‘They need to continue to do that’ – Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel made one of the best coaching moves of the season and everyone is praising it
Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel made one of his best coaching moves of the season on Saturday in a win against the Kentucky Wildcats.
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel made one of the best coaching moves of the season on Saturday against Kentucky, and it’s getting a lot of praise.
On the Vols’ first drive, Heupel threw out a wrinkle that no one had seen on film: he put true freshman Faizon Brandon in the game for the first time since the North Carolina native exited the Auburn game early last month.
Brandon handed the ball off to DeSean Bishop on third-and-two on the Vols’ first drive of the game. That immediately put it in Kentucky’s mind that Brandon could be used in the game, and they had no idea what to expect after the true freshman simply handed off on his first snap.
Heupel used Brandon two more times in the game and both plays were important. Brandon kept the ball on a critical third down in the third quarter.
And then there was some trickery where Brandon got the ball to Mike Matthews on a play that ended in the end zone.
Heupel found a way to use Brandon and all three plays were successful.
Former Georgia EDGE David Pollack thinks Heupel needs to keep using Brandon in certain spots.
“I like them using the two quarterback system,” said Pollack. “I think that’s a good thing that they need to continue to do.”
Former Vols quarterback Jonathan Crompton had a similar take.
“Those three plays, two were third down conversions, and one was a great play design, a fake QB sweep, toss jet reverse (that went for a touchdown),” said Crompton on the A to Z Sports’ postgame show. “I loved seeing that.
“… Opposing coaches are having to game plan for those three or four plays now. That takes an extra two hours a week of practice.”
It really was brilliant from Heupel, and he used it at the right times. Heupel didn’t run a play with Brandon just to do it. He ran the plays where it made sense. Heupel found a way to use Brandon, a really talented player who is one of the best athletes on the field at all times, to help win the game for the Vols.
And here’s the best part: teams have no idea what all Tennessee can do out of this formation. They have no idea what play calls are available for Heupel and offensive coordinator Joey Halzle. I mean, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Brandon take a deep shot out of this look down the road at some point.
Heupel and his staff put on a coaching clinic on Saturday night in Neyland Stadium.
