The scoring is great. The wins are even better. The defense. Meh, and it probably won’t improve all that much.
Tennessee will likely be better on defense this season after being one of the worst defenses in the SEC in 2021. The Vols can’t get much worse and they’ll have some new additions and more veteran players this season, so there will be visible improvement. However, don’t expect Tennessee to suddenly become the next great defensive programs in the nation. Heupel’s approach isn’t based on that.
Heupel is, obviously, based on offense first. That was apparent as the Vols became one of the most explosive teams in the nation last season. However, it’s that mindset that won’t allow the Vols to serve up one of the best defenses in the south.
“Look, the offense is the big brother and you’re (Tennessee’s defenders) the little brother,” college football analyst Chris Landry of Landry Football said. “You have to support them (Tennessee’s defnse). You have to help them with extra things.”
As of now at least, the Vols can’t just assemble vast amounts of talent and expect to be a top-ranked defense. That won’t happen until Heupel and his coaching staff decide to become a defense-first program. Don’t hold your breath on that one.
“That’s never going to be the case, but I think what Josh wants to do is become a little bit more balanced,” Landry said.
Statistically, the Vols were surprisingly balanced last season. It’s easy to remember passes soaring downfield. However, the Vols rushed for 217 yards per game, which was third best in the SEC. Still, the constant up-tempo style of the offense will be a challenge for Tennessee unless its coaches evolve just a bit.
“Defensively, they have a much tougher job,” Landry said of the Vols. “Yeah, they score a lot of points, but in one way, defensively, if you can hold an opponent to 30 points, you probably have a good chance to win the game with (Tennessee’s offense), but it’s not easy to do that when you are on the field for as many snaps as you are and you’re on the field in quicker intervals from when you left.”
That’s what Tennessee hopes to address with a more well-rounded offense this fall.
Here’s why the Vols will never be dominant defensively:
No. 1 – Recruiting
Heupel has already shown that he is going to beef up the Vols’ overall roster. However, adding more offensive playmakers is right at the top. Despite Tennessee’s struggles on defense last season, the Vols are still thinking about adding more offensive firepower. That’s why 11 of Tennessee’s 22 signees in the 2022 class were on offense.
The Vols are clearly thinking more along beefing up the defense for the 2023 class. The Vols have 19 commitments and just seven are slotted to play offense. That’s probably a wise move. However, if the Vols are forced to choose between a highly rated quarterback or a highly rated safety, what do you think Heupel will choose?
No. 2 – Style of play
Unless the NCAA suddenly allows the Vols to sign 25 defensive players per season and whatever they want on offense, Tennessee is always going to struggle with depth since its offense is the fastest in the nation. Defensive fatigue is always going to be a factor. Tennessee isn’t the only offense-first program to have to tolerate a relatively high-scoring opponent. That’s how football is and it not going to change.
Heupel could – and likely will – add a four-minute offense to his arsenal in order to run some clock when the Vols have the lead. However, no one is going to confuse the Vols for a ground-based football team as long as Heupel is around.
No. 3 – The modern era
Heupel is far from unique. There are other program running high-tempo offenses, although none as a fast as the Vols last season. The rules benefit what Heupel does best. It’s a perfect mix, It would be crazy to change that now.
