Former Tennessee coach criticizes staff decision in South Carolina loss

A former Tennessee head coach has publicly questioned a decision by the Volunteers' current coaching staff, saying the choice proved costly in Tennessee's loss to South Carolina. The criticism, reported by A to Z Sports, included the blunt assessment that "there's really no acceptable answer" for what the staff did.

The remarks add another critical voice to the fallout from the South Carolina game, with a former leader of the program weighing in on a call made by those now in charge. The available report does not identify the coach in its headline or name the specific decision beyond describing it as a costly choice during the game.

For Tennessee, the comments keep attention on the coaching decisions behind the defeat rather than only on the result itself. As the Volunteers move forward from the loss, how the staff responds to that scrutiny will be part of the story in the weeks ahead.