Tennessee athletic director Danny White and coach Josh Heupel couldn’t have possibly played the good cop-bad cop role any better this week. The two deserves Oscars.
White suggested a departure from the current 12-team playoff system, which is in its inaugural season is ruled by a College Football Playoff Committee that often times seems to make little sense. Meanwhile, Heupel offered this sentiment at the very likely chance (and almost certainty) that the Vols will play Ohio State in Columbus in the first round of the playoffs.
“There’s a lot of football to be played yet, but if you’re not of the mindset going into this thing – anyone, anywhere, any time – then you’re just there to have a cup of coffee anyways. This is a highly competitive group. We’ll play where we play. We’ll play who we play and let’s go put the ball down.”
That statement struck me as pretty confident and probably quite wise. After all, the Vols hope to be in this position again and a home game probably isn’t worth riling up the mysterious powers in charge. Moreover, Heupel knows his players are listening. There’s no question they would prefer a home game in Neyland Stadium over a cup of JFG, but they could get the wrong message if Heupel got his feathers rankled over it.
The statement also struck me as a coach that likes his chances and why shouldn’t he? The Vols built a top-notch defense. That was evident early in the season. Heupel then unveiled a two tight-end offense that was predicated on running the football and controlling the clock. Yes, I know that sounds odd.
My read on that is Heupel believes he has a team that can win on the road, even though that wasn’t the case on two occasions earlier this season. I tend to believe him. I’m not sure the Vols can beat Georgia just yet, at least not this season, but they wouldn’t have to play in Athens, Ga. in a potential rematch.
As for the Arkansas loss, the Vols just didn’t have the explosiveness in the passing game they have now. With quarterback Nico Iamaleava on point as he’s been lately, I think Heupel knows his team is going to be tough to beat if the Vols play in the Arctic Circle.
White’s comments are also insightful”
“With respect to this process, I would like to see it a little more objective. I don’t think there is anything wrong with the ranking system of the old BCS. The problem with the old BCS is it was only two teams.
…I’m not going to throw stones at a committee that I’m sure they’re all doing as good of a job as they can, and they’re trying to work through it. I think those are good people working in earnest. I certainly am not going to throw stones at other teams. People want to compare maybe us against one or two specific teams in this moment, but that’s not fair to those teams.
“I will, though, criticize the fact that we don’t have a more objective computer-based ranking system that just makes it very clear, that everyone understands what the parameters are, and it is what it is. I think it would leave a lot less consternation on the back end that we’re seeing all across the country right now.”
White surely knows that the old BCS formula would still send Tennessee to Columbus. However, he knows that this current committee format can bite anyone, including him. Perhaps he’s upset about Ohio State being ranked ahead of the Vols, but I’d bet he’s more perplexed by Notre Dame being ranked at No. 3. That’s absolutely absurd given their schedule. At least the Buckeyes have a strong argument to be ahead of the Vols.
I like to think of Heupel as the cop who is going to charge in and take control while White smooths things over. Surely, they at least deserve a Golden Globe.
