Tennessee’s prolific offense was all everyone could talk about last season. It’s the other side of the ball that’s getting noticed this season.
Defense has helped carry the No. 17 Vols (5-1, 2-1) to consecutive wins against Texas-San Antonio (45-14), at South Carolina (41-20) and at home against Texas A&M (20-13).
Tennessee is hoping to carry the success on the road, where the Vols face rival No. 11 Alabama this Saturday (3:30 p.m. EDT, CBS) and Kentucky the following week.
Depending on how the new SEC schedule format plays out with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas next season, this could be the last of the annual meetings in the “Third Saturday in October” rivalry between Tennessee and Alabama.
Tennessee upset Alabama (6-1, 4-0) in Neyland Stadium last season with a thrilling 52-49 win that snapped a 15-game losing streak to the Tide led to a memorable field storming. Tennessee hasn’t beaten Alabama in back-to-back seasons since 2003-04.
After largely being viewed as a weak link in comparison to the dynamic offense, Tennessee’s defense has made great strides this season.
The Vols have allowed 14 points or fewer in four of their six games, just one away from matching last season’s total. Tennessee has won 31 consecutive games when allowing 14 points or fewer, including 13-0 under Heupel.
Florida is the only team to score more than 20 points against Tennessee this season, which happens to be Tennessee’s only loss.
Possessing one of the top defensive lines in the conference, the Vols rank fourth in total defense (303.0) in the SEC and 17th in the nation. Last season, Tennessee gave up 405.3 total yards per game. The Vols are ninth in the country in yards per rush allowed (2.98).
In the win against Texas A&M, Tennessee limited the Aggies to 54 yards rushing, matching the lowest total by A&M in any game over the last four seasons. Gabe Jeudy-Lally and Kamal Hadden helped seal the victory with interceptions late in the fourth quarter.
“Fitting on a day that Eric Berry is recognized for going into the (College Football) Hall of Fame that we have the type of defensive performance that we did,” Heupel says, referring to the former Vols defensive back who was leading the cheers from the sideline. “Honoring one of the best that has come through here and one of the best that has ever played the game.”
Sophomore James Pearce Jr. continues to prove he’s one of the top edge rushers in the country. Pearce had five of UT’s season-best 11 quarterback hurries, while adding two tackles for loss and a sack against A&M to earn SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors for the second time in as many games. Pearce ranks second in the SEC in sacks (6.0) and third in tackles for loss (9.0).
“James is a great football player. He’s still not anywhere near what he is going to be,” Heupel says. “He’s going to continue to get better, he’s continuing to get better every week. But he is starting to mature and be the same competitor, relentless every single rep.”
Heupel and UT defensive coordinator Tim Banks knew it wouldn’t be a quick fix when they arrived in Knoxville. There were holes that needed to be filled that only time could fix.
“When I got here, we were devastated on the defensive side of the football with things that were outside of our control,” Heupel says. “We’ve continued to build it, from scheme, understanding the scheme, to recruiting guys, the depth on the defensive side of the football, we’re just getting started as to what we will be on that side week in and week out.”
Defense’s time to step up
Tennessee’s returning defensive players know the offense carried the team at times last season with Hendon Hooker at the helm. But the Vols haven’t come close to matching those numbers so far this season as they transition to quarterback Joe Milton and the recent loss of wide receiver Bru McCoy to a season-ending ankle injury.
“We can have days where we are not at our best, and we expect the offense to have our back and I feel like we had the offense’s back,” UT senior linebacker Aaron Beasley said after the A&M win. “And today, I feel like we had the offense’s back even though they weren’t having their best day. We had their back.”
As much as he’s enjoyed the defensive improvement, Heupel wants to see more consistency from the offense. The Vols are not getting the explosive plays in the passing game like they have in the past, but Heupel believes they have the personnel to make it happen.
“We’ve had guys open and we haven’t hit them, communication has been off at times. We just have to be a little bit better,” he says. “It wasn’t pretty (against A&M), I’ll be the first to admit that, but it’s not that far off either. We have to do ordinary things at a really high level.”
Alabama has struggled at times offensively this season under first-year starting quarterback Jalen Milroe. The Tide have allowed an average of 4.4 sacks per game, including five last weekend while holding off an Arkansas comeback to win 24-21. Alabama is No. 130 of 133 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in sacks allowed.
It could provide Tennessee’s defense with more chances to make big plays that impact the outcome.
“I’ve said it from when I got here, the expectation, the standard, is to play elite defense here, not just good defense,” Heupel says. “This is the home of Eric Berry, Al Wilson and Reggie White. The standard is to be elite.”