Latest / Champions of Life / Episode 5: 2-0 and Georgia Predictions

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Episode 5: 2-0 and Georgia Predictions · Champions of Life

welcome to the champions of life podcast where 3 orangeblooded Tennessee alums discuss how there's always next year hey y'all.
Welcome back to the Champions of Life podcast.
We've got Joe here, Laney, and myself.
This is Bobby, Bobby, b Laney, G, home of the Two and O2 and oh volunteers.
I'm so excited that we are undefeated.
This, I can't even talk around.
Are you surprised at this point? I mean, no.
No, not at all.
All right.
Not at all.
I believe our last podcast.
I predicted 12 and a, so this is Oh wow.
But then we went downhill and then we ended seven and five.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Very conservative.
Seven and five.
But after two games here, let's decompress.
Do, how do we feel? Seven and five.
Is that really where we think we're gonna be? No.
No.
Okay.
No, no, no.
Because the Tennessee family, we're believing we're going all the way right now.
Right? Yeah.
I mean, after the first two games, I'm more optimistic.
Did you watch any of the Georgia game? I don't have the SEC plus plus network.
Yeah to see Austin P.
You have to have that.
They had a stop at halftime and Kirby Smart was so mad at him.
He got out and he was yelling at the, they could not score.
They were four downs in the red zone.
They were maybe two feet from the end zone and they could not punch it in seriously, and he would not kick the field goal.
He said you know, not nice words, we're gonna score.
And they did, and they stopped him.
So I thought, okay, to Ty's point, who was predicted that we're gonna beat Georgia? Is it Ty? Somebody in Morristown? Somebody in Morristown? I might be on that bandwagon now after seeing Austin P.
Mm-hmm.
Stop them four downs.
And that's a small school.
All that to say is, I'm not ready to get my prediction yet, but we're just still talking.
Syracuse, ETSU.
But I'm feeling pretty good.
I'm feeling pretty good.
Maybe not 12, one.
Oh, my eight and four is going to nine and three.
Okay.
Hmm.
Uh, 10 and two.
Ooh.
Wow.
10 and two.
Because if we beat Georgia, we'll probably beat Florida.
Hmm.
Florida does not look to be on solid ground as we speak.
Listen, no, they don't.
If our old offensive coordinator can go down there into the swamp with the talent that he has at South Florida and can win and hold them to, what was it, nine Points? I think they only had one touchdown, I believe.
I believe.
I mean, why can't, why can't we do that? Yep.
With the talent we have, I mean, we've gotta this is the year, guys.
Yeah.
Well forget next year.
This is the year we're gonna be Champions of Life this year.
Alright.
Where it's going.
I will say though, after this weekend.
I got more optimistic about our chances of beating and last weekend, Alabama and Florida.
Mm-hmm.
Right.
But I flipped on Oklahoma.
Same potentially Mississippi State and potentially Arkansas.
Yep.
So we gained some ground, but then we lost some Oklahoma look good.
Their quarterback looks pretty good.
Mississippi State had an incredible game.
Mm-hmm.
Arizona State, that's what they be.
Yep, yep.
And how good, second, I know they made the playoffs last year, but how good is Arizona State? That's what, right.
I was really, I mean, who do they play? So that's a factor.
But I did come away this weekend more encouraged, but also like, eh.
Yep.
Some of those games could sneak up and the way Vandy came back, Vandy scored like 30 points in the second half or something crazy.
Yeah, yeah.
Well, we know Tennessee, if we have a big win against one of these bigger teams, we'll have a huge let down.
Because we don't know how to Yes.
Continue the momentum after big win.
Mm-hmm.
But this is a different coaching staff, different players.
Now we've still got some I like, that's why I think everybody's picking us to lose at the swamp because we've just, until they prove you wrong.
But this feels a little bit different now that.
The coaching staff feels like they're, I, I trust our defense more often than not now.
Whereas that was not the case.
Um, you know, if, uh, another school's not giving out our signals and our signs, you know, maybe our defense actually stays the chance.
Yeah.
Who knows? Although we're, we're hurting in our secondary.
Mm-hmm.
After losing Ricky Gibson, that makes me extra nervous with McCoy.
He's still out, lost the lineman first week.
Yeah.
And hopefully these new coaches you're talking about are studying up on Florida's backup and second, and third string quarterbacks.
Mm.
That's what hurts us.
We get the first guy knocked out no problem.
The second and third guys come in, they'll beat us.
Yeah, just contained.
That's all you gotta do.
Don't let 'em scramble I feel like we looked good as a unit.
You come, come out of week one.
Neutral site.
Syracuse is a decent football team.
And you dominate on both sides of the ball.
Obviously ETSU, we knew what was gonna happen.
You just don't want any injuries.
But it feels like Joey has a better command of the offense.
Um, and I think this is like what we talked about before the season started.
It's there's, we naturally gravitate towards what the quarterback's gonna do.
'cause you're only gonna be as good as your quarterback and I get that.
But we quickly just assume that.
Our offense would live and die by a quarterback.
But our running backs, the running game has been phenomenal.
Oh, mm-hmm.
As always.
Yes.
In the first two weeks, which is gonna keep us in these ballgame and the three-headed monster that we've got right now.
It could be anybody that goes off.
And I like the way they're, they're running with purpose.
There's no dancing.
We're making a cut, we're getting up the field, we're getting yards running over people.
Running over people, people.
And we're scoring, we're getting in the red zone and we're putting the ball in the end zone on kicking field goals.
Yes.
It's, that gives me hope that we can control a game with that, plus the defense.
And I know the secondary's gonna be shaky until we get some of the starters back.
But I like the scheme so far.
How'd you guys like the backup quarterbacks coming in and handling their business on ETSU? No, I did Tennessee.
I mean, I thought it was fine.
Yeah.
Um, I'm glad they got in.
Got some plan time.
Mm-hmm.
Maybe, you know, if Jake does have to come in, got some of the nerves out with him, uh, what did he have? Two, two touchdowns.
McIntyre had one, right? Mm-hmm.
So the thing that I, in the Syracuse game, there was a moment and I thought, okay, we're gonna be all right and we're gonna be better than if we would've had Nico.
I don't know what quarter it was.
Um, but when Joey, he fills the pocket breaking down.
He senses the pressure, he rolls out left, he's scrambling and he finds the guy receiver tied in.
I can't remember.
He throws him open in the end zone.
Mm-hmm.
And it, I was like, oh my gosh, where has this been? That was an amazing play just because he feels the pressure of the pocket collapsing.
Mm-hmm.
And he knows what to do.
Gets rid of it.
Gets rid of it.
Yeah.
So.
When I saw that play, I was really encouraged.
But having three running backs, like you said Bobby, and then our third string, running back, having the best day on Saturday.
That was crazy.
Boo Carter, his, you know, punt returns, like whatever we think about Boo Carter, who's back, and it was ETSU.
He wants it, but he, he looks like he could break one at some point.
Mm-hmm.
Break a couple.
So that was exciting.
Um, our defense, I think I'm.
I was most confident going into the season about our defense, but especially after Syracuse, I'm just like, O, maybe we should be a little bit more nervous about that even.
It wouldn't be quite as much if we didn't have the injuries that we do.
That's where I am, but I think you can scheme around that.
I do think that.
Dialing up the pressure, finding more blitz packages and then stopping the run.
Our guys are gonna be out on islands.
Sure.
And I think, you know, throwing those 50 50 balls like South Carolina did a couple years ago, that's what can do you in, but this doesn't feel like the same team, like, you know, some of those guys that we've had in the years past where they refuse to turn around and try to find the ball.
Mm-hmm.
And just pass interference after.
Yeah.
You know, we.
The culture's been changed in that regard.
So penalty wise, we, we were worse with Syracuse, right? Than we were.
Mm-hmm.
ETSU.
We'll see what happens with Georgia.
We should get better each game.
Hopefully.
Okay.
Georgia prediction time.
What do y'all think? So Vegas has the spread.
Last I heard it was six and a half.
Hmm.
That we or there? Georgia's favorite? Six and a half.
Six and a half? Yeah.
I didn't see that.
And the number 27 to 21 has been in my head and I've gone back and forth on who, and I don't know I'll let y'all go and then I'll make my determination.
How about that, Bobby? You can you go? I think you, you've gotta control the clock.
I think with this offense, if you get behind on the sticks and then you're punting the ball.
So often to them, they will control the game.
They're gonna run the ball.
They're tied in heavy, obviously.
Um, they are not gonna change their blueprint.
They don't have, I shouldn't say this, but they don't have the elite playmakers that they typically have on the outside.
Um, I think the quarterback's still a work in progress, just like ours is, but.
Um, I do, I think kneeling will be out in live force.
Um, that'll be a three to seven point advantage for us just in, in that alone, um, rattling a younger QB with less experience.
Um, so anyways, yeah, I think you see the Vols, they may pull out a game that looks like 31 to 28, 27.
Okay.
I'm very optimistic today, Monday.
Wow.
Yeah.
It could change as the week goes on.
Yeah.
Joe, man, I don't, because I have to say, so I'll say 24 to 17, Tennessee.
Okay.
Well, I can't go Georgia now if we can balance it, we've seen this year and year, if we try to kick field goals against Alabama or Georgia, we lose.
Yeah.
If that starts early on, I'm concerned.
Yeah.
Yes.
And I'll, I'm fine if you even go for it and, and don't get it.
Yeah.
But it sends a signal to the team, to Georgia.
We're scared.
We're gonna hopefully get three and then they go down and put seven points every time before, you know, halftime it's 28 to 28 to 3 28 to six.
Yeah.
So that's my concern.
So you're going, what was your final position? 24 17 Tennessee.
Okay.
I'm okay if we kick one field golf, three touchdowns in one field, golf.
All right.
I think I'm going 27, 21 Tennessee.
I can't, can't do it.
Wow.
We've got the big orange Kool-Aid over here.
Please.
This is why we're champions at life.
Okay.
Love life and at life at and enough.
Before we wrap this up, I did wanna say one super positive thing.
If you saw Aguilar's grandmother and mother were in the stands, both in tears at different points and just super grateful to see Joey and what he was doing and just the level he's at with where he's been and like his family's demeanor contrasted with Nico's this past year that just really, mm-hmm.
I thought that was really significant and meaningful.
Just really cool to see.
So it fit in well.
Volunteer for Life, the first college quarterback trade in the history of, you know, so far I think we're all happy for Nico and.
I wish UCLA all the best.
Wow.
What people can't see is that you're stifling a massive smile.
I, you know, we're happy for the family and, um, they got paid.
They did, they got their money.
Know they got, they got what they wanted.
And I think Tennessee, you know, so far we've got a really good quarterback out of that.
And, um, I just, I like what I've seen as far as decision making, the ability to play, make, get your head down, get some extra yards.
And putting the ball in play.
Now I think you've got guys like Mike Matthews, um, Staley, I think, you know, some of these other guys I think that was a concern we had.
We didn't, we don't know what Playmakers, but Joey's given them the opportunity to go out and get some catches.
And this offense is set up to get guys wide open.
So I like the decision making skills and the ability to just.
Just rip it.
And so, and yeah, he found a touchdown just checking down to a, a running back on a scramble.
So I love it.
And so far he has not done what our last two quarterbacks have done.
He has not run outta bounds when the game is on the line.
So I'm super thankful for that.
If that's the bar, hopefully don't, maybe just give yourself a chance.
Yeah.
Or constantly overthrow Are we seeing come to wide open.
All right, y'all.
Well that was episode five.
Anything else? No, go support the soccer team and the volleyball team.
They're doing great.
Six oh and one.
Wow.
All right.
Go.
Lady balls.
We, yes, they're lady balls.
Okay, good.
Yeah.
Go.
Lady Balls.
Go.
Balls be Georgia.
They tried to cut the lady balls out at one point.
Remember that? Yeah, they did.
They did.
They did.
Not on our watch.
Yeah, we digressed.
Hot.
Take.
All right.
Tammy's the Love podcast.
Catch us next time.
Go Balls.