The day after: oklahoma

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE VOLS...AND JOSH HEUPEL ON THE PRAIRIE ON SATURDAY NIGHT

We’ve all been waiting for it...the chance for Tennessee to win a meaningful game on the road to reaffirm that this team really was in fact, different.  That this bunch is special.

And here it was...going to Norman, Oklahoma to face the 15th ranked Sooners in a primetime national TV showdown.  Oklahoma is still finding its way back to full college football relevancy, but is still a prideful, fringe blue-blood program that you just can’t assume that your team is going to sleepwalk through and beat on their homefield.  Most of us had the Vols going into Norman and possibly laying waste to the Sooners...some had it being closer than that.  This game was neither...kind of.  But as far as I’m concerned, Tennessee did in fact dominate Oklahoma...it just looked very different than I expected.  The Vols blow out of the state of Oklahoma at 4-0 with a 25-15 win that belied the score in terms of how methodical and “never in doubt” this victory really was.  Here are some of the primary takeaways from a hot night in Norman:

-This Tennessee defense is not only great...it may be historically great!  This defense is anchored by the front line, and I’ll say this front is the deepest we’ve ever seen on Rocky Top.  I say it all the time on Under Review, and it bears repeating here.  This team in general comes at you in waves...and it was never more evident than what we saw with the defensive line last night.  It started on OU’s first play of the game from scrimmage, where Elijah Simmons, who we haven’t heard from at all this season, absolutely blew up that play for a 5 yard loss...and it went on and on from there.  Forced turnovers, making Sooner QB Jackson Arnold look downright scared in the pocket, ultimately forcing Brent Venables to resort to a quarterback change, Jermod McCoy was everywhere, breaking up passes, making a timely pick of Arnold early in the game, Josh Joesphs with what may be the most important strip play of the whole season when he forced Arnold to fumble the ball inside the Vols 5 yard line.  Only 40 yards rushing allowed, and heading into the 4th, the Sooners had only 98 yards total offense.  I could go on, but we all know...the defense controlled this game from start to finish!  I mentioned last night on social media that I was getting vibes from this defense that matched some of those vintage Baltimore Ravens defenses that virtually controlled games to the extent that their opponent was almost helpless.  We’ve had legendary players on defense here at UT...White, Haynesworth, Henderson, Wilson, Berry, and others, but there’s an argument building that this might be the most complete defensive unit that we’ve ever had on The Hill. 

CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE ATHLETICS

-Nico, as good as he already is, is still a work in progress.  Now, don’t hate here...I feel Nico was still solid against Oklahoma.  His touchdown pass to Donte Thornton was another perfect dime...a work of art, and he also made wise decisions when under pressure to run and slide...and even throw it away a few times where there were no receiving options available.  All of that said, you can’t look past the two strip fumbles he had, and for the first time since I’ve seen him don the Orange and White, Nico looked a bit uncomfortable.  Now, his version of “uncomfortable” is not troubling to me...it’s not the Jackson Arnold type of uncomfortable we saw...our kid has ice water in his veins, matter of fact, this kind of game was good for Nico...he may not face another defense this aggressive until Georgia, so last night’s challenges should make him even better.  But if we go back in time, Peyton Manning didn’t come out 4 games into his first season as QB1, and start ginning up Heisman Trophy discussion.  It takes time, even for the best of them.  Nico’s gonna be great...he’s pretty great already, but there are still things for 8-Ball to learn, so we need to tamp down the Heisman chatter for him at this point.  His time will come...bet on it!

CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE ATHLETICS

-This game mattered to Josh Heupel...maybe even more than we imagined.  Sure, he kept it together all week, saying the right things, as he tends to do...”just another game”, “great opportunity for our team”, “nameless, faceless opponent”, etc.  But all you have to do is watch some of the post-game interviews and locker room sound bites to understand that this game was not only important to Josh, it was everything.  His emotion and vulnerability after the win...the likes of which we haven’t seen in him in the past, said it all.  And the love his team exhibited for him last night makes me realize that, much like we’ve seen in other Vols special seasons that just past in Basketball and Baseball, that this football team has that strong locker room culture gene as well.  It was so great to see the boys go out and win this one for the coach they truly love.  Vibes are certainly sky-high at the moment!

CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE ATHLETICS

-And more on Josh...Last night proved that Josh will do what it takes to win the game...even if it means departing a bit from what your teams calling card is.  Now, I’ve already heard that there were criticism’s about the offense being too slow and conservative.  That’s just nonsense.  I said it this week on the show: the only way Oklahoma can win this game is if their defense is opportunistic and forces Tennessee turnovers.  There was no way Oklahoma could beat Tennessee in an offensive shootout.  Well, the Sooners forced a few very timely turnovers, but fortunately, their offense betrayed them, and after Tennessee went into the locker room with a 19-3 lead, it was clear that the Vols 2nd half plan was to keep it conservative, manage the game, and not “beat ourselves” on offense...because at that point, Heupel knew OU couldn’t break Tennessee’s defense.   Was it pretty?  Not really.  Effective?  Damn right!  Again, I go back to the Ravens in the NFL.  Control the game on defense, have a few big hitters on offense, but still keep the offense within the margins.  Game Management 101.  To me, this was an evolution in Heupel’s development as an elite head coach...the very thing we felt might happen to Tennessee, where Oklahoma would work the clock and grind the game out, actually happened in reverse.  Tennessee and Josh Heupel showed they know how to win when they only score 25 points...and I love it!!!

So with the first 1st bye week upon us, the Vols are situated very nicely as we near the halfway mark of the season.  A deserving top 5 team nationally that decisively won a road game against the 15th ranked team in the country, and now is growing ever so close to staking an indisputable claim to a College Football Playoff spot...provided they take care of business in the coming weeks.  Teams around them with the same ambitions took pretty significant body blows this weekend...I’m looking at you USC, Oklahoma St., even Missouri, who came close to a kill-shot loss to Vanderbilt.  So even though we’re just 4 weeks into the season, the postseason view continues to take shape, and that view is already beginning to have a bright orange hue to it!

CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE ATHLETICS