There are some Tennessee fans that need to decide if they want a show or a championship. Both are fun. One is historical. Volunteer head coach Josh Heupel is shooting for the latter.
For those that think that Tennessee let their foot off the gas too soon against Oklahoma or that Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava fell short of the preseason hype, you’re completely missing the orange bus that could be on its way to Atlanta for the National Championship Game in Atlanta on Jan. 20.
Yes, I said it. These Vols are national championship contenders. They aren’t as showy as Tennessee was in 2022, but they’re considerably better and it’s really not close. Moreover, that 2022 team had no shot to win a national championship. They had too many holes on defense.
For every deep touchdown pass the Vols completed in 2022, Tennessee gave up an inexplicable pass reception with a secondary that was not up to par athletically. The Vols weren’t particularly good at linebacker that season either. The defensive line was serviceable. The Vols don’t have those problems now, which is exactly why they can compete for a championship.
Case in point, sophomore Jermod McCoy will play a long time in the NFL, barring something going off the rails. He’s physical, fast and probably the best Tennessee defensive back since Alontae Taylor played for the Vols in 2021. Taylor has gone on to be a solid performer in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints.
We’ll see where McCoy ends up when he goes pro, but there’s no questioning that the Vols are better on the backend of their defense than in 2022. Looking for proof? The Vols are 11th best in the country with 125 passing yards allowed per game. There’s more.
Tennessee defensive backfield has been aided by a suffocating defensive front that has derailed two quarterbacks careers this season. Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold was benched when he couldn’t hold up to the Vols last week. North Carolina State quarterback Grayson McCall hasn’t lived up to preseason hype after the Vols exposed his weaknesses when they hammered the Wolfpack 51-10 in Week Two. Now, let’s get to Iamaleava.
Iamaleava is a superstar in the making with a menial task to accomplish. The redshirt freshman has to be smart, don’t turn the ball over and complete those deep touchdown passes when asked, which won’t be as often as former Vol quarterback Hendon Hooker was required to do in 2022. Still, Iamaleava will have his moments to shine and, perhaps, prove he’s a Heisman Trophy contender, although that would just be unneeded icing on the cake if Tennessee wins a national championship.
There were countless times in which Iamaleava threw the ball away instead of forcing the ball into tight coverage as he did against North Carolina State. Iamaleava admitted that he tried to force it a bit against the Wolfpack and was determined to not do so against a good Oklahoma defense.
The only way the Vols could have lost the Oklahoma game was to continue making mistakes on offense, which happened on two strip-sacks that weren’t necessarily all Iamaleava’s fault. Sure, he can have a better grip on the ball, but it’s pretty tough to think about ball security when his eyes are downfield and one of the Vols’ offensive tackles, who were beset by injuries against the Sooners, keep giving up pressure off the edge.
If you’re one that is somewhat unsatisfied about the Oklahoma win, there is only one thing that will make you happy and that is a national championship. Why? Because you’ve made up your mind that the Vols have to put on a scoring showcase to win games. That’s not the case.
Tennessee doesn’t have to run up the score and there will other times this season in which they follow the Oklahoma game plan, which consists of leaning on the No. 1 defense in the nation in yards allowed per game (176) and fifth in scoring defense in points given up per game (7) in the country.
As for that defense in 2022, it was 92nd best in the country in total defense and 127th in pass defense. Would you rather score a bunch of touchdowns with that offense and take your chances with that defense? I think not.
If you want a show, maybe Morgan Wallen can set up another concert in Neyland Stadium. If you want some hardware in the trophy case, the Vols are on the right path. Tennessee’s defense is dominating up front, which protects a maturing secondary. That shouldn’t change given the Vols’ depth on the defensive line.
You might remember another team that won with a dominant defense, strong running game and and a relatively conservative approach. Remember the 1998 season? Is anyone complaining that those Vols were too conservative in retrospect? Would you give back that national championship for 100 more touchdown passes that season from former Vol Tee Martin? I’m guessing not.
For those that want flash and a championship, those are pretty tough to come by. Alabama had some teams that could put up big points while still adhering to suddenly antiquated notions that defense wins championships or a team must control the ball to win. However, that’s about it.
Most of Alabama’s championships were won by a great defense and controlling the ball. That’s the only way Georgia has brought home their championship hardware. Sure, LSU had a very potent offense in 2019, but their defense was more than just respectable, ranking 31st in the nation in total defense. Moreover, that stat was certainly skewed by the number of one-sided games that the Tigers competed in that season, which resulted in a mountain of garbage yards.
I never thought Tennessee could win a championship in 2022. I thought they could perhaps be like Texas Christian that same season, make the playoffs and eventually get blown out by a much more physical and better team, which is exactly what happened. TCU made the playoffs and got hammered by Georgia 65-7 in the national championship game.
Tennessee’s baseball team was flashy in 2022. However, they won’t be honored in 25 years like the Diamond Vols in 2024, which won a national championship. Which team was better? The latter – and it’s not close – thanks to their maturity, which the Vols certainly have on their football team this season.
I’ve long thought Tennessee coach Josh Heupel was an elite coach. I believe that even more after what the Vols did on Saturday in Norman, Okla. He showed that he could beat a No. 15 team on the road with a stifling defense and ball control. The Vols would have got beaten by double digits if they tried to repeatedly force the ball downfield against the Sooners. How many strip sacks do some need to be convinced of that? Three, four or more?
Some don’t agree with me. That’s fine. I suppose a national championship is the only thing that would quiet the critics that voiced their opinion on social media after the Oklahoma game. Well, there is good news. The Vols are the type of team that can do that. Tennessee can win a national championship this season even if it isn’t to your liking.
