Tackle
Anytime you have a month off, you worry about tackling. But when you have been a bad tackling team all season, the worries are magnified or maybe they shouldn’t be.
Tennessee’s poor tackling and poor angles have cost them yards all year and they have allowed for splash plays.
The Vol defense averages nearly 12 missed tackles a game. The defense had shown some signs of life in November reducing that number, but then regressed back to 12 against Vanderbilt.
Illinois has been more productive throwing the ball than running it as they have played more in space with a veteran quarterback.
Tennessee can’t give the Illinois anything cheap like they have done too often this year with missed tackles.
Starting fast is important
Tennessee has started fast all season outscoring their opponents 166-52. Illinois has been a slow starting team all season. The Illini have only scored 55 points in the first quarter this year. The only time Illinois has scored more than seven points in the first quarter was in their season opener against Western Illinois. The Illini trailed after the first quarter in six games this season.
Tennessee has obviously scored points in the first quarter and they have been elite on their opening drive offensively. The Vols have scored points in nine of their 12 opening offensive possessions this season with seven of the scores being touchdowns.
Both teams have defensive concerns. Illinois top two defenders have opted out. Tennessee is without
Arion Carter,
Joshua Josephs and
Colton Hood. The Vols are rail thin in the secondary. It feels like a lot of points might be needed, so a fast start could be huge.
Don’t lose the middle 8
Again, with points likely to be flowing in this game, you can’t get doubled up in the middle eight like the Vols did against Vanderbilt. Tennessee must finish the half and start the second half better. The Vols have punted the ball on their first offensive possession of the second half in the last two games and they gave up the score to Vanderbilt which put them chasing the rest of the half. Tennessee, for the most part, has been good to start the second half. Prior to the Vanderbilt game, Tennessee had not given up points to open the second half since the Georgia game and for the year on their first offensive possession of the third quarter, the Vols have scored in nine of 12 games.
Aside from the Vanderbilt game the last time out, the Vols have won the middle 8 and need to do so Tuesday night.
Don’t overthink it
Defensively, Tennessee is down at least three starters and who knows what happens the next 48 hours. Tim Banks is not calling the defense and defensive staff members are unsure of their futures. Players are unsure of what their future might look like with new defensive coordinator
Jim Knowles.
You have to find a way to block all of that out and when the ball is kicked. Interim defensive coordinator
William Inge has to keep it simple. Run what you know you can execute. Don’t play the ‘what if’ game causing you to try and do too much.
You are going to play youth. One of your better leaders and communicators in Arion Carter is not on the field. So, keep it simple. That appears to be the approach according to linebacker
Edwin Spillman.
“Coach Inge brings so much wisdom and passion into the meeting room every single day,” the redshirt freshman said. “Just getting to see him take over a defense and making guys think less and just go there and play free. I really like the approach he has had so far.”
That approach has to stay the same on gameday. Don’t try and be in the perfect call. Be in the call you can execute.
Be clean offensively
Don’t help Illinois. With Tennessee’s defense where it is, you can’t give the Illini extra possessions or free points.
Tennessee must avoid turnovers and with the weather being what it is. The ball is going to be harder to catch for the receivers and maybe harder to squeeze for the running backs. Tennessee has to take care of the football. After turning it over five times combined against Oklahoma and New Mexico State, Tennessee played their final two games error free.
But it’s not just the turnovers they have to avoid. Tennessee has to avoid the penalties. The Vols will play an offensive line combination they have played all year. They are welcoming back
Miles Kitselman. They are only without
Chris Brazzell, so the offensive operation should be good.
But the Vols have to protect
Joey Aguilar, who was sacked four times by Vanderbilt. They have to avoid the penalties, which has been better this year compared to other seasons. In 12 games, the Vols have been flagged 76 times. Under Heupel, they had 100+ penalties in 2022, 2023 and 2024. They had 89 in 2021, Heupel’s first season.
Keep leaning on Bishop
With
Peyton Lewis opting out and
Star Thomas’ role seemingly reduced down the stretch of the season, this feels like a DeSean Bishop game. They will rotate in
Daune Morris early in the game, but it feels like this might be a workload day for Bishop, especially with the weather and with a Tennessee defense that might have challenges stopping the Illini’s passing attack.
Bishop needs 17 yards to reach 1,000 for the season and the offense has rode Bishop more the last few weeks. Bishop had 24 carries at Florida and 20 against Vanderbilt.
Those 44 carries are five less than he had total in the first five games of the season. Thomas has only had 33 carries the second half of the season.
If this is a game where the Vols think they can run the stretch play or outside zone, then Thomas could get more run. If it’s a between the tackles, this game this feels like a Bishop night.
Youth must show up
If you are someone who likes to look ahead, then you like bowl games because oftentimes youth is served. Offensively, Tennessee will play
Radarious Jackson more than they have all season. How do they get him involved early and settle him into the game to replace Brazzell? Jackson has handled himself well when he’s been called upon and he’s drawn praise from his coaches and teammates.
Defensively, there will be more youth. How much does
Jordan Ross play? If he’s limited, then little used
Christian Gass could get some chances at LEO. At the linebacker level without Arion Carter you would think
Jadon Perlotte and
Jaedon Harmon would get chances unless William Inge rolls with Ben Bolton.
In the secondary without
Colton Hood and with limited numbers,
Tre Poteat could get chances – as could
Tim Merritt and
Sidney Walton.
Up front, you could see more
Mariyon Dye and more of the freshmen defensive tackles as the Vols will be without
Jaxson Moi.
Bowl games present opportunities for guys and while there is no expected opportunities at quarterback, Tennessee fans will get to see some youth and a lot of it is on defense.
If Tennessee is going to win, then that youth must hold it’s own.
Touchdowns not field goals, field goals not touchdowns
I have mentioned it earlier. It feels like their will be points scored in this game. The weather could affect that, but given what both teams are without on defense and the fact that neither defense has been juggernauts this year, it feels like this game will have some points, which means the red zone is important.
Who’s kicking field goals and who’s scoring touchdowns? Illinois hasn’t been a great red zone team this season. The Illini offense has 31 touchdowns in 51 trips, which is good for 72nd nationally. Defensively, Illinois is worse giving up 27 touchdowns in 42 trips, which ranks them 108th nationally.
Tennessee ranks 65th offensively in the red zone and 101st in the red zone defensively. Who can score touchdowns and who is forced to settle for field goals?
Disrupt Altmeyer
Tennessee is familiar with
Luke Altmyer as the Vols tried to get him to come to Rocky Top last year when they were looking for a quarterback following the departure of
Nico Iamaleava.
Altmyer has had a solid year this season, but the Illini faithful were expecting more out of their football team.
Tennessee’s defense can’t let Altmyer go out with a bang. Altmyer has thrown for 2,811 yards this season with 21 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He’s completing 68 percent of his throws.
In the Illini’s four losses, Altmyer has been sacked 16 times. In three of those four losses, the offense rushed for 50 yards or less.
Tennessee has struggled to stop the run. They need to not allow Illinois to have balance, and in obvious passing situations, they have to get pressure on Altmyer.
SEC Update
The coaching carousal has stopped in the SEC with six head coaching changes and it was a youth moment in the new hires aside from Lane Kiffin, who has Power 4 experience. The other five hires will be getting their first tastes of life as a Power 4 coach. It will be a heck of a training ground for them as the league goes to nine SEC games.
As for the bowl action, Alabama rallied from 17 down to win at Oklahoma in the first round of the playoffs as the Sooners postseason woes continue. Ole Miss got a nice tuneup for Georgia in the second round of the playoffs with a thrashing of Tulane and Texas A&M couldn’t block Miami in a disappointing home playoff loss to the Canes.
Saturday was a rough day for the SEC as Missouri fell to Virginia 13-7. The Tigers had 101 yards passing and 56 came on a final drive in the last 2 minutes that saw the Tigers get int he red zone but unable to score. It was an ugly day of offense.
LSU’s defensive opt outs showed up in a big way in the Texas Bowl as the Tigers simply couldn’t get enough stops and Houston dominated the fourth quarter with 10 straight to build a two score lead. The Tigers scored late but Houston held on for the win and a winless day for the SEC.
Vanderbilt will be looking for win No.11 as they take on Iowa on New Year’s Eve and say goodbye to 30 seniors. Texas and Michigan get together in the Citrus Bowl. Michigan has been a mess as they welcome in Kyle Whittingham for stability. Will Muschamp is taking over the Longhorns’ defensive duties next season. Expectations for Texas will be extremely high again next year.
And then on January 2, Mississippi State takes on Wake Forest in the game no one wants to play in because it’s the day the portal opens and all of the focus is on your future roster.
Elsewhere in the SEC, the question is can Commissioner Sankey and the rest of the college football commissioners agree on a playoff format for 2026? And can anyone make decisions to help the growing off the field issues with the game regarding the portal and cost of a roster?
My suggestion to everyone is don’t hold your breath on anything getting fixed. The games and ratings are too good for fixing the issues to be a priority for anyone.
