There’s no question that Tennessee was one of the surprise teams in the nation last season. A high-powered offense will do that for a team that had been known for its “kick-rocks” offense under previous coaches.
The challenge for the Vols in 2022 is to provide a good – or at least complementary defense – to take a step up the college football ladder. Tennessee needs players like defensive linemen Omari Thomas and LaTrell Bumphus and middle linebacker Aaron Beasley to improve their play if the Vols hope to win games when their offense can’t score 40 points or more. Believe it or not, that actually does happen.
Against its toughest opponents, the Vols’ much-ballyhooed offense only scored 24 and 17 points against Alabama and Georgia, respectively. The Vols can’t stay competitive in lower-scoring games without more help from their defense. Here is what Tennessee needs to happen on defense to become a true contender in the SEC East:
Former NFL coach and college football scout Chris Landry breaks down Tennessee defense
As great as Tennessee coach Josh Heupel’s offense is, it can’t be expected to score 50 points every game, especially against the elite programs in the country, which the Vols typically play ever season.
It’s time for Tennessee’s defense carry some more of the weight.
