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Tennessee football: Five questions for 2021 SEC Media Days

By Caleb Calhoun

Jul 19, 2021; Hoover, Alabama, USA; SEC signage during SEC Media Days at Hyatt Regency Birmingham. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 19, 2021; Hoover, Alabama, USA; SEC signage during SEC Media Days at Hyatt Regency Birmingham. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 1, 2018; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Tennessee Volunteers helmet is seen pregame before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2018; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Tennessee Volunteers helmet is seen pregame before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /

4. How concerning were the defensive struggles in the spring?

A 42-37 spring game score has everybody on Rocky Top and even across the country just assuming that Tennessee football will become a high-powered offense under Josh Heupel. They are basing that off of Heupel’s track record as an offensive genius and the amount of scoring that was going on throughout the spring.

However, there’s another side to this story, and it’s the defensive woes. Remember, the defense is switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 based nickel-heavy defense, and the Vols lost their best player in a depleted secondary that struggled severely last year. That could be the explanation for the amount of points scored in the spring game rather than the great offense.

Heupel’s track record actually suggests low-scoring spring games. His best offense with the UCF Knights was 2018, and that came on the heels of a 17-14 score. As a result, the issues on defense stand out more than the success on offense from this past spring.

If any football question is going to be asked, this is the one. Heupel can break down why that is or isn’t a concern. Alontae Taylor, as a key defensive back, could also address the issue, and Velus Jones Jr. could even talk about it given his success in the passing game this past spring.

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