I'm serious. If someone can step in and do as blue collar solid of a job as Rodgers did in the back half of the season, which isn't asking a gigantic amount, what is the limit for next year's squad? I personally don't really see one.

I remember the years when I thought we could win every game, simply because I wanted to believe. Next year I see justification for that belief.

So, if Robinett or ACS or whomever proves to be as good, or slightly better, or a lot better, than J.R. was this year, how many wins can we get? I do not want to state my number because I believe I will be subject to the "Okay calm down" eye rolls that I don't want right now.

I am so damn happy.

If this team can maintain the same production that we've seen over the last half of this season, we will be in every game next season, if things break our way, 8-9 wins will be my expectation. If things REALLY break our way....

These guys really believe in themselves and their potential.  "You ain't seen nothing yet" seems to be their mantra.

"CJF thinks Jordan's not worried about getting in sync with next QB: "He had breakfast with Austyn, he had lunch with Patton (Robinette).""

yes, JM coming back make me feel a whole lot better about next years QB situation. I really wish we played Ole Ms in about week 3 or so instead of week 1, but oh well...Can't wait for season to start!

Sounds just like the UT board pre season last year.  Talking about all the beast they had at reciever.  They were indeed beast as all 3 of them will probably go in the first 3 rounds this year.

Am I saying 2013 VU can't win 9 games?  No.  I am saying consider the following.

1.  We lose one of the best punters in the country.  He flipped field position many times this year.
2.  We lose Zach Stacy.  Tate can be productive, Ford can be productive, and Kimbrow can be explosive in spots.  Can they replace the experience and production of Stacy?  Production, they can as a group.  Experience, no way
3. We lose a ton of experience at QB.  When you have a good but not elite skill set experience at QB is huge.
4.  We lose 3/4 of our starting DL.  Yes, CJF played 8 deep but you still lose 3 of your eight.  Azubike could have a banner year.
5. Lose 2 starters from a good not great OL.  There is tons of potential talent that was redshirted but you can't condsider that a strength until they play.
6. We lose a really good corner in Wilson.
7. Harder schedule.  UT and UF on the road.  Drop Auburn and pick up A&M on the road. Ole Miss could take another step in the right direction.  We went 2-2 in the UT, UF, Auburn, and Ole Miss game in 2012.  It will be a harder 2-2 this year.  Assume, rightly so you win all 4 non conference and get 2-2 from tne 4 mentioned.  That means 3 more against UK, USCe, Mizzou, and UGA,  I would put our over under at 7.5 with 8.5 months to change my mind

Now, any of those questions could be answer with a positive.  In order for a 8-9 win season to happen more will have to be answered as a positive than a step back.  Football is a game about match ups and not making mistakes.  We have a hell of a match up problem for other teams with our WR.  Lots of other positions to consider.

AC-S has tons of game experience, plus his arm is stronger than JR's, so I'm not worried. Just think back at how many TD's JMatt could've had if the ball had gotten to him downfield. Opposing teams are going to have their hands full trying to cover both Boyd and Matthews next year; we'll have two NFL prospects at WR.

Make that 3-1

Dude ut did not have anywhere near the coaching staff to help their nfl QB achieve what he was capable of last season. So take your oh my the sky is falling and look at what is possible. If you look at who is coming back and people they really wanted to play this year but gave them a redshirt season to get even better and all of your concerns are answered.

From a phone so overlook the format but here is my thoughts


QB- I think we will have a good battle between 2 ACS and PR no offense to JM but it's hard for a true freshman to come into the SEC and succeed I think a redshirt and a year of growing will make for a interesting battle next year again. Competition is great but sometimes it's hard to lead if you don't know if you are going to be leading. Back to ACS and PR I watched a lot of warmup ups they both throw a good ball but that and about 3 dollars will get you a cup of coffee. Either way lets face it Rodgers was great for us but he was not a gunslinger who was relied upon to throw 30 times no knock but he was a game manager who needed to make 5 to 7 throws a game look it up if you want. Having Mathews back is huge best recruit this year and boyd on the other side along with numerous other options to throw too will help out whoever starts. I also think our line play will be better bigger faster and stronger then this years team.

RB- we are going to have big shoes to fill with zac he was great a gaining more yards then was blocked for him. Tate I hope will take the offseason to lower his pad level when running add a little size and patience zac had great patience and I think Tate can do well. Line play mentioned above I think will be better which will help out run game but I think the biggest key is going to be our improved Tight end play that I believe we will have. This past season a lot of our negative plays one of the problems was our Tight ends getting blown up Kentara being one he will be really good next year if he can put on weight he was probably the smallest tight end in the SEC. Listed 230 I would guess maybe 215 trying to block 270lb d ends. Also call me crazy or optimistic but I think our passing game will be better opening up the run game. Kimbrow will never be a every down back but great used as a situational back then having Norman Seymour and Ford who may redshirt either way a lot of depth.


WR - could talk all day on this position we have the best duo in the SEC returning along with multiple commits and redshirts along with Grady and Krause take your pick we are fine at this position.

TE- we have a good group that I think improved throughout the year with another offseason and year of experience I believe we will be fine. Kentara has shown good promise needs to adds size he is small along with improving his catching had a couple of drops a possible td in the bowl game and for sure one vs The buttchugers.

OL- 3 returning starters who was probably the 3 best this year adding in a ton of depth next year this may be the biggest baddest o line we have ever had. We have a chance to really close The gap size wise on the line. Probably the most important part of our success next year on offense if they can perform it will open up our run game helping our qb out early and our run game succeed also helping our passing game.

DL- strong as if not stronger than this year. Azubike, may, woestmann we all know what they can do. No offense we didn't get a lot of production from Thomas and colt but Lohr will a blow. We had good talent at DT though Dixon and Taylor and morse with banks coming in and maybe Agee moving to DT. Then with woods committed we are going to have a lot of size at DT. With 4 deep at DT over 300 is gonna be big literally. We will also have weatherly and more moving up at DE I think we will be as good or better this year at d line.


LB- going to be much better unit then last years team at the beginning of the year they have improved probably more than any other group. We built depth playing freshman last year herring and sealand are really strong with a offseason to add bulk I look for them to be really good next year. Garnham will be a stud in the middle he finished really strong . Butler will also be back who played well all year for us. I could see moving butler to the 3rd safety spot and sealand to olb with Bowden coming in he looks to be a stud and if we can hold on to the commits we have at LB and every position for that matter but at LB we will be good for years to come.

Secondary- Wilson is our only lose a big lose for sure but we have a lot of players a cb coming back with some good looking redshirts and returning players. Safety will be fine we just need to continue our lack of injuries as we are a little thin at the position. I could see us landing another recruit I hope and maybe moving a player over like Derek king to add depth. Williamson and Macintosh will add depth as well. We also have a lot at corner with Paris head and Torren McGaster who look like they could be really good coming up.


Kicking game- we know we have a great kicker who lays the wood punter will definetly be a ? For us but I remain optimistic .


In summary I think our defense will be better next year than this year mainly because our LB play imagine if they were at the level they ended the season at against South Caroline, northwestern, and even Florida add that to better d line play and almost the same secondary who ranks with the best in the country adds up to what I believe will be a shut down defense. Offensively a lot of question have to be answered but I think we actually will be better on offense we struggled a lot early am even in the bowl game on offense. If our line play improves like I believe it will including TE we win 8 to 9 games winning the games we Ahould and atleast 1 maybe more games proving the world we have arrived and here to stay. ANCHOR DOWN fans I'm ready lets go signing day lets land a couple more commits and then black and gold game lets fill the stadium and buy buy buy season tickets we need to sell out more games this year and own our stadium with the majority black and gold screaming.

6 seconds at a time....one week at a time. This mentality has been pretty successful so far and I am trying to adopt when looking at Vandy Football. The next "game" on our schedule is National Signing day and we need to get all these commits to sign the dotted line. If all the guys committed Anchor Down we will have a huge win in my eyes. Even right now without some of those not yet committed, we are set up pretty well with a top 15 class. In my opinion that is huge and will continue to get better.

As far as games are concerned, I have seen a lot of people on this board already talking about Georgia, A&M, and South Carolina. Why? Those games are not important right now. Right now Ole Miss is next and everything else needs to go away. We need to be 1-0 after 8/31/13. Everything else is irrelevant.

Turtle4VU wrote: Sounds just like the UT board pre season last year.  Talking about all the beast they had at reciever.  They were indeed beast as all 3 of them will probably go in the first 3 rounds this year.

Am I saying 2013 VU can't win 9 games?  No.  I am saying consider the following.

1.  We lose one of the best punters in the country.  He flipped field position many times this year.
2.  We lose Zach Stacy.  Tate can be productive, Ford can be productive, and Kimbrow can be explosive in spots.  Can they replace the experience and production of Stacy?  Production, they can as a group.  Experience, no way
3. We lose a ton of experience at QB.  When you have a good but not elite skill set experience at QB is huge.
4.  We lose 3/4 of our starting DL.  Yes, CJF played 8 deep but you still lose 3 of your eight.  Azubike could have a banner year.
5. Lose 2 starters from a good not great OL.  There is tons of potential talent that was redshirted but you can't condsider that a strength until they play.
6. We lose a really good corner in Wilson.
7. Harder schedule.  UT and UF on the road.  Drop Auburn and pick up A&M on the road. Ole Miss could take another step in the right direction.  We went 2-2 in the UT, UF, Auburn, and Ole Miss game in 2012.  It will be a harder 2-2 this year.  Assume, rightly so you win all 4 non conference and get 2-2 from tne 4 mentioned.  That means 3 more against UK, USCe, Mizzou, and UGA,  I would put our over under at 7.5 with 8.5 months to change my mind

Now, any of those questions could be answer with a positive.  In order for a 8-9 win season to happen more will have to be answered as a positive than a step back.  Football is a game about match ups and not making mistakes.  We have a hell of a match up problem for other teams with our WR.  Lots of other positions to consider.

This is a well thought out post on a difficult question. It certainly curbs my enthusiam with reality. I see 8 wins solid but definate loses at A&M, Florida and likely at SC and ut. Hopefully we can beat Mizzou here to get that critical 9th. This is after Jordan Matthew agreed to return so we have to have a good QB to go with his and Boyd's talent. ACS may be the answer after his blowout win over a pitiful Presbyterian team. Though he deserved another shot after that but I might have been wrong given Rodgers comeback.
Everything broke right this year like the last MCB year under Bobby Johnson. But they say you make your own luck. Saying that we WERE lucky against Ole Miss and Auburn of all teams.  So it is not as rosy and I would like to expect with this years 9 wins with no disrespect intended. I have the utmost confidence in Coach Franklin's staff and with Mathews and Boyd returning the sky is the limit with a decent QB. Here we come Atlanta, I wish but Hope.  Stranger things have happened including this year's record breaking season.  Go Vandy.

RManners32 wrote: 6 seconds at a time....one week at a time. This mentality has been pretty successful so far and I am trying to adopt when looking at Vandy Football. The next "game" on our schedule is National Signing day and we need to get all these commits to sign the dotted line. If all the guys committed Anchor Down we will have a huge win in my eyes. Even right now without some of those not yet committed, we are set up pretty well with a top 15 class. In my opinion that is huge and will continue to get better.

As far as games are concerned, I have seen a lot of people on this board already talking about Georgia, A&M, and South Carolina. Why? Those games are not important right now. Right now Ole Miss is next and everything else needs to go away. We need to be 1-0 after 8/31/13. Everything else is irrelevant.

I wholeheartedly agree but that's not what the poster asked. Just a little fun to hope for. There's no harm in that.

14

"It certainly curbs my enthusiam with reality."

The reality of our 2013 shouldnt curb your enthusiam. 

1.  This team has a chance to go to 3 bowls in a row
2,  The gap between us and the rest of the east is as small as it has ever been, talent wise
3.  The gap between us and the rest of the SEC is closed, as for coaching
4.  If the stars line up, the points I made in the first post, this team could do something very special.

I will not talk about 9 wins unless I also talk about the potential low side,  The low to me is 5.  As for the 6 seconds at a time, that is for the staff and players.  I LOVE THE FOCUS it brings them.  As a fan I can think about the 12 game just like the first.  This team does not need fans to have the same focus as they have LOL

I have made investments a time or two on the outcome of football games,  If our 2013 team were playing each of our 2013 opponents tomorrow I feel we would be favored in 8 of our games.  The only games we would not be favored in would be UF, UGA, Texas AM, and USCe.

Turtle4VU wrote:

"AC-S has tons of game experience, plus his arm is stronger than JR's, so I'm not worried. Just think back at how many TD's JMatt could've had if the ball had gotten to him downfield. Opposing teams are going to have their hands full trying to cover both Boyd and Matthews next year; we'll have two NFL prospects at WR."

Dude, UT had a NFL QB, 3 NFL WR, and a really good EXPERIENCED OL starting 2012.  Football is about more than 3 positions.  If we were playing backyard 3 on 3 football I would predict we are competing for National Champion.

I have total faith CJF will give us a chance to be great.  Inflated and uneducated expectations are a set up for failure.  I see a lot of both in this thread.

How old are you...dude?

Turtle4VU wrote:

I can take what you know about football and a dollar and still be about 6 bucks shy if a cup of coffee from Starbucks.

You could also say that to literally anybody.