Senior Staff Writer/Editor/Host
It gives me no joy to be sitting here writing this. Just a few weeks ago, I was the one proudly declaring, 'The Vols are back.' And I don’t regret it—I still believe it. One loss doesn’t change that. What frustrates me, and surely the fanbase, is how Tennessee lost to Arkansas. That loss was entirely avoidable. But you lost it—and in embarrassing fashion.
The team that took the field Saturday night in Fayetteville didn’t resemble a Josh Heupel-coached team, not one iota. The conservative coaching style may have worked against Oklahoma and won you that game, but against Arkansas, it crippled you. Anyone can watch the film and see that the offensive line’s performance was less than stellar, but that’s no excuse—it’s an indictment. You have young, highly-ranked players like Bennett Warren and Max Anderson. If the current rotation can’t get the job done, change it. You're not here to protect feelings; you're here to win championships. It's been shown before how the up-tempo offense can benefit the offensive line in pass blocking. So where is it? Where’s the aggressive play-calling that won you the Alabama game in 2022? Sure, that line had Darnell Wright, but was one lineman the key?
One of the main responses I’ve seen—not from the coaching staff, but from fans—is that Nico Iamaleava is young and lacks experience running the offense. Some are using this as an excuse for dialing back the tempo and aggressive play-calling. But let’s be clear: that’s not an excuse—it’s an indictment. There were multiple opportunities last season to give Nico meaningful reps. Take the Missouri game, for instance. In the third quarter, the score was 22-7 in favor of the Tigers. That was a prime chance to see what your heralded quarterback could do. Maybe he looks great and helps you climb back into the game. Maybe he doesn’t. Either way, those were crucial snaps wasted. The final score was 36-7 Missouri, and Nico never saw the field
With all that said, making the playoffs was the goal coming into the season, and that goal is still on the table. It’s a bit harder to reach now but still attainable. However, the Coach Josh Heupel who's been on the sidelines over the past two games won’t get you there. If that coaching style continues, you're likely looking at a minimum of three more losses.
The good news is this: If the Josh Heupel who has no hesitation in throwing the ball downfield, the one who doesn’t flinch or second-guess on fourth down, and the coach who runs a fast-paced, up-tempo offense that confuses defenses and creates gaps in the passing and the run game returns, then running the table isn’t out of the question. But for that to happen, Coach Heupel needs to be Coach Heupel.
Photo | Knoxville News Sentinel
Sorry. I don't buy this argument. Did you see if any of our receivers were actually open all night? Yeah, three incompletions in a row, in a hurry-up offense does wonders for a defense.