A Kentucky Wildcats football writer is facing backlash from Tennessee Vols fans this week.
Nick Roush of KSR penned an article discussing Kentucky offensive lineman Gerald Mincey’s transition from the Vols’ offense to the Wildcats’ system this offseason. Mincey, who began his career at Florida and transferred to Tennessee before the 2022 season, moved to Kentucky earlier this year.
After the transfer, Mincey mentioned he has struggled to adjust to Kentucky’s offense. “Since I transferred here, I haven’t really worked on open-end, inside zone, outside zone, cutting off, or even duo, little plays like that,” Mincey said in April. “What’s giving me trouble right now is play-action pass. It’s just all different, all new to me.”
Roush suggested Tennessee’s offense under Heupel is gimmicky, citing three factors for its success:
– NASCAR Speed: The rapid pace and quick snaps tire out opponents.
– Wide Splits: Receivers line up near the sideline, isolating defenders.
– Playmaking QBs: Mobile quarterbacks can exploit space for short gains when receivers aren’t open.
“It works, but it’s created some skepticism among NFL scouts,” Roush wrote. “How much of a player’s success is based on skills used at the next level, or is he reliant on the system to create explosives? As a hater of everything that is Tennessee orange, I am happily riding the Heupel Gimmick Offense Train.”
Roush’s take has several issues. For instance, former Vols offensive lineman Darnell Wright wasn’t on the NFL draft radar before Heupel’s arrival but thrived under him, eventually being picked No. 10 overall by the Chicago Bears in the 2023 NFL Draft and starting all 17 games as a rookie.
Moreover, many elements Roush criticizes in Tennessee’s offense, such as tempo and quarterback runs, will also feature in Kentucky’s offense under new offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan. Hamdan emphasized the importance of a quarterback’s ability to run and mentioned that Kentucky would adopt a no-huddle approach about 60 percent of the time, aiming to play faster than in recent years.
Versions of Tennessee’s offense have been effective for over a decade, contradicting the “gimmick” label. Tennessee is 3-0 against Kentucky during Heupel’s tenure. If I were a Kentucky fan, I’d question why the Wildcats can’t stop this so-called “gimmick offense” instead of dismissing it.
