Yes. Even with Kiffin, people knew the UT brand; a powerhouse blue blood that just needed the right coach. After Dooley, Jones & Pruitt, almost nobody wanted to come coach here. Recruits didn't wanna come. Tennessee had become a wasteland. Then over 30 of the best players they did have, hit the portal. Tennessee was dead and gone. What Heupel has done has been amazing.
@@BrodiBarringer No, it's Heupel lol. He won 11 games with 3 stars. He has slowly built recruiting up and he looks for a certain type of player, he's turned down good recruits that didn't fit the culture.
Man im 23 yrs old and have been bleeding orange since i was a child and understood what football was ive seen lane leave us, duley , butch and pruitt. Finally we got us a coach who knows how to run a team. I really thought id never get to see my vols be good again
Tennessee grad and fan since the days of Johnny Majors and Buddy Cruz. If Tennessee does move up to the top tier in college football, the first words out of anyone's mouth should be "DANNY WHITE". Without him none of this would have happened.
@@thegiant573 of course never said we couldn't its just hard to go undefeated may lose to Florida or bama or Georgia but whoever it is probably drop 1 anyway
@@thegiant573 put down the crack pipe. 7-5 is where Tennessee will end up. Tennessee has been average at best for the last TWENTY FIVE years. Know your role hillbilly.
Fans don't understand that Football Programs go up and down over decades and not years. So programs that were good in 1990s are bad now and vice versa but they will rise up again 10 years. Keep in mind that the average recruiting class is around 4-5 years which is almost half a decade. If you miss on a coach/class, you are down for 4-5 years. Alabama was great in 1970s, meh in 1980s, good in early 1990s, bad late 1990s and 2000s, then rolling again in 2008 until today. Alabama had its up and downs and wasn't always good. I remember Alabama having 3-8 (2000) and 4-9 (2002) seasons. They were an SEC after thought when Saban went there. Don't just think Tennessee, eventually programs like Nebraska, Penn State, USC, etc. will be back. Michigan just recently came back after a long absence (granted some cheating there). Down periods (and up periods) last 10 years or more but the game eventually changes. You don't rebuild teams in 2-3 seasons (now NIL could change that).
As someone who has lived within an hour of UT my entire life...I think if Heupel could keep us competitive and make appearances in the CFP, he would have a job for life. The people around here absolutely love him for rescuing the program.
I remember being excited about nico starting…. There’s been so much lately that I forgot about that, the entire defense the WRs. That’s a good sign forgetting nico is starting
And we've been in a lot of trouble for the last twenty yrs since Fulmer! Thank God for Josh Heupel and all our Coaches, staff, players and fans!! GOD BLESS EVERYONE AND BIG ORANGE NATION🍊🍊🍊🙏🏻
September 21st is coming and our superstar QB Nico prefers road games. So thank you Oklahoma for being our first victim. Vols dline will absolutely man hands your new oline abd Arnold all night long. And thus game being a riad victory in Oklahoma 's first SEC game ever will begin our train of hype. So thank you Sooners...we don't have anything against you but business is business.
I love it however I don't want to get into the hype until it is proven on the field. We will see against oklahoma and florida if these 4-5 stars and the rest of the team can do it
UT graduate in ‘93 here. That football team has brought me and millions of Tennesseans a lot of joy. I personally cried when Coach Fulmer was let go. I never liked Lane Kiffen. I played football from 6 years old in PeeWee until I graduated high school. I love the game itself. I think it’s like high speed chess. A lot of rules. I personally like to watch the offensive and defensive lines. I think 90% of the time. Whichever line is pushing the other back is the team that will win the game. Heupel has done an incredible job of teaching the players to be physical up front. So, we’re winning games.
I think it was time, but that didn’t make it any easier or less painful when Fulmer left. At the time, I don’t think anyone was of the notion that it was going to be a quick and easy transition to the next HC, and that we would be winning 10 + games a season in no time under Fulmer’s replacement, even though that does happen from time to time. I think people were fully aware it was going to be difficult and might take a while, but it was much more than that. I hope he knows the appreciation Vols fans have for him and his time there, and the full gravity of the place he holds for those fans in Tennessee football history.
@@trevorhoneycutt8718 QBs don't stick around/play all 4 years. Trever Lawrence was a freshman. Tennessee has that great mix right now of great defense and a talented hot hand at QB. I have them losing to georgia in the regular season winning the rematch in the playoffs. When the playoffs come around he'll have more experience and will have went up against Georgia's defense already.
@@Tony-mr1iv right. I'm just making the point that QB peak years are often their younger years/before being a senior when they're highly talented. Stetson and Mccarthy I don't clasify either as highly talented.
Easy there. Tennessee even with that relatively easy schedule could lose 5 games this year. I'm a Florida fan but honestly think y'all could go 9-3 ot 10-2 this year.
It’s finally great to be a Vol again. I legitimately get butterflies before the start of a season now. I love the anticipation Heupel has built with this program. We’re dangerous again, and it feels like the brew has just begun.
I roofed Johnny Major's house few years back. When I realized who's house i was estimating, I purposely wore a Pitt Panthers shirt. (I'm from there originally) He was great to work with. Got to come inside and dink a beer with him. Was absolutely awesome. His wife was sweet too.
Yeah I hear from fans of other schools all the time that Tennessee has never been relevant and never will be. They could have been younger and just don't know that Tennessee was one of the best programs around and it wasn't long ago either. Georgia fans tell me a lot about how they have dominated Tennessee and when I try to remind them that Fulmer beat them 9 years in a row and won 13 out of 16 against them they always say "yeah but that was then and this is now" or something along those lines. Hell Butch Jones was 2-2 against them. Alabama fans forget that Fulmer owned them. The only school that has consistently beat Tennessee in the past 25 years is Florida. Tennessee doesn't have to take a back seat to anybody when it comes to tradition, resources, fan support or facilities. Tennessee has been a SLEEPING GIANT for years now and we've been starting to wake up for the past 3 years and I honestly believe it scares the fans of other schools that give me crap about Tennessee never being relevant. The older fans of those schools know exactly what Tennessee was from 1990 thru 2007 and they don't want Tennessee to get good again. Hate to break it to them but it's happening and there's not a DAMN THING they can do about it. Enjoy your show Mr. Pate!!
How close is Tennessee to closing the gap with Georgia or Bama? I mean with big David Sanders and Nico Tenn is gonna have 2/3 of their most highly rated players ever at the same time, and right now Tennessee has the most depth they’ve had in over 20 years so idk if Tennessee isn’t a class or 2 away when are they gonna be there realistically?
This year should be same level as Georgia when they made it to playoffs first time. So by that standard. 2 more years of the same progression and we’re 100 percent in the CFP conversation
Alabama and Georgia are still ranked higher on all recruiting rankings but you get this vibe that Tennessee is recruiting to feel needs and not just to get highly rated classes. We will see though.
@@volbound1700 that’s more so what im getting at is recruiting.. I know A&M put together the best class of all time a few years ago and it didn’t turn out so well not picking fun with them im just sayin crootin isn’t the end all be all.. but you best be right there in physicality with the best in your conference if you want have any chance
@@wingstop7021 True. I do think Alabama and Georgia aren't A&M and proper builders of talent (history shows that). Saban is still somewhat involved with Alabama.
Great explanation of NIL which most don’t understand Josh. Tennessee has created culture that dovetails with monetizing the NIL model. Both go hand and hand in current era.
Anyone who thinks TN does not have the potential to be a juggernaut in college football simply has not studied the history of college football. In order to understand anything historically you have to be able to see beyond five minutes ago, with your current cultural climate doesn’t help us much with. Tennessee has been massively good in the past and is headed that direction again. They are building tidalwave that is about to hit the coast of college football.
People who bring up the in-state talent argument for UT seem to forget that Fulmer won by consistently getting guys in North Georgia and the Carolinas, and it was the same under Majors. UT overcame that problem a long time ago and the only thing that had been stopping them from doing that again was themselves.
We’re happy about potential success around here. Tell us we have a chance and we bite hook line and sinker. We have more than a chance I know but we’re the best fans and the most desperate fans.
Josh I love your humor and your honesty about college football. I hope Tennessee loses every athletic competition they enter from now until the end of time. I hope you have a wonderful season and enjoy every game you get to attend.
Hope Josh sees this because I really want to discuss this. I actually have a few specific reasons why I believe TN will not get into that upper echelon of programs on a consistent basis. 1. The current iteration of Josh Huepel’s offense is not designed to be able to win championships. You will never be able to build a quality defense running at the tempo and pace that they operate at. For teams that have better personnel, they will always be able to shut them down offensively. This could change if Huepel adapts. 2. Josh Huepel has not proven that he can build an elite staff. Especially on the defensive side which ties into spot #1. 3. The state of TN player pool will always put them at a disadvantage in terms of recruiting. Other than 1 or maybe 2 guys each cycle, they will have to go out of state to get the quality of player they are searching for. In the NIL era, you cant build quality depth without a quality instate crop of kids. This is evident by the almost 50% crop of 3 stars in this class. 4. TN fanbase is the most toxic in the sport. If this stay subpar, they will run Huepel out of time.
You all need to recalibrate your expectations. Anyone thinking TN is going to go 11-1 with a new QB is smoking crack. It ain't happening. 9-3 is still a GOOD season, do not kid yourself and think that's a failure. I would be ecstatic with 10-2, but I don't see it happening either. If they go 8-4, it's a slight disappointment but not really that unexpected.
I am a diehard Florida Gator fan whose family moved me to Knoxville, TN from Lake City, FL when I was a teenager. I have been dwelling with VoL fans for a long time, dealing with the fans, and I really really hope you are wrong Mr. Pate.
That AD at Tennessee is killing it. Baseball, Softball, Basketball and the Football Team is lurking. Been a long draught but glad to see Tennessee representing again.
They go with us because of the culture and how humble and laid back huepal is recruits and family's feel at home instead of feeling like there in a job interveiw and these kids that are committing are family oriented kids if they was money an power hungry they would go to ga osu Oregon or bama
Fan bases have a tendency to over hype their teams. It's amusing to read some of these comments. OU at home should be the fav. If UT wins, it will be an upset.
Imagine going 11-2, and still not considered to be great? College football standards are crazy tbh. One loss could be devastating. I hope college football playoffs expanded further.
I mean that is fair. Still need to prove we can continue to climb the ladder. Guess we will have yo wait and see. I think some of the programs that use to be great will be again. Like TN,. Nebraska etc. I think it just makes college football exciting again.
Tennessee has deep pockets. Paid more money for Nico than probably anybody paid anybody , Qb in the country. Just signed the 20 year deal with pilot. Because the billionaire that owns it went to Tennessee. Tennessee and Texas will win the NIL sweepstakes in the future. Unless they lose with all this high price talent . Then they replaced the couch and had the same amount of money so after the same great players.
Danny White and Donde Plowman are the keys to success. Our administration was the downfall of the athletic program over the past 20 years. It hasn't just been coaching, its been on the admin for failing the University.
Culture will still be a factor regardless of NIL money. Heupel has the best culture, he’s A1 steak sauce and everyone wants to be a part of it. Plain and simple, Knoxville is the spot. THE SPOT
Recruiting.... play calling.... defensive genius..... NFL success...... = Coaching period. We shall see I don't think Heupal has all that but maybe he gets good coaching around him.
One thing people slip on about UT is its one of the very few teams in the SEC that's in a major City. Knoxville is no Atlanta but very few cities are. Most of the SEC is in podunk towns. A good number of SEC Teams could not fill their stadiums with the population of their cities. Put it like this, if you fit the demographics of a blue chip college recruit what SEC city would you most want to live in? Knoxville is gonna at worst make every recruits top3 (ignoring instate bias).
Keep the show free - SUBSCRIBE TO CHANNEL! - JP
Watch most & probably listen to all the episodes (I don’t care if it’s Georgia) & post when you talk about the good guys-
Subscribed
Tennessee was on death row when Heupel got there he brought it back to life in a BIG WAY
Heck, yeah we were now we are out on parole GBO
Yes. Even with Kiffin, people knew the UT brand; a powerhouse blue blood that just needed the right coach. After Dooley, Jones & Pruitt, almost nobody wanted to come coach here. Recruits didn't wanna come. Tennessee had become a wasteland. Then over 30 of the best players they did have, hit the portal. Tennessee was dead and gone. What Heupel has done has been amazing.
NIL has definitely helped Tenn and my school AU.
It's not Heupel, it's NIL
@@BrodiBarringer No, it's Heupel lol. He won 11 games with 3 stars. He has slowly built recruiting up and he looks for a certain type of player, he's turned down good recruits that didn't fit the culture.
Right now it truly is great to be a Tennessee Vol!
Best its been in 20 years
🧡
🧡
GBO!!!!
Man im 23 yrs old and have been bleeding orange since i was a child and understood what football was ive seen lane leave us, duley , butch and pruitt. Finally we got us a coach who knows how to run a team. I really thought id never get to see my vols be good again
Tennessee grad and fan since the days of Johnny Majors and Buddy Cruz. If Tennessee does move up to the top tier in college football, the first words out of anyone's mouth should be "DANNY WHITE". Without him none of this would have happened.
Best AD in the country and it's not even remotely close
Absolutely spot on this comment!! GBO
Yes he is the Saban on the AD's
love him and all of our sports are killing it. even though he didnt hire them all. just won a baseball title.
Truth!!!!
So much fun to be a Vol once again
Who wouldn’t want to play for hype.. what he took over to where they are now that fast!!!! TN is becoming an elite school again.
I hope that he never leaves
in 22 we had the 25th recruit class.
Tennessee has a legit defense thats gonna surprise everybody!!!! 11-1 is looking more and more likely! It's gonna be special!! GBO
Put the crack pipe down.
Why stop there we can beat GA 12-0
@@thegiant573 of course never said we couldn't its just hard to go undefeated may lose to Florida or bama or Georgia but whoever it is probably drop 1 anyway
@@thegiant573 put down the crack pipe. 7-5 is where Tennessee will end up. Tennessee has been average at best for the last TWENTY FIVE years. Know your role hillbilly.
@@CoryA77we'll beat Bama and Florida. I don't see us beating GA, as much as it pains me to say that.
I live in FL but my second home is Tennessee for sure! I hope they do well!
So.. all your exes *_don’t_* live in Texas?
I’m going to go ahead and just apologize now. I simply couldn’t resist the reference.
98 was my freshman year at UT, and I just want kids today to know what that feels like. GB🍊!!!
That was over three decades after my freshman year.
Always love it when Josh pate talks volunteer football
Fans don't understand that Football Programs go up and down over decades and not years. So programs that were good in 1990s are bad now and vice versa but they will rise up again 10 years. Keep in mind that the average recruiting class is around 4-5 years which is almost half a decade. If you miss on a coach/class, you are down for 4-5 years. Alabama was great in 1970s, meh in 1980s, good in early 1990s, bad late 1990s and 2000s, then rolling again in 2008 until today. Alabama had its up and downs and wasn't always good. I remember Alabama having 3-8 (2000) and 4-9 (2002) seasons. They were an SEC after thought when Saban went there. Don't just think Tennessee, eventually programs like Nebraska, Penn State, USC, etc. will be back. Michigan just recently came back after a long absence (granted some cheating there). Down periods (and up periods) last 10 years or more but the game eventually changes. You don't rebuild teams in 2-3 seasons (now NIL could change that).
You typed alot words just to help you sleep at night
@@BakarostAt least he had something with thinking involved unlike your comment
@@James-y9v Exactly,lol.
@@Bakarost small PP comment
Josh Heupel is top 5 offensive coach and has been building a defense.
As someone who has lived within an hour of UT my entire life...I think if Heupel could keep us competitive and make appearances in the CFP, he would have a job for life. The people around here absolutely love him for rescuing the program.
Heupel ain't going nowhere. Pay that man and Tony C as much as they won't. Money ain't an object. Just win!!!!! Go Vols!!!
Thank you Josh. You know the favor you just did us with this 9 minute video. Much obliged.- UT fan
We have a great shot of having a top 10 offence and defense
I remember being excited about nico starting…. There’s been so much lately that I forgot about that, the entire defense the WRs. That’s a good sign forgetting nico is starting
We were down for a long long time but I believe the Vols are Back on track
And we've been in a lot of trouble for the last twenty yrs since Fulmer! Thank God for Josh Heupel and all our Coaches, staff, players and fans!! GOD BLESS EVERYONE AND BIG ORANGE NATION🍊🍊🍊🙏🏻
Its all Flummo's fault!
This OU fan has known that for awhile.
We're not overlooking anyone this year!
I’m sure you’re not. You’re in the SEC now. No more little sister 😅
Glad sooners eyes are open. U have to bring your A game every weekend or u willllll lose.
September 21st is coming and our superstar QB Nico prefers road games. So thank you Oklahoma for being our first victim. Vols dline will absolutely man hands your new oline abd Arnold all night long. And thus game being a riad victory in Oklahoma 's first SEC game ever will begin our train of hype. So thank you Sooners...we don't have anything against you but business is business.
* manhandle
I really appreciate your breakdowns, regardless of content. You and your staff do a great job. Keep putting out the great content that you do.
They WILL BE SOONER THAN LATER
JP you’re the man.
I love it however I don't want to get into the hype until it is proven on the field. We will see against oklahoma and florida if these 4-5 stars and the rest of the team can do it
Thank you Josh. I love your logic. TN is back. Teams are going to fear coming to Neyland this yr!
The Dawgs won't be scared of going into anywhere
This offseason I wasn't high on the vols, but I've done a 180° on them.
Go vols! GBO 🍊 🍊 🍊
Tennessee has always had the ability to recruit nationally.
Best program in the SEC
UT graduate in ‘93 here. That football team has brought me and millions of Tennesseans a lot of joy. I personally cried when Coach Fulmer was let go. I never liked Lane Kiffen. I played football from 6 years old in PeeWee until I graduated high school. I love the game itself. I think it’s like high speed chess. A lot of rules. I personally like to watch the offensive and defensive lines. I think 90% of the time. Whichever line is pushing the other back is the team that will win the game. Heupel has done an incredible job of teaching the players to be physical up front. So, we’re winning games.
I think it was time, but that didn’t make it any easier or less painful when Fulmer left. At the time, I don’t think anyone was of the notion that it was going to be a quick and easy transition to the next HC, and that we would be winning 10 + games a season in no time under Fulmer’s replacement, even though that does happen from time to time.
I think people were fully aware it was going to be difficult and might take a while, but it was much more than that. I hope he knows the appreciation Vols fans have for him and his time there, and the full gravity of the place he holds for those fans in Tennessee football history.
The Sleeping Giant in Knox Vegas has both eyes open and is starting to eat!! Tennessee is Back and better than ever!! GBO🍊🍊🍊 Go Vawls!!!
I am here for this.
You seen it coming Josh and now the world can see. GO VOLS
I have Tennessee as my #4 making it to the natty
As a Tenn fan , I think if Tenn makes a serious run it’s next year when Nico has a year of starting under his belt
@@trevorhoneycutt8718 QBs don't stick around/play all 4 years. Trever Lawrence was a freshman. Tennessee has that great mix right now of great defense and a talented hot hand at QB. I have them losing to georgia in the regular season winning the rematch in the playoffs. When the playoffs come around he'll have more experience and will have went up against Georgia's defense already.
@@Mike-sp7zv Nico is a Redshirt Freshman, so he comes back next year regardless
@@Tony-mr1iv right. I'm just making the point that QB peak years are often their younger years/before being a senior when they're highly talented. Stetson and Mccarthy I don't clasify either as highly talented.
@@Mike-sp7zv Oh gotya maybe I misunderstood
Tennessee is THE force in the SEC. They have won the All Sports Trophy, indicaticating the best athletic program in the SEC 3 years in a row.
Jesus Christ
What??
Easy there. Tennessee even with that relatively easy schedule could lose 5 games this year. I'm a Florida fan but honestly think y'all could go 9-3 ot 10-2 this year.
Sorry, ishould have stated better. i wasn't referring to football only, but the entire althletic program. We still hav a ways to go in football
I'm a vol fan however I just hope the recruits stay committed.
It’s finally great to be a Vol again. I legitimately get butterflies before the start of a season now. I love the anticipation Heupel has built with this program. We’re dangerous again, and it feels like the brew has just begun.
came back to this video after 2 weeks of ball and gotta say ITS GREAT TO BE A TENNESSEE VOL
Accurate insight and take, on this topic !
GO VOLS!
josh you said that 2 weeks ago. agenda pushing!!
I roofed Johnny Major's house few years back. When I realized who's house i was estimating, I purposely wore a Pitt Panthers shirt. (I'm from there originally)
He was great to work with.
Got to come inside and dink a beer with him. Was absolutely awesome. His wife was sweet too.
Great show Josh...GBO🍊🍊🍊
Around 3:40, sounds like you were referring to Jimbo at A&M
I'm just glad they are swimming around in the SEC and not the Big 10.🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈
Tennessee is coming up! Football, Baseball, Basketball.
Yeah I hear from fans of other schools all the time that Tennessee has never been relevant and never will be. They could have been younger and just don't know that Tennessee was one of the best programs around and it wasn't long ago either. Georgia fans tell me a lot about how they have dominated Tennessee and when I try to remind them that Fulmer beat them 9 years in a row and won 13 out of 16 against them they always say "yeah but that was then and this is now" or something along those lines. Hell Butch Jones was 2-2 against them. Alabama fans forget that Fulmer owned them. The only school that has consistently beat Tennessee in the past 25 years is Florida. Tennessee doesn't have to take a back seat to anybody when it comes to tradition, resources, fan support or facilities. Tennessee has been a SLEEPING GIANT for years now and we've been starting to wake up for the past 3 years and I honestly believe it scares the fans of other schools that give me crap about Tennessee never being relevant. The older fans of those schools know exactly what Tennessee was from 1990 thru 2007 and they don't want Tennessee to get good again. Hate to break it to them but it's happening and there's not a DAMN THING they can do about it. Enjoy your show Mr. Pate!!
How close is Tennessee to closing the gap with Georgia or Bama? I mean with big David Sanders and Nico Tenn is gonna have 2/3 of their most highly rated players ever at the same time, and right now Tennessee has the most depth they’ve had in over 20 years so idk if Tennessee isn’t a class or 2 away when are they gonna be there realistically?
This year should be same level as Georgia when they made it to playoffs first time. So by that standard. 2 more years of the same progression and we’re 100 percent in the CFP conversation
Alabama and Georgia are still ranked higher on all recruiting rankings but you get this vibe that Tennessee is recruiting to feel needs and not just to get highly rated classes. We will see though.
@@dustincaldwell2049i mean we’re 100% in the convo now. we are still behind though
@@volbound1700 that’s more so what im getting at is recruiting.. I know A&M put together the best class of all time a few years ago and it didn’t turn out so well not picking fun with them im just sayin crootin isn’t the end all be all.. but you best be right there in physicality with the best in your conference if you want have any chance
@@wingstop7021 True. I do think Alabama and Georgia aren't A&M and proper builders of talent (history shows that). Saban is still somewhat involved with Alabama.
Vols are coming back to the top! 🍊
Josh enjoying those UT clicks I see ;)
It's like free likes and well performing videos from such an insane (and starved) fanbase!
Great explanation of NIL which most don’t understand Josh. Tennessee has created culture that dovetails with monetizing the NIL model. Both go hand and hand in current era.
Awe man’ it’s frigging awesome being a Vol fan but…. It’s well overdue !!
To be completely honest. I have driven from Knoxville to Cincinnati in 6 hours. I can also been just about to Gainsville in 6 hours.
Heupel has proven that his scheme is an equalizer with lesser talent but give him a full recruiting cycle pulling in elite talent…. Absolutely lethal!
GBO! 🍊
Anyone who thinks TN does not have the potential to be a juggernaut in college football simply has not studied the history of college football. In order to understand anything historically you have to be able to see beyond five minutes ago, with your current cultural climate doesn’t help us much with. Tennessee has been massively good in the past and is headed that direction again. They are building tidalwave that is about to hit the coast of college football.
People who bring up the in-state talent argument for UT seem to forget that Fulmer won by consistently getting guys in North Georgia and the Carolinas, and it was the same under Majors. UT overcame that problem a long time ago and the only thing that had been stopping them from doing that again was themselves.
Took the words out of my mouth.
God I love you Josh lol
Holy shit
Do we have to do this every season? I live in Knoxville and it’s old so much hype for no reason just let them play
We’re happy about potential success around here. Tell us we have a chance and we bite hook line and sinker. We have more than a chance I know but we’re the best fans and the most desperate fans.
Josh I love your humor and your honesty about college football. I hope Tennessee loses every athletic competition they enter from now until the end of time. I hope you have a wonderful season and enjoy every game you get to attend.
WE GOT THE RIGHT PEOPLE & COACHES RECRUITING PLAYERS
Shout-out to the vol vault!
GO FREAKIN VOLS!!!
Hope Josh sees this because I really want to discuss this. I actually have a few specific reasons why I believe TN will not get into that upper echelon of programs on a consistent basis.
1. The current iteration of Josh Huepel’s offense is not designed to be able to win championships. You will never be able to build a quality defense running at the tempo and pace that they operate at. For teams that have better personnel, they will always be able to shut them down offensively. This could change if Huepel adapts.
2. Josh Huepel has not proven that he can build an elite staff. Especially on the defensive side which ties into spot #1.
3. The state of TN player pool will always put them at a disadvantage in terms of recruiting. Other than 1 or maybe 2 guys each cycle, they will have to go out of state to get the quality of player they are searching for. In the NIL era, you cant build quality depth without a quality instate crop of kids. This is evident by the almost 50% crop of 3 stars in this class.
4. TN fanbase is the most toxic in the sport. If this stay subpar, they will run Huepel out of time.
As of now, the “Nico Bowl” in Charlotte on 7 Sept is a bigger deal than the CFB finals or the Super Bowl. Just look at the ticket prices
You all need to recalibrate your expectations. Anyone thinking TN is going to go 11-1 with a new QB is smoking crack. It ain't happening. 9-3 is still a GOOD season, do not kid yourself and think that's a failure. I would be ecstatic with 10-2, but I don't see it happening either. If they go 8-4, it's a slight disappointment but not really that unexpected.
I'm a bama fan and think UT is gonna have a good year. Ole miss as well and lsu lol the sec is gonna cannibalize each other. Looking forward to it all
I am a diehard Florida Gator fan whose family moved me to Knoxville, TN from Lake City, FL when I was a teenager. I have been dwelling with VoL fans for a long time, dealing with the fans, and I really really hope you are wrong Mr. Pate.
We are surging! Go Vols!
WE ARE N O W...... 👅 THERE AINT NO COULD BE
That AD at Tennessee is killing it. Baseball, Softball, Basketball and the Football Team is lurking. Been a long draught but glad to see Tennessee representing again.
Money makes the world go around. And it’s not like they weren’t paying players before it was legal. And Tennessee is a money making machine
Apparently the guys on College Gameday didn't get the message.
They go with us because of the culture and how humble and laid back huepal is recruits and family's feel at home instead of feeling like there in a job interveiw and these kids that are committing are family oriented kids if they was money an power hungry they would go to ga osu Oregon or bama
Check out the videos on the decade of dominance during the 1990’s.
guys in 2022 we had the 25th ranked class. with one 5 star. bru mccoy. tn is hard to recruit at. look at lsu. easiest place in the world to recruit.
Lets us cook!!! GBO 🍊
GO VOLS 🍊
Fan bases have a tendency to over hype their teams. It's amusing to read some of these comments. OU at home should be the fav. If UT wins, it will be an upset.
Tn is about to be scary good and after close to 20 years of being horrible I can't wait to dominate again.
Imagine going 11-2, and still not considered to be great? College football standards are crazy tbh. One loss could be devastating. I hope college football playoffs expanded further.
8-4 is really 4-4 ! Cupcakes Chattanooga , Kent State , UTEP & I think Vandy ! Unless serious injurie(s) gotta get at Least 10-2 !
They would be lieing because I see a big change it's looking good in my book
GBO
Tennessee will be 11-1 and will shock the nation!! GBO!!
I put money on Tennessee running the table up to the playoffs and then make to the show!
Go Big Orange
nobody fears a Heupel coached team
I mean that is fair. Still need to prove we can continue to climb the ladder. Guess we will have yo wait and see. I think some of the programs that use to be great will be again. Like TN,. Nebraska etc. I think it just makes college football exciting again.
Tell that to 2022 Alabama
GBO!
Tennessee has deep pockets. Paid more money for Nico than probably anybody paid anybody , Qb in the country. Just signed the 20 year deal with pilot. Because the billionaire that owns it went to Tennessee. Tennessee and Texas will win the NIL sweepstakes in the future. Unless they lose with all this high price talent . Then they replaced the couch and had the same amount of money so after the same great players.
🍊🍊🍊GBO!!!
Danny White and Donde Plowman are the keys to success. Our administration was the downfall of the athletic program over the past 20 years. It hasn't just been coaching, its been on the admin for failing the University.
Rocky Top is back🍊🍊
Josh Heupel should've won the Heisman in 2000. Just sayin'
I still think Tennessee is a year away from making a run in the CFP, they need a little more depth and experience and they should be fine.
Culture will still be a factor regardless of NIL money. Heupel has the best culture, he’s A1 steak sauce and everyone wants to be a part of it. Plain and simple, Knoxville is the spot. THE SPOT
I hate that my team does it actually. It's wrong
Recruiting.... play calling.... defensive genius..... NFL success...... = Coaching period.
We shall see I don't think Heupal has all that but maybe he gets good coaching around him.
Bring BACK THE GREATNESS
One thing people slip on about UT is its one of the very few teams in the SEC that's in a major City. Knoxville is no Atlanta but very few cities are. Most of the SEC is in podunk towns. A good number of SEC Teams could not fill their stadiums with the population of their cities. Put it like this, if you fit the demographics of a blue chip college recruit what SEC city would you most want to live in? Knoxville is gonna at worst make every recruits top3 (ignoring instate bias).
WADES BRILLIANT AT T H I S