Tennessee football’s fourth down failures on the season continued in its 34-20 loss at Alabama on Saturday afternoon.
The Vols went zero-of-three on fourth downs including two risky attempts in their own side of the field and a red zone incompletion in the game’s final minutes.
Heupel first rolled the dice late in the first half with Tennessee facing fourth-and-one at its own 34-yard line. Tennessee ran a designed quarterback run but Milton couldn’t move the chains with his legs.
Tennessee led 13-7 at the time and its defense was playing great, so why did they decide to roll the dice deep in their own territory?
“I just felt like the scheme, based on the personnel that they had out there that we had a good play,” Heupel said. “Obviously didn’t pick that one up either.”
The Vols ran Milton off right tackle on the play and Alabama’s defense hit him about a yard short of the yard to gain. The 6-foot-5 Milton fell forward but was still a few inches short on the play. What did Heupel say went wrong on the play?
“It’s a read off the edge, felt like it was condensed, didn’t get it going around the edge,” Heupel said.
The decision didn’t come back to cost Tennessee as Doneiko Slaughter deflected a Jalen Milroe fade into Jaylen McCollough’s arms for an interception in the red zone.
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Alabama cut Tennessee’s 20-7 halftime lead was to 20-17 when Heupel rolled the dice again and decided to go for it on fourth-and-one at the Vols’ own 47-yard line mid way through the third quarter. This time, Tennessee brought everyone in tight and ran Dylan Sampson up the middle. The Crimson Tide blew it up as Sampson made it back to the line of scrimmage but no farther.
Did Heupel consider punting it and hoping to pin Alabama deep on a strong day for Jackson Ross?
“Yeah, (Jackson Ross) had been punting it (well),” Heupel said. “Fourth and less than one, given up a score on the previous one and felt like we had an opportunity to pick it up. Obviously didn’t (get it). Gave them short field. They took advantage of. I think they got three out (of it). That one might have been seven.”
It was seven. Five plays after the turnover on downs, Jase McClellan strolled into the end zone for a five-yard touchdown. The touchdown gave Alabama a 24-20 lead that it never relinquished.
Tennessee is now just three-of-13 on fourth down attempts this season and are one-of-10 since its season opening victory over Virginia.
2 Responses
The loss was because of really bad play calling on the offensive. Indecisive and bad throws with holding ball and fumbling it sealed the deal. Tennessee was out coached and helped by key penalties and another bad game by the quarterback.
Fire the play caller.
Better game plan.
Start a different quarterback.
I don’t understand how you have a 6 foot 5 quarterback and he can’t get inches on a quarterback sneak with a defensive lineman pushes the pile for 6 inches! Use your head and get the damn first down. Put Milton under the best offensive lineman. You have and run the damn ball on the center. He knows if he can make it so let Mays make the decision or call time out and kick it! Sounds pretty simple to me! Also, if a lineman is hurt he doesn’t need to be in there. Mincy was definitely hurting the team on offense and it showed because he was hurt