The SEC is about to have more players drafted than any other school for the 11th time in a row and Tennessee won't be contributing to it again. Butch Jones was given a roster, in the SEC, that will go two years without having a single player drafted.
His team was only outplayed once last year. It required a great deal of luck for a playoff bound Sooners squad to get out of Knoxville with a win 1 year after making us look like their JV squad in Norman. He typically obliterates the teams we should beat. The place a great coach can impact most quickly is special teams and our units were the best in the country. I don't recall having a kick blocked -- we protect well, we cover well, and we are absolutely terrifying to kick to. If Medley has a good game in Bama, Clemson is the National Champion.
What he's done with our lines is nothing short of a miracle. Tennessee didn't trick it's way into the end zone, late in the 4th, to take the lead over the most talented team in college football -- Tennessee ran the ball through the most gifted DLine in college football history (3 2016 first rounders on the line and a 4th a ILB) and did so behind true freshman with a true sophomore RB.
Many people thought D Barnett had a bit of a let down this year until the last few weeks -- but pro football focus ranked him the #2 DE in all of college football behind only Joey Bosa. The job they've done with him, the change they made in Maggitt, the development of Owen Wiliams, the flashes of absolute dominance from Vereen all start at the top.
Tennessee has no business throttling decent big ten teams yet, not with what Dooley left behind, but with a month to prepare for very well coached teams, Butch essentially "mercy-ruled" Iowa and top 15 Northwestern.
Tennessee opened the year with a very tough opponent and did so in Nashville -- people underestimated how talented that BG offense was. What shows up in the coaching? Preparation, we came out and put it on them. As young kids do (no matter how much we hate hearing it, he had the youngest team in major college football) they let up. They came out of the half in heat that was kicking their ass and didn't have the fire they needed, and I do think missing coach Martinez hurt, but after that lightening delay the Vols came out and stomped them until the final whistle blew.
The goofball in Gainesville winning awards for his fluke season, he was absurdly lucky to beat a 2-8 fcs school...not to mention the luck required to pull out that miracle against us. Another game we still could have won with a clean game from our kicker. That Florida team has two first round picks at minimum, their WR Robinson is getting first round buzz even though their offensive genius couldn't do a ton with him, he's a ridiculous athlete.
The final indicator that I'll leave here is Schoop left a guy he really likes to work with Butch and coach Scott left everything he knew to come work under Butch. People want to be a part of his program.
Eh, one more, the youngest team in the SEC doesn't commit any penalties. There are so many things we've improved on the field.
JG is, imo, the player from last years class that would be taken 1st overall if there was a draft, he can do more for a team than anyone else -- most saw what he did to IMG, he's just a ridiculous talent and I imagine the hype will be out of control from the first pass he throws on campus in any setting. If we truly lead for Lawrence, who may be the best QB prospect since rivals has existed, then start dieting, exercising and saying your prayers, you'll want to be around for the next 6 years.
Got to give coach G, Strip, DeBord, & Mahoney (some say he doesn't do much but he's our Oline coach and that's the most well coached part of our team) a lot of credit. I can't see why any DL or OL prospect would want to be anywhere else. I can understand the concern at WR, but we'll remedy that with a more experienced Oline, which will allow coaches to have confidence in protection, and the Vols taking more shots down the field.
Oh, and mr Welton, pay that man. There is no program in better hands than ours.
My 3 cents
His team was only outplayed once last year. It required a great deal of luck for a playoff bound Sooners squad to get out of Knoxville with a win 1 year after making us look like their JV squad in Norman. He typically obliterates the teams we should beat. The place a great coach can impact most quickly is special teams and our units were the best in the country. I don't recall having a kick blocked -- we protect well, we cover well, and we are absolutely terrifying to kick to. If Medley has a good game in Bama, Clemson is the National Champion.
What he's done with our lines is nothing short of a miracle. Tennessee didn't trick it's way into the end zone, late in the 4th, to take the lead over the most talented team in college football -- Tennessee ran the ball through the most gifted DLine in college football history (3 2016 first rounders on the line and a 4th a ILB) and did so behind true freshman with a true sophomore RB.
Many people thought D Barnett had a bit of a let down this year until the last few weeks -- but pro football focus ranked him the #2 DE in all of college football behind only Joey Bosa. The job they've done with him, the change they made in Maggitt, the development of Owen Wiliams, the flashes of absolute dominance from Vereen all start at the top.
Tennessee has no business throttling decent big ten teams yet, not with what Dooley left behind, but with a month to prepare for very well coached teams, Butch essentially "mercy-ruled" Iowa and top 15 Northwestern.
Tennessee opened the year with a very tough opponent and did so in Nashville -- people underestimated how talented that BG offense was. What shows up in the coaching? Preparation, we came out and put it on them. As young kids do (no matter how much we hate hearing it, he had the youngest team in major college football) they let up. They came out of the half in heat that was kicking their ass and didn't have the fire they needed, and I do think missing coach Martinez hurt, but after that lightening delay the Vols came out and stomped them until the final whistle blew.
The goofball in Gainesville winning awards for his fluke season, he was absurdly lucky to beat a 2-8 fcs school...not to mention the luck required to pull out that miracle against us. Another game we still could have won with a clean game from our kicker. That Florida team has two first round picks at minimum, their WR Robinson is getting first round buzz even though their offensive genius couldn't do a ton with him, he's a ridiculous athlete.
The final indicator that I'll leave here is Schoop left a guy he really likes to work with Butch and coach Scott left everything he knew to come work under Butch. People want to be a part of his program.
Eh, one more, the youngest team in the SEC doesn't commit any penalties. There are so many things we've improved on the field.
JG is, imo, the player from last years class that would be taken 1st overall if there was a draft, he can do more for a team than anyone else -- most saw what he did to IMG, he's just a ridiculous talent and I imagine the hype will be out of control from the first pass he throws on campus in any setting. If we truly lead for Lawrence, who may be the best QB prospect since rivals has existed, then start dieting, exercising and saying your prayers, you'll want to be around for the next 6 years.
Got to give coach G, Strip, DeBord, & Mahoney (some say he doesn't do much but he's our Oline coach and that's the most well coached part of our team) a lot of credit. I can't see why any DL or OL prospect would want to be anywhere else. I can understand the concern at WR, but we'll remedy that with a more experienced Oline, which will allow coaches to have confidence in protection, and the Vols taking more shots down the field.
Oh, and mr Welton, pay that man. There is no program in better hands than ours.
My 3 cents
