Criticisms of Tennessee's Offense Aren't Going Away

The Tennessee Volunteers have revolutionized offensive football under head coach Josh Heupel, but pundits have a few critiques of their style that aren't going away.

Before we delve into the meat of this article, let's clear one thing about - the Tennessee Volunteers don't run an NFL offense. Their system relies on pacing and spacing, utilizing the full extent of college football's hashmarks. That style isn't sustainable for an NFL offense, meaning their alumni will have to adjust to the next level.

But the Vols' offense is just that; a style meant to attack college defenses. Head coach Josh Heupel made NFL fourth-round draft pick Landry Jones into Oklahoma's greatest statistical passer over Heisman Trophy winners Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. Everyone understands that he's an elite offensive mind that's here to stay, but critics use the scheme against him in recruiting and in the NFL Draft process.

Quarterback Hendon Hooker didn't consistently make NFL reads in college, but that doesn't mean he won't in the NFL. Hooker's professional success reflects his character and work ethic; if he doesn't work hard enough to grasp professional concepts, that reflects on him, not Tennessee. Every quarterback has questions. Bryce Young is dealing with size concerns, CJ Stroud didn't consistently create out-of-structure, Anthony Richardson's mechanic are questionable, and Will Levis didn't produce as much as many would have liked in his final Kentucky campaign.

Wide receiver Jalin Hyatt didn't run a full route tree at Tennessee. Quentin Johnson also isn't as big as TCU listed him, Jordan Addison isn't overly explosive, and Zay Flowers is 5-10 and 170 pounds. This isn't to bash any of those prospects, but to show that everyone isn't a slam-dunk.

Maybe Tennessee's offense wouldn't work in the NFL. But they don't play on Sundays for a reason. Heupel has produced a system that gets you recognized by top evaluators and puts you in a system that can earn you millions: isn't that enough? They were the No. 1 offense in college football last season despite losing their starter for the final few games, which is an exceedingly difficult task.

Anyone with a predetermined notion of Tennessee's offense won't be talked out of it, and those that support it won't be talked off that ledge. There's a clear bottom line to the argument: Heupel's offense does and will continue to produce, so isn't that enough for Tennessee fans? 

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