Yeah. I could see it but this is also a make or break season for them. If they aren't good then the coaches ability to recruit are good but to actually coach are not so good.

Expectations for them this year should be the same as ours. 9-10 wins? Then next year should be both teams "breakout" year? I thought their were vols fans on this forum.

They wont be very good this year either. They had worse talent than Vandy when Brick by Brick took over. Still holes all ove rthat team and still just doesn't have the talent he needs.

IIRC, they have to basically replace both lines of scrimmage. They have lots of talent everywhere else, but the SEC is a LOS league. If they can get that shored up, they will compete for the East. If not, they'll win 7-8 games again.

What holes exactly? I'm going off of the pass recruiting classes they've had. Better than most of the sec and I believe back to back top 5 classes. (Depending on the recruiting sites you look at).

Unless it's a situation like Texas A&M, where they're getting big time recruits, but not in positions of need(cb,lb). Freshman don't really make a huge impact right away(with the exception of Myles Garrett and josh Barnett).

Are the expectations in Knoxville a 9-10 win season this year? That's the expectation here and recruiting wise and schedule wise, tennesee has a better chance at a 10 win season than us. IMHO

I feel like this the "peak" year where we started seeing results and more wins.

What holes? Honestly, what isn't a hole except running back.

QB has played something like 4 games in his career and has been generally awful in every game he has ever played except the bowl..
Pig Howard is the only WR, except the freshman
The whole OL left
The defense, while bringing in talent, was horrible and will be all freshmen and sophs
The schedule is really hard

Bowling Green - w
Oklahoma - L
W Carolina - w
@ Florida - L
Arkie - L
Georgia - L
@ Bama - L
Ken, USC, UNT - win
@ missou - L
vandy w

That doesn't look like a 10 win team to me, they will be underdogs in 5-6 games. They might pull off an upset or two to get to 8 wins, but they also might lose an extra game or two. This team had as bad of talent as anyone in college football when Davis took over. I just don't see them doing much. Another year or two and they will be pretty good but it is hard to pick a team to win ten games when they have no defense, the QB has no experience, the OL sucks, and they have one of the toughest schedules in the country.

How is that for "holes."

Thanks for the insight. Seems like the media is building your guys team up though...along with arky

Dobbs is talented, and looked great in certain games last year. If Pig Howard is your best WR, then, yeah, you have problems. Their DLine has some nice pieces, and I think Maggit comes back. They have a decent secondary, but the Oline is still in shambles. Sophomore RB is a stud.

We have 19 returning starters and 40 or so players returning from last year's 2-Deep. We have tons of talent, although some still young. This year is an important year for CBJ and most fans think 8 wins is the floor for this team. A little luck and continued development of the OL/QB is why some see this team as a dark horse to win the SEC East.

Dobbs started the last 5 games and won 4 of them. We were about to be steamrolled by Bama until Dobbs came in and kept it respectable. QB has been a continuing problem for CBJ as he hasn't had the right QB for his system. They planned to redshirt Dobbs last year until Worley went down and the backup wasn't getting it done. He does need to improve his accuracy on the long passes so that is a big question mark for him.

As for RB we have 2 really good ones, including JUCO transfer Alvin Karmera. Problem there is we have nothing behind them so that is a place we are perilously thin.

OL was another big problem last year especially with an immobile Worley. Dobbs's running threat helped this situation greatly. Also we had some injuries and kids playing out of position which also hurt their progress. Both tackle positions are still a bit of a concern (especially LT) but we have some players developing there and a new OC who is an OL specialist.

WR is a position we are deep at and a position we were deepest at going into last year but was decimated by injury. That and the QB performance makes that position difficult to analyze statistically. We have a ton of talent at that position 2nd only to probably A&M in the SEC.

The offense was the primary issue keeping the 2014 team from winning more games. Our OC left to take a position coach's job in the NFL. Some suggest he may have been asked to leave. Our new OC came up through the ranks as an OL coach and is considered a student of the game. Probably to help coach the coaches and groom our WR coach for that job. He is not bringing in his own system, he already knows CBJ's system and we have high hopes that he can fix the problems we have had at OL and QB.

Our defense was respectable last year and was great defending the pass. We were thin in spots, especially on the DL which meant a lot of those guys were playing 60+ snaps a game and wore down as the season went on. The 2015 class is one of best DL classes in the nation. We will likely need some of those, especially at DT, to play some snaps and provide quality depth. Seems like a tall order to me for that position but we shall see. The DE position could make our pass rush formidable.

Our linebackers should be superb but we must replace AJ Johnson who was the heart and soul of our defense last year. This will likely fall on a sophomore's shoulders but we have a couple of very talented but inexperienced kids at that position.

Our group of DB's are very good and we have some very talented sophomores ( Berry Twins, Todd Kelley Jr. ) that will provide much needed depth there. If JUCO transfer Justin Martin is as advertised, this could be one of the best groups on the whole team and one of the best in the SEC.

Finally, one other thing about CBJ and his player development. He has redshirted kids who may have helped our team last year because that was the best thing for the long term. Both the player's and the program's long term. We hope to see this bear fruit this year but it is another reason why Vol fans are especially excited about 2015. We have seen a lot of positive press and a lot of glowing predictions but most fans are still tempering those expectations until we see it for ourselves.

tldnr version: We should be better with quality depth all over the field. OL/QB must improve and RBs must stay healthy.

Nice write up. I'm looking forward to watching you guys this year and next year. I feel like our programs are comparable in a lot of ways.

Definitely interested in UT and is one of the venues I want to visit in the SEC.

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I feel like our programs are comparable in a lot of ways.

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Come live with me in TN and you won't think the same thing

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I feel like our programs are comparable in a lot of ways.

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Come live with me in TN and you won't think the same thing

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Yeah, TN fans are definitely different.

Trying to be objective here, but I don't see Butch Jones as a good coach. I know it's difficult to gauge after two years, but Tennessee has not had an identity either season. He is a hell of a recruiter though.

Well there is a long list of things that Jones is doing right at Tennessee right now. He has the program headed in the right direction. There is still the question of can he and his staff plan and execute on game day. It appears that he has enough pieces in place for 2015 for that to become more clear. But that is a concern for a lot of Vol fans.

I think UT beats OU. OU is a bad football team

I'm not as confident in that bet. OU is switching to an air raid offense, and we all know easy it is to put up points with that style of offense, and UT still has a ton to prove on both sides of the ball.

Here a pretty good BR breakdown of the Vol's position groups for anyone interested.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2481961-position-by-position-preview-of-tennessees-2015-roster

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Well there is a long list of things that Jones is doing right at Tennessee right now. He has the program headed in the right direction. There is still the question of can he and his staff plan and execute on game day. It appears that he has enough pieces in place for 2015 for that to become more clear. But that is a concern for a lot of Vol fans.

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Maybe I'm drinking the Kool-Aid....but I think Butch Jones is one helluva coach...and UT should be thanking their lucky stars that he was their 8th or 9th pick (maybe stretching that a bit).

Was listening to his press conference yesterday on the local Knoxville sports radio....he is so down to earth and almost too endearing...if that's possible.

As far as game day preparation...I'd submit one game...October 19, 2013...when number 11 South Carolina was defeated by Tennessee on a last second field goal...23-21. No question...one game is not the be all/end all, but it stood out that Jones could turn this train wreck around.

One thing is certain...the guy can recruit....two Top 5 classes over the past two years.

As the saying goes...it's thirty something days till it's 'Football time in Tennessee.'

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QB has played something like 4 games in his career and has been generally awful in every game he has ever played except the bowl..

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Not sure what QB you are talking about but the one that took over against Alabama was good. You give that kid an entire season as a starter and you have much better team and record.

You guys have had so many bad years that now you've become pessimistic as fans. Much like Bama fans under Shula.

Live in Nashville.....I hate orange

Vols......just do work this weekend. Please. You do not want their damn song playing on an endless loop in your own house. Trust us. BTHOzeroU

Bump because both programs are at their "peak".

Top 10 matchup. Can't wait.

Last summer I went through Knoxville and looked at their campus and stadium. Came away thinking that they should be in the top 10 every year. Beautiful place avid fans and always will have a decent if not outstanding coach.

Good Post

Looks like they crowned a new Champion of Life in Tennessee: