Alex Golesh was known this time last week as Tennessee's successful second-year offensive coordinator.
Following last Saturday's 52-49 victory over Alabama inside a Neyland Stadium filled with drama and excitement, Golesh is now recognized as the offensive coordinator who helped the Volunteers hang more points on the Crimson Tide than any program in more than a century.
"Rewarding is a good word," Golesh said Tuesday in a news conference when asked to describe Tennessee's first toppling of the Tide since 2006. "There was an emotional end to it -- I got to see my wife and kids on the field right at the end of it -- and the amount of work that everybody has put in is the rewarding part. We got here January 28th a year and a half ago, and it's been a lot of work, to say the least.
"We played really hard in that game offensively. Our O-line played really hard. Our wideouts played hard -- the tight ends, the running backs, the quarterback. The rewarding part is that we went into that game expecting to win."
Tennessee put up pinball-machine numbers at Alabama's expense, with sixth-year senior quarterback Hendon Hooker throwing for 385 yards and five touchdowns, with all those scores going to Jalin Hyatt. The junior receiver set a program record for single-game touchdown receptions, and the running game complemented that aerial showing by amassing 182 yards on 39 carries.
The Vols tallied 567 total yards and averaged 8.1 yards per play.
"For us offensively, it's about finding those matchups and trying to exploit them," Golesh said. "I didn't know that Jalin would score five touchdowns in that game. I'm just so proud of who Jalin Hyatt has become.
"I'm more proud of him from the growth sense than maybe anybody else in our room, because he took the challenges he was presented a year ago, most of which were brought on by himself, and kept working."
Hyatt, who had six catches for 207 yards and the five scores, was named Tuesday as the national player of the week by the Maxwell Football Club.
Although the Hooker-to-Hyatt combination against the Crimson Tide will not be forgotten any time soon, the running game performance by the Vols should not be discounted either. Tennessee not only outgained Alabama on the ground by a 182-114 margin, the Vols were significantly superior to last season's performance in Tuscaloosa, when they had 27 carries for just 65 yards in a 52-24 loss.
"A year ago, I think if we had run the ball, that would have been a different game as well," Vols junior running back Jabari Small said Tuesday. "This year, we knew we had to learn from our mistakes and run the ball. It was a total team effort, but we have to start with the run."
Tennessee enters this weekend's Homecoming game against UT Martin ranked fifth nationally in passing offense (347.8 yards per game), second in scoring (47.7) and first in total offense (551.0).
That's right, the Vols actually enhanced their offensive totals after facing Alabama.
"I'm really proud of the way our guys started," Golesh said. "Obviously, the key when you get up like that is you've got to keep your foot on the gas. Coach Heup told us Friday that we were going to be aggressive the whole time, and he let us be aggressive the whole time."
Dawgs eyeing Vols?
Georgia coach Kirby Smart was asked after Tuesday's practice if there was any concern looking past an unranked Florida next week in Jacksonville with the Nov. 5 showdown against Tennessee next on the schedule.
"This is the Georgia-Florida matchup," Smart said. "I don't think you have to worry about that. I might understand if it was a nonconference or FCS (opponent), but that's not going to be the case on Florida."
Moore watch list
Tennessee was among 22 teams Tuesday named to the midseason honor roll for the Joe Moore Award, which is given annually to college football's top offensive line.
"It means a lot," junior right guard Javontez Spraggins said. "As a group, we set that as one of our achievements that we finish the year off with. We want to be the best O-line in the SEC and college football in general."
From my angle on the field, the only way I could tell Bama had missed the 50-yard FG late was the crowd’s reaction. A hush when it was in the air and then it got really really loud pic.twitter.com/dHxuCpaQ5M
— Stephen Hargis (@StephenHargis) October 16, 2022
The 'Zookeeper'
Spraggins has been collecting stuffed animals recently, walking around with a cuddly alligator, tiger and elephant following Tennessee's wins over Florida, LSU and Alabama.
"I'm fixing to call myself 'The Zookeeper,'" he said. "The fans will text me and say, 'Hey man, I'm here. I've got my animal for you. Ball out and come get it.'"
Snapped! What’s left of one goal post pic.twitter.com/734C5YaSfY
— Stephen Hargis (@StephenHargis) October 16, 2022
Odds and ends
Tennessee announced Tuesday that Vols fans set a new noise standard Saturday at Neyland Stadium, reaching 125.4 decibels. ... The new goal posts were installed Tuesday morning.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.
Don’t think that’ll fit in the trunk of their car pic.twitter.com/ASrVrqYuLK
— Stephen Hargis (@StephenHargis) October 16, 2022