Online Now 2124

The CheckerBoard

The place for inside information on the Tennessee Vols

On this Board 1445
Record: 4783 (12/9/2012)

Online now 2120
Record: 6475 (12/7/2012)

Reply

Vandy/SC Pessimism

  • I'm usually a glass is half full kind of guy. Can't shake the feeling, though, that we lost twice last night in the Vandy USC game.

    IMO, Tennessee had 2 ways to win that game:

    1 - USC loses, giving them an SEC loss and helping UT in the SEC East race
    2 - Vandy gets embarrassed and shuts up the "we can compete with anybody" talk.

    Worst case scenario? USC wins in a close one.

    Bummer.

    Anybody got a positive spin to put on this to make me feel better about its impact on the Vols?

    TexasseeVol

  • This post is for members of GoVols247 or All Access VIP members only. Start Free Trial

    JB11

  • Or look at it this way...We should beat both of them.

    signature image signature image signature image

    Kooper

  • Connor Shaw is bigtime banged up. That shoulder has got to be killing him today. So despite the "contusion" talk, he becomes a big question mark for down the road.

    USC, at least last night, is definitely not the ninth best team in the nation. They can be beaten, though we have to play them in Columbia.

    Vandy always plays people close and loses in the fourth quarter. No change there. I would not have expected them to get blown out at home in any case, especially when Shaw went down so early.

    I saw lots of good signs. The East is up for grabs and if we play our game, we can be there in the end.

    Go vols

    signature image

    RockytopATL

  • This post is for members of GoVols247 or All Access VIP members only. Start Free Trial

    Chartervol

  • TexasseeVol said...

    I'm usually a glass is half full kind of guy. Can't shake the feeling, though, that we lost twice last night in the Vandy USC game.

    IMO, Tennessee had 2 ways to win that game:

    1 - USC loses, giving them an SEC loss and helping UT in the SEC East race 2 - Vandy gets embarrassed and shuts up the "we can compete with anybody" talk.

    Worst case scenario? USC wins in a close one.

    Bummer.

    Anybody got a positive spin to put on this to make me feel better about its impact on the Vols?

    I'm with you. I wasn't happy after reading about the game (I was only able to watching a few drives early in the game). I'm not sure how Vandy's D was able to play big boy ball with USCe's offense. I know Shaw got banged up (and perhaps isn't the best QB to begin with), but still.

    tallbrad

  • I expect us to come out tonight and look much better than both of those teams, so that is the big positive.

    Outside of that, USC winning a close one means they keep their ranking (good for all of the SEC) and Vandy looking presentable is good for the conference as well.

    Obviously USC destroying Vandy would have felt good due to Frankin, but I think last night was generally good for the conference.

    bavw

  • I am with the positive oinherent here. Candy's offense has no chance of keeping up with us and SC is beatable in Columbia.

    Part of getting back to the top is expecting to beat what is still a mid-level team and the bottom of the league.

    SRDC Vol

  • Kooper said...

    Or look at it this way...We should beat both of them.

    That was my takeaway as well. Both teams have big weaknesses and are very beatable. That's a positive.

    smasher423

  • tallbrad said...

    I'm with you. I wasn't happy after reading about the game (I was only able to watching a few drives early in the game). I'm not sure how Vandy's D was able to play big boy ball with USCe's offense. I know Shaw got banged up (and perhaps isn't the best QB to begin with), but still.

    Vandy's D was mediocre. They kept it close because: SC turned the ball over; Shaw got injured and missed a few series and SC has ZERO depth at qb behind him; When Shaw returned he was basically playing with one arm; SC's offense is REALLY predictable now - hand off to Lattimore or desperate scramble by Shaw. They have no receivers to speak of and Connor Shaw has no ability to get the ball to them. SC is not a top ten team by any stretch. Worse, Lattimore, to me, does NOT look like nearly the same back before the injury. Looks like he has lost a step and some cutting ability. Still has power and is a good runner, but not the guy he was before. SC is definitely beatable. I'd be stunned if they finished higher than 3rd in the east.

    frostyvol

  • Though USEe looked way over-rated. Conner Shaw makes the difference for them. If he's out for any extended period USCe will really struggle offensively. Vandy's defense faired pretty well against an OL much larger that themselves.

    boomervol

  • This post is for members of GoVols247 or All Access VIP members only. Start Free Trial

    WVa Vol

  • frostyvol said...

    Vandy's D was mediocre. They kept it close because: SC turned the ball over; Shaw got injured and missed a few series and SC has ZERO depth at qb behind him; When Shaw returned he was basically playing with one arm; SC's offense is REALLY predictable now - hand off to Lattimore or desperate scramble by Shaw. They have no receivers to speak of and Connor Shaw has no ability to get the ball to them. SC is not a top ten team by any stretch. Worse, Lattimore, to me, does NOT look like nearly the same back before the injury. Looks like he has lost a step and some cutting ability. Still has power and is a good runner, but not the guy he was before. SC is definitely beatable. I'd be stunned if they finished higher than 3rd in the east.

    Hope you're right. The couple drives I watched led me to post in the game thread that I thought USCe might blow them off the field (this of course preceded the busted coverage long TD for Vandy by mere minutes and the later Shaw injury), and was surprised to see the final score.

    tallbrad

Tennessee
247Sports
Features
Resources
Connect

247Sports In partnership with CBS Sports