DomeHolmes
2nd String
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2024
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We are playing a historically good, ranked SEC program on the road, then playing #83 Yukon at home. We are getting more respect from Tennessee than I expected, (after reading their board) and we are not getting the respect we deserve from Yukon.
Most of the thoughts on the Tennessee board are things like “Tennessee should win, but could lose”, “They’ve lost to worse”, “Fran Brown is a good coach, not to be underestimated”, “Syracuse might be the fifth best team they play this year”. But the general consensus is that they don’t think we can stop their run, their D is too good, and they are too talented across the board. They believe if they bring their “A” game, we cannot beat them. Surprisingly, almost nobody said that we are trash and they will steam roll us.
On the UConn board on the other hand, there are not too many posts, but the general consensus is that they will win “two out of three versus the ACC”, and likely run the table versus the rest of their incredibly weak schedule. One poster called our game a coin flip. Tennessee for the most part lives in the real world, and Yukon is as delusional as Rutgers.
But reading the Tennessee board gave me a few more reasons for optimism. (Of course our concerns are big, and just as they say, can we stop their run? Is their defense too deep and talented?). But lots of reasons for optimism.
1. Tennessee loses starting QB, all SEC RB, two starting receivers, and four linemen from an offense that was mostly one dimensional last year, and this is the first game of the year, and the QB may be turnover prone. Very similar to us, and like us they have confidence in their replacements, but lots of unknowns.
2. I saw lots of things on tape in their game versus Ohio State that are things that Nixon likes to run.
3. Fran Brown coached defense against Tennessee in the SEC and they think that will help us.
4. Tennessee is not as highly regarded (#24) in the polls compared to last year, so the concensus is their talent level may be down. If we were playing #25 Boise State or #23 Texas Tech, would we be as worried?
5. How talented is their defense really? I just looked at the “all SEC defense”. Despite all the talk about how good their defensive line is, they do not have any players on the first, second or third team! (Which, of course, does not mean that they are not still really good, but there is no one terrifying). We faced several Clemson teams where they had several first second and third team ALL AMERICANS on their defensive line and often times fared better than you would expect. Their first team SEC corner is going to miss our game. Finally they have a player who is a second team all SEC projection who is so volatile they have a 90 page thread about whether or not he will play, be benched for disciplinary reasons, or transfer without playing. And although this has nothing to do with how their team will prepare, their fan base almost all agreed that they would “push around Ohio State” in the trenches. We might not be quick enough or athletic enough in the trenches, but we will not be pushed around.
Most of the thoughts on the Tennessee board are things like “Tennessee should win, but could lose”, “They’ve lost to worse”, “Fran Brown is a good coach, not to be underestimated”, “Syracuse might be the fifth best team they play this year”. But the general consensus is that they don’t think we can stop their run, their D is too good, and they are too talented across the board. They believe if they bring their “A” game, we cannot beat them. Surprisingly, almost nobody said that we are trash and they will steam roll us.
On the UConn board on the other hand, there are not too many posts, but the general consensus is that they will win “two out of three versus the ACC”, and likely run the table versus the rest of their incredibly weak schedule. One poster called our game a coin flip. Tennessee for the most part lives in the real world, and Yukon is as delusional as Rutgers.
But reading the Tennessee board gave me a few more reasons for optimism. (Of course our concerns are big, and just as they say, can we stop their run? Is their defense too deep and talented?). But lots of reasons for optimism.
1. Tennessee loses starting QB, all SEC RB, two starting receivers, and four linemen from an offense that was mostly one dimensional last year, and this is the first game of the year, and the QB may be turnover prone. Very similar to us, and like us they have confidence in their replacements, but lots of unknowns.
2. I saw lots of things on tape in their game versus Ohio State that are things that Nixon likes to run.
3. Fran Brown coached defense against Tennessee in the SEC and they think that will help us.
4. Tennessee is not as highly regarded (#24) in the polls compared to last year, so the concensus is their talent level may be down. If we were playing #25 Boise State or #23 Texas Tech, would we be as worried?
5. How talented is their defense really? I just looked at the “all SEC defense”. Despite all the talk about how good their defensive line is, they do not have any players on the first, second or third team! (Which, of course, does not mean that they are not still really good, but there is no one terrifying). We faced several Clemson teams where they had several first second and third team ALL AMERICANS on their defensive line and often times fared better than you would expect. Their first team SEC corner is going to miss our game. Finally they have a player who is a second team all SEC projection who is so volatile they have a 90 page thread about whether or not he will play, be benched for disciplinary reasons, or transfer without playing. And although this has nothing to do with how their team will prepare, their fan base almost all agreed that they would “push around Ohio State” in the trenches. We might not be quick enough or athletic enough in the trenches, but we will not be pushed around.
