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The lesson is a simple one

What if I had told you that Tennessee would have more tackles for loss than Pittsburgh and forced 7 three and outs?


You probably would have said Tennessee wins.


But what we learned Saturday in the Vols 41-34 loss to Pitt is that their margin for error is minuscule and the biggest improvement moving forward is the elimination of self-inflicted wounds.


There will be plenty to digest from this loss moving forward. Who plays quarterback? Why are you not under center on 4th and 1? Why can’t officials get a spot right? Was that really a penalty on Jeremy Banks? There are lots of questions moving forward.


The one absolute is that this team can’t shoot themselves in the foot, back and everywhere else they did on Saturday.


For the second straight week, Tennessee turned the football over. They are now -5 in turnover margin for the year as the defense has yet to force a mistake. Tennessee’s defense was good in sudden change situations only giving up 3 points on those mistakes but this offense can’t continue to put the defense in that situation.


This offense has to complete a deep ball. They have to throw the ball accurately vertically and when given the opportunity they have to catch it.


Tennessee can’t overcame 13 penalties for 134 yards. Of those 13, five were offensive penalties that occurred when the ball wasn’t snapped.


The Vols can’t fail to capitalize in the red zone. Tennessee must score touchdowns. Of the six trips inside the 20 only 3 were touchdowns. Heupel’s offense was inside the 5 and failed to finished in the end zone. The Vols ran 10 snaps inside the Pitt 10 and netted -4 yards. Tennessee did score three touchdowns, but they failed on 4th down and went backwards 20 yards. This team can’t have 1st and goal at the 3 and end up with a 44 yard field goal.


Josh Heupel was pleased with his team’s effort as he should be. Tennessee’s effort gave them a chance. The Vols won on special teams in a big time way. Defensively, the Vols had their moments, but their inability to get to the quarterback is glaring. How much can Byron Young help? The hope is a lot. Obviously, Tennessee has to run the ball better. They need to get Tyion Evans on the field. The running backs only had 33 yards on 19 carries.


All of those things have to improve, but as the sun sets on the first ever Johnny Majors Classic, my the biggest take away from Josh Heupel’s first loss is pretty simple.


Heupel is right, this game doesn’t define this team, but this team must learn and grow from this loss and the biggest lesson is simple.


This team can’t overcome their own self inflicted wounds. So Tennessee must eliminate them.

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