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COMMENTARY: What went wrong for Tennessee in Columbia?
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- COMMENTARY: What went wrong for Tennessee in Columbia?
(USA TODAY NETWORK/Via Reuters Connect)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn – After the Tennessee Volunteers left Columbia with a loss to the 3-3 South Carolina Gamecocks, all of Vol nation seemingly had one collective question: how did Tennessee find a way to choke that game?
Though hindsight is 20-20, upon a film review, the signs were apparent throughout the game that Tennessee would lose.
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For starters, the Volunteers essentially began the game down 14-0, after the Gamecocks scored a touchdown on either end of a defensive stop on Tennessee's opening possession.
The Volunteers rallied, and eventually led in the fourth quarter, but left the Palmetto State with heartbreak for three reasons.
No. 1: Jim Knowles' refusal to adjust to LaNorris Sellers ' athleticism
Hiring Jim Knowles as Tennessee's defensive coordinator has been nothing short of Josh Heupel's best decision since becoming the head coach of the Volunteers.
Though Knowles' defense held the Gamecocks to just 27 points, he made one critical mistake that greatly contributed to the gut-wrenching result.
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He did not deploy a spy linebacker on Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who in turn rushed for 96 net yards, also being responsible for more total yards than the entirety of Tennessee's offense (with penalties included).
"He affected and changed the way the game was played," Heupel said. "We let him escape the pocket on some critical plays that allowed [for continued] drives."
Sellers' ability to work outside of the pocket has been his calling card all season, as his 507 rushing yards are the most of any SEC quarterback.
Had Knowles adjusted defensively, Sellers' day on the ground may have been effectively over after rushing for a 31-yard touchdown on the Gamecocks' second drive of the game.
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No. 2: Penalties
By now, it is no secret that the Tennessee Volunteers are a remarkably undisciplined team, particularly offensively.
Their 61 total penalties are the second-worst mark in the SEC, trailing only the lowly Vanderbilt Commodores (70).
Unsurprisingly, penalties cost the Volunteers against the Gamecocks .
Tennessee committed 12 accepted penalties, three of which resulted in touchdowns being taken off the board. Instead, those three touchdowns turned into a measly 10 points.
Simply unacceptable.
Even worse, the Volunteers committed nine of these penalties in the first and fourth quarters, in which they were uncoincidentally outscored 24-3.
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If Tennessee is serious about competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff, cleaning up the penalties should be at the top of its priority list.
No. 3: The strange case of Javin Gordon
Tennessee has got to diversify its backfield portfolio.
On Saturday, DeSean Bishop totaled 32 rush attempts, bringing his season total to an SEC-leading 171.
While it would be foolish to deny that Bishop is an incredible talent, allowing him 30-plus attempts every game is equally foolish, especially considering the rich talent that Tennessee possesses at the halfback position.
Javin Gordon, the Volunteers' second-string halfback, totaled 41 yards on just six attempts against South Carolina.
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Why then, was Bishop afforded 32 carries in a game where he was clearly struggling to find a rhythm?
Ask Heupel, whose tendency to lean far too heavily on a single halfback (i.e. Bishop, Dylan Sampson, etc.) leads to a highly predictable offense.
While DeSean Bishop is incredible, there are few backs that can overcome a defense that knows exactly what is coming, as Derrick Henry is the only one who comes to mind.
DeSean Bishop is not Derrick Henry.
If Tennessee wants to have a more potent offense, they must continue to lean on the run while incorporating a healthy balance of play-action.
Up next: Tennessee enters the bye 6-2 (3-2 SEC) before hosting the Kentucky Wildcats on Nov. 7.
