The realist in me expects a 6 win season with the loss of some key players. However, we do get key players back at the linebacker position that could be difference makers. I'm hearing some good things from the receiver front that makes me believe 7 wins are possible. The keys to wins above the 50% mark are the QB and Receivers finding themselves on the same page and the DBs not allowing the big play. We lost a great portion of our running game but Poole seems to be doing well.
The first half of the season will make or break the Vols. How do you see those first few games going? If Dooley navigates through it at 3-3 good things could be happening in K-ville.
For Tennessee to go 3-3 in the first six means that we would, at a minimum, have to beat Florida at home, LSU on the road, or Georgia on the road. Which one(s) of those three look to be winnable in YOUR opinion?
Who is your other guaranteed loss? Out of those three I see LSU as being the most vulnerable because they haven't see Tenn lately and seem to be the bigger question mark of the three.
And who has? Tennessee is an all new product. Florida has no idea what to expect as well as Georgia not having a clue. With an all new team, there are no "guaranteed losses" or "guaranteed wins" against anyone, Florida included. You're not going to get your jollies by seeing me type something for which you are so obviously fishing.
Fishing for what...I was trying to make a civil post in a topic you started about the Vols....amongst the 10 you have started. I am curious as to how you see those games going. I think 3-3 would be great....and obviously would take some work to get there. Tenn-Martin and UAB should be counted as wins so that leaves one out of four ( Oregon must be a winnable game to you ). 2-4 heading in to play Bama isn't confidence inspiring but I think 3-3 with a W over a quality opponent will provide enough fire for the Vols to think they can beat Bama. Might be my Gators...who knows. Brantley could go down with injury and then all bets are off as to what could happen to the Gators this season.
I'll take you at your word that this is meant to be civil and not "fishing" for a "Florida is going to beat us" statement. You see, MCG, or TBD, it is hard to take you or GatorZ as being civil when you two are the primary reason for several good Volunteer fans not being here anymore. Those guys may not relate well to multi-university sites but warnings were not heeded and they took the high road. Because of that, I see most of what you post as recordings being played back from those days. One person in particular that we lost was the BEST source of Tennessee inside information there ever was. Vol Jeff, a very good friend of mine and producer of Tennessee information unmatched by anyone on this board, couldn't take the abuse and left telling me to contact him anytime I wished but I can't post anything he tells me here because of you two. Does that tell you WHY if see "fishing" in all of your posts? Now, to answer your question: Oregon is a ?????? to me. With Masoli, I say we lose. Without him, ??????. With him at Ole Miss, I don't like our chances against them.
So.....Oregon is a question mark but see it as more winnable than any of the three SEC opponents ahead of the Bama game. Still think LSU could be had....but so could Florida if we get full of ourselves and take the Vols lightly. On Jeff...I remember him to be a very avid Tenn fan and very knowledgeable also and as opinionated.... and remaining true to his opinions as I do. I always feel that is quite OK to do....but you can't expect that anyone or everyone is necessarily going to agree with you....even when you put up facts to support your opinion. But that is what makes it interesting. Sorry he left...wish he could return.
I said all of the above to let you know that I may not answer every question that you pose due to a loyalty to Jeff. If he tells me something, you can bet that it will not wind up here. When I hesitate to answer or beat around the bush, you can draw conclusions that I am safe harboring information provided by Jeff. I have other sources inside Tennessee. Although not active in the VASF, I am still a member entitled to any information not restricted by the NCAA.
Tom....I think black helicopters are whirring here. I am a Gator season ticket holder but believe me I don't have any connections to the sports department nor do I even post on Gator message boards. The reason I don't post on those boards is because I find it more interesting to see what is going on in the other guy's camp......what the differing opinions are. That is why I find it entirely stifling here when members get up in arms just because we don't all see eye to eye.
Tom, I read that John Brown did not make it into school. That will no doubt hurt Tenn and another setback for a player who could play at the highest level but has some learning disabilities that he has not managed to overcome. I hope he goes somewhere where he can play immediately and still make it to the NFL.
That leaves a hole... a big hole at DT. I saw that it had been made public but forgot to post it. To many other flies in the ointment right now.