The Tennessee Vols need to avoid one crucial misstep ahead of LSU game
There's been a narrative this week that the Tennessee Vols will have an advantage against the LSU Tigers on Saturday because the game will be played at 11:00 AM CT in Baton Rouge. Tiger Stadium has one of the most electric atmospheres in the nation at night, so the thought is that the early game […]
There's been a narrative this week that the Tennessee Vols will have an advantage against the LSU Tigers on Saturday because the game will be played at 11:00 AM CT in Baton Rouge.
Tiger Stadium has one of the most electric atmospheres in the nation at night, so the thought is that the early game will mean a lackluster crowd.
And while I'm sure it won't be as loud as 11 AM as it would be at 7 PM, it's foolish to think that LSU fans won't get rowdy for a top 25 conference showdown against a Tennessee team that they haven't lost to since 2005.
LSU has actually already announced a sellout for the game, which means Tiger Stadium will be just as packed at 11 AM as it would be at 7 PM.
If Tennessee isn't preparing for a hostile environment in Baton Rouge, they're making a big mistake. The Vols need to prepare for this game as if it's going to be the loudest game ever played. I'm not saying that's what they'll get, but they need to be prepared for it.
Fortunately for UT, it sounds like Josh Heupel understands that.
Heupel said on the SEC Coaches' teleconference on Wednesday that his entire team needs to be ready to deal with crowd noise.
"Playing down there is always difficult, so it’s a big challenge for our program," said Heupel on Wednesday.
"Handling crowd noise, that’s important for the quarterback, but it’s really important for all 11 (on offense) and in particular our guys up front in the box. It’s something that we practice, as everybody in the country does. We’ve been able to, since Hendon’s been our starting quarterback, handle it in a fairly positive way and been pretty efficient with it. That will be a big part of the game. A big challenge for us on Saturday, for sure.”
Heupel clearly understands that the crowd will be a factor, but it's important that the players understand, too. They've done a good job of handling the outside noise so far this season. But this outside noise is a bit different. Tennessee's players can't buy into what they're hearing about the 11 AM kickoff. Because if they do, they're not going to play their best football.
I think this Vols team has the right mindset to avoid this misstep, but it's still something they need to be cognizant of this week as they prepare for a tough game in the Boot with LSU.
Featured image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
