Tennessee football fans are concerned about DeSean Bishop’s health, offensive line play and the odds of beating No. 1 Texas.
The 13th-ranked Vols beat Kennesaw State 42-9 on Sept. 19, a result that triggered a wide range of questions.
Tennessee (3-0) plays Texas (3-0) on Sept. 26 (noon ET, ABC) at Neyland Stadium. And that matchup is where the interest of some fans is focused.
Let’s address all those questions in the Vols mailbag.
What’s the status of DeSean Bishop?
The early indications were positive for Bishop. He appeared to suffer a hip injury and went to the medical tent. But he jogged on the sideline after halftime and returned to the lineup for back-to-back rushes of 6 and 9 yards in the third quarter.
Coach Josh Heupel indicated that he pulled Bishop out of the game for precautionary
reasons. “(We) just didn’t think it was smart to put him back in at that point in the game, as we’ve got a conference stretch here,” he said.
But when asked if Bishop would play in the Texas game, Heupel didn’t address the topic. The first SEC availability report will be released on Sept. 23 and updated each day until the game.
Could Daune Morris be better than DeSean Bishop?
Better? No, not yet. But different? Absolutely.
Daune Morris has an explosive burst the other running backs lack. It makes him a big-play threat and a nice change of pace. However, Bishop is still the most productive, proven and well-rounded back.
UT will continue to utilize Bishop, Morris and Tulane transfer Javin Gordon in the backfield. But Morris separated himself as an essential member of the rotation and Bishop's primary backup.
Are you sold on this offensive line? I’m not.
UT’s offensive line is a Rorschach test. You see what you want to see.
The Vols rank fourth nationally in rushing offense, averaging 299 yards per game. They only trail the run-heavy service academies of Army, Navy and Air Force.
But it’s easy to find weak points in the offensive line. It looks inconsistent and not as dominating as the experience of the players would suggest. Plus, production has come against weak competition. How the line plays against SEC foes will answer the question.
Who was good and bad on offensive line?
Pro Football Focus grades each player. There’s no guarantee that they align with grades from UT coaches, but they provide a reasonable look at player performances.
Right tackle Jesse Perry had the best overall offensive grade of any UT player, including almost perfect marks in run blocking. Left tackle David Sanders was the top-rated pass blocker. Left guard Wendell Moe and center Sam Pendleton were solid.
Starting right guard Sham Umarov had a poor grade in pass blocking. Backup tackle Ory Williams, an LSU transfer, had among the worst overall offensive grades. Backup center Nic Moore struggled in run blocking.
What is Tennessee’s biggest weakness going into Texas game?
I would call them questions rather than weaknesses, but I’d put offensive line and defensive secondary on the list. Those units haven’t played poorly, but they haven’t been tested either.
There appears to be weak links on the offensive line. And an aggressive pass rush against inferior opponents has protected the secondary.
Either Texas will expose them as weaknesses or those units will answer the challenge.
What will it take for Tennessee offense to beat Texas?
Tennessee must win the numbers game.
When the tackle box is light because Texas drops seven or eight defenders into coverage, the Vols must run the ball effectively. When Texas blitzes and plays man-to-man defense, UT wide receivers must win one-on-one battles against talented defensive backs and freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon must deliver accurate passes under duress.
Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp influenced Georgia’s successful plans against Tennessee in 2022-25. He’ll try to get a step ahead of Brandon and dictate the tone of the game.
What will it take for Tennessee defense to beat Texas?
Tennessee must make quarterback Arch Manning uncomfortable and keep him in the pocket. He’s very effective when he’s on the run, either as a rusher or scrambler to extend pass plays.
Texas wide receivers Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo are very talented and could pose problems for UT’s secondary. So getting to Manning quickly is essential for the pass rush.
Did Josh Heupel leave Faizon Brandon in too long?
Yes, I think so. But Heupel usually keeps his starters in longer than most coaches, so it wasn’t a surprise. Brandon’s last play was a touchdown that extended UT’s lead to 42-6 with 8:45 remaining.
On that same drive, Brandon was hit late out of bounds for a 15-yard penalty. That wasn’t a risk worth taking.
Heupel would never admit it, but I believe he wanted Brandon to connect on a deep pass late in the game. It almost happened, but the pass skimmed off the fingertips of a diving Mike Matthews.
Why didn’t George MacIntyre play more?
Heupel always wants more from his offense, even if it doesn’t make sense in the fourth quarter of a blowout win. Perhaps he wanted to test out something before the Texas game.
But history suggests Heupel just wanted more points, yards and explosive plays. He doesn’t need my opinion, but I would’ve put backup quarterback George MacIntyre into the game after UT went ahead 35-3 late in the third quarter.
Are you concerned that the defense gives up too many yards?
I’m not concerned as much as I would be if that problem persisted. Kennesaw State gained 59 yards over almost 8 minutes on its opening drive. But it gained only 42 yards on the next seven drives.
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles typically adjusts well in games. That’ll become more difficult against SEC offenses. But for now, the more important development is that he can fix problems, regardless of the opponent.
Did UT miss opportunity by not stretching pass game before SEC play?
I would agree if UT had a veteran transfer quarterback with several games under his belt. But it was more important in the big picture to get Brandon comfortable and confident, even if that meant reining in the passing game.
Through three games, Brandon showed that he could operate the offense with restraint, if needed. That’s a hard lesson for most freshmen to learn. He must extend the passing game in time, but he needed to crawl and walk before running.
Why is UT better in the first and third quarters?
UT’s defense actually has not given up a point in the second quarter.
But offensively, Heupel’s teams have usually been better in the first and third quarters because they have well-designed play scripts. They scout the opponent and rehearse a set of plays particularly planned for that game.
Once the initial play script runs out, adjustments by both teams take hold.
Is using three defensive linemen a failed experiment?
Everything is an experiment for Knowles so far. He’ll use some parts and scrap others. But there are so many variations of what he can do with three defensive linemen, that calling any part of it a failure is premature.
Are you concerned about the wide receivers?
They’re productive. Braylon Staley is a precise route-runner and surehanded slot receiver. Matthews is talented, experienced and an underrated blocker. Radarious Jackson is coming along as a contributor.
I’m not concerned with their ability to consistently catch balls in a productive passing game. There’s a lingering question of whether they can beat tight coverage against elite cornerbacks and break big plays after the catch.
After three games, are you sticking with your 8-4 prediction?
Yes, so far. It’s too early to alter a preseason prediction, especially after a nonconference stretch against weak competition. Furman, Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State don’t have a win over an FBS team between them.
UT looks like a quality team that can beat most opponents on its schedule. But it hasn’t looked like an elite team yet. This still feels like an 8-4 season, but each game has the possibility of changing that projection.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Can Tennessee beat Texas with or without DeSean Bishop? Plus offensive line questions
