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Title: Cautiously optimistic Post by: Creek Walker on August 30, 2018, 05:20:41 EDT I realize it's likely to be a longer season than many of us wish for, and maybe I'm guilty of sipping a little bit of the orange kool-aid, but I'm cautiously optimistic. I read the News Sentinel's staff's picks for Saturday this morning and some of them have West Virginia in a beatdown. Sports editor Phil Kaplan predicts WVU to win by 25.
Not me. I think it's going to be much, much closer. Can UT win? I don't know. But with a 10-point betting line, if I were a betting man, I know where my money would go. It would go on the Vols. I think 4-8 is the floor for this team and 8-4 is the ceiling. If we're being realistic, 4-8 is probably a lot more realistic than 8-4, but I will be honestly unsurprised by anything within that spread. Chattanooga Times Free Press sports editor Stephen Hargis said this morning that he's been around UT football since the '70s and has never entered a season knowing as little about what to expect as this season. I agree with that assessment. But I do think there are only 3 guaranteed losses on this schedule (at Georgia, at Auburn, Alabama), and 3 guaranteed wins. If you've got a 12-game schedule with only 3 can't-win games, then you're going to find a way to get to bowl eligibility if you've got any kind of coaching staff. And I don't know what kind of coaching staff we have, but I know there's more talent on this team than many believe. Key holes? Sure. Lack of depth? Absolutely. But there's some talent on this team. Let's see what Pruitt and his staff have been able to do with it over the past 9 months. I'm excited to get it started. Title: Re: Cautiously optimistic Post by: Tnphil on August 30, 2018, 05:38:57 EDT I just don't think we can outscore WVU....I really don't. The past 2 years Vandy with a pitiful and I mean pitiful offense butt-holed our defense and I just don't see our defense having that big of a turnaround against a offense like WVU in a 9 month period.....Hope I'm wrong :powert:
Title: Re: Cautiously optimistic Post by: Creek Walker on August 30, 2018, 06:08:37 EDT I just don't think we can outscore WVU....I really don't. The past 2 years Vandy with a pitiful and I mean pitiful offense butt-holed our defense and I just don't see our defense having that big of a turnaround against a offense like WVU in a 9 month period.....Hope I'm wrong :powert: It's going to be a tough challenge. I think we have some talent on D. The lack of experience at CB is concerning, but I feel good about our LBs and safeties, and not too terrible about our guys up front. And I know we have far, far better coaches who've had 9 months to prepare. I don't expect our defense to be world-beaters, but if we aren't far better than the D we saw against Missouri and Vandy, I'll be severely disappointed. I think the key to beating WVU is going to be ball control to eat some clock and keep Grier on the sideline, and hope for a couple of lucky breaks. Title: Re: Cautiously optimistic Post by: VinnieVOL on August 30, 2018, 06:13:56 EDT Agree, Creek. There are some games as you mentioned that based on Jimmie's and Joe's alone, you can go ahead and put in the L column this year. West Virginia is not one of those games. It's going to come down to the line of scrimmage.
Title: Re: Cautiously optimistic Post by: RockyMtnVol on August 30, 2018, 06:58:33 EDT It's going to be a tough challenge. I think we have some talent on D. The lack of experience at CB is concerning, but I feel good about our LBs and safeties, and not too terrible about our guys up front. And I know we have far, far better coaches who've had 9 months to prepare. I don't expect our defense to be world-beaters, but if we aren't far better than the D we saw against Missouri and Vandy, I'll be severely disappointed. I think the key to beating WVU is going to be ball control to eat some clock and keep Grier on the sideline, and hope for a couple of lucky breaks. Having Kirkland back is big - if he stays healthy it will be interesting to see what difference good coaching makes. I can remember how Al Wilson could change a game. Also, our inability to run last year meant our D was on the field a LOT - never a good thing. Title: Re: Cautiously optimistic Post by: PirateVOL on August 30, 2018, 06:59:21 EDT It's going to be a tough challenge. I think we have some talent on D. The lack of experience at CB is concerning, but I feel good about our LBs and safeties, and not too terrible about our guys up front. And I know we have far, far better coaches who've had 9 months to prepare. I don't expect our defense to be world-beaters, but if we aren't far better than the D we saw against Missouri and Vandy, I'll be severely disappointed. To me, the signs have been that we will pound the rock with selected shots to stretch the defense. Could work IMO.I think the key to beating WVU is going to be ball control to eat some clock and keep Grier on the sideline, and hope for a couple of lucky breaks. My biggest concerns are the young corners but if the front 7 can a) contain Grier and/or b) get pressure on him then we have a shot Title: Re: Cautiously optimistic Post by: BanditVol on August 30, 2018, 09:53:17 EDT I realize it's likely to be a longer season than many of us wish for, and maybe I'm guilty of sipping a little bit of the orange kool-aid, but I'm cautiously optimistic. I read the News Sentinel's staff's picks for Saturday this morning and some of them have West Virginia in a beatdown. Sports editor Phil Kaplan predicts WVU to win by 25. Hell is definitely freezing over. Agree 100% :naughty:Not me. I think it's going to be much, much closer. Can UT win? I don't know. But with a 10-point betting line, if I were a betting man, I know where my money would go. It would go on the Vols. I think 4-8 is the floor for this team and 8-4 is the ceiling. If we're being realistic, 4-8 is probably a lot more realistic than 8-4, but I will be honestly unsurprised by anything within that spread. Chattanooga Times Free Press sports editor Stephen Hargis said this morning that he's been around UT football since the '70s and has never entered a season knowing as little about what to expect as this season. I agree with that assessment. But I do think there are only 3 guaranteed losses on this schedule (at Georgia, at Auburn, Alabama), and 3 guaranteed wins. If you've got a 12-game schedule with only 3 can't-win games, then you're going to find a way to get to bowl eligibility if you've got any kind of coaching staff. And I don't know what kind of coaching staff we have, but I know there's more talent on this team than many believe. Key holes? Sure. Lack of depth? Absolutely. But there's some talent on this team. Let's see what Pruitt and his staff have been able to do with it over the past 9 months. I'm excited to get it started. Title: Re: Cautiously optimistic Post by: murfvol on August 31, 2018, 02:45:35 EDT Here's the deal. WVU went 7-6 last year. With adequate coaching that's about where we'd have been.
I don't know how Pruitt will do, but solid OL play and a mediocre defense should let us be competitive Saturday. Title: Re: Cautiously optimistic Post by: FLVOL on August 31, 2018, 04:38:34 EDT UT by 16
Title: Re: Cautiously optimistic Post by: Cobbvol on August 31, 2018, 08:30:04 EDT To me, the signs have been that we will pound the rock with selected shots to stretch the defense. Could work IMO. My biggest concerns are the young corners but if the front 7 can a) contain Grier and/or b) get pressure on him then we have a shot Agreed. We can't let Grier sit back and torch us with these young corners. Need to bring pressure and make him uncomfortable. We need to force FG's versus giving up TD once they get in the red zone, and we can't miss any FG's inside 40 yards that have been a habit from past Vol teams. Cautiously optimistic and anxiously waiting. |