Good evening, Bears.

I know it's been a while since we last talked. I wanted to log on and talk to you last week before your game against UNC, but I never got around to it.

I wanted to send you all greetings and well-wishes for this new season. I also wanted to congratulate you all on a great win against the Tar Heels. Your team looks good so far. Yes, it would have been great to see the Bears finish a little better, and yes, things are not great right now in Chapel Hill with all of the NCAA baggage. Nonetheless, Coach Wilcox has the team performing very well, especially on defense. That unit is looking better and better.

Hoping the best for Cameron Goode; I remember watching his pick six last year against Ole Miss.

Good luck tonight against BYU; I'll be watching. Go Bears!

VR, as usual, you're all class. Thanks for the well wishes. What's the vibe in Knoxville?

NYCGOBEARS said:

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VR, as usual, you're all class. Thanks for the well wishes. What's the vibe in Knoxville?

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Well, of course you know about the circus that was the Tennessee head coach search. We don't need to reopen those wounds.

Before the season, it was predictably optimistic. High expectations were running rampant; people really love our new coach, Jeremy Pruitt. He has served as defensive coordinator at Georgia, Florida State, and Alabama, winning national championships with the Seminoles and Crimson Tide.

It got to the point where people believed that the Volunteers, even with the youth and inexperience, were going to upset West Virginia in Charlotte, NC.

And then, Vol Nation was smacked right back into reality.

They hung with the Mountaineers for a half, then came a weather delay, and it was virtually all WVU in the second half. We got exposed, especially in our young, patchwork secondary. Our offensive line was well, offensive. They got better as the game went on, but that unit has some serious issues. And we just lost our starting center (Alabama grad transfer) to an ACL tear.

We looked good against East Tennessee State today. Not great, but good. We have Texas-El Paso (UTEP) next week before we meet Florida.

In short, we like the potential, but we recognize that we've got a heck of a long way to go. This team is young and deficient in so many areas, and we are not deep at all. It's going to be a long, brutal season. We play Georgia, Auburn, Alabama, and South Carolina in October. But we're going to stay positive; Pruitt and his staff combine for 14 national championships between them. They know what they're doing.

Good luck to you!

NYCGOBEARS said:

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Good luck to you!

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Thanks. You as well!

Like many things, football is cyclical. Vols have a rich tradition, and that's not to be overlooked. Tradition means something and at some point, the Vols will be contending again. It's a valuable selling point.

I recall Georgia having some down years, and Mississippi State being a joke for a period as well. Remember Florida before Galen? Your time is coming.

Hang in there and best of luck.