Will Howard Saw the Signs: Why Tennessee’s Shirtless Entrance Sealed Their Fate there’s an old saying in sports: “Act like you’ve been there before.” Clearly, Tennessee didn’t get the memo. Before their much-hyped showdown, the Volunteers strolled into the stadium shirtless, flexing muscles, chests gleaming with bravado under the lights like they were auditioning for a GQ spread rather than preparing for a football game. And while fans on social media fawned over the show of confidence, Will Howard saw something different — and that, folks, is when the game was over before it began.Howard, Kansas State’s quarterback turned SEC transfer and field general, is not one to buy into theatrics. He’s all grit, film study, and quiet confidence — the kind of guy who doesn’t need to show his abs to show up. As the Vols made their grand entrance, Howard was already in game mode, observing, analyzing, and, most importantly, smirking. That over-the-top entrance? It screamed distraction. It screamed insecurity masquerading as swagger. And Howard? He thrives on exposing that kind of empty hype.The moment Tennessee decided to play peacocks instead of predators, they played themselves. Howard recognized that posturing doesn’t win games — preparation does. The shirtless spectacle said, “Look at us!” but Will Howard was thinking, “Thanks for the bulletin board material.” You don’t walk into a high-stakes SEC clash with your shirts off unless you’re planning on backing it up. Spoiler: they didn’t.From the first snap, Howard was dialed in. He sliced through Tennessee’s defense like a hot knife through a team that had clearly spent more time oiling up for the entrance than practicing coverages. Every touchdown pass was a response to a flex. Every scramble for a first down was a stiff-arm to their ego. Will didn’t just outplay them — he out-thought them, and that battle was won the second he saw them strut in like it was Miami Beach during spring break.Postgame, Howard was polite but pointed. He didn’t call them out directly, but his subtle grin said everything: “Let them keep the muscles, I’ll keep the win.” Tennessee, meanwhile, left the field looking less like conquering warriors and more like a group of guys wondering why their pregame photoshoot didn’t translate to a scoreboard advantage.In hindsight, their shirtless entrance wasn’t confidence — it was overcompensation. And for a quarterback like Will Howard, who understands the psychological warfare of the sport as well as the Xs and Os, it was all he needed. While Tennessee was busy trying to win the pregame, Howard was preparing to win the game. And he did. Handily.So next time a team thinks about making a dramatic, bare-chested entrance, they might want to remember what happened here. Will Howard saw the signs — and then he turned them into six points, over and over again.
