/50 that we win 6 games due to what has to be one of the 5 most difficult schedules in the country… but of course things will change. Oregon, LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, Ole Miss, and Kentucky all have a reasonable chance of favoring us significantly more once we see the teams actually play.
Well stated, my friend...
Great words, Mike. I too want to see heart, competitiveness, and a PASSION for wearing the orange. That is what makes me a Vol fan. Growing up close to Nashville, I had a lot of friends (well, only 3 or four, realistically) that were Vandy fans. They always asked me what was so great about Tennessee and why wasn’t I a Vandy fan? Usually this question came after a firm arse-whipping in Knoxville or Knoxville #2 (a.k.a. Nashville). The thing that they don’t understand that they still lack today (except for the geriatric old ones that donate millions to the school each year) is a passion for their school. I am a firm believer that wearing the Orange is a privilege, and as equally, an honor. I want to see our fan base re-unite behind our team, and not be so skeptical. I understand how easy it is to have happen after the hell we’ve been through the last 3 years, but, like I said we do it for Tennessee, and that’s what makes us Vols. Mike, I’ll be right there with you this year for the games, lest we not forget our pre-game rituals at the Half Barrell!!
-=SMODIGGITY=- GO BIG ORANGE!!!
"The kick is in the air, and the kick this time is... NO SIR REE. NO SIR REE. FINAL SCORE: TENNESSE 20, FLORIDA 17. PANDEMONIUM--REIGNS." --The Immortal John Ward
Oh we shall be there.
You are right in saying that the fan base must unite. I think we should all call upon all members of the Big Orange Army to commit to support this team. I think the one thing I left out of my analysis was that we fans must support this team. It is easy to sit at home and be critical of what is going on. But, I challenge anyone who is in range and is able to go to these games stand up and freaking yell for this team. If anyone who goes to games actually thinks the crowd can’t affect the outcome, don’t even go. The fans have a job to do. We create an intangible factor that cannot be accounted for. Does anyone remember Nate Longshore? He was from Cal and said that the atmosphere was basically more than he could imagine. The players make plays. But we, the fans, can also affect the game. If we aren’t willing to do this, what is the point?
To Strive, To Seek, To Find, and Not to Yield.
Note...
Wasn’t “Chest Bumping” brought to RTT by Trooper Taylor? Regardless, neither he nor DACOACHO are staffed anymore, so I’m all on boards with the “Front Page. Boom”!
Joel says yes
But I think I always associated it with Orgeron since I came here around the same time he did. Learn something new every day.
by Will Shelton on May 22, 2010 8:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Nah, with Orgeron it'd be Red Bulled to the front page.
At least that was how I always thought of it..
Simulated Gameday Experience - just like the real thing, only we have smoke machines.
by Chris Pendley on May 22, 2010 8:49 AM EDT up reply actions
yeahbut
I’m entirely on board from “Front page BOOM” as well. In fact, expect much over-usage of BOOM from me this fall.
by Joel Hollingsworth on May 22, 2010 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions
The more I think about it, the more I realize that this schedule may be hard but
we’re looking at a good scenario with a down SEC (in SEC terms). Outside of Bama (and I think Arkansas), no one is going to be incredible (I’m still not convinced with Alabama though.)
LSU has been regressing the past few years (night games in baton rouge should still strike some fear in opposing teams), Ole Miss lost most of its offense in McCluster and Snead. We have no idea what’s going to happen in Gainesville. Georgia is in rebuilding mode. SC could be a dark horse, but is a winnable game. And there’s always UK and Vandy.
UGA, USC, Florida, LSU are all dark horse candidates to dethrone Bama (well, maybe not Spurrier’s boys), but all of them could have terribly down years.
I think this will be a tough year and, like mike2ray, I’ll be hoping for some more intangibles rather than just W’s, but all is not lost. There are a lot of toss-ups this year. Who knows what will happen? I think we can be competitive in a lot of our games.
It is always easy to say that you will accept things that aren't
great in the pre-season but when the season ACTUALLY starts, everyone wants immediate success and nothing else
I think you mistake...
Johnny “Message Board” over on Volnation, or in your case the DawgVent for the fans here.
I still get absurdly into them, but I haven’t been unable to shake a loss in a day since 2001… and it seems most of the fans on the SbNation sites are the same way. Gotta have a sense of humor about your own program and thick skin to fit in here. We’re not the folks who threaten to throw bricks through quarterbacks windows, we’re the ones who imply that perhaps a catfish would be a more suitable QB(or agree with someone else’s assertion).
If Tennessee struggles in a completely understandable way, then while I’ll be disappointed… I’m not going to flip out over it. And I’ll be shocked if anyone else here is flipping out.
Speaking earlier of "Boom",
what about a Boom T-shirt? Is the sbnation apparel store still a go?
Maybe
I was so disappointed in the colors that I gave up on it. Solid orange is out, as it’s like Illinois or Syracuse or some other, darker orange. So it would have to be white, and they say the orange print color is right, but I don’t know. Plus mostly white with orange doesn’t excite me nearly as much as mostly orange with white.
So I don’t know. We may give it another go. After the annual.
by Joel Hollingsworth on May 23, 2010 6:43 AM EDT up reply actions
And the black ones look like you're supporting the Chicago Bears
the print is off on those, so I’d wager it’s off on the white ones as well
by Will Shelton on May 23, 2010 7:56 AM EDT up reply actions
Is there another vendor y'all can use?
I’ve got to think someone would have the proper shade of orange. Heck, if nothing else with a large enough batch I’ll bet you can go to some of the local shirt vendors on Cumberland and get them to do one up. If they don’t have the proper shade of orange, nobody will.
Simulated Gameday Experience - just like the real thing, only we have smoke machines.
by Chris Pendley on May 23, 2010 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions
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