When Tennessee hired Jim Knowles as defensive coordinator, conventional wisdom held that the Volunteers should be patient. It usually takes a few years for Knowles’ project to really take effect.
Through seven weeks, Tennessee’s defense makes it look like Knowles has been with the program for a decade.
In Saturday afternoon’s 26-10 victory, the Volunteers held No. 6 Alabama to 201 total yards. Keelon Russell threw for just 147 yards and committed three turnovers. The Crimson Tide went 2 of 12 on third down, and they converted just one of their three fourth-down attempts.
Tennessee’s defensive front was disruptive early and often, and the secondary maintained tight coverage on Alabama’s receivers with Ryan Coleman-Williams out of the lineup. This combination produced five sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
Entering the day, the Volunteers were ranked 19th in rushing defense nationally and 25th in yards per game with 293.7, an improvement from last year’s 396.9.
The underlying metrics were just as good, with the Vols ranking 21st in EPA per play (-0.08). Tennessee was 105th in that category last fall with a rating of 0.12. It’s a huge leap forward that has propelled the Volunteers forward, even against the toughest opponents.
Not only was Knowles’ impact on Tennessee felt immediately, but the defense is a big reason why the Volunteers find themselves at 6-1 with their eyes on the College Football Playoff. A shaky offensive line and mistakes from young quarterbacks have limited the Vols’ typically explosive offense, but that rarely matters because of what Knowles has done on the other side of the ball.
Thanks to impact transfers and assistant coaches who understand Knowles’ defense, Tennessee has an elite unit to rely on for the remainder of the season.
Penn State transplants lead the way
Part of that immediate success must be attributed to the players and coaches who followed Knowles from Penn State during the offseason.
From the start on the field, defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam, linebacker Amare Campbell and safety Dejuan Lane gave the Vols impact on all levels of the defense. They all played key roles in the Vols’ victory over Alabama.
Gilliam is one of the best defensive tackles in the country, and he was once again disruptive at the line of scrimmage. Campbell was flying around the field and made two tackles for loss. Lane recorded an interception and got into the backfield for 1.5 tackles for loss.
These players already knew what Knowles wanted to do on defense, and that helped the rest of the staff understand the scheme quickly. It certainly helps that Tennessee’s defensive coordinator brought a host of assistants with him from Happy Valley.
LEO coach Andrew Jackson and secondary coach Anthony Poindexter were both at Penn State last season, and Poindexter admitted he had a better understanding of the defense in his second year of teaching, which allowed him to more effectively pass that knowledge on to players.
Add all that to the talent Tennessee already had on its roster or added from the transfer portal — Tyree Weathersby, Arion Carter, Ty Redmond, Qua Moss and TJ Metcald — and it’s a recipe for immediate success.
Lock on the third try
Another big improvement Tennessee has made with Knowles leading the defense comes on critical setbacks. Last year the Volunteers were horrible when there was an opportunity to leave the field.
Tennessee has allowed its opponents to convert on 43.2 percent of their third down attempts, which ranks 99th nationally. This depleted personnel and left a high-powered offense on the sidelines.
This year, the Volunteers can leave the field much more quickly. Before the Alabama game, the Vols allowed their opponents to convert on third down at 34.92%, which ranked them 44th in the country.
This figure will only decrease after Saturday’s impressive effort. Alabama converted 16.7 percent of its third-down attempts and Tennessee held the Tide down on two of its three fourth-down attempts.
Whether it was the defensive line getting into the backfield or the secondary coverage covering Alabama’s receivers, Tennessee refused to let Alabama prolong drives. This did much for the Vols to control the time of possession (35:44) and rely on the Crimson Tide late.
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