Josh Heupel says Tennessee is going to play 'elite defense' in 2023, but good is a more realistic goal

The majority of spring storylines on the 2023 Tennessee Vols surrounded the introduction of 5-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava and whether or not Joe Milton can adequately replace Hendon Hooker as the team’s offensive trigger-man. 

Fueled by the nation’s No. 1 scoring attack, the Vols were a surprisingly 11-2 last season, and Josh Heupel’s team is looking to continue their momentum from their best showing in two decades. 

But whether it’s Milton, or ultimately, Iamaleava at quarterback, Tennessee is going to be just fine offensively. The Pride of the Southland Band will be playing Rocky Top on a loop again this fall because Josh Heupel offenses always light up a scoreboard. 

Perhaps the more pressing question should be will Tennessee’s defense offer more resistance this fall, especially against the pass?

After a couple of important transfer portal additions and 15 spring practices, Heupel certainly believes so. 

“We’re not going to play good defense. We’re going to play elite defense at Tennessee.”

– Josh Heupel at Big Orange Caravan

— Adam Sparks (@AdamSparks) May 3, 2023

“We’re not going to play good defense (this year),” Heupel told a crowd full of Tennessee faithful on a recent stop on the Big Orange Caravan tour, per the Knoxville News Sentinel.

“We’re going to play elite defense at Tennessee.”

Color me skeptical on “elite.”

But “good defense,” well that’s certainly possible, and it would go a long way in ensuring the Vols are a potential College Football Playoff contender again in 2023. 

For starters, Tennessee will always have a difficult time playing anywhere near “elite” defense with an offense that plays at such a breakneck tempo. It simply stresses your depth too much.

Still, in Year 2 under coordinator Tim Banks, the Vols made real strides on defense. They improved their yards per play allowed, scoring and run defense. They were much better getting off the field on third down (34% vs. 42% conversions allowed in 2021) and stopping opponents in the red zone (75% vs. 92%). 

And yet, Tennessee was still largely a feast or famine unit, mainly because of issues in the secondary. The Vols ranked 78th nationally in defensive success rate — with an inability to consistently defend the pass. 

South Carolina hung 63 on the Vols in a game in which UT allowed 453 passing yards and six touchdowns. Even in the triumphant win over Alabama, Bryce Young threw for 455 yards and two scores. Anthony Richardson torched Tennessee 453 passing yards, too. 

On the season, the Vols allowed an SEC-worst 151 passing plays over 10 yards. 

If they can turn a pass defense that ranked No. 127 nationally from bad to decent, well then, the rest of the unit is set up for success. 

The Vols return six starters in 2023, and although they must replace top pass rusher Bryon Young, an All-SEC first-team selection last season, their front seven should be solid with a bunch of returning veterans plus additions like BYU transfer linebacker Keenan Pili and freshman Arion Carter, who turned a lot of heads this spring. 

A more consistent pass rush, with guys like Roman Harrison and Tyler Baron in “contract years,” would certainly help alleviate some issues in the secondary, but it’s largely going to be on Banks and DBs coach Willie Martinez to simply get better production from mostly the same cast of characters that struggled a year ago.

It should help that a number of raw players got real seasoning in 2022, and the group should be much healthier this season after battling all sorts of injuries last year. There are several new faces with a trio of freshmen corners and BYU transfer (and former Vandy starter) Gabe Jeudy-Lally, who was brought in to compete with seniors Kamal Haden and Brandon Turnage for a starting spot opposite Doneiko Slaughter. 

Of the group, Haden or Slaughter has the most potential to be a breakout performer. Perhaps one of the rookie newcomers emerges as a rotational factor this fall, too. 

The Vols’ safeties — Wesley Walker and Jaylen McCollough — have a bunch of experience but nominal upside. Star/nickel Tamarion McDonald did at least flash at times in his first extended action in 2022. 

So it’s still sort of a hodgepodge unit, but they don’t have to be otherworldly for Tennessee’s defense to take another step forward this fall. They just need to be better. Banks’ aggressive scheme is going to continue to produce tackles for loss and takeaways, but that approach can’t also come with a weekly dose of big plays allowed. 

So elite, Josh Heupel? That seems farfetched. But Tennessee shouldn’t let perfect, or even great, be the enemy of good in 2023. With Tennessee’s offensive firepower, a good defense just might be good enough to go to another New Year’s Six bowl — or better.