After Tennessee’s 25-15 dominating win in Norman, it’s clear that the 2024 Tennessee Volunteers are going to be an absolute wagon. Sure, the scoreboard made it look closer than it was, but let’s be real—Tennessee was in complete control after the first quarter. And it wasn’t even close.
We’ve come to expect a certain kind of high-octane spectacle from a Josh Heupel-coached team. Vols fans know the drill: Tennessee scores on the first possession after a quick two-minute, blink-and-you-miss-it drive, the defense maybe holds the other team to a field goal, and then boom—back to the tempo offense most of the game. We expect 30 to 40 points as the bare minimum. Not Saturday, though. And that’s where things get really interesting.
What we saw in this game? Growth. Real, tangible growth in Year 4 of the Heupel era.
About halfway through the first quarter, it became clear what kind of game this needed to be. Oklahoma wasn’t moving the ball. Period. So what did the Vols do? They leaned into defense and ball control, playing clock management. Yes, clock management, the complete opposite of the fast-paced, high-flying offense we usually see. And you know what? It worked.
This wasn’t the typical Tennessee we’ve grown used to under Heupel. They are showing the ability to change their style of play when necessary. And that’s a beautiful thing for Vols fans because it shows the team can adapt and win in different ways.
Let’s talk about this 2024 defense under Tim Banks. He caught a lot of shit his first three years in Knoxville. Banks was the scapegoat in 2022 when South Carolina blew the doors off Tennessee, allowing 63 points in Columbia. A lot of people were calling for his job last year when his defense was giving up over 220 yards per game through the air. However, he continued to stay the course, run his system, and the continuity and recruiting has paid off.
We haven’t seen a Tennessee defense like this since the late 90s. They’re out there trying to take people’s heads off. The front seven? Disgustingly deep. They have 10 to 12 dudes rotating in on the defensive line, and the linebackers? Big, athletic, and disciplined. Even the secondary, which people thought was the weak link, is holding it down. McCoy and Gibson are an upgrade at corner from what they had in 2023. And don’t sleep on Jakobe Thomas, the guy’s out here making people rethink their entire career path with one hit.
Tennessee held OU to 222 yards in their first-ever SEC game and are currently averaging 7 points and 176 yards allowed per game through the first four weeks. That is championship level defense. We’re talking about Tennessee—a team that no one, and I mean no one, ever associated with elite defense under Heupel. Allowing 7 points a game? Seems pretty good.
On offense, Nico Iamaleava had his moments, like that laser to Dont’e Thornton for the first touchdown. But the night wasn’t about fireworks—it was about smart football. With both starting tackles out and the defense putting OU in a blender, Heupel made the smart call: run the ball, control the clock, and let the defense choke them out.
Here’s a stat you don’t see every day with Tennessee: Time of possession. Yep, the Vols held onto the ball for 35 minutes and 41 seconds. Oklahoma? 24 minutes. During Heupel’s first three seasons from 2021-2023, the Vols averaged approximately 24-25 minutes in T.O.P. So far in 2024, UT is actually averaging a higher T.O.P. than their opponents (32 min to 28 min). This continues to be a reflection of the head coach’s willingness to adapt his game plan to win games.
You could tell this one was personal for Heupel. Going back to his alma mater—where he won a national championship as a QB, only to get the boot as OC under Bob Stoops in 2014—this game had a little extra juice. He’ll never admit it, but Heupel wanted this one bad, and the team clearly knew it. They played to win this one for their coach, and it is clear that this team loves CJH.
It wasn’t all good on Saturday despite the win. Tennessee had 10 penalties and two turnovers which hurt their opportunity to put more points on the board. The starting RT, John Campbell, left the game with an injury, and the starting left tackle, Lance Heard, wasn’t able to go as he recovers from an ankle injury. The bye weekend comes at a great time for the Vols to get healthy and clean up some of their mistakes
Tennessee is almost there. They have shown they have a high-caliber defense. Can they get their offense to be as efficient as Hendon Hooker’s 2022 squad?. Nico flashes greatness every game. He was the No. 1 overall player in the 2023 class for a reason, and once he and Heupel get this offense clicking at full potential, look for Tennessee to be a legitimate championship contender.