Tennessee Football Continues to Struggle

Credit: Cole Moore // Tamarion McDonald (12) attempts a tackle during a game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023.

The Tennessee Volunteers came up short against the Florida Gators, falling 16-29 on Sept. 16, 2023, due to terrible play execution. The Vols struggled both offensively and defensively.

For some reason, the Vols haven’t replicated their performance from last year. On Saturday night, they failed to execute on either side of the ball, resulting in very poor tackling, throws and catches.

The play that left me most frustrated was the 62-yard Gator touchdown in the first quarter. During the play, our defensive backs failed to tackle properly. It all began when Wesley Walker attempted to tackle a Florida player but missed.

Kamal Hadden likely assumed that Walker had made a successful tackle, so he shoulder-bumped the Florida player. Upon realizing that the Florida player was still on his feet, Hadden attempted to catch up, but, instead, he stumbled. These mishandled tackles paved the way for a touchdown by Florida.

It’s high time for the team to take a step back. The Volunteer football team needs to refocus on the finer details and refresh their understanding of how to play football, respectfully. Learning plays, studying opponents and mastering the art of wrapping up and tackling comprehensively should be at the top of the team’s to-do list.

The Vols should prioritize the study of plays because during the game, it was evident that many players were confused. Joe Milton III and the offensive line struggled just to get a play started. Coach Josh Heupel had to burn two timeouts early in the first half to avoid delay of game penalties.

Although the Vols didn’t perform up to their full potential against the Gators, they also had to contend with questionable calls by the referees.

The officials made some questionable decisions, including a moment when I witnessed the referee kick the ball and re-spot it on the field. Additionally, the refs allowed the Gators to make substitutions before the Vols’ fourth-and-one play in the third quarter. We racked up five false start penalties, with pre-snap infractions plaguing us the most.

In the last few seconds of play, with heightened emotions, the game ended with penalties on both teams. The Florida quarterback ran with the ball and took a knee right when Omari Thomas pounced. Immediately, some Florida players took it the wrong way and pushed Thomas.

Shortly after, both benches cleared, and everyone was ready to rumble. Hadden and a Florida player squared up, and a punch was thrown. This altercation led to suspensions for the first half of the next game for several players from both teams.

Overall, the football game was very stressful to watch because of poor tackles, passes, catches and referee calls. Going into the Florida game, everyone anticipated a hostile atmosphere, considering that Tennessee hadn’t defeated Florida in The Swamp since 2003.

Florida extended this winning streak in Gainesville from nine to 10. Because of this loss, the Vols dropped 12 spots in the AP Poll and are now ranked No. 23. Hearing this was devastating but not shocking since the Vols did perform like a 23-ranking team.

This team feels like the Tennessee football team I grew up with, and I hope last year’s success wasn’t just a one-hit wonder. I still have faith in our team and believe we will regroup and rediscover our winning form.

Rondre'a Peebles Headshot

Rondre’a Peebles is a sophomore at UT this year studying journalism and media. She can be reached at rpeeble1@vols.utk.edu.

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