Vols fans need to be realistic. How many programs in the SEC are we ahead of

[volsboy]

right now? UK, Vandy, Miss St? I was gonna include Arky but didn't. It will be a long climb back to respectability. I can't foresee an SEC title anytime soon. And everyone knows how much of a crap shoot recruiting classes are. I say it will take longer than we think. I hope I am proven wrong. Two good recruiting classes will help get it started. Bama is a long way off in regards to talent.

[BanditVol]

right now? UK, Vandy, Miss St? I was gonna include Arky but didn't. It will be a long climb back to respectability. I can't foresee an SEC title anytime soon. And everyone knows how much of a crap shoot recruiting classes are. I say it will take longer than we think. I hope I am proven wrong. Two good recruiting classes will help get it started. Bama is a long way off in regards to talent.

Can't disagree with you much, but I would expect to see us start being substantially better in 2015.  Will we win the SEC?  Who knows, that's probably still a long shot even then, but I would bet we are at least in the mix for it.

But that IS a long time off...in the meantime, if we beat Vandy and win the bowl, it's arguably our best season since 2007.  Which is sad...but one brick at a time.   

[Tnphil]

I would rank the bottom 4

11. Vandy
12. UT
13. Ark
14. KY 

[Inspector Vol]

Many of us are realistic. We have been for nearly 10 years now as we saw the inexorable slide from the top and no one in a position to fix it made the correct decisions to fix it. While Butch and staff deserve a chance and they will get it, this fan base is tired.

It's nearly to the point now of just trying not to watch and invest any of yourself in a game because odds are we will lose or try to be excited, show up to the game or cheer in front of the tv  and be upset all over again. People who get upset and vent aren't doing so because they are cluelesss about the talent situation, it is because they care, or it is for me.

I think everyone here is adequately aware of the lack of talent we have. If you want a real dose of truth it may take 5 or 6 years to get this mess corrected. Dooley's deadwood class's have little talent and the fighting spirit has been beat out of them. The players aren't stupid either, they know when they have a shot to win and when they don't, and this bunch has played accordingly the last few years. Old habits die hard.

To fully get classes in and assuming a normal attrition rate, it will take 5 or 6 years of really good recruiting to get back to the top. Freshmen and sophomores do not an SEC Championship team make. The majority of your starters need to be seniors and juniors with the spectacular freshmen getting some 2nd team work. The 2nd team should be mostly juniors and some sophomores and the rest of the freshmen redshirt. We are 5 or 6 years away from that. We may win 10 or 11 games before then but to reach a level of sustainability like we had in the 90's it will take that many years. That is the reality of it.

[VinnieVOL]

Many of us are realistic. We have been for nearly 10 years now as we saw the inexorable slide from the top and no one in a position to fix it made the correct decisions to fix it. While Butch and staff deserve a chance and they will get it, this fan base is tired.

It's nearly to the point now of just trying not to watch and invest any of yourself in a game because odds are we will lose or try to be excited, show up to the game or cheer in front of the tv  and be upset all over again. People who get upset and vent aren't doing so because they are cluelesss about the talent situation, it is because they care, or it is for me.

I think everyone here is adequately aware of the lack of talent we have. If you want a real dose of truth it may take 5 or 6 years to get this mess corrected. Dooley's deadwood class's have little talent and the fighting spirit has been beat out of them. The players aren't stupid either, they know when they have a shot to win and when they don't, and this bunch has played accordingly the last few years. Old habits die hard.

To fully get classes in and assuming a normal attrition rate, it will take 5 or 6 years of really good recruiting to get back to the top. Freshmen and sophomores do not an SEC Championship team make. The majority of your starters need to be seniors and juniors with the spectacular freshmen getting some 2nd team work. The 2nd team should be mostly juniors and some sophomores and the rest of the freshmen redshirt. We are 5 or 6 years away from that. We may win 10 or 11 games before then but to reach a level of sustainability like we had in the 90's it will take that many years. That is the reality of it.

Good post.

[BanditVol]

I would rank the bottom 4

11. Vandy
12. UT
13. Ark
14. KY 

We could easily beat MSU imo.  But of right now only one team on that list matters.

[Tnphil]

We could easily beat MSU imo.  But of right now only one team on that list matters.

Haw! Forgot about Miss St.

Should have done bottom 5 with it being Vandy, UT, Miss St, Ark, Ky.