There's something Vols fans need to understand about the current Tennessee coaching staff
There's something that Tennessee Vols fans need to understand about the current UT football coaching staff. These guys have swagger. And a lot of confidence. But they're not arrogant. They let the results on the field do their talking, instead of trashing other teams' approaches in the media (like Kentucky essentially did all of last […]
There's something that Tennessee Vols fans need to understand about the current UT football coaching staff.
These guys have swagger. And a lot of confidence.
But they're not arrogant. They let the results on the field do their talking, instead of trashing other teams' approaches in the media (like Kentucky essentially did all of last week before getting blown out by the Vols).
I've known for a while that this coaching staff was a confident group of men. But Tennessee's win against Kentucky showed a level of swagger from those guys we haven't seen in Knoxville since Lane Kiffin's lone season roaming the sidelines in Neyland.
And unlike Kiffin in 2009, this Vols staff is getting positive results.
Alright, so what happened this weekend against the Wildcats that has me loving the Tennessee coaching staff?
Well, there were a couple of things.
For starters, it was very apparent that UT's coaches and players heard the comments from Kentucky quarterback Will Levis about "real football".
Levis insinuated that throwing 80-yard touchdown passes wasn't real football. Instead, he suggested that long, sustained drives are how teams play "real football".
After the game, several players made references to "real football" in their social media posts. Vols head coach Josh Heupel mentioned that Tennessee's defense played "real ball". And offensive coordinator Alex Golesh put the words "real football" in a celebratory tweet after the game.
The "real football" comments after the game on social media aren't the main reason I exited the weekend feeling like Tennessee had the swaggiest coaches in the nation.
It's easy to throw those comments back at Kentucky after a win.
What impressed me so much was the way Tennessee's coaches included a couple of Kentucky-like drives in the blowout win against the Wildcats.
Early in the game, the Vols went on a 15-play drive that included just two passes (three if you count the pass interference call on Kentucky that technically goes down as no play).
Tennessee finished that drive with a fullback touchdown run by Princeton Fant.
The middle of that drive included one of the most impressive things I've seen the Vols do this season.
After failing to convert a third down on a quarterback keeper, UT quarterback Hendon Hooker jumped off the ground, never looked to the sideline, got his guys lined up, and picked up the first down on a quarterback sneak. Kentucky's defenders were confused, their coaches were angry, and the Vols were smiling.
That drive was essentially the Vols showing Kentucky that they can play the Wildcats' game, too. Tennessee went on an old school, run it up the gut drive and exerted their will against Kentucky. And not because they had to, just because they wanted to prove a point.
Absolutely savage from the Vols' coaching staff.
It's been a long time since Tennessee football was this much fun to watch. And it's been a long time since I felt like the Vols had the best coaching staff in the country.
But that's exactly what's happening right now. No one has had their team better prepared on a weekly basis this season than UT. The Vols are doing more with less and they're having a lot of fun while doing it.
Featured image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
