Vols/Cats Shootout, OU Showdown, and BasketVols Duke Exhibition
Week of October 26th
The Vols went into Lexington last Saturday night and took care of business. It was the first SEC win for the Vols that did not come down to the wire. The offense caught fire early and never cooled off, scoring touchdowns on seven of ten drives in a 56-34 win over Kentucky. However, there continues to be considerable concern for the defense.
From the opening possession, Tennessee’s offense operated in rhythm. Joey Aguilar turned in his best performance as a Vol, completing 20 of 26 passes for 396 yards and three touchdowns. He was accurate and decisive, giving his receivers a chance to make plays. The receiving trio of Chris Brazzell, Mike Matthews, and Braylon Staley each went over 100 yards, combining for 350 of Aguilar’s 396 passing yards. Matthews and Brazzell both scored touchdowns, and all three recorded catches of more than 50 yards. Tennessee also went a perfect five-for-five on red zone trips. It was apparent Kentucky’s strategy of playing man on the Vols talented wide receiver corp was a big mistake.
While the offense hummed, the defense again showed why they are at the bottom of the conference. Kentucky moved the ball with ease at times, piling up nearly 500 yards of offense. Tennessee’s defense gave up multiple chunk plays and struggled to tackle in space. The pass rush continues to be inefficient, recording just one sack in the last eight quarters. At one point, the Vols allowed Kentucky to march 90 yards down the field for a scoring drive, missing numerous tackles, with the majority coming from the secondary.
Tim Banks defense continues to be “boom or bust.” Despite allowing Kentucky to have their most successful offensive performance of their season, there were positive moments like safety Edres Farooq creating a pick-six. That was the Vol’s third defensive touchdown of the year. Overall, Tennessee has 14 takeaways on the season which ranks 1st in the SEC and tied for 16th nationally. They are also plus four in turnover margin with is tied for 5th in the SEC.
The run game also took a step back. After rushing for 142 yards against Alabama and 264 against Arkansas, Tennessee managed just 108 yards on 33 carries. More than half of that came late in the game as the Vols tried to run out the clock. Now, it is a fair argument that the Vols didn’t necessarily need to run the ball given the success they were having through the air. But it is something to keep an eye on as we come down the final stretch of the season.
The defining moments came in the “middle eight.” Aguilar led a crisp two-minute drive before halftime, capped by a touchdown to stretch the lead to 14. Tennessee’s defense opened the second half with a stop, and on the very next drive, Aguilar hit Matthews for a 62-yard strike that put the game out of reach.
The game ball belongs to Aguilar. His accuracy and poise carried Tennessee’s offense. With the defense struggling, Aguilar’s ability to sustain drives and create explosive plays has become essential. He’s the difference between Tennessee being a good team or a bad team.
The question moving forward is whether this defense can improve. Missed tackles, poor technique, and mental lapses continue to plague the group. Head coach Josh Heupel said afterward, “It was good and bad. The bad was bad and the good was good. That’s not who we want to be.” He’s right. The Vols can’t rely on scoring 50 every week, especially with tougher opponents ahead.
Tennessee’s offense looks like it can hang with anyone. The defense looks like it could let anyone hang around. If that balance shifts even slightly in the coming weeks, this team could turn from entertaining to elite. But for now, Vol fans can celebrate a road win. They typically don’t come easy in the SEC.
Oklahoma Comes to Knoxville: De Facto Playoff Game
Tomorrow night the Tennessee hosts Oklahoma in what feels very much like a College Football Playoff eliminator. Both programs already have two losses. The Vols enter ranked No. 14, the Sooners No. 18. Tennessee opened as a 3.5-point favorite and the over/under sits around 56.5.
For Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel (in his fifth season, 43-16) this game carries added weight. Many know that Heupel is a former Oklahoma quarterback and coach who was spurned by Bob Stoops when he fired Heupel at the end of the 2014 season. Many saw the emotion from Tennessee’s coach when the Vols went into Norman last year and left with a win.
What’s really at stake: a win keeps playoff hopes real. According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, Tennessee’s chance of making the playoff sits near 23 percent. Oklahoma’s is about 19.4 percent after last week’s home loss to Ole Miss. If either team wins out to finish 10-2, those odds jump dramatically.
Tennessee comes in off a dominant 56-34 road win at Kentucky. Oklahoma, however, dropped a 34-26 home matchup to Ole Miss. The Sooners do have quality wins against Michigan and at South Carolina, but their consistency on offense has wavered, especially since the hand injury to quarterback John Mateer. Oklahoma’s offense ranks around 11th in the league in scoring (28.4 ppg) and total yards (376 yds/game). They’re very efficient in the red zone, but their third-down conversion and turnover numbers do raise some concerns.
Defensively, Oklahoma at least ranks as “elite.” They lead the league in scoring defense (12.5 ppg allowed) and total defense (240.3 yds/game). They also rank first in pass defense (~155 yds/game) and third in run defense (~84.9 yds/game). Their sack numbers and tackles for loss are among the nation’s highest. For Tennessee this is the toughest front they will face.
However, those numbers don’t tell the entire story. Here are the total offense (yards per game) rankings of OU’s opponents this season:
-Illinois State: 132nd
-Michigan: 52nd
-Temple 69th
-Auburn: 107th
-Kent State: 134th
-Texas: 78th
-South Carolina: 127th
-Ole Miss: 9th
When playing a prolific offense like Ole Miss last weekend, OU gave up 431 yards and 34 points. Oklahoma might have a solid defense, but it is not an elite unit despite what the defensive rankings suggest.
For the Vols, it is paramount that they keep their offensive momentum going from last weekend’s win against Kentucky. Tennessee’s offensive line must continue protecting Aguilar and allow the run game to provide balance. The ground game has been inconsistent this season and against a defense like Oklahoma’s front seven, Tennessee cannot afford to be one-dimensional.
On defense, Tennessee needs radical improvement, but I wouldn’t expect that unit to magically improve. Oklahoma will likely challenge them through the air. The Vols’ secondary has been vulnerable and Oklahoma knows how to finish drives. If Tennessee’s front four cannot generate pressure and the secondary cannot tighten up, the Sooners will exploit that.
Key matchups to watch: Tennessee’s passing attack vs. Oklahoma’s secondary. The Vols have been lethal throwing the ball; the Sooners have been stingy defending it. On the other side, Tennessee’s rush defense vs. Oklahoma’s offensive line and running backs. Both have shown flashes, though Oklahoma’s ground game remains somewhat inconsistent.
The home crowd at Neyland Stadium, a prime-time kickoff, and the emotional edge for Heupel give Tennessee a slight advantage. But Oklahoma’s defense could very well hold up under pressure. The Vols’ offense has to carry a heavier load and the defense must make enough stops. This one feels like a total tossup.
Injury Notes: Expect Colton Hood to go. The elite corner suffered a calf strain against Kentucky, but it has been reported Hood plans to play given the importance of this game. The Vols other cornerback, All-American Jermod McCoy, will still remain out for this matchup. He is predicted to return after the bye week. Arion Carter is going to be doubtful which is a huge blow to this defense. Carter is dealing with turf toe in both feet.
If Tennessee can find a way to pull this one out, they will have reinforcements on the way with the return of McCoy and Carter.
Get ready for a wild night. If Tennessee wins, the playoff hopes remain alive. This is one of the biggest games of the season so far, and the Vols must bring everything they have.
Tennessee Hoops Exhibition vs Duke
The atmosphere at the Food City Center was electric as the Tennessee Volunteers hosted a sell-out crowd to face the Duke Blue Devils in a high-profile exhibition last Sunday. The Vols jumped out to a 43-37 halftime lead and looked the part of a confident, new-look squad. However, momentum changed in the second half as Duke surged for a commanding 83-76 win.
Tennessee’s offense showed promise early. Senior guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie led the way with 18 points and eight assists, and freshman five-star Nate Ament posted a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds. Ament, the highest-rated recruit in Vols history, clearly flashed his talent, but with his 5-of-19 shooting and 0-for-5 from three it was also a reminder he’s at the beginning of his college career. Freshman forward DeWayne Brown contributed 10 points off the bench and starting center Felix Okpara added 11 points and eight boards.
The second half did expose some vulnerabilities that Barnes will need to address. Duke opened with a dominant 23-9 run that flipped the game’s momentum and put the Vols on their heels. The Blue Devils out-rebounded Tennessee on the glass (48-39) and made 20-for-20 at the free throw line in the second half. The Vols went from 48 % shooting in the first half to just 34 % after the break. Ultimately, the Vols held Duke to 35 % shooting, but could not overcome the rebound and free-throw margins. The narrative of the game was the performance of freshman Duke star Cameron Boozer, who put up 24 points, 23 rebounds and six assists in 39 minutes of dominance.
Coach Rick Barnes didn’t hide his critique: physicality, rebounding and playing through the post all need work. He praised Ament for his maturity and noted that for Gillespie a few less contested shots would serve him better. He highlighted that the Vols have five tune-up games before the regular season begins, and that’s how he views this one, as an opportunity to learn and grow, not one to panic.
There is potential in this group, but the Vols will need to make some corrections as the off-season comes to an end if they want to live up to expectations. Rick Barnes did not appear overly-concerned as he views many of the mistakes as fixable. If Tennessee can continue to improve throughout the season, don’t be surprised to see the Vols make a late postseason run.