After celebrating his 70th career win in Tennessee’s thrilling 34-31 victory over Arkansas, Josh Heupel had a few choice words about how the game was called, though he delivered them with a smile.
The head coach, who reached the milestone in front of a packed Neyland Stadium, couldn’t help but express mild frustration about the officiating during what turned out to be one of the most tense SEC matchups of the season.
As reported by Knox News, Heupel made his point with a hint of sarcasm when asked about the lopsided penalty count. “When it is a 10-1 penalty differential, you are changing the way the game is played, too,” Heupel said. “Guess we have to play a lot smarter.”
The Vols were flagged 10 times for 78 yards compared to Arkansas’ lone penalty for 10 yards. The Razorbacks weren’t called for their first infraction until midway through the third quarter, a hands-to-the-face penalty that the Tennessee football team declined after a failed Arkansas fourth-down attempt.
Their first accepted penalty didn’t arrive until 15 seconds remained in the third quarter, when center Corey Robinson II was flagged for holding.
Meanwhile, Tennessee had its share of frustrating moments with the officials. The most notable came on a third-quarter fourth-and-one attempt at the Vols’ own 35-yard line, when the offense was hit with a snap infraction while trying to draw Arkansas offsides.
The penalty forced a punt instead of an aggressive conversion attempt.
Heupel kept his composure when reflecting on the incident, but made it clear he wasn’t entirely satisfied with the explanations he received. “I can’t speak to the explanation that I got,” he said. “Our fans can watch it and judge for themselves what they thought.”
Despite the officiating imbalance, Tennessee’s football team's resilience prevailed, thanks to an efficient offensive showing and strong late-game defense. The Vols improved to 5-2, and Heupel’s leadership continues to shine as the program moves forward into a crucial stretch of SEC play.
With his 70th career win behind him, Heupel’s calm but pointed comments show the fiery competitiveness that’s defined his coaching style: always composed, yet never afraid to make his point heard.
