Eyeball Test

[Ned Land]

We've been through three weeks now, and I've seen thirteen of the fourteen SEC teams play. Missouri is the only team I haven't seen. They may or may not be better than Tennessee, I don't know. Of the thirteen that I have seen, I'd rank Tennessee twelfth. Vanderbilt looks like they are close enough to beat, especially at home, but I still say they look better than the Vols at this point.

Does anybody see it differently?

I keep hanging my hat on watching Ole Miss and seeing that freshmen can make a difference. They might not get you up to the level of the elite, but they can pull you out of the pit. I understand North was rated the second best receiver to Treadwell at Ole Miss. There appears to be a huge gap between the two, but who can say for sure when you're counting on Worley. Besides the oft repeated observation that he doesn't have a strong arm, I see no phase of the game that he does well. I guess you have to trust the coaches, but how bad must the freshmen be?

I've seen Oregon play before but, obviously, I watched this one a little closer. I predicted 55-10, so I was expecting it, but its a lot worse seeing it than writing it on twitter. They play so damn fast, I can barely keep up just watching on TV. They look like they run some voodoo shit compared to what I'm used to watching.

I think most of us, had circled '15 as the best hope for seeing good football again. It might be '16, and if he can't keep the recruiting class from falling apart, it may be never. We just don't have hardly any good players. AT ALL. On one hand, I don't even know why I keep talking about other stuff. Until they get that fixed, no other problems, gap control, eye discipline, level of physicality, blah, blah, blah means anything. With each senior class that goes through, we just get worse.

I'm going to get behind Jones and I hope everyone does, because it may never get turned around if he doesn't in the next few years. Hopefully, he gets his eyes opened up too. He's not at Cincinnati anymore. You get your ass run through a wood chipper by almost seven touchdowns, and that fist up , 117, bricks bullshit gets old very, very fast.

I think they'll play better against a more conventional Florida team, but I'd leave the cups on all season. Who knows how many they'll lose. I noticed South Alabama beat Western Kentucky yesterday.

[Mauler]

Yaaaas. I haven't seen a VOLS team this low on talent, well ever. Zero skill position go to guys. It will take time.

That said, there are real areas of concern from yesterday. The only real positive this year is the OL. That should have been pounded pounded pounded yesterday. What happened? We come out in full chicken with it's head cut off mode and play a damn Cincy hurry up. Hello?

I have zero confidence going into next week.

[TNCOWBOY]

Good post, Ned. Can't disagree with a word. The Treadwell/North comparison is interesting. Treadwell looks like a #1 draft pick to me. Heck, all those Ole Miss Freshman do. No way in the world to know if North is on that level for now with Short Bus throwing to him. Hard to believe he is though.

This really could be the Waterloo for long term relevance. People scoff but UT may never get back up. And if that's so, what Butch showed out there yesterday is about as sobering as blue lights in your rear view mirror at 2 AM.

Ive been saying this for awhile; Aside from players (lots and lots of them) what we need is chaos at some of the other powers just to be able to catch our breath.

Saban goes to Texas or retires. Georgia gets trigger happy and fires Richt. Somebody poisons Spurrier. And so on. Then, they have to screw up their hires royally as we did. I'm convinced that absent this we are going to remain an also ran.

[TNCOWBOY]

Also, Fed is spot on. Never seen a worse gameplan in my 30 or so years of seriously watching UT.

The only thing that even approaches was some of those clunkers Majors threw up against Alabama.

[Ned Land]

Sept 15, 2013 10:18:32 GMT -5 Mauler said:

Yaaaas. I haven't seen a VOLS team this low on talent, well ever. Zero skill position go to guys. It will take time.

That said, there are real areas of concern from yesterday. The only real positive this year is the OL. That should have been pounded pounded pounded yesterday. What happened? We come out in full chicken with it's head cut off mode and play a damn Cincy hurry up. Hello?

I have zero confidence going into next week.

I'm not too sure the OL is a positive at this point. It's littered with three year starters that have never been able to run block. I realize the running backs are probably the worst in the history of the school, but they are a disappointment. How in the world they've gotten so much publicity I have no idea.

[Mauler]

#RiseToTheSlop

[Rudedog]

I am now going to add Mauler and Nedland to that stalking each other (and slobbering over each other) list.
Getting way more interesting. I should include JM too. That makes it a sixsome! Hope you can find some womens to join in.
 Orange Daddy, you should be the one to film all this stalking.

[TNCOWBOY]

Sept 15, 2013 11:40:42 GMT -5 Ned Land said:

Sept 15, 2013 10:18:32 GMT -5 Mauler said:

Yaaaas. I haven't seen a VOLS team this low on talent, well ever. Zero skill position go to guys. It will take time.

That said, there are real areas of concern from yesterday. The only real positive this year is the OL. That should have been pounded pounded pounded yesterday. What happened? We come out in full chicken with it's head cut off mode and play a damn Cincy hurry up. Hello?

I have zero confidence going into next week.

I'm not too sure the OL is a positive at this point. It's littered with three year starters that have never been able to run block. I realize the running backs are probably the worst in the history of the school, but they are a disappointment. How in the world they've gotten so much publicity I have no idea.

I bit on the O Line hook,line, and sinker. If you look at it, all those guys were highly sought after (I think). When Richardson dominated Clowney last year, I went all in on the whole group.

I still think they are very good and could be great with any competent players in the backfield.

[Ned Land]

Sept 15, 2013 13:30:22 GMT -5 Rudedog said:

I am now going to add Mauler and Nedland to that stalking each other (and slobbering over each other) list.
Getting way more interesting. I should include JM too. That makes it a sixsome! Hope you can find some womens to join in.
 Orange Daddy, you should be the one to film all this stalking.

Maybe, just maybe, we might just go get TA to open up a few of your orifices.

[Rudedog]

I'd say he would.
Then yall could have a sevensome!
You have enough of you that you can stop him if he tries to do any of that Skull friggin to any of you or something close to that.
I will not use the other word that is a synonym of friggin.

[Ned Land]

Speaking of TA, will he be making an appearance here at the Living Fan?

[Lone Nut]

I always thought TA was an alt of the admin over there. If so you won't be seeing him/it here. However if anyone wants to fire up a Phake TA account then by all means have at it.

[TNCOWBOY]

We've been thru this before. I just don't believe that's possible. TA was a real person. Just nuts.

[MRM]

I haven't seen all the teams play so far. As of now, I'd say UT is between 11 and 13. But we'll see if Butch can coach them up and get them to 10 or 11. Auburn, Missouri, Miss. State are just a few of the teams UT could pass if some key players develop and get better QB play.

[TNCOWBOY]

I think Ned posted a variation of this but I'll give my opinion.

I've seen every team pretty extensively except Missouri. UT is clearly better than UK and that's it. I think about even with Miss St and Auburn but Im a believer in Malzahn and I see no way we can score with them when and if they get rolling. Vandy is slightly better but still winnable at home. Assuming anybody bothers to go to the game by then.

13 of 14 sounds about right. Unbelievable.