The SEC Forum at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

What good is talent if they don't play better?  

For me, signs of progress for the Vols go beyond the score.

1.  Are they well organized, in position on defense before the play, etc.
2.  Do they get stupid penalties like substitutions, PFs for no reason, etc.
3.  Is there any internal dissension?
4.  Effort, this may be the biggest one, is anyone out there quitting or loafing?

If there are good answers to these questions, they should be improved no matter the final score.

It amuses me how some (not many here) get upset when some TV dude picks against their team (or FOR in the case of Corso).

It's as if their pick will somehow impact the game.

It's fun to what if on a message board, but if someone picks against my team it's fine with me.  They could be right.

Not today, but in general.

TN will finish the season with about 6 to 8 regular season wins. Any TN fan expecting more is likely dilusional. Win or lose today TN has more talent. WV vs TN recruiting rankings over the last 5 years bear that out. To discount that would lead one to believe you’re just a TN hater and should probably discount the talent of your own teams recruiting class if you have any intellectual integrity.
It is crystal clear to anyone with an IQ more than 70 that TN Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors have been coached down for many years and I’m not sure if 6 to 7 months of good coaching, high expectations, and accountability is enough to over come years of Butch’s incompetence. Coaching matters. Before Saban the bamers sucked ass regardless of the recruited talent. Before Kirby Smart the dogs sucked ass regardless of the recruiting class ranking so don’t give me any of your bias bullshit.

Yep. They both matter. You’ve got to recruit decently regardless. Look at TN’s last 5 to 6 recruiting classes vs WV. It doesn’t take a eff’n rocket scientist to determine who’s recruited better. But with a shit coach like Butch it didn’t translate to the field which is why TN fired him.
BTW, the Gators have recruited fairly well over the past 5 to 6 years but y’all played like shit last year. Why? Oh, I don’t know but the Gators fired their coach so I’m going to go out on a limb and say coaching because it sure wasn’t because a lack of talent on the field.

Yep. They both matter. You’ve got to recruit decently regardless. Look at TN’s last 5 to 6 recruiting classes vs WV. It doesn’t take a eff’n rocket scientist to determine who’s recruited better. But with a shit coach like Butch it didn’t translate to the field which is why TN fired him.
BTW, the Gators have recruited fairly well over the past 5 to 6 years but y’all played like shit last year. Why? Oh, I don’t know but the Gators fired their coach so I’m going to go out on a limb and say coaching because it sure wasn’t because a lack of talent on the field.

Who, on the planet, doesn't understand that both talent and coaching matters?

No it did not, Cincy. Regardless of recruiting rankings / talent on the field Lyle instilled years of lack of discipline, horrible S&C, and a losing mentality. It will take time for Pruitt and company to overcome that and it won’t happen this year apparently. The Vols lack any confidence and killer mentality.