Tennessee beats Florida-- Ten things I think I learned upon review

Tennessee is 4-0 for the first time since 2016 following the Vols 38-33 win over Florida. The win means an undefeated September and a much needed open date to close out the month. We review the Vols 38-33 win with 10 things I think I learned. 

1. Hendon Hooker is really good

We will get to the ugly of the game on the defensive side in a bit, but everyone should take time, re-watch and really appreciate how well Hendon Hooker played. It’s been a long time since I have seen a quarterback in control of a big game like he was from start to finish. Hooker was simply terrific. Decisive, never put the ball in harms way, wasn’t conservative.  As Josh Heupel essentially said after the game, Hooker was simply the man.

“He was decisive with the football and accurate with the football – whether it was intermediate, short, long,” Heupel said. “He used his legs at the right time, created the big plays there. He’s just a tough competitor and offensively we fed off of him all game long.

“Hendon played like a warrior tonight. We had a lot of guys that did that, but Hendon was relentless in the way that he competed.”

Hooker was hurting and just kept playing through at a high level. He’s accuracy was phenomenal. He was 22 of 28 and at least two of them were throw aways. 

His best play of the day was the biggest play of the game and one I didn’t appreciate fully until rewatch.

2. Hey Ramel — my bad

Put me at the head of the line of people who didn’t see Ramel Keyton making an impact this season. I saw Tennessee with either a really small rotation at receiver or a freshman making his way into the rotation, but when the opportunity presented itself on Saturday, Ramel Keyton delivered in a bit way. You won’t see a better diving catch than Keyton made. Full extension and the ability to tuck the ball and secure it before hitting the group and then holding on through the catch was beyond impressive. 

But so was his 12 yard run after his first catch in the first quarter to get the Vols out of second and long. 

Keyton has always been able to run. He hasn’t always caught the ball well, but Saturday when the lights were the brightest and someone needed to step up for the injured Cedric Tillman, Keyton said I’m your man. 

Just super impressed and another guy who didn’t bolt. He’s just kept working waiting on his time and when needed Saturday the Georgia native delivered.

3. Turn Joshua Josephs loose

There’s some Rodney Garner praise coming, but the veteran defensive line coach needs get Josephs more snaps. The freshman has flashed in every game he’s played in. Against Akron, Josephs made some noise and in 8 snaps against Florida, he made his presence known. 

Josephs had a tackle and two quarterback hurries in 8 snaps. Tennessee isn’t getting home consistently when the rush four. Josephs first step is a handful for offensive tackles. He needs to be on the field more. 

Tennessee doesn’t have anyone who has the explosive first step that Josephs has. He needs to play more. 

4. Big O had a day

Omari Thomas played 64 snaps which is more than Tennessee wants him to play, but the junior had arguably his best game ever. He was good against Ole Miss a year ago, but he was as disruptive as he’s ever been on Saturday against Florida. 

Thomas has 5 tackles, forced the fumble that Tennessee desperately needed. He had a critical fourth quarter pass deflection and he had two quarterback hurries. 

Rewatching him on tape, he did a really solid job of gap discipline and clogged the middle several times in the run game where he didn’t made the tackle but his road block allowed someone else to make it. 

Thomas is also showing plenty of durability. He played 65 snaps at Pittsburgh and 64 against Florida. 

5. Tennessee’s back end issues are real and Tennessee must find some answers

Alright, it’s great to get a win, but Tim Banks and Willie Martinez have plenty to fix over the next two weeks before heading to LSU. 

The secondary is playing way too soft in coverage. The safeties are late getting there. And Tennessee’s zone is just not very good when you throw in the linebacker drops. 

The Vols got Florida into third and long (9+ yards) 9 times on Saturday. They gave up 4 third down coverages and on four others gave up enough yards for Billy Napier to go for it and the Gators converted three of those four, meaning of the 9 3rd and 9+ situations, Florida ended up with a first down on 7 of them. Just awful. 

The defensive backs had 6 missed tackles and the only PBU was by Omari Thomas. The end game interception was created by Byron Young’s pressure. 

The defensive backs were just awful on Saturday. The question is how do you fix it? It starts first by trying to get Dee Williams and Warren Burrell healthy. I know Burrell struggled before the injury but it wasn’t like the struggles we saw on Saturday. Kamal Hadden got caught too many times with his eyes in the backfield and he let his receiver get behind him. 

They tried Brandon Turnage and DeShawn Rucker at corner and it wasn’t any better. The whole secondary was just really bad on Saturday and that was very clear in the rewatch. 

Is it time to try a freshman like Jourdan Thomas who flashed has flashed on special teams this fall. Do you move Doneiko Slaughter from safety to corner to give him a look. It’s obvious this staff is going to remain married to the two senior safeties so Slaughter isn’t going to play there. They desperately need to get Dee Williams healthy and they desperately have to improve back there in a hurry.  

6. Tip of the cap to Rodney Garner

If you count the outside LEO/end position, Garner played 12 guys on Saturday and 10 of the 12 played double digit snaps. Against the run, Garner got good production out of both Elijah Simmons and Bryson Eason who had 34 snaps total. Da’Jon Terry had a sack in 11 snaps. LaTrell Bumphus had his most active day. The inside guys did a nice job clogging up the space between the tackles. Florida’s longest run from scrimmage was 14 yards as the Gators averaged 3.4 yards a carry. 

That group on the defensive line is not the most talented but Garner is minimizing their weaknesses and playing to their strengths with situational snaps and not wearing guys out. The veteran Garner is getting solid production out of that group and is smart is playing a lot of bodies. 

7. Vols need a few non-hurry up periods in practice

Before we get into the last couple of offensive snaps, the whole kill the clock drive must be looked at. Tennessee was just completely uncomfortable milking the play clock. They jumped offsides. They nearly had a delay of game penalty where Heupel had to call a timeout. 

It just felt like everyone was uncomfortable doing it. But it was the right thing to do. The Vols just have to be better at it. 

As for the 4th down play that failed, you simply have to throw that ball to a receiver who’s beyond the first down marker especially if you are going to throw it to a lumbering tight end. Just not a great play. It looked like Bru McCoy was open on a crossing pattern but either Hooker didn’t see him or he didn’t feel comfortable about the throw. 

In terms of attempting a field goal, I just don’t think Heupel was comfort with it at that distance. Chase McGrath made a long one at Pittsburgh but in his Tennessee career, McGrath is just 2 of 6 from 45+yards and over all he’s just 7 of 16. I believe Heupel liked his chances of making a first down better than making a long kick. 

8.  Alex Golesh appreciation

And throw Josh Heupel in here as well. The duo called a great game on Saturday. They got Bru McCoy wide open and Jacob Warren. They worked the middl of the field well. Their timing of things seemed on point and we saw a couple of knew wrinkles from receptions to backs out of the backfield, and Jalin Hyatt on long crossing routes. The final touchdown play was really good vision by Wright and that run sent Golesh into a heck of a celebration in the coaches box as the Vols converted on 3rd and goal. 

Tennessee’s offensive staff seemed to have a great feel all afternoon for what Florida’s defense was coming with. The Vols were great in the redzone which is an area where Florida’s defense had excelled coming into the game. 

9.  The program’s approach

Tennessee was the better team going into the game and I think they won this game early in the week but the way they embraced the spotlight from the head coach down. No one changed anything in their approach. It was another week of game preparation. Josh Heupel didn’t change up the routine or dwell on the fact everyone was watching they just went to work. It might sound simple but that’s not always been the case with this game. Heupel made just to not make

10. Open date couldn’t come at a better time

Hendon Hooker got banged around. They are going to have to be smart about how much they run him. Cedric Tillman is out another couple of weeks meaning he definitely couldn’t play next week, but LSU could be a possibility. Dylan Sampson has a week to improve. Jabari Small can get healthier as well. 

It’s also a great time because they have to find some answers in the secondary because it’s a mess. 

It also gives the staff a chance to bring some young guys along because this team is going to need some help from guys who aren’t playing significant roles right now.