IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTT’SSSSSSSSSSS MONDAY!!!!!!!!!!!
And, unfortunately, for the first time this year and the first time since November 2023, it’s not a victory Monday following a Tennessee football game. But hey, there’s still a whoooooole lot to talk about from that giant letdown in the Natural State.
So let’s kick off our shoes, get on those orange and white checkered overalls, hop into the vat, and start squashing those grapes of Tennessee Vols-related thought picked straight from my mind.
1) Saturday night was another instance of a troubling trend of Josh Heupel’s Tennessee teams, and that’s major struggles on the road.
The Vols have played like stars at home in Neyland Stadium under Heupel, going 21-4 during his time in Knoxville. Take out #1 Georgia from two of those, and it’s 21-2. That’s absolutely amazing over a 3+ year period, especially given Tennessee’s recent history before Heupel was hired. The only losses have come against Pitt and Ole Miss his first season, and the latter was particularly controversial. One true uncontroversial loss out of that group, and that was against Pitt in what was still a one-score game. Tennessee has been a MACHINE inside Neyland Stadium against all except the Bulldogs.
And then the Vols go on the road and look absolutely soft far too often. In true road games, Tennessee is 7-8 under Heupel. And they’ve had some UGLY losses in there, too. 2021 and 2023 to Florida (the last one – 29-16 – being REALLY inexcusable), 63-38 to South Carolina in 2022, and 36-7 to Missouri last year. Those are BAAAAAAAD showings away from home. The team looks two gears slower and less motivated than they do at home. It’s maddening.
2) Add another chapter to that unfortunate trend on Saturday, as Tennessee fell 19-14 to Arkansas in Fayetteville, who was led on their winning touchdown drive by their backup QB.
Starter Taylen Green was surprisingly effective at moving the ball through the air, particularly in the first half. He finished 19/27 for 266 yards passing, but he really was able to keep the ball in the Hogs’ hands through the majority of the first half with sustained drives, although they were leading only 3-0 at halftime.
Still, for much of the game, Tennessee’s dominating defense was anything but. And when the Vols needed a stop at the end of the game to win, they folded like a cheap tent. 4 plays, 59 yards, and led by backup QB Malachi Singleton, who came in after Green got hurt in the 4th quarter. Gains of 13, 24, 11, and 11 put Arkansas in the end zone, although UT let the final play happen in order to get the ball back with any amount of time left.
3) And, still, despite 58+ minutes of mostly gross football, the Vols still had a chance to win. Unfortunately, Nico Iamaleava had a game to flush.
The Vols QB looked indecisive with the football and as though he lacked confidence, holding the ball for too long, too often. To his credit somewhat, the Vols’ receivers didn’t appear to get much separation against Arkansas’ corners, which is particularly worrisome. However, still, Iamaleava was just off for the game. Stinkers were always going to happen. They have happened to and will always happen to every QB that ever plays the game.
Perhaps too much pressure and too high of expectations have been placed on the Vols’ young QB. This shouldn’t be surprising. But as good as he’d been, it actually still was a little bit for me.
4) Where was the tight end involvement? Where was the wonderful, wonderful 12 personnel production that we’d seen against NC State and Oklahoma?
The Vols’ tight ends had been one of the stories of the season so far for this team. They had become a key part of the offense. On Saturday, Miles Kitselman had 2 catches for 24 yards. That was it for the entire tight end group. That’s simply not good enough. Heupel HAS to find a way to get them more involved in the gameplan and not let that happen again.
5) And still despite all of that, the Vols still had a chance to win in the final seconds, and it was RIGHT there for the taking.
After Nico’s 42-yard completion to Donte Thornton, the Vols had a shot at stealing it, and that opportunity presented itself on 3rd and 5 from the 21 with 13 seconds left. The Vols sent two crossers from the right side and that TOTALLY cleared the right side of the field, where Dylan Sampson slid to in the flat. Nico just missed him. Look his way and swing it, and he’s got a clear path to the goal line. Instead, the pass was incomplete over the middle to a covered receiver.
And then everyone knows what happened on the game’s final play. No need to relive that.
6) And so, the Vols are still alive for a run to the SEC title and the playoff, but man, their margin for error just slipped a significant bit.
Alabama will come in even more motivated. At Georgia is obviously going to be tough. Heck, right now, I’d take Florida +15.5 in a heartbeat. If the Vols and Gators repeat their performances from last Saturday this weekend, I can’t even say with all confidence the Vols are going to win.
So, it’s now back to home sweet home in Neyland for four straight games, where the Vols have been a different team. They’re going to have to be completely different from the one we saw on Saturday. Or it’s going to ultimately be another disappointing season for Heupel and Tennessee.