After reviewing Tennessee's 48-45 overtime loss on Thursday, here are 10 Things I Think I Learned...
1. Pass defense was awful — Let’s start with the obvious, it was a rough night for Willie Martinez’s group. Now it’s all tied together and the defensive front couldn’t get home against the Purdue offensive line. The Boilermaker’s front did a great job with blitz pick up. When Aiden O’Connell was under pressure he was 7 of 14 for 173 yards. When he wasn’t under duress he was 19 of 32 for 361 yards. Tennessee couldn’t affect him. When Tennessee did blitz he was 9 of 15 for 217 yards and 4 touchdowns which means they didn’t get home with their blitzes.
Jeff Brohm attacked Tennessee as their weakest spots. He threw the ball at De’Shawn Rucker twice in the 5 snaps Rucker played. Both targets were catches for a total of 113 yards and a score. Kamal Hadden graded out the best of any corner giving up 5 catches on the 10 balls thrown his way.
Brohm went after Warren Burrell. Burrell gave up 5 receptions and had 4 pass interference penalties. Burrell never found the ball. At linebacker Aaron Beasley struggled against the tight ends as he gave up 5 catches on 5 targets.
Burrell had only been flagged twice all season.
Clearly this defense missed Alontae Taylor and cornerback is a big question mark heading into 2022.
2. Hooker was just a bit off — Crazy to say when he had 5 touchdown passes, but he should have had seven. In the dreadful second quarter, Hooker had Velus Jones open for a touchdown. On a 3rd and 4, Jones was open on a take off, Hooker’s accuracy was poor and the ball was on Jones’ outside shoulder. An accurate throw to the inside shoulder and it’s a walk in score.
On the final drive of regulation, Hooker had Jones again on a take off and over threw him by several yards never giving Jones a chance for the walk off win. Hooker’s first deep shot of the afternoon was a ball to Javonta Payton that landed out of bounds.
Hooker was just 3 of 13 on throws over 20 yards.
Hooker did some good things, but he missed some throws he’s been making all season. He’s right in saying he played averaged.
3. Vols struggled at right tackle — Tennessee missed Cade Mays. Dayne Davis gave up a sack, a pressure that forced a fumble and in the fourth quarter Davis gave up a pressure where the rush end hit Hooker’s arm causing him to under throw a wide open Jalin Hyatt who was running a post that would have been six.
Tennessee is bringing back four veteran starters on the offensive line. They have to get the right tackle position solidified between Davis, Jeremiah Crawford and transfer Jared Mincey. Watching the replay also gives you an appreciation for how solid Darnell Wright as been this year on the left side playing every meaningful snap.
In year two, the growth of the entire offensive line is going to be important, but finding an answer at right tackle is the biggest concern.
4. More on the passing game — This is according to PFF. Hooker was 13 of 18 for 201 yards and 5 scores when he was blitzed. He was 13 of 24 for 177 when he wasn’t blitzed. Purdue played a lot of 2 safety high defense especially after the first quarter meaning they played coverage and less straight man. The passing game struggle more against the coverage looks than the blitz looks. This is something that’s been talked about a lot this season with the Kansas City Chiefs as teams are not blitzing Mahomes as much trying to take away the big shot plays.
My guess is that next season after DC’s study the Vol offense this summer, Heupel’s offense might see some more light boxes and two safety high or split safety looks.
5. Let’s dissect the end of regulation possession — Heupel and Golesh were looking to pop a run on first down. Heupel said in the post game that it was a light box. He’s right it was 4 defensive linemen and a single linebacker so you have 5 on 5 and your running back. The play call makes a lot of sense. But in only getting 8 yards, I’m surprised Heupel didn’t call time out. By letting 8-9 seconds run off the clock, you cost yourself another play to get closer in field goal range.
Small runs for a first down on second down, Purdue has an injury to stop the clock so Tennessee doesn’t have to use a timeout with :26 second left and the ball at the Purdue 49 yard line. Hooker throws the out route to Tillman for seven. Then on second down, Tennessee goes for the win on a deep ball to Jones where he’s open and Hooker never gives him a chance. Jones was so open if you under throw it the defensive back is going to run over Jones at worse. Hooker just didn’t give his receiver a chance to make a play. Connect that one and Heupel is a hero for his aggressiveness.
On third down with now :11 seconds to play, Heupel runs the same play this time to Tillman who is clearly grabbed and no flag was thrown. A penalty there would have moved the ball to the Purdue 32 with time for one more play and at worse a 46 yard field goal instead of a 56 yard field goal.
I do think the middle of the field was open with Jalin Hyatt if they wanted to go that way, but honestly upon review I can’t fault the two take off shots. Jones was open and Tillman was grabbed.
I just don’t know what you didn’t call the time out after the first run and saved yourself 8-9 seconds giving you a throw from the Purdue 39 to get into better field goal range.
1. Pass defense was awful — Let’s start with the obvious, it was a rough night for Willie Martinez’s group. Now it’s all tied together and the defensive front couldn’t get home against the Purdue offensive line. The Boilermaker’s front did a great job with blitz pick up. When Aiden O’Connell was under pressure he was 7 of 14 for 173 yards. When he wasn’t under duress he was 19 of 32 for 361 yards. Tennessee couldn’t affect him. When Tennessee did blitz he was 9 of 15 for 217 yards and 4 touchdowns which means they didn’t get home with their blitzes.
Jeff Brohm attacked Tennessee as their weakest spots. He threw the ball at De’Shawn Rucker twice in the 5 snaps Rucker played. Both targets were catches for a total of 113 yards and a score. Kamal Hadden graded out the best of any corner giving up 5 catches on the 10 balls thrown his way.
Brohm went after Warren Burrell. Burrell gave up 5 receptions and had 4 pass interference penalties. Burrell never found the ball. At linebacker Aaron Beasley struggled against the tight ends as he gave up 5 catches on 5 targets.
Burrell had only been flagged twice all season.
Clearly this defense missed Alontae Taylor and cornerback is a big question mark heading into 2022.
2. Hooker was just a bit off — Crazy to say when he had 5 touchdown passes, but he should have had seven. In the dreadful second quarter, Hooker had Velus Jones open for a touchdown. On a 3rd and 4, Jones was open on a take off, Hooker’s accuracy was poor and the ball was on Jones’ outside shoulder. An accurate throw to the inside shoulder and it’s a walk in score.
On the final drive of regulation, Hooker had Jones again on a take off and over threw him by several yards never giving Jones a chance for the walk off win. Hooker’s first deep shot of the afternoon was a ball to Javonta Payton that landed out of bounds.
Hooker was just 3 of 13 on throws over 20 yards.
Hooker did some good things, but he missed some throws he’s been making all season. He’s right in saying he played averaged.
3. Vols struggled at right tackle — Tennessee missed Cade Mays. Dayne Davis gave up a sack, a pressure that forced a fumble and in the fourth quarter Davis gave up a pressure where the rush end hit Hooker’s arm causing him to under throw a wide open Jalin Hyatt who was running a post that would have been six.
Tennessee is bringing back four veteran starters on the offensive line. They have to get the right tackle position solidified between Davis, Jeremiah Crawford and transfer Jared Mincey. Watching the replay also gives you an appreciation for how solid Darnell Wright as been this year on the left side playing every meaningful snap.
In year two, the growth of the entire offensive line is going to be important, but finding an answer at right tackle is the biggest concern.
4. More on the passing game — This is according to PFF. Hooker was 13 of 18 for 201 yards and 5 scores when he was blitzed. He was 13 of 24 for 177 when he wasn’t blitzed. Purdue played a lot of 2 safety high defense especially after the first quarter meaning they played coverage and less straight man. The passing game struggle more against the coverage looks than the blitz looks. This is something that’s been talked about a lot this season with the Kansas City Chiefs as teams are not blitzing Mahomes as much trying to take away the big shot plays.
My guess is that next season after DC’s study the Vol offense this summer, Heupel’s offense might see some more light boxes and two safety high or split safety looks.
5. Let’s dissect the end of regulation possession — Heupel and Golesh were looking to pop a run on first down. Heupel said in the post game that it was a light box. He’s right it was 4 defensive linemen and a single linebacker so you have 5 on 5 and your running back. The play call makes a lot of sense. But in only getting 8 yards, I’m surprised Heupel didn’t call time out. By letting 8-9 seconds run off the clock, you cost yourself another play to get closer in field goal range.
Small runs for a first down on second down, Purdue has an injury to stop the clock so Tennessee doesn’t have to use a timeout with :26 second left and the ball at the Purdue 49 yard line. Hooker throws the out route to Tillman for seven. Then on second down, Tennessee goes for the win on a deep ball to Jones where he’s open and Hooker never gives him a chance. Jones was so open if you under throw it the defensive back is going to run over Jones at worse. Hooker just didn’t give his receiver a chance to make a play. Connect that one and Heupel is a hero for his aggressiveness.
On third down with now :11 seconds to play, Heupel runs the same play this time to Tillman who is clearly grabbed and no flag was thrown. A penalty there would have moved the ball to the Purdue 32 with time for one more play and at worse a 46 yard field goal instead of a 56 yard field goal.
I do think the middle of the field was open with Jalin Hyatt if they wanted to go that way, but honestly upon review I can’t fault the two take off shots. Jones was open and Tillman was grabbed.
I just don’t know what you didn’t call the time out after the first run and saved yourself 8-9 seconds giving you a throw from the Purdue 39 to get into better field goal range.
