Coaching
Nathanael: A+
I don’t know that Tennessee’s coaches could’ve called a better game overall. Jim Chaney did masterful work in this game, devising a smart, sound plan to help out his quarterbacks and to provide the Vols with a template for success. It helped that his players executed that game plan, too. That effort helped push the Vols’ offense to their best total of the season and one of their best performances since 2016.
On defense, Jeremy Pruitt and Derrick Ansley made brilliant halftime adjustments, and they called a good game even in the first half. Tennessee’s players just did a better job in the second half of executing, and it showed. The Gamecocks went scoreless in the final half of play, and they were 0-of-9 on third downs.
For the first time, Tennessee’s coaches finally out-smarted and out-coached Will Muschamp.
Ben: A
Saturday’s 41-21 win against South Carolina was a tremendous coaching job by Jeremy Pruitt and his coaching staff. Dealing with an iffy quarterback situation, Jim Chaney proceeded to call a great game and put Shrout and Guarantano in situations to where they could succeed. Defensively, Derrick Ansley and Pruitt made terrific adjustments at the half to hold Carolina to zero points in the second half after allowing them to score 21 points in the opening half. For the third straight week, Tennessee’s coaching staff out-coached the opposing coaching staff.
