Tennessee Primer: The Offense

By: Chris Coleman | Lead Analyst and Columnist

Virginia Tech will be facing a Tennessee offense that has improved as the
season has progressed. The Vols are similar to the Hokies in style and
philosophy, though they do throw the football a bit more. However, the key to
stopping Tennessee is the same as the key to stopping the Hokies: shut down the
running game.

Here’s a quick look at how Tennessee’s offense has progressed throughout the
season.

Tennessee
Offense, Game by Game
Opponent Rush Pass Total Result

Western Kentucky		 380 277 657 W

UCLA		 115 93 208 L

Florida		 117 93 210 L

Ohio		 177 222 399 W

Auburn		 151 259 410 L

Georgia		 162 310 472 W

Alabama		 74 265 339 L

South Carolina		 199 142 341 W

Memphis		 137 429 566 W

Ole Miss		 99 176 275 L

Vanderbilt		 201 221 422 W

Kentucky		 226 220 446 W

Average		 169.8 225.6 395.4

The Vol offense was pretty bad in the month of September, getting completely
shut down by UCLA and Florida. They blew away Western Kentucky and Ohio, but any
defense with talent had its way with the Vols. That changed in the month of
October, and Tennessee starting moving the football. That carried over into
November, when they were dominant in three of their last four games.

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