Big Orange Sunday

On this week’s Big Orange Sunday, Coach calls the Vols’ 34–6 win over Kentucky one of the best-coached games he’s seen since he got to Knoxville in 1980. He says it’s the kind of game you’d show at a coaching clinic, and the field-position chart is his proof. Kentucky started six of its 11 drives at its own 25, and four more inside its own 20. Tennessee made the Wildcats grind out 9-, 12- and 14-play drives just to get two field goals and a punt. The stats back him up: 240 rushing yards, zero turnovers, three takeaways (five if you count two fourth-down stops), four sacks and ten tackles for loss. Matthews singles out linebacker Arion Carter (10 solo tackles, 4 TFLs), praises Jim Knowles for moving Jeremiah Telander to edge rusher, and says second-year corner Redmond is becoming one of the best cornerbacks he’s seen at Tennessee. His big lesson is discipline. After a first half full of penalties, Tennessee had just one five-yard flag after halftime and scored on four of five second-half drives for 24 points.

In his “Sunday morning thoughts,” Matthews says the off week fixed the mistakes from the South Carolina loss, and he credits the new starting guards for the jump in the run game. He’s most excited about the two-quarterback plan. George MacIntyre (9 of 14, 125 yards) is managing games better every week from the pocket, while Faizon Brandon’s running package gives defenses something different to prepare for. Matthews says the flip pass to Matthews for a touchdown was “a beautiful call” that’s really a run play. He also points out what was likely a first: both starting quarterbacks at Neyland were from Middle Tennessee. He closes with a scouting report on Texas A&M, coming off a 17–9 loss to South Carolina. His keys: win field position again, keep their mobile quarterback in the pocket, take advantage of A&M’s penalties and coverages that are easy to read, and stay calm in a loud road stadium. He expects Tennessee to move up in Tuesday’s playoff rankings, but says the only thing that matters now is A&M.

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Coach breaks down Tennessee’s next opponent, Texas A&M, using the Aggies’ 17-9 loss to South Carolina as a guide. Tennessee just played South Carolina too, so that game shows a lot. Points will be hard to come by. A&M has struggled to move the ball all year and kicked three field goals without scoring a touchdown in that loss. The game plan he lays out mirrors the win over Kentucky: make A&M drive the length of the field, lean on the kicking game, and don’t help them with penalties. On defense, the key is containing A&M’s mobile quarterback, No. 11, a Middle Tennessee native he compares to South Carolina’s Sellers. Tennessee wants to force him to win from the pocket. A&M’s one-back, open sets should give Tennessee chances to blitz, but he warns about their tight-end shifts. On offense, he says A&M runs a four-man front, plays a lot of man coverage and does little to disguise it, but it shifts its front the way Georgia did. That brings back Phillip Fulmer’s old road rule for linemen: “poise for the noise,” and don’t jump offsides in a loud stadium. He expects play-action seam routes to the tight ends and calls this a good matchup for Tennessee’s No. 11 package.

He then turns to the College Football Playoff rankings coming out early this week. Tennessee was No. 13, and several teams ranked above them lost, including No. 12 Ohio State, No. 10 Ole Miss, No. 9 BYU and No. 6 Kentucky, which Tennessee beat. He thinks the Vols should climb four or five spots. Still, he says the only thing that matters now is Texas A&M, a tough road trip in a league full of them. After a sponsor read for American Home Design (26% off, no payments until 2028, now with locations in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Johnson City), he closes by saying Tennessee controls its own destiny and promises to recap the A&M game next Sunday on Big Orange Sunday.

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 Coach explains his “Sunday morning thoughts,” the habit of looking at a game again the next day the way coaches go back to the film, before reacting. His main point from the Kentucky win is that a solid running game is still essential to winning in this league. Tennessee ran 37 times for 240 yards and three touchdowns, while Kentucky managed 137 yards and no rushing scores. He argues the real total is closer to 38 runs for 264 yards, because the touchdown “pass” from Faizon Brandon to Matthews was really a two-foot flip on a reverse-style run play. He calls it a beautiful call that worked because Kentucky expected Brandon to keep running off tackle behind the two big tight ends. He credits the offensive line’s improvement to the lineup change at guard, and he expects the young tight ends, especially No. 87 Wolf, to get more involved. He calls it the most complete game of the year in all three phases, with excellent play calling on both sides of the ball.

The second half, he says, was a teaching lesson in disciplined football. Tennessee had just one penalty, a pre-snap flag, and no drive-killing “selfish” penalties, and it scored three touchdowns and a field goal on five possessions. He praises the punt team, which put three of its four punts inside the 20, and says Neyland Stadium was at its very best. That crowd matters to Josh Heupel after Tennessee lost three of four home conference games last year. He sees quarterback George MacIntyre (No. 12) getting more comfortable each week, protecting the ball and running the offense without close calls on the play clock. He looks forward to seeing how the staff uses MacIntyre’s passing alongside Brandon’s running. He wraps up with a bit of history: both starting quarterbacks were from Middle Tennessee, which he bets has never happened at Neyland. He remembers being assigned to recruit the area in 1982, when Tennessee signed almost nobody from there. 

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Coach opens Big Orange Sunday calling Tennessee’s 34–6 win over Kentucky one of the best-played games he’s seen since he arrived in Knoxville in 1980. He says it was a “coaching clinic” in how to win, built on General Neyland’s old rule that it’s not who has the ball, it’s where they have it. The field position chart tells the story. Kentucky started most of its 11 drives at its own 25 or deeper, including drives from the 19, 18, 14 and 4, and had to put together 9-, 12- and 14-play drives that ended in only a punt and two field goals. Tennessee had no turnovers and forced five takeaways if you count two fourth-down stops. The Vols also had four sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 240 rushing yards at 6.5 a carry. The biggest change came after halftime: Tennessee drew just one five-yard penalty in the second half and scored on four of its five drives for 24 points. The host sees that as proof the team fixed the self-inflicted mistakes from the South Carolina loss during its off week. He credits the staff for its preparation, Jim Knowles’s defensive game plan and the play calling on game day.

On the individual side, he praises linebacker Arion Carter (10 solo tackles, four for loss) and Jeremiah Telander, whose move to edge rusher he calls one of the best position changes he’s seen at Tennessee. He also singles out a second-year cornerback he says is becoming one of the best he’s seen at the school. He then turns to the quarterbacks. George MacIntyre went 9-of-14 for 125 yards and managed the game well. Faizon Brandon, now healthy, is a running threat for short yardage and goal-line plays. The host says both handled the ups and downs of the starting job with class. Speaking as a former defensive coordinator, he argues that having two very different quarterbacks forces Texas A&M, LSU and Vanderbilt to prepare two game plans for the final three games. He expects Tennessee to use more of that two-quarterback package down the stretch, and he’ll dig into it in the second half of the show.

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 Bill Mayo joins the broadcast to dive into the technical side of football in the trenches. The conversation explores why young linemen struggle with pre-snap penalties and flinching against shifting defensive fronts, using Georgia's defensive tactics as a prime example. Mayo also breaks down the strategic evolution of the running game, comparing traditional gap schemes—like power, counter, and trap—to modern inside and outside zone blocking.

Looking ahead to the next matchup, the hosts and Mayo preview the upcoming night game against Kentucky at Neyland Stadium. Mayo highlights Kentucky's current momentum, noting their confident, mistake-free approach to the game. The episode wraps up with a nod to the seamless work of the broadcasting team and a sponsor read for American Home Design's 49th-anniversary sale.

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The Vols are coming off an open date and have four games left, and every one of them counts. On this episode of Big Orange Sunday, Coach  brings back an old saying from the 1980s locker room: “They remember what you do in November.” Win out and Tennessee is all but guaranteed a 12-team playoff spot, with a possible trip to Atlanta for what may be the last SEC Championship Game. Lose again, and it’s on to bowl season. Doug is joined by longtime coaching friend Kevin Steele to look at what this team does best: a defense that’s tied for the SEC lead in scoring defense, sure tackling, a pass rush that delivers, and a power running game built around Bishop and multiple tight ends. They also get into what still has to improve, from red-zone touchdowns to the deep passing game that George McIntyre showed at South Carolina.

Then it’s on to Saturday night’s showdown at Neyland with the first-place Kentucky Wildcats. Doug and Kevin explain how Kentucky keeps winning with clean, mistake-free football and an aggressive head coach. They cover what the Wildcats’ loss to Alabama showed, how to contain their running quarterback, and why Tennessee will need chunk plays against a defense that’s sure to stack the box. Former Vol offensive lineman and Vol Network broadcaster Bill Mayo joins to talk about the offensive line coming together, why the pre-snap penalties keep happening, how blocking schemes have changed since the I-formation days, and why a loud night crowd at Neyland could make the difference.

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 We preview the crucial upcoming football matchup between Tennessee and Kentucky. The hosts break down Kentucky's disciplined play, noting their strong top-10 scoring defense and efficient run game, while emphasizing that Tennessee's defense must force them to throw from the pocket. Former Tennessee offensive lineman Bill Mayo joins the conversation to discuss the Vols' recent offensive line improvements and strategic shifts. Mayo shares his thoughts on the team's successful transition to more downfield passing and praises the coaching staff's effective use of multi-tight end formations to keep opposing defenses off balance.

Additionally, Coach Kevin shares a story from his very first recruiting trip to visit Mayo in Dalton, Georgia, and outlines defensive strategies for containing Kentucky's rushing attack. The episode wraps up with a look ahead at the importance of minimizing undisciplined penalties and playing freely as the team controls its own destiny for the remainder of the season.

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 Kevin Steele joins the show to discuss the shifting expectations for Tennessee football, where securing a spot in the 12-team playoff has become the new standard for a successful season. The conversation dives deep into the impressive dominance of the Tennessee defense. Steele breaks down how the defensive unit has drastically reduced mental errors and chunk plays while excelling at run fits, tackling, and edge rushing.

On the offensive side of the ball, the coaches highlight the success of a solidified offensive line and a powerful running game that effectively utilizes multiple tight ends to change defensive gaps. However, they also identify key areas for growth as the young quarterback gains experience, specifically noting the need to connect on the deep ball and the importance of finishing drives with touchdowns inside the ten-yard line rather than settling for field goals. Finally, they preview the high-stakes November stretch, starting with the upcoming matchup against the Kentucky Wildcats.

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In this episode of Big Orange Sunday, host and former Tennessee defensive coordinator Doug Matthews breaks down the Volunteers' frustrating fourth-quarter loss to South Carolina. Matthews highlights how a lack of discipline and 12 accepted penalties—including infractions that negated three Tennessee touchdowns—ultimately cost the team the game. Despite dropping to a 6-2 overall record, Matthews reminds fans that the Vols still control their own destiny and remain firmly in the hunt for the SEC Championship and the College Football Playoff. Tune in as Coach Matthews discusses the necessary coaching adjustments, the importance of getting the ball to key playmakers, and looks ahead to the crucial upcoming matchup against the Kentucky Wildcats.

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The Tennessee Volunteers remain firmly in the College Football Playoff picture despite losing the fourth quarter in their recent matchup. Coaches are using the current off week to get the roster healthy and correct late-game defensive mistakes before hosting Kentucky and Vanderbilt. With true freshmen stepping up and veteran defensive players retaining eligibility under the new five-year rule, the team controls its own championship destiny in the final stretch of the SEC season.

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