UT 2007 Season in Question

[ERA]

You know, I hate to say that I picked against Tennessee today but I was betting with my head rather than the heart. The third quarter is just beginning and Cal is up ten points. I said this last year and, for what it's worth, here we are at the crossroads already in game one. Fulmer will literally have a stroke this year. The schedule is the fourth hardest in the nation I believe, anyways, I picked UT to win only half their games and possibly could go under .500 this season. We can argue about which games but when you look just across the SEC, Fulmer is already behind. Urban Meyer's Florida, Nick Sabans Alabama, LSU's Les Miles, Auburn's Tommy Tuberville, South Carolina's Steve Spurrier, Georgia's Mark Richt, Vanderbilt's Bobby Johnson and Kentucky's Rich Brooks and these are the coaches and teams that can beat UT today. Ole Miss and Miss. State haven't made the grade yet while Arkansas beat UT last year but they lost some players in turmoil so they are in question. I'm telling you, this could be the swan song for Fulmer. Cutcliffe could find himself a head coaching job anywhere in the country and it might just happen. Fulmer may be out on an island all by himself unless there's divine intervention. A loss tonight could be the start of the slippery slope. Let's hope he gets it turned around before it's too late. It's been a long time since the national championship and can any of you remember the last SEC championship he had? ....I thought so.

[BDURHAM]

The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

 

You know, I hate to say that I picked against Tennessee today but I was betting with my head rather than the heart. The third quarter is just beginning and Cal is up ten points. I said this last year and, for what it's worth, here we are at the crossroads already in game one. Fulmer will literally have a stroke this year. The schedule is the fourth hardest in the nation I believe, anyways, I picked UT to win only half their games and possibly could go under .500 this season. We can argue about which games but when you look just across the SEC, Fulmer is already behind. Urban Meyer's Florida, Nick Sabans Alabama, LSU's Les Miles, Auburn's Tommy Tuberville, South Carolina's Steve Spurrier, Georgia's Mark Richt, Vanderbilt's Bobby Johnson and Kentucky's Rich Brooks and these are the coaches and teams that can beat UT today. Ole Miss and Miss. State haven't made the grade yet while Arkansas beat UT last year but they lost some players in turmoil so they are in question. I'm telling you, this could be the swan song for Fulmer. Cutcliffe could find himself a head coaching job anywhere in the country and it might just happen. Fulmer may be out on an island all by himself unless there's divine intervention. A loss tonight could be the start of the slippery slope. Let's hope he gets it turned around before it's too late. It's been a long time since the national championship and can any of you remember the last SEC championship he had? ....I thought so.

[KevB1990]

You know, I hate to say that I picked against Tennessee today but I was betting with my head rather than the heart. The third quarter is just beginning and Cal is up ten points. I said this last year and, for what it's worth, here we are at the crossroads already in game one. Fulmer will literally have a stroke this year. The schedule is the fourth hardest in the nation I believe, anyways, I picked UT to win only half their games and possibly could go under .500 this season. We can argue about which games but when you look just across the SEC, Fulmer is already behind. Urban Meyer's Florida, Nick Sabans Alabama, LSU's Les Miles, Auburn's Tommy Tuberville, South Carolina's Steve Spurrier, Georgia's Mark Richt, Vanderbilt's Bobby Johnson and Kentucky's Rich Brooks and these are the coaches and teams that can beat UT today. Ole Miss and Miss. State haven't made the grade yet while Arkansas beat UT last year but they lost some players in turmoil so they are in question. I'm telling you, this could be the swan song for Fulmer. Cutcliffe could find himself a head coaching job anywhere in the country and it might just happen. Fulmer may be out on an island all by himself unless there's divine intervention. A loss tonight could be the start of the slippery slope. Let's hope he gets it turned around before it's too late. It's been a long time since the national championship and can any of you remember the last SEC championship he had? ....I thought so.

 

 

Just don't watch it then because the Vol Nation doesn't need a non-believing "fan" following them.

 

Vandy and UK won't come within 2 scores of Tennessee this season and neither will South Carolina. The Vols knew this would be a difficult home and home when they scheduled it and they did what they needed to in getting a split. Yeah, the defense and special teams weren't that special and the offense needs to find a deep threat, but remember we didn't have Coker because of his own selfishness in the off-season and the top three wideouts from a year ago graduated.

 

I've been Chavis' biggest supporter amongst people I talk with regularly and I'll tell you right now if the defense doesn't get better quick Cheif is in hot water. The defensive line got barely any pressure and not a lot off the ends either...and why Larry Slade still has a job is beyond me, so I guess what I'm saying is that the defensive staff as a whole is on the hot seat.

 

And for heaven's sake someone please put some velcro on Josh Briscoe's hands!

[Solomon]

You know, I hate to say that I picked against Tennessee today but I was betting with my head rather than the heart. The third quarter is just beginning and Cal is up ten points. I said this last year and, for what it's worth, here we are at the crossroads already in game one. Fulmer will literally have a stroke this year. The schedule is the fourth hardest in the nation I believe, anyways, I picked UT to win only half their games and possibly could go under .500 this season. We can argue about which games but when you look just across the SEC, Fulmer is already behind. Urban Meyer's Florida, Nick Sabans Alabama, LSU's Les Miles, Auburn's Tommy Tuberville, South Carolina's Steve Spurrier, Georgia's Mark Richt, Vanderbilt's Bobby Johnson and Kentucky's Rich Brooks and these are the coaches and teams that can beat UT today. Ole Miss and Miss. State haven't made the grade yet while Arkansas beat UT last year but they lost some players in turmoil so they are in question. I'm telling you, this could be the swan song for Fulmer. Cutcliffe could find himself a head coaching job anywhere in the country and it might just happen. Fulmer may be out on an island all by himself unless there's divine intervention. A loss tonight could be the start of the slippery slope. Let's hope he gets it turned around before it's too late. It's been a long time since the national championship and can any of you remember the last SEC championship he had? ....I thought so.

 

 

ERA, I was saying the same thing tonight. I had about 15 folks over and more than half agreed. Don't be sorry.

 

Chavis and the defense have looked suspect more and more last year and tonight. Say what you want, UT should have beaten Florida and LSU last year if not for late game collapses by the defense. The front 4 got manhandled tonight by a Pac-10 team. I understand that we have to protect an unexperienced secondary, but the only two possessions tonight Cal got knocked out of rhythm at all were when Chavis sent some pressure. I cannot understand why he stopped doing it. Face it, UT has not had a dominant front 4 since Henderson and Haynesworth anchored the middle in 01. And are things going to get easier when conference play starts? With our best D-lineman out now in Mitchell (and here's hoping he's ok and it was just a really bad stinger), it's going to get hairier.

 

Offensively, I thought we looked all right. Ainge is a good QB and I thought for the most part Cut called a good game considering he had no deep threat to stretch the field. Someone has GOT to emerge in this role though, because 10-12 yard routes are not going to work all year this year. Even in the late game, we had to hit our check valve because we could not get open down the field. The only sad thing I saw was that we could not put the ball in on a Cal D that had been mauled by their second team.

 

Sepcial teams look even worse than I thought. While we were so enamored in pinky-gate, we should have focused more on quad-gate. Colquitt is hurting a LOT more than anyone has let one. Anyone who cannot tell that is either blind or a fool. And how do we not have a better kicker to fill in when one graduates? How?

 

We're going to learn quickly about how good of a coach Fulmer really is. I've seen many teams get beat and embarassed their first week to turn it around and have excellent seasons. (UCLA 97, USC 02 come to mind.) It's still a long season, and we're still 0-0 in conference. Find a deep threat and the offense is going to be really good. And if this team heads south, we're going to get to see how good of an AD Hamilton is because he's going to be forced to deal with the toughest decision of his life. I've said all along this team would either be a 10-2/11-1 team or a 6-6 team. That said, I think he's done a lot of great things for UT football and UT, but it's becoming more and more obvious the game is passing him by. As I said, we're about to see how good of a coach he really is.

 

And KevB, you need to take off the orange-colored glasses. If Spurrier says SC is ready to contend....then they are ready to contend. Kentucky and Vandy are improved. They will not be pushovers. The only two pushovers in the conference this year both reside in northern Mississippi.

 

But, on a lighter note, HAIL TO THE VICTORS OF APPY STATE!!!!!

[KevB1990]

ERA, I was saying the same thing tonight. I had about 15 folks over and more than half agreed. Don't be sorry.

 

Chavis and the defense have looked suspect more and more last year and tonight. Say what you want, UT should have beaten Florida and LSU last year if not for late game collapses by the defense. The front 4 got manhandled tonight by a Pac-10 team. I understand that we have to protect an unexperienced secondary, but the only two possessions tonight Cal got knocked out of rhythm at all were when Chavis sent some pressure. I cannot understand why he stopped doing it. Face it, UT has not had a dominant front 4 since Henderson and Haynesworth anchored the middle in 01. And are things going to get easier when conference play starts? With our best D-lineman out now in Mitchell (and here's hoping he's ok and it was just a really bad stinger), it's going to get hairier.

 

Offensively, I thought we looked all right. Ainge is a good QB and I thought for the most part Cut called a good game considering he had no deep threat to stretch the field. Someone has GOT to emerge in this role though, because 10-12 yard routes are not going to work all year this year. Even in the late game, we had to hit our check valve because we could not get open down the field. The only sad thing I saw was that we could not put the ball in on a Cal D that had been mauled by their second team.

 

Sepcial teams look even worse than I thought. While we were so enamored in pinky-gate, we should have focused more on quad-gate. Colquitt is hurting a LOT more than anyone has let one. Anyone who cannot tell that is either blind or a fool. And how do we not have a better kicker to fill in when one graduates? How?

 

We're going to learn quickly about how good of a coach Fulmer really is. I've seen many teams get beat and embarassed their first week to turn it around and have excellent seasons. (UCLA 97, USC 02 come to mind.) It's still a long season, and we're still 0-0 in conference. Find a deep threat and the offense is going to be really good. And if this team heads south, we're going to get to see how good of an AD Hamilton is because he's going to be forced to deal with the toughest decision of his life. I've said all along this team would either be a 10-2/11-1 team or a 6-6 team. That said, I think he's done a lot of great things for UT football and UT, but it's becoming more and more obvious the game is passing him by. As I said, we're about to see how good of a coach he really is.

 

And KevB, you need to take off the orange-colored glasses. If Spurrier says SC is ready to contend....then they are ready to contend. Kentucky and Vandy are improved. They will not be pushovers. The only two pushovers in the conference this year both reside in northern Mississippi.

 

But, on a lighter note, HAIL TO THE VICTORS OF APPY STATE!!!!!

 

 

So I guess if Spurrier said that you were a woman...I'll have to see "ready to contend" in SC before I believe it. Just because you can win in Florida consistently don't mean you can win in South Carolina consistently.

[ERA]

Sol, you've spelled it out as well as possibly could be done. Cutcliffe is the man when it comes to offensive preparation but when you don't have the personnel to execute on all cylinders, it is what it is. Not to bring political boards into this discussion but the similarities are staring us in the face. The old cronie mechanisms are in place and obvious. Promising players that if they come to our school, their brothers and cousins will get to play too. That's absurd!!! You see what the Clausens had done, the Colquitts have run their luck into the ground (you nailed that analogy by the way) and bringing Cutcliffe in was a patch that beared no threat to Fulmer's job. A new young bright offensive coordinator could upset the apple cart at UT while Cut was a loyalist and would not take Phil's job. It smells something awful. Fulmer, for the most part, had been keeping the pool clean in the early years but looking back over the last five to seven years, a lot of players have cost UT with federal, misdemeanor charges that, quite frankly, not only became a distraction but weighed on families minds as to whether their kid was going to be looked after.

 

Spurrier, even at his age, brings excitement. He ramps peoples blood up and brings much expectation. Urban has those exact same qualities. Kentucky has found new life with Brooks as he leads the charge to bring the K team to a worthy adversary. Vandy's Johnson is known now as the guy, when he gets a top player, exploits their expertise to high draft picks while keeping them mostly out of trouble. Fulmer has lost that excitement. Talking to the hardcore fans around here, they agree to some level, but hate to go through the change. Change always hurts unless someone steps down or retires. UT needs the excitement. I hadn't heard ANY excitement out of a harcore UT fan over the last three years.

 

There is an old saying that I totally believe in. "The team is a reflection of the coach." It's a mirror. Take a look at any team and you will see what the coach is made of. Do you see a fire in the belly? You can only use Peyton's and other former greats names so long to inspire. Championships and leadership brings the players to come play. We, right now, do not have that level of expertise. Phil has been the right guy from the day he took over till around 2001. Since then, it's been a slow and steady graphed decline. If my performance curve looked like Phils over the last six years, I would not receive a raise. Phil gets them every time they come around and usually sets records. Phil Fulmers teams have reached mediocrity. Mediocrity is fine for league ball, but travel teams will not put up with that moniker. That, to me, says it all.

[ERA]

So I guess if Spurrier said that you were a woman...I'll have to see "ready to contend" in SC before I believe it. Just because you can win in Florida consistently don't mean you can win South Carolina consistently.

 

 

Just asking a question. Are you comparing UT with SC? Are you saying that UT can't bring the personnel in that Florida can while saying UT is on the level of a SC? You're statement says you are and THAT is exactly what I'm talking about.

[Augielio]

Just asking a question. Are you comparing UT with SC? Are you saying that UT can't bring the personnel in that Florida can while saying UT is on the level of a SC? You're statement says you are and THAT is exactly what I'm talking about.

 

 

 

I'm not a UT supporter, but I think some of you Vol fans may be hitting the panic button a little early. I thought Tennnessee looked like a darned good team. You gotta remember that this Cal team had more offensive weapons than Tennessee will see again this season. With Tedford in charge of their offense, they are very "blue collar" and not at all like the image of a "West Coast" team. Their wide receiver corps can hardly be topped and they had two TBs who ran both fast and hard.

Seems to me you couldn't wish for a better QB than Ainge, A. Foster looked good, and I doubt that Berry will be out of the starting lineup again. It looks like the defensive front may be an issue.

I guess it comes down to what you choose to define as success. I think 8 wins would be a lock, 9 wins with some breaks, beyond that a bit of a stretch. If something happens to Ainge, all bets would be off.

[ERA]

I'm not a UT supporter, but I think some of you Vol fans may be hitting the panic button a little early. I thought Tennnessee looked like a darned good team. You gotta remember that this Cal team had more offensive weapons than Tennessee will see again this season. With Tedford in charge of their offense, they are very "blue collar" and not at all like the image of a "West Coast" team. Their wide receiver corps can hardly be topped and they had two TBs who ran both fast and hard.

Seems to me you couldn't wish for a better QB than Ainge, A. Foster looked good, and I doubt that Berry will be out of the starting lineup again. It looks like the defensive front may be an issue.

I guess it comes down to what you choose to define as success. I think 8 wins would be a lock, 9 wins with some breaks, beyond that a bit of a stretch. If something happens to Ainge, all bets would be off.

 

 

Yes, you have a FEW good players. Not a championship contending team. If you are content with average or a non contender, we have nothing in common. I don't settle for anything less, average is not acceptable to me. If I can't contend to the championship game or at least have a shot, I'm not satisfied, nor are most of the UT faithful. All you have to do is look at the track record. It speaks for itself. I like Phil. I think he is a good guy, just not the coach he once was nor the recruiter that he used to be. The recruit sites give him near top billing but either the billing is wrong or he can't coach them up to expectations....you make the call.... I know what the answer is.

[Solomon]

I'm not a UT supporter, but I think some of you Vol fans may be hitting the panic button a little early. I thought Tennnessee looked like a darned good team. You gotta remember that this Cal team had more offensive weapons than Tennessee will see again this season. With Tedford in charge of their offense, they are very "blue collar" and not at all like the image of a "West Coast" team. Their wide receiver corps can hardly be topped and they had two TBs who ran both fast and hard.

Seems to me you couldn't wish for a better QB than Ainge, A. Foster looked good, and I doubt that Berry will be out of the starting lineup again. It looks like the defensive front may be an issue.

I guess it comes down to what you choose to define as success. I think 8 wins would be a lock, 9 wins with some breaks, beyond that a bit of a stretch. If something happens to Ainge, all bets would be off.

 

 

Maybe.

 

I agree with Ainge and the offnese. Besides a play or two, the offense played very well. As I said earlier, if some receiver will emerge as a deep threat then the offense has a chance to be scary good. But, that deep threat has got to emerge, preferably in the next 13 days.

 

Personel wise, my worries are with the front 4 and kicking game. Colquitt looked horrible last night. Obviously his quad is hurting more than anyone is letting on. As for the D-line, they didn't even begin to come close to getting to Longshore. I agree that Cal is definitely a lot more physical and different than in 06, but the lack of push up front is very disturbing. We're going to see more good lines this year. It's got to change.

 

I do not understand why Chavis didn't gamble more on defense, especially after two series of sending the linebackers and showing it would knock Cal out of their rhythm. The strength of the UT defense this year is the linebacking corps, and he might as well have played them with a hand tied behind their back last night with the gameplan.

 

Like I said, this team may can win 7 SEC games. I feel less confident today than I did 36 hours ago, but it is possible. But, I don't think 8 or 9 wins cuts it at this point. With everything going on raising money to renovate the stadium by changing donation schemes and ticket prices, even higher level donors are expecting a better bang for their buck. If Fulmer ever needed a win against Florida, it is Sept 15. Granted, I know the decision comes down to about 5 major donors, but if there isn't an SEC title this year....I just wouldn't be surprised with some changes.

[Augielio]

Yes, you have a FEW good players. Not a championship contending team. If you are content with average or a non contender, we have nothing in common. I don't settle for anything less, average is not acceptable to me. If I can't contend to the championship game or at least have a shot, I'm not satisfied, nor are most of the UT faithful. All you have to do is look at the track record. It speaks for itself. I like Phil. I think he is a good guy, just not the coach he once was nor the recruiter that he used to be. The recruit sites give him near top billing but either the billing is wrong or he can't coach them up to expectations....you make the call.... I know what the answer is.

 

 

Has it occurred to you that there are fans just like you, with that same determination to be excellent, in Tuscaloosa, Gainesville, Baton Rouge, Athens and other places around the SEC? You don't seem to grasp the fact that there are "Tide Faithful," "Gator Faithful," Tiger Faithful," going about saying what they are not going to be satsfied with. Do you think that Tennessee has a monopoly on loyal fans, and fat-walleted alumni? You seem to think that all you have to do is wish really hard for a good team and it will be delivered to you. What you "don't settle for" is completely irrelevant to the discussion. You can set the bar as high as you wish, getting over the bar is the payoff. What Tennessee can produce is the relevant issue. Tennessee high school football is below the caliber of the other SEC contending states--Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Florida. Tennessee's recruiting classes have been highly-ranked, the only problem being the bringing in of low-academic types who have to be "farmed out" to junior colleges and military academies. I am not a Fulmer fan but if you think that you can go find a head coach who will solve the problems, I think that is simplistic thinking.

[ERA]

Has it occurred to you that there are fans just like you, with that same determination to be excellent, in Tuscaloosa, Gainesville, Baton Rouge, Athens and other places around the SEC? Do you think that Tennessee has a monopoly on loyal fans, and fat-walleted alumni? You seem to think that all you have to do is wish really hard for a good team and it will be delivered to you. What you "don't settle for" is completely irrelevant to the discussion. You can set the bar as high as you wish, getting over the bar is the payoff. What Tennessee can produce is the relevant issue. Tennessee high school football is below the caliber of the other SEC contending states--Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Florida. Tennessee's recruiting classes have been highly-ranked, the only problem being the bringing in of low-academic types who have to be "farmed out" to junior colleges and military academies. I am not a Fulmer fan but if you think that you can go find a head coach who will solve the problems, I think that is simplistic thinking.

 

Yeah, i guess I didn't know that LSU and Georgia amongst others were such highly academic sports oriented SEC schools. What was I thinking? Trying to blow me off with drivel will not work. Obviously, you are a supporter of Phil or you wouldn't care so much. Excitement brings athletes, amongst other things. Fulmer is as exciting as a turtle. He's a good guy, but he's not fixing problems. Cutcliffe is the only good thing going for him right now and that was a total accident. He would have been at Notre Dame had his health not stopped that move. By this time next year, I suspect he'll be head coaching another university. Sol has it right, the ones bankrolling the changes expect more. Starting off a season already knocked out of championship contention after the first game is unacceptable for most anyone. But hey, I get it, I'll just wait till next year as you obviously suggest. Waiting till next year must be a complexity since I can't seem to accept anything but simplistic reasoning! yeah right!