“Play fake—Aguilar looking deep, going deep! Man is there… ball is caught! 30…20…10…5…end zone—TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE!”
— Mike Keith, on Joey Aguilar’s 73-yard touchdown pass to Braylon Staley
Tennessee’s 45–26 win over Syracuse gave Vol Nation plenty of answers — and just as many lingering questions. Here’s what we did learn:
Naming Joey Aguilar the starting quarterback proved to be the right move. His day began a little uneven, with a few high throws and some dropped passes, but once he settled in, Aguilar showed exactly what Josh Heupel and his staff had seen throughout camp. For the first time in two seasons, the offense flashed that hyperspeed tempo reminiscent of the Hendon Hooker era. Just as important, the deep ball — particularly down the middle of the field — looks to be back. Aguilar went 3-of-4 on throws of 10+ yards for 34 yards and a touchdown, and he hit his lone attempt of 20+ yards for a 73-yard score.
The Tennessee offensive line — even without star freshman David Sanders Jr. — was tremendous. Jesse Perry graded out as the top pass blocker, earning a 78.6 PBLK grade on 70 snaps, while Lance Heard (74.6) and Wendell Moe (77.0) led the way in the run game. Most importantly, the line kept Joey Aguilar upright all afternoon, surrendering zero sacks.
Tennessee’s skill players shone throughout the game. Desean Bishop led the way, earning a team-high 90.4 offensive grade — an elite mark. His production backed it up: 11 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown, plus two receptions for 44 yards. Braylon Staley was the top-graded wide receiver at 73.1, well above average, and his numbers matched the grade with four catches for 95 yards and a score. Tight end Miles Kitselman and running back Star Thomas also deserve recognition — both delivered strong performances that kept the offense rolling.
Defensively, the biggest questions remain. I expected some regression, but even so, the performance raised eyebrows. Tennessee gave up 377 total yards — 274 through the air and 103 on the ground. The rushing number isn’t all that concerning; it’s the nearly 300 passing yards that stand out, especially considering the corners didn’t play poorly overall. Rickey Gibson III had a rough outing and was the weakest link in coverage. Andre Turrentine was up-and-down, flashing promise but struggling with consistency. Ethan Utley, meanwhile, had a tough game across the board — and he’s someone Tennessee needs to see growth from in the coming weeks.
Still, it wasn’t all negative. True freshman Ty Redmond impressed with a 73.8 coverage grade and a 79.9 tackling grade, both very strong marks. Colton Hood was an absolute menace on a heavy snap count, while Jalen McMurray, Joshua Josephs, and Tyree Weathersby all delivered solid, dependable performances worthy of praise.
Overall, this game gave me a more positive outlook on the season. There’s still work to do before talk of competing for the playoffs feels realistic, but Saturday showed real progress. Most importantly, the fun is back in Tennessee’s offense — and for that, I’m giving this performance two big thumbs up.
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