Ten things learned upon review of Tennessee's 40-13 win at LSU

Tennessee is 5-0 for the first time since 2016 following their 40-13 win over LSU. The win sets up a monumental showdown with Alabama Saturday in Neyland Stadium. It will mark the first time the two teams have been undefeated and ranked in the top 10 since 1989. Before it becomes all about the match up with the Tide, we review the Vols win on the Bayou with 10 things I think I learned. 

1. Trench work part 1

Let’s start on the offensive side and throw love the way of the offensive line. What a big time performance by that group. They didn’t miss a beat with Gerald Mincey out of the lineup as they played Jeremiah Crawford and Dane Davis at left tackle. Darnell Wright was terrific against BJ Oujlari who had 6 tackles, but no TFL’s, sacks, or qb hurries. 

The offense rushed for more yards than they passed for with 263 yards on the ground to 239 through the air (who would have made that bet). 

The offensive line spoke the entire off-season about being better in short yardage. Glen Elerbee made it clear when he visited with the media in the preseason that it’s how you are judged as an offensive line. 

In Baton Rouge, they had:

1st and goal at 1 — converted touchdown

3rd and 2 — no gain, failed

3rd and 1 — converted, Bru McCoy jet sweep

4th and 2 — converted, Utah pass to Fant

3rd and 1 — converted, Hooker 3 yard run

3rd and 1 — converted, Hooker pass to Squirrel White

3rd and 1 — converted, Small 2 yard run

3rd and 2 — failed, Small 1 yard

4th and 1 — converted, Small 3 yards

Pretty good day of short yardage work. The offensive line answered the challenge and did something to LSU that no one had been able to do this year and that’s shove the Tiger defensive front around. 

2. Trench work part 2

The offensive line was really good as was the defensive front. Rodney Garner’s group had 27 tackles including 5 sacks. The LSU offensive line was dealing with injury and not at full strength but that should take nothing away from the defensive line and their production. 

Garner’s group is playing on angles better and better each week to gain penetration and on Saturday, Garner and defensive coordinator Tim Banks found some scheme they liked with the stunts and twists game. They called it repeatedly and it paid off. It’s how Joshua Josephs got his sack. It’s how Byron Young got one of his sacks. 

Garner continues to play a lot of bodies and it’s helping with development. He again played 12 guys up front and no one played more than 50 snaps. If he can keep that type of rotation it’s going to help that group down the stretch of the season. 

3. Why you love Josh Heupel (and his staff)

There’s plenty of reasons right now, but let’s start with the start. Heupel’s teams are ready to play from the opening kick. There’s no flat with him or his team. Now you can’t predict a muffed kickoff is coming, but you know that Heupel’s team is going to be ready to go. They have have scored twice this year on their opening possession which is not great, but they have a fumble and a missed field goal as well so offensively they have moved the ball. A year ago they scored on 8 of 13 opening game possessions. Heupel’s teams haven’t been tight or flat since he arrived on campus. 

Another reason you love Heupel is there is no fear. Dee Williams had never played a snap of power 5 football. His first snap is a punt return on the road in the SEC looking into the sun. No fear. 

“Dee was back there just because we believe in him and have trust in him,” Heupel said. “From the time he’s been on campus through the summer and in training camp he’s shown he’s a natural tracking the football. He has a really good feel when the ball is in his hands. He has vision and the speed to be electric. I anticipated him doing it and the first one was a big one.”

By the way that return was blocked really well. Williams will catch plenty of grief for not beating the punter, but kudos to Mike Ekeler’s return group who blocked things really well. It was a good day on special teams for the Vols. 

4. Bru and Jalin just keep growing

Tennessee is hoping to get Cedric Tillman back for Alabama which would be a big boost but give credit where credit is do for what Jalin Hyatt and Bru McCoy are doing. 

Hyatt is showing he can run a variety of routes. He’s been a terrific blocker as well. I still think he’s the best story on this team because of where he has come from since last year.

McCoy had 7 catches for 140 yards and is playing faster every week. He’s better with the ball in this hands after the catch than I anticipated. His progression in running the slant and his timing with the stack formations is just a part of his growth. When Tillman returns this will be a different group of receivers than we saw the first two weeks of the season because of the continued growth of McCoy and Hyatt. 

5. This 4th down stuff is crazy

I’m all for being aggressive but coaches around the country have lost their mind on 4th down attempts. I have not idea what Brian Kelly was thinking on 4th and 10 at the end of the first half. Even if Tennessee doesn’t get an 8 yard sack and they just get a stop on an incomplete then the Vols are still going to get into field goal range and steal points at the end of the half. I mean you have been out played the entire half. It’s 20-7 and you are fortunate that wasn’t worse. Punt the ball and just get to the locker room. 

It is interesting how aggressive offenses are against Josh Heupel. Florida turned down a field goal on their opening possession which would have grab them a 3-0 the lead and Tennessee got the stop on fourth down. LSU down 10-0 didn’t take the field goal on their first scoring chance.

Why not take the points? Maybe because you feel like you need touchdowns to keep pace. 

It’s the Heupel effect. 

6. Let’s see more Dee Williams

According to PFF, Dee Williams played 3 snaps of defense. I think you gotta play him more. Kamal Hadden can be good. He can lose is cool and be a penalty and he can miss tackles. In other words the best corner is inconsistent. 

Christian Charles is just struggling. He’s more natural at safety but out of need he’s playing corner. He was targeted 8 times on Saturday and LSU got six catches on him. 

Alabama’s receivers can turn slants into touchdowns. LSU can’t get vertical. With Bryce Young expected to play on Saturday, the Tide will be the most explosive passing team Tennessee has played all year. That means the secondary has a heck of a challenge on their hands. 

I will say this for Willie Martinez and Tim Banks they played 9 guys in the secondary on Saturday and 8 of them played double digit snaps. I think that’s a positive move, but that group has to get better yesterday.

7. Aaron Beasley is the Vols best linebacker right now

 I thought the first two weeks of the season Beasley was the best linebacker. I was surprised when he lost his starting job to Juwan Mitchell. 

I think he needs that job back. Beasley had 9 tackles including 1.5 for loss. Mitchell didn’t have a tackle and had one PBU. Jeremy Banks had 2 tackles including one for loss and a PBU. 

Brian Jean-Mary rotated Banks (46 snaps), Beasley (43 snaps)  and Mitchell (44 snaps). However, Beasley is just more productive. Beasley leads the team with 36 tackles. Banks has 23 on the year and Mitchell who has played in 2 less games has 4 tackles in 3 games.

8. It’s not a bad thing

Hendon Hooker wasn’t bad on Saturday at all going 17 for 27 for 239 yards, but he didn’t play as well at LSU as he did against Florida. Hooker lost his accuracy after the big hit he took and he missed 3-4 throws to open receivers. But it was a nice luxury for the offense that it wasn’t all on Hooker’s shoulder thanks to the offensive line and run game. 

In my opinion it’s a positive development that the burden wasn’t all on Hooker. They only called a handful of designed runs which is good as well. A year ago heading to Alabama Hooker was hurting and they couldn’t run him the way they wanted to run him. He should be ok to run as needed this week. 

If Tennessee beats Alabama on Saturday it’s because Hooker has had a big day and has moved further up in the Heisman race. But it was nice that he didn’t have to dominate on Saturday for the Vols to win. 

9. Tennessee must tackle great on Saturday

If there’s a criticism of the defense on Saturday it was missed tackles. PFF has the Vols with 13 missed tackles with 9 of them coming in the secondary. 

The secondary missed 7 in the Florida game. If the secondary misses that many tackles on Saturday then the Vols are going to have a hard time slowing down the Alabama offense. 

Tennessee must tackle better in the defensive backfield, plain and simple. 

10. How fun is this?

 It was crazy to hear Rocky Top on the TV replay as loud as you did after the Vols first touchdown. It was loud. There were Tennessee fans everywhere in Baton Rouge. 

The college football world is focused on Tennessee. The Vols are fun to watch. They play with confidence. They play without fear. Josh Heupel and his staff coach without fear. 

Win or lose Saturday, this football team is a great product and one that every fan should enjoy. 

Fans should also relish being on this stage after only being there one time in the last 10-15 years. 

Vol football is fun.