Former Tennessee Vols star puts crucial Josh Heupel decision in loss to Alabama on blast
One VFL wasn’t having it with how the biggest play of the loss to the Crimson Tide went down.
The Tennessee Volunteers fell flat on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, losing 37-20 to the Alabama Crimson Tide in a game that was filled with critical errors and underwhelming moments by the Vols.
Chief among them for Tennessee right before the halftime whistle. With nine seconds left and Tennessee down 16-7, the Vols were on the doorstep at the Alabama 1-yard line with a chance to make it a one-score game at the break.
However, Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar threw an interception to Alabama defender Zabien Brown, who raced up the sideline and through the tackle attempt of DeSean Bishop for a 99-yard pick-six that was the ultimate gut punch for the Big Orange.
One former notable Tennessee football alum was unhappy with the play call and took to Twitter/X to vent his frustration with the play.
Former Tennessee WR Donte Stallworth called out the coaching staff for the play call on the Alabama 99-yard pick-six
Stallworth’s argument holds water because the bunch formation did little to help get the ball in through the air. It was second down, so Tennessee had more plays to try to get points rather than be a one-play-for-it-all fourth down, where a run could have been in play.
Instead, it made total sense that Tennessee would throw there. It was out of timeouts, so getting stuffed would end the half, as Stallworth noted.
So, play action understandably didn’t fool anyone, and having one primary receiving option in a tight space near the corner of the end zone was already a low percentage play. And Alabama’s defense read the play like a book and made Tennessee pay dearly for it.
It’s always easy to go back and second-guess one play, but it made no sense in the moment, and it makes no sense after the fact. If it was going to be a pass, then it would have made sense to spread things out. In a bunch formation, they might as well have just run it.
Tennessee’s late-half management reared its ugly head against Mississippi State, and unfortunately, it did so again in Tuscaloosa. Heupel and his staff will have to figure out how to get better in pressure spots, or the Vols will see their now-flickering playoff hopes go up in smoke in short order.
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Tennessee player appears to call out teammate on the field after poor tackle attempt on an Alabama touchdown
The cameras caught a moment against the Crimson Tide where one Vols defender appeared unhappy with a teammate.
