I want to say this feels like the Butch years, because that’s always been my comparison. But that would be a lie. This feels like watching Virginia beat Miami 48-0 in the last game of the OB. Fifteen years later almost to the day and we still suck. It’s a numb feeling.
That 2007 team played horrible every week. We played it off by talking about the roster purge and the incoming recruiting class. That team had a bad OC and a staff of excellent individual coaches who didn’t click. And that team had a head coach who ultimately failed.
I have more faith in Cristobal than Shannon, but it’s becoming less rational by the day. This team has played bad in every single game. It’s November. Four straight home losses to kill the fanbase, and three of them are among the worst losses in program history.
The only difference between this team and 2007 is that the 2022 team has better players and more money. Florida State isn’t even a dominant opponent. They will finish with four to five losses. Two years ago, we beat them like they beat us. The difference is we have gotten worse in every aspect.
Better players will help. A new offense will help. Tennessee somehow came back after bottoming out for two decades. But any hope is based on nothing we’ve seen on the field. And that is a painful, familiar feeling.