Frustrating issue that Vols dealt with against Austin Peay won't be a factor against UTSA
A frustration that the Tennessee Vols dealt with in their 30-13 win against Austin Peay won't be a factor on Saturday when UT takes on UTSA in Neyland Stadium. When Austin Peay came to Knoxville a couple of weeks ago, they arrived with a game plan that was unique and mostly unlike anything they had […]
A frustration that the Tennessee Vols dealt with in their 30-13 win against Austin Peay won't be a factor on Saturday when UT takes on UTSA in Neyland Stadium.
When Austin Peay came to Knoxville a couple of weeks ago, they arrived with a game plan that was unique and mostly unlike anything they had previously put on film.
"I think we frustrated them in a lot of ways," said Austin Peay head coach Scotty Walden after playing Tennessee. "We want to be that FCS team that no Power 5 school wants to play. I know my AD doesn't want to hear that, he probably likes those checks. We want teams to think twice before they schedule the Governors because they won't get a team that is going to lay down. They are going to get a team that's going to fight. It's going to be uncommon, it's going to be cutting-edge. We did a lot of things to disrupt their tempo and disrupt their rhythm. Again, I'm just so proud of the kids. They bought into the game plan. I'll tell you one thing, I thought we did a great job as a coaching staff communicating the game plan because it was uncommon."
Austin Peay used some unique formations and plays to confuse Tennessee, something that Vols linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary subtly acknowledged the week after the game.
"I thought the communication was good, probably never great, especially with some of the, how can I put it, different formations that Austin Peay lined up in," said Jean-Mary. "They really test your communication and your ability to get lined up from the front end to the back end."
When UTSA takes the field on Saturday, there won't be a bunch of trick plays or a unique game plan tailored specifically for Tennessee.
According to UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor, his team will be playing their brand of football against the Vols.
"We're not going to go over there and do a bunch of gadgets," said Traylor on Wednesday. "We're going to do what we do. We're going over there to get better. We're trying to do the same things we're going to do against Temple, UAB, Tulane, and South Florida."
"They're different," added Traylor while discussing the Vols. "They've got as much NFL talent as we've ever played since we've (the coaching staff) been here together. So we know what we're going against. I guess I'm just trying to let you know that we're not going over there to run a bunch of gadgets and stuff. We're going over there to play football."
UTSA is a good team without gadgets and trick plays. It's not like they'll need that to have a shot against Tennessee. And if the Vols play like they have the previous three weeks, they could be on upset alert against UTSA.
The one thing Tennessee fans can take solace in, though, is that UTSA won't be deviating dramatically from what UT has seen on film. There might be a surprise or two from UTSA, but it won't be a completely different game plan like Tennessee saw against Austin Peay.
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Featured image via Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
