The reason why Butch Jones is confident? It's three things, primarily, imho:
[1] Culture - great leadership, focus, dedication, hunger, determination.
[2] TN has a whole lot more answers than they have questions. PK, LT and WR are the question marks. At LT all signs point to not one but two competent guys who will compete for that position. At WR, it sounds like we will be better. Crossing my fingers that PK does not repeat his first half of the season performance again this year but builds on his second half of the season performance.
[3] Playmakers: It's been a long time since we have had this many playmakers on the field. I define playmakers as skill position guys who don't merely do their job, but can make up for someone else not doing their job and make a game changing play.
Here are our legitimate proven playmakers:
Dobbs
Hurd
Kamara
JRM
Kirkland
Sutton
Kelley
Martin
Berry (kick returns)
Sutton again (punt returns)
And even though DEs are not typically called skill position players, these guys have proven to be able to make big plays:
Barnett
Vereen
Next, you look at who we have that everyone seems to think will be playmakers sooner rather than later:
PW
Gaulden
McKenzie
Tuttle (once 100%)
Phillips (if stays healthy)
On offense, the trenches aren't skill position playmakers, but in our case the OL is loaded with guys who could be or are All SEC:
Jashon Robinson
Dylan Weisman
Coleman Thomas
Chance Hall
X-factors: Guys who you are hoping they can have an impact in their first year or fulfill the promise:
Malone (solid, but maybe takes that step forward that Meachum did his Jr year)
Kendrick (solid, but looks like he may take a significant step this year)
Taylor
Kongbo
Richmond
Byrd
George
Johnson
Last: Everywhere else you have solid guys who know how to play good football in the SEC:
Mixon, O'Brien, Abernathy, Foreman, Moseley, Jennings, Vickers, Lewis, Ethan Wolf, Josh Smith, etc.
This could be a very memorable season.
[1] Culture - great leadership, focus, dedication, hunger, determination.
[2] TN has a whole lot more answers than they have questions. PK, LT and WR are the question marks. At LT all signs point to not one but two competent guys who will compete for that position. At WR, it sounds like we will be better. Crossing my fingers that PK does not repeat his first half of the season performance again this year but builds on his second half of the season performance.
[3] Playmakers: It's been a long time since we have had this many playmakers on the field. I define playmakers as skill position guys who don't merely do their job, but can make up for someone else not doing their job and make a game changing play.
Here are our legitimate proven playmakers:
Dobbs
Hurd
Kamara
JRM
Kirkland
Sutton
Kelley
Martin
Berry (kick returns)
Sutton again (punt returns)
And even though DEs are not typically called skill position players, these guys have proven to be able to make big plays:
Barnett
Vereen
Next, you look at who we have that everyone seems to think will be playmakers sooner rather than later:
PW
Gaulden
McKenzie
Tuttle (once 100%)
Phillips (if stays healthy)
On offense, the trenches aren't skill position playmakers, but in our case the OL is loaded with guys who could be or are All SEC:
Jashon Robinson
Dylan Weisman
Coleman Thomas
Chance Hall
X-factors: Guys who you are hoping they can have an impact in their first year or fulfill the promise:
Malone (solid, but maybe takes that step forward that Meachum did his Jr year)
Kendrick (solid, but looks like he may take a significant step this year)
Taylor
Kongbo
Richmond
Byrd
George
Johnson
Last: Everywhere else you have solid guys who know how to play good football in the SEC:
Mixon, O'Brien, Abernathy, Foreman, Moseley, Jennings, Vickers, Lewis, Ethan Wolf, Josh Smith, etc.
This could be a very memorable season.
