How much does it pain this Alabama football fan to say something positive about Tennessee's football team? Immensely! Like other Alabama football fans of a certain age, I hate almost everything about the Tennessee Vols. My hate has two exceptions. One exception is Tennessee head basketball coach, former Alabama basketball assistant, Rick Barnes. The other exception is General Robert Neyland, one of college football's all-time best coaches.
The hate can carry with it some blinders. In the preseason, in multiple posts, I questioned Joey Aguilar's ability to succeed as an SEC quarterback. I was wrong. The SEC QB Passer Rating published by cfbstats.com has Aguilar as the SEC's 4th-best quarterback, with a rating of 162.27. Ty Simpson is, of course, No. 1 at 172.36. Alabama Crimson Tide fans will enjoy that Hugh Freeze's choice as the perfect fit to run Hugh's system is No. 16 at 124.9.
My low opinion of Aguilar came from the 14 interceptions he threw at Appalachian State in the 2024 season. Most of the defensive backs he was throwing against were not SEC-caliber. In six games this season, Aguilar has five interceptions. That number is tracking above what is considered a good interception rate for a college quarterback, but it is acceptable.
Despite an oafish appearance made worse by being cloaked in puke orange, Josh Heupel has a sharp offensive mind. His success at Tennessee comes largely from an offense that so spreads the field, it is difficult to defend. Heupel's schemes take advantage of mismatches that Alabama football fans remember all too well.
It could be presumed that Kane Wommack knows more about what not to do against a Heupel offense than what to do. A counterbalance to that concern is that Wommack's defense has improved significantly as the season has progressed. Based on ESPN metrics, Alabama Football is better defensively than Tennessee, ranked No. 18 in the FBS. The Vols, against an easier schedule, are ranked No. 31.
Comparing Alabama Football and Tennessee Offenses
The most encouraging stat comparison for Alabama football fans is that the Crimson Tide has a more efficient offense than Tennessee. ESPN-tracked efficiency ranks Alabama at No. 10 in the FBS and the Vols at No. 14. Reading into the rankings, the DeBoer vs. Heupel offensive systems are basically a wash.
The Vols are hoping possible returns by highly rated defensive backs, Jermod McCoy and Ricky Gibson, will bolster inconsistent pass coverage. Comparing the defensive back groups of the two teams, Alabama has a big advantage with its secondary.