Why the offensive versatility of Tennessee separates them from the rest

The Tennessee Volunteers had one of the most impressive performances of Week 2, which resulted in them moving from No. 14 to No. 7 in the most recent AP Top 25 poll following their dominant 51-10 win over NC State in Charlotte on Saturday.

Tennessee’s offense had their way versus the Wolfpack, getting it done in the run game and the pass game with an offensive attack led by redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava. A scheme that Volquest‘s Brent Hubbs believes is misunderstood and dangerous for any defense they face this season.

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“I don’t think anybody truly understands the versatility of the Josh Huepel offense, it’s the Art Briles system that he’s tweaked,” Hubbs said at the On3 Roundtable. “And everybody thinks of Jalin Hyatt going down the middle of the field against Alabama and they think of just over the top throwing plays, explosive plays, 60-70 yard touchdowns.”

“The reality of this offense is they’re very much rooted in the run game and they can play the run game in a variety of ways.”

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After leading the SEC in passing yards per game in 2022, Heupel and the offense adapted last season and led the conference in rushing. But so far this season with Tennessee’s personnel on offense, the offensive mastermind has been able to place the Vol’s rushing attack in a position where they may now be at the peak of their powers.

“They got RPO off of it, they can run the stretch, they can run tight end lead, power. They got into a two tight end set Saturday night against NC State to kind of neutralize some of that 3-3-5 look that State plays. And Dave Doeren, NC State’s head coach, said after the game we weren’t expecting that and we really hadn’t prepared much for that. And Tennessee got into it, liked it, and stayed in it, and adapted to it,” Hubbs explained.

The Vols rushed for 249 yards on Saturday, highlighted by 132 yards and two scores on the ground for running back Dylan Sampson and Iamaleava ending the game as the team’s second-leading rusher with 65 yards on the ground and a rushing touchdown of his own. A ground attack that will only make things easier for the young, talented signal caller in the passing game.

“So the versatility that they have in the run game makes Tennessee unique and I think we’re only going to see Nico get better as the season goes along here,” Hubbs added. “But they can run the football effectively with Dylan Samson, those backs, to take some of the pressure off of Nico. Which I think is a good thing, it’s not going to be all on him to make a bunch of plays if they can continue to run the football schematically the way that they did.”

Iamaleava threw for 211 yards and two touchdowns as well in Saturday’s game, and it will surely be fascinating to continue watching him grow within Tennessee’s offense and see what heights he can potentially lead the Volunteers to this season.