Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel made a comment during Vol Calls on Wednesday night that is very telling when it comes to UT's offense this season compared to last season. 

Heupel was asked by asked by a caller why Tennessee wasn't more aggressive before halftime in the Vols' 29-16 loss to the Florida Gators last Saturday. 

Tennessee got the ball back with 2:22 to play before halftime. They were down 26-7 at that point. Getting a score before halftime was critical for the Vols if they were going to erase the 19 point deficit. 

But instead of trying to push the ball to the end zone, the Vols took a more conservative approach. Tennessee ran six plays on their final drive before halftime. Only two of those plays were passing plays. 

The Vols moved the ball 24 yards in two minutes and punted. Florida then took a knee to end the half. 

A year ago, Tennessee would've quickly attempted to push the ball down the field as they did several times in similar situations. 

"I think you’re balancing the two-minute drive with how the first half had gone," explained Heupel during Vol Calls. "You want to move the football. You also want to make sure that you’re not putting your defense in a position where they’ve got to get back out there on the field. We’re in a fourth-down-and-7 there at the end of it, had an intermediate game called, ball gets batted. So you’re trying to balance all that. If you look at the momentum of the first half, it had gone in the wrong direction for an extended period of time right there. Certainly wanted to try and get some points there, knowing we’re also getting the ball in beginning of the third quarter right there. We had been been pretty good. When I say that, I’m talking about this year. Had been good last year, too, about finishing the first half and scoring points and trying to flip the way the game is played a little bit, with getting the ball back in the second half. Just weren’t able to accomplish that.”

Heupel pointed out that Tennessee has been good in those situations during their first two games of the season. The Vols scored touchdowns just before the half against Virginia and Austin Peay. But those were lesser opponents and neither game was really ever in doubt. 

The situation against Florida was different. Tennessee badly needed to score before getting the ball back to start the second half. That was the Vols' best chance to get back into the game. 

But unlike a year ago when Tennessee went on a 99-yard drive just before halftime while losing to the Gators, the Vols were content to roll with conservative play calls and just get to halftime. That's obviously not how you win SEC games. And it's not how Tennessee won games a year ago. 

It seems pretty clear that Heupel just doesn't trust this offense to operate efficiently in those moments against SEC teams. 

Tennessee fans should expect that to change in the coming weeks (if it doesn't, then some personnel changes will need to be made at various positions). But for now, it's obvious that this offense hasn't earned Heupel's full trust just yet. 

The Vols need to figure out a remedy for their offensive woes quickly — a rematch against South Carolina on September 30 looms large — if they're going to get back into the SEC East race. Another loss before playing Alabama in October will likely sink Tennessee's chances of winning the SEC and/or reaching the College Football Playoff. 

Tennessee Football made an inexcusable mistake against Florida

The Tennessee Vols football program made an inexcusable mistake against the Florida Gators

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