Monday Musings: It’s strength vs. strength on Saturday

IIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTT’SSSSS MONDAY!!!!!!!!

And that means it’s time to hop into a bumper car and go crashing into the orange and white thoughts floating through my mind.

1) I hoped Texas A&M would be able to reach Saturday with one loss. I mean, duh. Alabama losing is something I root for 100% of the time, and yeah, would have been nice to knock off a further-propped up Aggie squad on Saturday before a national audience.

Oh well. Guess that means the Vols will just have to knock off a higher-ranked Alabama team next weekend before a national audience. Potayto, potahto.

2) Instead, we get a 4-2 Aggie squad invading Neyland Stadium this Saturday. This is a team that has some real talent in its front seven. As such, this could be one of those unstoppable force meets an immovable object situations with the Aggies’ defensive line and the Vols’ offensive line.

A&M has been very good against the run the last two weeks especially, holding Alabama’s running backs to three yards per carry and Arkansas’ backs to just two. Can’t do much better than that.

Cooper Mays’ return gave the Vols’ offensive line a visible shot in the arm, who did a nice job on the ground against the Gamecocks. That challenge will increase significantly this week with a better and more physical front. Yet, I still feel like Tennessee will be able to run the ball substantially well on Saturday. That’s how much more confident I am in this line with Mays back.

3) Josh Heupel said in his presser today that he wasn’t watching his alma mater Oklahoma beat Texas in a thriller. Well, except for the last drive, he said. He did indicate he was watching a different game earlier in the day, which he didn’t disclose. By process of elimination, that would appear to have been LSU-Missouri. Have to love that Heupel’s always scouting.

4) Heupel also gave a small hint at his presser today about the candidates who could take over on the perimeter for Bru McCoy. And it lines up with what I wrote about on Friday. A reporter asked Heupel about Chas Nimrod or Kaleb Webb taking over on the perimeter in place of Bru, and Heupel chimed in mid-question “or Thornton”.

Again, it’s really time for the Vols’ 6’5” wideout to make an impact in this offense.

Game prediction coming up at the end of the week. Go Vols!