Where did Tennessee's offense go?

Hello. This is the Josh and Swain Newsletter, a quick roundup of the week’s top stories and topics involving Tennessee and the sports world.

Here’s what we have for you today:

• Josh Heupel’s search for Tennessee’s offensive explosiveness

• Tennessee’s odds to make the playoff… and teams to root against

• They’re loving VFL Dalton Knecht in LA

• Tennessee basketball continues its strong start to the season

O BIG PLAYS, WHERE ARE THOU?

This newsletter is coming to you almost six days removed from Tennessee’s loss to Georgia. 

By this point, you’ve probably turned your attention to Tennessee’s College Football Playoff hopes and what has to happen elsewhere for the Vols to make it. 

We’ll get to that in a moment… because Tennessee is very much alive in the playoff race. 

(The Vols need help, though.)

We’ll start with a focus on where Tennessee needs to improve following their second loss of the season. 

It wasn’t all bad for the Vols in Athens; UT jumped out to a 10-0 lead against Georgia and was still in the game midway through the fourth quarter. 

This was the first time since 2016 that Tennessee had a real chance in the fourth quarter to beat Georgia. 

But the Vols came up short — again.

Tennessee failed to score a point in the second half against UGA.

That’s the fourth time in SEC play this season that UT was shut out during a half of football. 

Tennessee entered the season with big offensive expectations. 

And for good reason…

◼️ UT had former five-star recruit Nico Iamaleava taking over at quarterback.

◼️ The Vols brought back a veteran offensive lineman with another five-star recruit (Lance Heard from LSU) transferring in. 

◼️ Bru McCoy and Squirrel White were back at wide receiver with transfer Chris Brazzell and five-star freshman Mike Matthews ready to make an impact.

◼️ Running back Dylan Sampson was ready to take over the RB1 spot.

All very exciting.

But over the course of the season, only Sampson has lived up to preseason expectations (and he’s exceeded them).

So what’s gone wrong?

Well, a number of things. 

Tennessee’s passing game has not created enough explosive plays. 

There have been opportunities for big plays… but at times Iamaleava missed his targets, and other times the receivers couldn’t make a play. 

Tennessee failed to produce a pass play of 20-plus yards against Georgia.

On the other side, Georgia had six different players produce a pass play of 20-plus yards. 

Look at Tennessee’s number of pass plays that went 20+ yards over the last four seasons (and where UT ranked among SEC teams):

• 2021: 49 plays (5th)
• 2022: 55 plays (2nd)
• 2023: 34 plays (11th)
• 2024: 28 plays (12th)

Tennessee’s offensive explosion has plummeted.

Is that due to personnel? Is it scheme?

It could be a combination, right?

Whatever the reason, it’s hampered Tennessee’s offense.

The Vols average 23.4 points per game in SEC play this season.

That’s easily the lowest mark among the SEC’s playoff contenders.

Fortunately for Tennessee, the defense has helped make up the difference.

That’s a great sign for UT’s program; the Vols can rely on more than their offense to help them win games.

But Tennessee needs to be better at scoring points.

So how do the Vols get their explosiveness back?

Helping Iamaleava improve will be part of it.

The other part will require an evaluation of the receivers.

Is there a fix inside that room?

Tennessee’s highest-rated receivers out of high school have mostly stood on the sideline this season.

Matthews has played sparingly while second-year receiver Nathan Leacock and freshman Braylon Staley haven’t factored in.

Will they before the end of the season?

“You sure better see them this week (against UTEP),” Austin Price of Volquest said on this week’s show.

UTEP is a very bad team — the Miners are 2-8 and rank No. 127 in the country by ESPN’s SP+.

Tennessee’s young players should play — and play well — on Saturday.

But what about after Saturday?

Other schools have noticed that Matthews hasn’t played much this season.

Tennessee will fight off other schools from trying to poach the Vols’ young receivers… while looking into the portal after this season to see if there are upgrades available.

Tennessee made the big plays look easy with Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman in the first two years under Josh Heupel.

The Vols are still looking to recreate that offensive magic.

Check out our full conversation with Austin Price, who also discussed Tennessee’s playoff chances and the latest with UT football recruiting. ⬇️

UT’S PLAYOFF HOPES: STILL STRONG

The Tennessee-UTEP game will create opportunities for Tennessee fans to scoreboard watch on Saturday. 

This week isn’t about whether Tennessee will win (the Vols are favored by more than 40 points…).

📍 Neyland Stadium
⏰ 1:00 p.m. ET
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📻 99.1 The Sports Animal/WIVK

It’s more about how other teams will fare as they affect UT’s playoff hopes. 

Ross Dellenger provided a helpful list of teams for Tennessee fans to pull for (or against) over the next two weekends. 

Here’s a look at some of those games and the odds of an upset occurring, according to the sportsbooks. 

➡️ Auburn to beat Texas A&M

This has a real shot. 

Auburn has had a bad season, but the Tigers have competed well in most of their games. 

This is a two-step need: the Vols would need Texas A&M to turn around and beat Texas next week.

Texas A&M will be ALL IN on trying to beat Texas, no matter the result this week against Auburn. 

So pull for Auburn this week, and then turn around and pull for Texas A&M next week. 

Both are very possible.

Odds of an upset (this week): 47%

➡️ Minnesota over Penn State

James Franklin hasn’t won a lot of big games at Penn State. 

But he wins most of the games he’s expected to win. 

This game is on the road, however. 

And Minnesota would love to play spoiler. 

Odds of an upset: 22%

➡️ Ohio State blows out Indiana

Indiana has won every game but one by double digits this season. 

Now, Tennessee fans are pulling for Indiana to lose by double digits. 

Side note: multiple listeners asked if Ohio State’s playoff hopes would be dashed with a loss. 

Doubtful… a 10-2 Buckeyes team will be in (OSU still has Michigan next week).

Back to Indiana: let’s see how the Hoosiers respond this week. 

They are well coached under Curt Cignetti and know that very few people believe in them.

Indiana also knows this is the one big shot the Hoosiers will get this season. 

Odds of a blowout (15+ points): 42%

➡️ Oklahoma over Alabama

Anything can happen in sports. 

So this could happen. 

We won’t spend much time on it, though. 

Alabama has been strong this season and Oklahoma… has not.

OU’s decline this season has not helped Tennessee’s strength of schedule.

Perhaps OU can do the Vols a solid this weekend. 

Odds of an upset: 19%

➡️ Florida over Ole Miss

Florida is playing hard for coach Billy Napier, and the Gators are not bad at all with freshman quarterback DJ Lagway. 

But Ole Miss is coming off a bye week and knows what’s at stake. 

Can Florida win this game?

Sure. 

It will be tough, though. 

Odds of an upset: 24%

➡️ Army over Notre Dame

Notre Dame can’t be excited about playing this game.

(The setting should be cool though as they’ll play at Yankee Stadium in New York.)

But Army plays a style that’s difficult to prepare for in the middle of the season.

That’s why Tennessee backed out of playing Army in 2022.

Notre Dame knows this is a must-win game and is favored by 14 points for a reason.

Still, we see bigger upsets all the time.

Odds of an upset: 17%

SPORTS NUGGETS

🏈 Here’s a list of Tennessee’s seniors, with three of them having the option to return to UT for one more season.

🏈 Lane Kiffin claimed some SEC coaches have trepidation over going to the SEC title game… former coach Urban Meyer wasn’t having it.

🏈 Here’s a preview of the upcoming weekend of college football games.

🏈 Here’s a touching story from David Hale on NC State DL Davin Vann. It’s a nice reminder that the athletes we watch are people.

🏈 QB Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2025 class, flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan.

🏀 See where Tennessee ranks in ESPN’s updated college basketball power rankings.

🏀 Kim Caldwell’s Lady Vols have the No. 2 ranked class in the country for 2025, according to ESPN.

❤️ Tennessee guard Jahmai Mashack continues his work in the community, this time setting up a fundraiser to help Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee.

LA LOVES DK

Dalton Knecht heated up and took over for the Los Angeles Lakers during their win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.

Knecht scored a career-high 37 points and tied an NBA rookie record by making nine three-pointers.

At one point, Knecht scored 22 straight points for the Lakers.

Knecht has scored in double digits in five consecutive games.

On Saturday, he scored 27 points — a career-high at the time — and hit the final two free throws to clinch the Lakers’ 104-99 win over New Orleans.

Knecht is quickly earning more minutes and trust with head coach JJ Redick.

And Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis have praised Knecht for his ability and work ethic.

James mocked other teams for passing on Knecht in the draft, allowing him to fall to Los Angeles at pick No. 17.

James’ message to the other teams (they “f—ked it up,” LeBron said) was similar to what Charles Barkley said on TNT on the opening night of the NBA season.

“These NBA general managers don’t have any idea what they’re doing,” Barkley said. “Letting the Lakers get Dalton Knecht was one of the stupidest things I’ve ever seen. That’s a bad boy right there. Dalton Knecht: remember that name, y’all.”

Barkley and James are right.

Many of the NBA teams that passed on Knecht, especially the ones that did so because of his age, made stupid decisions.

And the Lakers are benefitting from it.

Los Angeles is 10-5 to start the season.

And LA’s standout rookie is part of the reason why.

NEW-LOOK VOLS KEEP WINNING

Tennessee basketball won a late-night game against Virginia 64-42 on Thursday night i the Baha Mar Championship in the Bahamas.

The Vols’ win means they will play No. 13 Baylor tonight.

📍 Nassau, The Bahamas
⏰ 9:30 p.m. ET
📺 CBS Sports Network
📻 99.1 The Sports Animal/WIVK

Tennessee improved its record to 5-0 on the season as the Vols’ defense shut down Virginia in both halves of basketball.

Chaz Lanier led Tennessee in scoring with 26 points, 18 of them coming in the second half.

Igor Milicic Jr. added 14 points and eight rebounds.

Lanier transferred to Tennessee from North Florida to help replace some of Knecht’s shooting.

Lanier did that on Thursday, hitting six of his 12 three-point attempts.

Tennessee is far from a finished product.

UT is battling some injury issues — JP Estrella is out for the Bahamas tournament with a left foot injury and sophomore wing Cam Carr will miss 4-6 weeks due to an injured thumb, according to the school.

But Hofstra transfer Darlinston Dubar made his season debut on Thursday, playing more than 10 minutes off the bench.

The Vols should have enough depth to wait for Carr and Estrella to heal.

Tonight’s game against Baylor will provide a good early-season test for Tennessee.

The Bears beat St. John’s 99-98 in a double-overtime thriller last night and beat Arkansas by five on Nov. 9.

As of this writing, Tennessee is favored over Baylor by 4.5 points.

There’s a long way to go in the season (you’ve probably never heard that before…).

There will be ups and downs along the way.

Tennessee has a good basketball team right now.

And the Vols should keep getting better.

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