Soon as Tennessee fixes its defense, Josh Heupel's offense looks like a problem | Estes

KNOXVILLE — Quarterback Faizon Brandon wasn’t available for media interviews after No. 13 Tennessee’s loss to top-ranked Texas. Unsurprisingly. He was being treated physically, it was said.

>And I’ve no doubt that he needed it.

>Brandon’s first SEC start was a brutal experience. The freshman took a vicious beating in the Vols’ 20-17 defeat on Sept. 26, during which he was knocked out of the game in the first half by an injury. He returned to see the afternoon to its disappointing conclusion, hanging in despite clearly being in pain.

>“Down the stretch, he took some shots, too,” Vols coach Josh Heupel said. “He's disappointed. I'm not talking about the injury. Just not playing up to the standard for us offensively. But it's all 11 together, too."

>Brandon’s talent and toughness isn’t up for debate. It’ll be his ability to successfully lead this Tennessee offense through an SEC gauntlet in 2026 — and stay healthy enough to do it — that’ll be scrutinized in the coming days.

>That’s how it goes when an offense flunks a first big exam.

>The Vols could've beaten Texas. But they didn't, because they gained only 221 offensive yards. They scored only one offensive touchdown (in desperate fashion late) while allowing 10 sacks. They couldn’t block Texas defensive players like Colin Simmons (five sacks) and Maraad Watson. They couldn't generate explosive plays. They couldn’t run the ball.

>The offense, and especially the O-Line, was dominated to a surprising extent, and it cost the Vols a game in which they played well enough in the two other phases to get it done.

>“Loved the effort, how we played (and in) a lot of our special teams,” Heupel said. “Offensively, just not anywhere close to being good enough to beat a team like this.”

>A narrow September defeat to the nation’s No. 1 team isn’t cause to give up on what Tennessee can still become this season, but losses like these are becoming a frustratingly familiar hurdle in Heupel’s tenure:

>Why can’t his Vols ever seem to piece together a complete operation?

>There’s always something, it seems, holding them back.

>In years that Heupel’s offense has thrived, the defense has been a liability. When Tennessee’s defense has managed to be better, his offense has dipped.

>Last season was the former. This loss to Texas? Clearly, the latter.

>New coordinator Jim Knowles is doing fine work with Tennessee's defense. The Vols sacked Arch Manning six times. They held the Longhorns to 61 rushing yards (1.7 per attempt) and a 3-for-12 clip on third down. Texas went three-and-punt on seven possessions.

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>That should’ve been enough for a Heupel offense to win this kind of huge, emotional game at Neyland Stadium. But were it not for a touchdown drive to keep hope alive the game’s final two minutes, Tennessee was about to finish this game with about 136 offensive yards and an average of 2.2 yards per play.

>As it turned out anyway, the Vols were outgained by the Longhorns by 41 yards despite running 21 more offensive plays.

>The glass half-full view is that Tennessee’s defense, such a weakness a year ago, has turned into a formidable unit that can win games in the SEC. The special teams, too, scored a touchdown and nearly pulled out this game with a late onside kick. There’s plenty for the Vols to build on after this game.

>But Heupel is going to have to build with an inexperienced quarterback and an offense that had a lot tougher time running the ball against a legit SEC defense. Worse yet, the Longhorns gave a blueprint to the rest of the league on how to stifle these Vols and their exciting young quarterback.

>Heupel has a chance. He has had good moments and good players in Knoxville.

>Collective greatness will remain elusive, though, until the Vols’ strengths start deciding high-stakes showdowns like this one against Texas. The difference in close losses under Heupel, past and present, keeps coming down to Tennessee’s weak spots. Whatever they might be that day.

>Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and hang out with him on Bluesky @gentryestes.bsky.social

>This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Soon as Tennessee fixes its defense, Josh Heupel's offense looks like a problem | Estes