Comment from ACC coach could help confirm suspicion about why Tennessee Vols' offensive tempo has slowed in recent seasons

Tennessee continued to utilize tempo at times in 2023 and 2024 (with Joe Milton and Nico Iamaleava, respectively, at quarterback), but the Vols also slowed things down in a way that we didn't see during Heupel's first two seasons at UT. 

That's something that Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea pointed out last season after the Commodores' 36-23 loss to Tennessee in Nashville. 

"I think they've done things this season where it seems as though they're not just trying to line it up and snap it as many times as they can," said Lea. "They're slowing down a little bit. They're a little more methodical. They're using tempo to change pace and get you on your heels."

Virginia Tech Hokies offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery, who has roots in the Art Briles/Baylor veer n shoot style of offense (which is the Vols' base offense), recently made some comments during an appearance on the Tech Sideline Podcast that helps provide some insight on why we're starting to see that style of offense switch up the way it utilizes tempo. 

"When we were at Baylor, it was, you know, call as many plays as you can call -- call it like your hair is on fire," explained Montgomery. "Our goal at that time was to try to get 100 plays in a game. If you hit 100 [plays], more times [than not] you were going to win.

"I think defenses have adjusted to that. If you're going to play fast all the time, they have systems installed now to kind of stay with you in that. I think what does cause them problems is when you're able to change that tempo throughout the game. Hey, we're normal, we're speeding up, we're slowing down. We may huddle, we may change the cadence. We may have a look with me type of deal. To be able to have all of those different variables within your offense to be able to use (is important). And there may be one game [where] you use a ton of tempo. The next game, you may only tempo two times. I think the flow of the game and the game plan of that game going into it [dictates the usage of tempo].

Montgomery obviously wasn't speaking specifically about Tennessee's offense, but his comments certainly help provide some insight on why up-tempo veer n shoot offenses across the country are changing the way they utilize tempo. 

One theory that's been popular among some Vols fans is that Tennessee has slowed its tempo in recent seasons due to quarterback play. While there may be some truth to that (we'll probably never know because Heupel is so secretive when it comes to his offense), Montgomery's comments suggest that this is a strategy that applies to all of college football due to defenses being more prepared to defend tempo than they were just a few years ago. 

Defenses always catch up. It's on Heupel and his staff to find new ways to get defenses in conflict to create advantageous matchups for the Vols' top playmakers.