Tennessee (4-2, 2-1 SEC) concluded its first half of the 2021 regular season schedule following a 45-20 victory against South Carolina in Week 6.
The Vols’ offensive production under first-year head coach Josh Heupel has been similar to Auburn’s in 2013.
The Tigers had a dominant rushing attack and offense in 2013 under then-first-year head coach Gus Malzahn and transfer quarterback Nick Marshall.
Current Tennessee assistants Rodney Garner (defensive line) and Kodi Burns (graduate assistant) served on Malzahn’s staff in 2013.
Ahead of Tennessee’s win against South Carolina, Heupel discussed Burns being on the Vols’ staff and his expertise he brings in game planning, bouncing ideas off of each other and experience playing quarterback and wide receiver at Auburn in the Southeastern Conference.
“I actually recruited Kodi out of high school,” Heupel said on the SEC teleconference. “I had a pretty good background of who he is and what he is about. Then watched his success as a player at multiple positions, in his coaching career as well. We actually hired him at UCF before we came up here to Tennessee.
“He’s smart, he’s competitive. He understands it from multiple perspectives, having played quarterback and wide receiver — extremely smart. He, just like all the guys in that staff room, are a big part of how we game plan and what we do each and every Saturday. He’s got a great future in this business.”
Through six games this season, Tennessee’s offense has produced 2,844 yards (1,322 passing, 1,522 rushing).
Transfer quarterback Hendon Hooker has totaled 112 passing attempts and 66 rushing attempts in 2021.
In 2013, Auburn totaled 2,845 yards (1,123 passing, 1,722 rushing) through six games, one yard more than Tennessee this season. Marshall totaled 120 passing attempts and 55 rushing attempts through the Tigers’ first six games in 2013.
Below is a breakdown of Tennessee’s offensive yard totals each game during the first part of its regular season schedule compared to Auburn’s through six contests in 2013.