Tim Banks, Tennessee football's defensive coaches put on blast after CFP hopes dashed
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On a night where nearly everything went wrong for Tennessee football, the defense struggled the most.
The Vols' defense had to deal with a lot of injuries against South Carolina on Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium, but the reasoning fell short of explaining why and how Tennessee's defense allowed 63 points to the 11th-ranked offense in the SEC.
Tennessee's College Football Playoff hopes were dashed in the 63-38 loss to South Carolina in Columbia. Most postgame social media chatter centered around a defense that allowed nine TDs in 11 total drives.
That's not good.
INSTANT ANALYSIS: Tennessee's College Football Playoff hopes buried in blowout loss to South Carolina
JOHN ADAMS: On a day of close calls for college football's elite, Tennessee Vols didn't heed the warning
REPORT CARD: Tennessee football grades vs. South Carolina: Sifting through the ashes of a brutal loss
QB INJURY UPDATE: Josh Heupel on Hendon Hooker's injury in Tennessee football vs. South Carolina
In terms of CFP hopefuls, Tennessee wasn't alone in playing a close game. TCU and Michigan needed game-winning field goals in the final seconds. Ohio State and USC needed defensive stops in the final minute to hold onto victories.
And the Vols were the ones who allowed 606 total yards and 63 points, and defensive coordinator Tim Banks got a portion of the reaction on social media postgame. Banks' Wikipedia page suffered through some edits before being restored later Saturday night, too.
South Carolina had 18 offensive TDs in conference play entering tonight.
It has 9 against Tennessee.— Bud Elliott (@BudElliott3) November 20, 2022
Can’t recall a more embarrassing defensive performance in @Vol_Football history, especially given the stakes, than tonight’s carnage. 63 points and 606 yards to a team ranked 9th in the SEC in scoring/11th in total offense? It’s been a special season for the Vols, but yikes …
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) November 20, 2022
Tennessee’s defense played about as poorly as they’ve played since the Sal Sunseri days of 2012
— Craig Kiernan (@c_kiernan4) November 20, 2022
Hedges looking like Tennessee’s defense rn pic.twitter.com/Eu4wHgCUIV
— Hunter Roberts (@JHRoberts_) November 20, 2022
At a certain point in the discussion, Tennessee losing its star QB doesn't really make up for the defense giving up 60+ points. https://t.co/suauYVoUXg
— Kevin McGuire (@KevinOnCFB) November 20, 2022
I’ve been on this roller coaster a very long time. This is summed up nicely. You can’t kill what’s already dead. Tennessee defense has been bad all year. It just finally has caught up. https://t.co/5bNsNO3SS1
— Joseph B (@AdamRealBOTB) November 20, 2022
This loss falls on Tim Banks, and Tim Banks alone
— Austin B (@Austin_Vols) November 20, 2022
I’ve been a Tim Banks apologist for his entire tenure, but this is the type of game where you need to start considering moving on
— Will Backus (@will_backus1) November 20, 2022
Willie Martinez and Tim Banks have both been employed by Butch Jones. This defensive meltdown against an inferior team isn’t a surprise when you consider that
— ً (@ClasslessVol) November 20, 2022
Tim Banks better not be the DC next year. It’s getting ridiculous.
— Big Orange Punch 🍊 (@BigOrangePunch) November 20, 2022
Im not for tweeting our coaches but I can just imagine what Tim Banks mentions look like and I’m not mad about it. Let him have it.
— M@ (@gentry_matt) November 20, 2022
And about those orange helmets....
So death to the orange helmets huh?
— Chase McCabe (@ChaseOnGame) November 20, 2022
Send those orange helmets whenever they sent Dooley’s pants.
— ZehDuck (@ZehDuck) November 20, 2022
Broke: “Put away the orange helmets”
Woke: “Put someone who can play zone coverage in orange helmets”— TheRoamingVOL™️ (@TheRoamingVOL) November 20, 2022
I know the orange helmets had nothing to do with the loss, but I don’t ever want to see them again. Just nothing but bad memories associated with them.
— Knoxvol81 (@KnoxvolTN81) November 20, 2022
Launch the orange helmets into the sun
— Kizer Harris (@KizerHarris) November 20, 2022
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football fans lament defense, Tim Banks as CFP chances erode
