Tennessee coach Josh Heupel spent the bye week looking back at the loss to South Carolina and ahead to Kentucky, and he said the break gives the Vols a chance to reset in a few different ways.
Speaking on the SEC teleconference Wednesday, Heupel said Tennessee got back in the building on Tuesday and reviewed what happened against South Carolina. He described the film session as a mix of lessons and positives, then pointed to the immediate goals for the week: getting healthier, cleaning up the things the team can control and making steady progress on the practice field before turning fully toward a “big football game a week and a half from now against a really good Kentucky team.”
One of the more specific topics Heupel addressed was the challenge of facing left-handed quarterbacks. He offered the perspective of someone who has played the position himself.
“Being a lefty myself, I don’t know that there’s intrinsic advantage of it. I think some of the things that you do offensively as a play caller, coordinator, whatever it might be, you’re flipping some of those things, just to play to the strength of his arm.
But I think opposing defenses may look at it a little differently as far as which way they want to flush the quarterback, whatever it may be. Some people have the perspective that you have a right-handed quarterback, your left tackle is the most important offensive line position because that’s the blind spot in general.
And both of those tackle spots are going to be extremely important for your quarterback. But if a guy doesn’t have a great feel in the pocket, then obviously that blind spot does matter.
So those would be the things that I would point to there.”
Heupel also gave an update on DeSean Bishop after the injury Bishop suffered at South Carolina. He said there is no major concern for next week.
“No, we feel like he’ll be in a good spot for next week. He got some work today, we limited him some today. Part of that was the ankle, but part of that’s just the volume that he’s gotten in the early part of the conference play, too.”
Asked about the toughest part of coaching right now, Heupel said roster turnover has become the biggest challenge in the sport because of the transfer portal, NIL and everything that comes with them. From there, he said the hard part is keeping the group unified and focused through the season so it can be at its best on game day.
“I think the biggest change in college sports, but college football, the hardest thing that you encounter is just the turnover on your roster. With the transfer portal, NIL, all of those things, I think that’s the biggest thing that has changed in the sport. And I think in part because of that, keeping your team together during the duration of the season, the focus of your team, week in, week out, and really, as much as anything, day in, day out, to be your best by game day is the biggest thing that you got to do a great job of.”
Heupel was also asked about Texas’s defense under Will Muschamp, and he said the Longhorns bring pressure, play aggressively and mix in match coverage behind it. He said Tennessee expected a major test in the first game in the league, especially with Faizon Brandon making his first SEC start, and he added that he has a great deal of respect for Muschamp and the way he has coached.
He closed by addressing the early injury attrition around the SEC. In his view, the league’s speed, power, athleticism and the overall level of contact play a major role in why bodies are already breaking down. He also pointed to the fact that the quality of players keeps rising, making every snap a little harder to survive.
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Bishop has been pushing toward 1,000 rushing yards this season, and his presence gives Tennessee another reliable option as the games get tighter. With one year of eligibility still left after this season, keeping him available now and down the stretch looms as an important piece of the bigger picture for the Volunteers. [Read more 🡒]
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For the Vols, the encouraging part is that Glasco has remained in regular contact with the coaching staff and came away from a recent visit with Tennessee firmly in the conversation. That kind of late momentum matters in a battle like this, especially when the competition includes two heavyweight SEC neighbors, and it leaves Tennessee with a real opening as his decision approaches. [Read more 🡒]