Coaching
Daniel: Loved the fake field goal call. Didn’t love a few of the game management decision. For one, I understood that Missouri was very good on defense, but I thought the Vols – with three timeouts in their pocket – should’ve been a more aggressive in trying to put more points on the board before halftime. It’s a stretch to say that it cost them the game, but I thought the end-of-game clock management was poor. The Vols wasted time before calling their first timeout on the last offensive drive and challenging the second onside kick was questionable – it appeared pretty evident that the call would be upheld and losing that second timeout cost UT any chance of getting the ball back. I didn’t have major issues with the game plan on either side. Perhaps they could’ve gotten to the perimeter a little more on offense and done more to protect Dobbs, but the Vols were just overmatched in the trenches. Defensively, the Vols played okay, and one or two more plays would’ve made a big difference. I don’t think the coaches forgot how to coach on Saturday night, but a few questionable calls for sure. Grade: C-
Houston: With all that went on this week, I actually felt like the coaches had the players ready to play – so they get a nod for that – but I also felt like the coaches didn’t always put the players in the best position to be successful. It’s hard to know how much of the playbook was available to Mike Bajakian and John Jancek with so many players missing this game, so I’ll reserve some judgment, but there were some questionable decisions on both sides of the ball. Butch Jones nailed it with the fake field goal, but the challenge of the onside recover cost Tennessee a chance to get the ball back. Players have to make plays, and I think that this loss falls more on players than play-calling. Grade: C
Reed: Game management continues to be an issue. Jones wasted a couple of vital timeouts late in the game – something that’s happened a few times during his tenure. Tennessee could have attacked the perimeter more often on offense and given Jalen Hurd more touches. Though, the offense, with its inability to block anyone in a Missouri uniform, was likely doomed no matter the play calls. Defensively, the game plan was solid. The Vols had players in position, those players just missed tackles or got beat by faster Missouri receivers. The fake field goal was perhaps the best call of the Jones Era. Grade: C-
Average Grade: C-
