ON MY ALLEGED MIND (11-8-21)
EXPECTATIONS EXCEEDED: At the first of every season, I foolishly attempt to predict the outcome of Tennessee’s football season. Due to my usually blind hope I more often than not paint a picture rosier than the eventual outcome. This year however I’ve likely been guilty of underselling the Vols. I picked Tennessee to finish the regular season 6-6 but if given a dose of sodium pentothal I would likely confess to actually thinking 5-7. I simply could not in good conscience post a prognostication piece with Kentucky beating us. Some things are beneath even my dignity. The Vols 45-42 win over the Cats Saturday evening is the piece that will complete most Tennessee faithful’s puzzle for Josh Heupel’s maiden season as the Vols Head Coach if they can simply take care of business in the season’s final two weeks. From showing they were every bit as good as a veteran Pitt squad; to blowouts of upstart Missouri and South Carolina teams; to playing Alabama even for three-plus quarters; to winning half their SEC road games; to the thrilling victory over the 15th ranked Wildcats the Vols have done everything and more than even the hardiest Vol fan could have expected. From the ashes of where they started the staff and roster have cleaned things up rather nicely
EXPECTATIONS STILL EXCEEDED: The defense I expected to see most of the season showed up at Kroger Field and that’s not a compliment. From jump this year I expected Division-1 (or whatever it’s called these days) offensive lines to maul the Vols undermanned defensive front with little or no help expected from our seemingly non-existent linebacker room. Missed tackles and backend confusion would reign and the offense would need to approach a half-hundred per Saturday to garner a few victories. Stunningly for the majority of the season that had been debunked. The front-seven was much better than its pieces and Willie Martinez’s secondary moved from the different libraries of the Jeremy Pruitt era onto the same page. Last evening however most of our pre-season fears were realized. The D-line was knocked backward, LBs were MIA, missed tackles abound and receivers were left alone. The Cats amassed 612 yards, ran one play short of 100, converted 12 of 16 third down attempts and scored five TDs on five trips to the Red Zone. It was an absolute Sunseri tribute. Awful!
And yet on their worst of worst days the Vols stop troops somehow got the job done at the most advantageous times. They stopped Kentucky’s last drive of the first half on downs leading to Tennessee’s second quarter, last-second FG that ultimately proved to be the difference in the contest. They scored six-points of their own on Alontae Taylor’s interception return. Even more importantly they ultimately bailed their offense -who failed to put the game away after a first and goal from the two yielded zero points- out with their most important stop of the season that won the season’s most important game. This was miraculous in itself after the staff inexplicably employed a three-man rush and an umbrella that stunningly failed to account for a receiver who converted a 4th and 24. The Mustang from hell reappears. After taking a beating all-night they somehow found the moxie to stop the Cats on downs and let the offense make a curtain-call in victory formation. Somehow complimentary football actually made an appearance and all that proceeded it is forgiven.
HAPPY FACTS
GOD BLESS HENDON HOOKER: Seems I write this weekly but I don’t think Hendon Hooker’s value to this team and season can be overstated. He is likely the most pleasant surprise in the history of Tennessee football. Saturday was the best in a string of impressive performances for the guy who literally showed up out of nowhere for seemingly no reason. 15-20 for 316 yards and 4 TDs without an interception would be welcomed by any fan base. For one that spent years wandering in the wilderness that was the Jarrett Guarantano era it’s like manna from heaven.
COMPLIMENTARY FOOTBALL CAN WAIT: TGMD (The Great Matt Dixon) is likely correct that at some point Heupel’s breakneck offensive pace will need to be altered to allow the Vols to play the complimentary football required to beat the best teams in the SEC. I hope the premature crotchety, genius, Dixiecrat will allow me a brief respite to enjoy it a while longer. Yes, it taxes our undermanned defense and at times goes too fast for our own offensive personnel but it also forgives the Vols many sins. Penalties? Big deal. Lack of takeaways? Who cares? Time of possession? Who needs it? Surrender 42 points? Not enough. For the here and now I’m happy with daring teams to outscore us.
GET OFF THE DAMN FIELD: As stated above I understand the challenge our defense faces when teamed with an offense that needs little time to get their job done. 46 minutes and 99 plays is an eternity on the field. There’s no question our style of offense exacerbates the defense’s shortcomings. But the defense must accept it’s share of the responsibility as well. If you come out of the locker room at the start of the contest and surrender a 14-play, 8:36, scoring drive followed by a 10-play, 5:04 drive for a TD to begin the 2nd half, that has nothing to do with being gassed. Want a little more rest and fewer plays on the field? Make a tackle and don’t allow opponents to convert 12 of 16 third down opportunities.
BITS AND PIECES:
-It sure would be nice to keep Tiyon Evans on the field. Had I have known he would get only 1 carry for 9 yards before leaving with an injury there’s no way I would believe the Vols would win
-Jabari Small’s 37-yard TD run was a thing of ankle-breaking beauty.
-Good to see Jaylin Wright (7-50; 7.1 ypc) out of witness protection
-Cedric Tillman (6-79; 1 TD) continues to make clutch, contested, catches. He’s the soul of this receiving corps.
-For all the defense’s difficulties getting off the field on 3rd-down they were excellent on 4th holding the Cats to one conversion in four attempts
-In some ways a game with only one appearance by a punter is rather entertaining
-Great to see Byron Young get two sacks and Tyler Baron get one of his own.
-Aaron Beasley and Jeremy Banks led the Vols with 14 tackles each. I’m not sure either graded out that well however.
-Now that I know the outcome, I’m actually glad the Cats converted the 4th and 24. The SEC refs not only blew a facemask on Baron but tacked on a ridiculous unsportsmanlike penalty on Mark Stoops. If the Vols get the stop there, Cat fans could forever -justifiably- claim to have been hosed.
NEXT TIME: Dawg Preview
CLOSING COMMENT: "The Blue’s tough Freddie"
