Tennessee Football: How the Vols improved from their first bye week to their second bye week

Before Tennessee football’s first BYE week, they couldn’t win to save their life. They have been on a roll ever since, but how have they improved?

A lot has changed since Tennessee football had its first BYE week. The Vols’ first BYE week was September 28, and this week is Tennessee’s second and last BYE week.

Before September 28, Jeremy Pruitt was arguably coaching for his job. Tennessee started the season 1-3 with losses to Georgia State, BYU, and Florida.

Pruitt’s career record was 6-10, and it looked like Tennessee was going to win two games max. Pruitt had to figure something out too because there was a tough stretch upcoming.

Georgia, Mississippi State, Alabama, and South Carolina were the next four games, and Tennessee has struggled during that stretch over the past few years. I’m not going to lie I didn’t think we’d win any of those games during that first BYE week.

Everything has taken a complete 180 after the BYE week. Tennessee is now 5-5 and won four out of their last six games. They competed against Georgia and maybe should’ve beaten Alabama (no, I’m still not over it).

The defense has stepped up to a whole new level and is the main reason Tennessee has fought back to a .500 record.

Honestly, if Tennessee plays just about any SEC West team other than Alabama, I’d say they win that game, too. But then we get into if Tennessee should end their cross-conference rivalry with Alabama and that’s a whole other thing.

The team has played united since their first BYE week. Pruitt has won over the locker room, and regardless of the quarterback, it looks like this Tennessee team will give their all for any of them.

I don’t know what happened during that BYE week, but everything changed. The coaches stepped up, the players stepped up, and it shows with how they have all performed.

Jarrett Guarantano has since stepped up; Brian Maurer has stepped up, and J.T. Shrout has even stepped up. The offensive line has stepped up, the front seven on defense has stepped up, and Tennessee is ranked at the top in forced turnovers in the SEC.

I did not think that the defense that we saw through the first four games would be able to shut down opposing offenses like they have.

This upcoming BYE week will be much needed for the Vols as they have had a tough stretch and have earned a quick rest before they finish off the season. I mean, if I told you at that first BYE week that Pruitt and the Vols could win five SEC games this year, would you have believed me?

Heck no, you wouldn’t have, but the good thing is that you don’t have to believe me because there’s a pretty good chance it happens.

Tennessee is now one win away from gaining bowl eligibility and who would’ve thought that the Vols would have a chance to win eight games after starting the season 1-3.