TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
QUARTERBACK
Josh Dobbs led the Volunteers to a big day again, totaling 233 yards and three touchdowns. His runs and scrambles were key, and he again was effective throwing the ball on third down, earning four of Tennessee’s seven first-down conversions.
RUNNING BACKS
Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara have been as advertised. On Saturday, Hurd had 120 rushing yards and added 35 receiving yards, while Kamara turned 18 touches into 151 yards.
WIDE RECEIVERS
With this unit severely shorthanded again, Von Pearson (two touchdowns) and Josh Smith (four catches for 50 yards) stepped up. The tight ends and receivers deserve credit for their blocking, too.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Tennessee bested the previous week’s 248-yard rushing performance at Missouri with 331 against Vanderbilt, another stout run defense. The Vols didn’t give up a sack in either game.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Derek Barnett has eight sacks in his past eight games after recording two — including one for a safety — against the Commodores. Ralph Webb gashed the Vols for 115 yards in the first half, but he had just 34 after halftime.
LINEBACKERS
Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Darrin Kirkland Jr. were oddly quiet with three tackles each, though Reeves-Maybin had a sack and Kirkland broke up a third-down pass. The Vols missed too many tackles early.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Vanderbilt completed a couple of deep passes during a 276-yard first half, and the Vols missed some tackles of Webb at the second level. Todd Kelly Jr.’s interception in the first half was a game-changer.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Cameron Sutton returned a punt for a touchdown at a key moment in the game, and Aaron Medley made three field goals — including a career-long 47-yarder — to finish 11-for-12 in the past five games.
COACHING
Tennessee started quickly on offense again, and the offseason emphasis on being more physical in the running game paid off again. The defense adjusted and shut Vanderbilt down after halftime. Special teams struck yet again with a big play.