It's obvious that you want to be a visionary here, but equally as obvious that you are NOT.
However, in the spirit of Christmas, I'll try to help you figure this out before CBJ proves to you that he is an awesome HFC and leaves you, once again, in a position in which you should be embarrassed and humble about your capacity to evaluate college football coaches.
First, I hope evaluating coaches is NOT your day job. Even Mike Hamilton knew Kiffin was a good coach. He was just too stupid to know how to retire a Hall of Fame HFC while hiring CLK and too ignorant to know how to write a contract. Then, being dumb enough to evaluate CDD's record as worthy of being HFC at UT was simply too much damage to the UT football program for them to continue his employment.
You (nor I, nor the whole of VN) is changing the fate of UT's football program. That's CBJ and his staff... and they are being evaluated on it. So, this is mostly to help you SAVE FACE with your VN username before it's too late. Merry Christmas... or Happy Holidays, if the former well-wishing expressions offends you. This is my gift to you, SJT18... with hopes you'll get something out of it.
Winning, or turning programs around to that end, is what CBJ brought with him as a history that CDD did not. Check the resumes. HFC's are not born at UT (thus the record does not start on the first game's outcome); they earn that job by demonstrating their worth in other jobs along the way. This is a key point... not recognizing this reality is why Mike Hamilton got fired, or, at least, it was the straw that broke the camel's back.
The point both were making is that they are coaching a young team, and that is a legitimate concern for an HFC, but how one goes about doing that is vital in the court of public opinion. CDD simply threw the kids under the bus and claimed himself the savior (like you do on VN with other posters). CBJ simply notes that's a concern, but then points to a determination to help develop those players (that development requires a certain attitude and work ethic on the player's part; see departures of players who may be lacking in these areas... the subject of this thread).
Yet, anyone who knows college football knows that certain positions, like offensive linemen, are those that can gain the most from development. In my mind, our Oline explains most of losses and struggles as a team this year, but I also have no concern about those players. They simply need time and development.. particularly strength development that occurs in the offseason. If done properly, and all indications are that it will happen, I think this group will be outstanding in two years and become a strength of the Vols team. And, when they do, Mr. Hurd will go from Freshman All-American to consensus All American. Mark that down for me as a vision, okay?
FWIW, I don't use the media to watch games for me. I enjoy that part of it, as a fan... it's my role!
Vision is about looking ahead, not behind. As I stated earlier, visionaries knew CDD was a bad hire when it happened.
Vandy has always played well against UT (except for a few seasons, here and there). Sure, we win the overwhelming majority, but they have a lot of 'moral victories' because they leave everything they've got on the field versus the Vols. Anticipate that this year... it's historical.
The UF game is the one that got away this year. That was disappointing and I suspect we'd win 8 of 10 of those contests. It happened, but any team that had a Dline was problematic for us. After the UF and OK games, I felt our staff adjusted fairly well with play-calling to get around the fact we were getting crushed on the line of scrimmage. See above... Oline will become a strength... this is where youth really did matter this year.
I hope you start noting the tremendous differences that exist between CDD and CBJ. And, I hope this post will help your vision, and that of other VN posters who were wrong about CDD (supporting him feverishly) and wrong about CBJ (comparing the two or thinking CBJ is like Dooley).
My greatest concern with Coach Butch Jones is that we'll lose him after he gets us back into championship contention. I have little to no concern that he'll stick with us until he has proven that much... and it's not to make the NegaVols look bad. It's because the man is a champion at heart... and his championship fever is contagious.
Merry Christmas, SJT18 and other lost souls on VN who dare question the merits of Coach Butch Jones.
GBO! :hi:
