Josh Heupel weighs in on the challenges that Anthony Richardson presents the Vols defense

Josh Heupel and Tennessee are facing their first conference threat this weekend, as they take on the Florida Gators. Obviously, this is an important game for the Volunteers, but across the way is a talented quarterback in Anthony Richardson. A dual threat, Richardson can be explosive if a defense isn’t ready to deal with him.

During a press conference, Josh Heupel was asked about the challenges that Anthony Richardson presents to a defense.

“First of all, he can throw the football,” Josh Heupel said. “He can do that on the move. He can do it from inside the pocket. He’s big, physical, imposing.”

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“You have to bottle him up in the quarterback run game. At the same time, as you’re trying to apply pressure when they’re dropping back and throwing it, he’s got the ability to make you pay if you don’t have rush integrity inside your pass rush lanes.”

Josh Heupel knows that keeping those pass rushing lanes is going to be important. Running quarterbacks hurt Tennessee in 2021, and while they have shown some improvement there, Anthony Richardson will be a much tougher test.

“We’ve done a better job this year than we did a year ago, but that’s going to be a critical part of the football game,” Josh Heupel concluded.

Florida has won five straight games against Tennessee, including last year in Josh Heupel’s first game against the Gators. The final score of that game was 38-14. Tennessee has opened as an 8.5-point favorite.