Josh Heupel scoffed at the suggestion that Tennessee football is defined only by its passing offense.
“That is kind of laughable to me to be honest,” the Vols coach said Monday when asked about the possible perception of the Vols being an Air Raid offense.
Heupel’s remark followed Tennessee’s 51-10 win against NC State in which it controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides, ran for 249 yards, and dominated defensively. The No. 9 Vols (2-0) rank among the nation’s best rushing teams and defenses heading into a matchup with Kent State (0-2) on Saturday (7:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network) at Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee football has been one of the nation’s best rushing teams under Josh Heupel
Heupel has long been known for his up-tempo, high-scoring, yard-producing offenses. But that has never meant Heupel only cares about the passing game. He has vowed since his opening press conference in January 2021 that having a powerful rushing attack is imperative to his offense.
The Vols have backed that up. They rank No. 12 in rushing yards per game with 276.5 after two games. They have ranked at least No. 12 in each of Heupel’s four seasons, including finishing No. 10 in 2023.
“We have always ran the football really efficiently and effectively,” Heupel said. “We have balance and we do create big plays in the pass game, but we create those things in the run game, too.”
Tennessee has averaged at least 199.5 rushing yards per game in each season under Heupel. It had 40 rushing touchdowns in 2022, the third-most in a season in Tennessee history.
Junior Dylan Sampson ranks ninth in the nation with 256 rushing yards through two games. He has five rushing touchdowns.
The Vols have paired a big-time defense with offense in 2024
Tennessee is No. 5 in the nation in total offense after two games. It is No. 6 in total defense, pairing defense and offense together in the best combination thus far in Heupel’s tenure.
That was on display in Charlotte, North Carolina, against the Wolfpack. Tennessee had 13 tackles for loss and held NC State to 143 total yards. It allowed 27 second-half yards.
UT allowed three straight third-down conversions to open the game. It did not allow another one, forcing NC State to go 0-for-9.
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“You look at the way our front seven played at the line of scrimmage, that was a big part of the football game, “Heupel said.
The Vols have allowed 370 yards through two games. They have not allowed a touchdown in the past three games. Chattanooga and NC State each kicked a field goal for the lone offensive scoring.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
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Publish date : 2024-09-09 06:27:00
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