This Saturday’s game in Knoxville between No. 21 Tennessee and South Carolina presents some fascinating storylines heading into the game.
While the fans and the media are obviously going to be intrigued by the revenge aspect considering what happened during last year’s loss in Columbia, the Tennessee players and coaching staff have built a culture based on a next-play mentality. One of the mental traits that head coach Josh Heupel has preached about since arriving in Knoxville has been not letting the previous snap, game, or meeting determine the outcome of the next play or game on the field.
Instead of the previous year, Tennessee’s coaching staff and players are focused on the task ahead in slowing down one of the SEC’s top passing attacks led by quarterback Spencer Rattler.
Through four games this season, South Carolina is averaging 340 passing yards per game at the top spot in the SEC. The Gamecocks pose a threatening passing attack with Rattler throwing the third-most yards in the SEC at 1,242. South Carolina also has a lights-out receiver as Xavier Legette ranks No. 1 in the conference in receiving yards (556), second in the conference in receptions (27), and fourth in yards per reception (20.59).
Rattler, though, also has the ability to make plays with his legs which only adds to his skillset.
“Well obviously he’s able to extend plays with his legs, so that’s really stressful on the defense, especially the defensive line,” Tennessee DL coach Rodney Garner said about Rattler on Tuesday. “We have to make sure that we’re very disciplined in our rush lane integrity. Also, we have to make sure we can finish on top of the rush and make sure we can get him on the ground. He’s a very good player, you saw what he did last week against Mississippi State.”
Rattler threw for 288 yards on 18-of-20 passing with three touchdowns at home against the Bulldogs last weekend. He also added 43 rushing yards on eight attempts during the game. Rattler also threw for 256 yards in a 10-point loss to Georgia in Athens the week prior.
“He’s a really good player,” Heupel said about Rattler. “He’s played at a high level. He’s played a lot of football. He’s playing extremely well right now. He was dynamic in that football game, but he has that in his arsenal. For us, the line of scrimmage is important. We have to do a really good job, and we have to get them into third-and-long.”
More from RTI: Shane Beamer Pays Big Compliment to Tennessee Specialist
With Rattler’s ability to extend plays and great receivers such as Legette moving down the field, Tennessee’s pass rush is going to be a vital aspect in this game. Tennessee’s 16 total sacks on the season lead the conference but will especially need to be on display this Saturday night.
Putting pressure on Rattler throughout the game will be a key aspect in slowing down the Gamecocks’ strong passing offense.
“It’s important to get push everywhere,” Garner said on Tuesday. “Obviously, in pass rush it all needs to tie together. You need to push up the middle, you need your guys off the edge making the quarterback try to step up, you got guys pushing so he can’t step up. All of it goes hand-in-hand. Everybody has a job, everybody needs to understand their job, they need to understand how it affects everyone, not just individually.”
While everybody does have a job, Garner has his eyes on a particular senior lineman as an example of what to do.
“I look at just specifically Tyler (Baron), just him understanding and know it isn’t just about him,” Garner said. “It’s about Tennessee and about everybody doing their job and how it affects everyone. If everyone does their job, then everyone has an opportunity to be more effective.”
For Tennessee, it’s about doing their job better than South Carolina on Saturday night. It’s not about the job that didn’t get done last season, or the job that resulted in a win last week against UTSA. It’s about the current and next job at hand.
“They have good football players like everybody in the conference,” Garner said. “We have to do a very good job at defending them. We have to play sound Tennessee football, and everybody has to do their job.”
No. 21 Tennessee (3-1) will host South Carolina (2-2) this Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET in Neyland Stadium. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
