KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee football players and coaches told everyone that would listen this week that its matchup against South Carolina didn’t mean any extra because of last season’s heartbreaking loss in Columbia.
But as Tennessee’s defense harassed South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler, holding him to 269 less passing yards and six less passing touchdowns than last season, it seemed like this matchup meant more to a much maligned Volunteer defense.
What do you say Josh Heupel?
“I think everybody took it personally,” Heupel said. “As an entire program, our fans did too. But certainly on the defensive side of the ball too.”
The Vols’ defense played like it was personal. Tennessee’s defensive line played its worst game in the last two seasons at Florida two weeks ago but responded with a dominant effort against an outmatched Gamecocks offensive line.
Rattler was running for his life throughout the night and escaping trouble far less frequently than he did a season ago. Tennessee sacked the star quarterback six times in the 41-20 win.
“I thought the quarterback was uncomfortable all night long, had a hard time working through his entire progression,” Heupel said. “He did break contain a few times and make a few plays. But all in all, I just thought the line of scrimmage and what we did there changes the way the quarterback plays.”
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It couldn’t have been more personal for Tennessee corner Kamal Hadden. Rattler successfully targeted him over-and-over again a season ago and as Hadden continued to talk trash despite his poor performance, South Carolina coach Shane Beamer talked trash back and people outside the Vols’ program clowned him.
Hadden played his best game as a Vol against the Gamecocks this season. He was integral in Tennessee holding South Carolina star receiver Xavier Legette to four catches for 18 yards on offensive plays, and got his ultimate revenge when Rattler sailed a pass over his receiver’s head and right into Hadden’s arms.
When the senior strolled into the checkerboards for a game changing pick six and imitated the “Deion Shuffle” it was abundantly clear that South Carolina was trifling with a different defense than the one they torched a season ago.
Heupel was quick to point out that Tennessee’s critical win over South Carolina “doesn’t do anything with last year, it just doesn’t.”
But it was personal for Tennessee football against South Carolina. Particularly for a defense that dominated the team and quarterback that embarrassed them a season ago.
