Fant becomes a rushing, passing, catching machine
KNOXVILLE — It’s never too late to enter Princeton Fant in the Paul Hornung Award conversation as college football’s most versatile player.
Tennessee’s sixth-year senior tight end had touchdown rushes of 1 and 11 yards during Saturday afternoon’s 65-24 demolition of UT Martin inside Neyland Stadium, bouncing the 11-yard score outside. Fant had one catch for 17 yards, and his most memorable play was a 66-yard scoring pass late in the first half to Jalin Hyatt.
“It’s just a skill set he’s uniquely had,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said, “and it’s something that we worked on during the offseason. It’s year two, and we’re obviously more comfortable with our personnel.
“He obviously did a really nice job today.”
The No. 3 Volunteers were already cruising with a 45-7 lead and had just taken starting quarterback Hendon Hooker out of the mismatch when backup quarterback Joe Milton threw a pass behind the line to Fant. With the Skyhawks trying to track down Fant, he pulled up and found Hyatt alone past their secondary.
Hyatt actually bobbled Fant’s lengthy throw before scoring.
“It’s something we had been practicing and something we had been talking about,” Fant said. “We were definitely talking about it this week. I wasn’t nervous. I joke around and throw the ball all the time in practice, and I throw it far. (Quarterbacks) coach (Joey) Halzle said, ‘Man, you’ve got an arm,’ so whenever my number was going to be called, I was going to be ready for it.
“I was able to watch Jalin catch it, and I was so happy he caught it. I’m proud of him.”
Fant, a 6-foot-2, 245-pounder from Nashville, began his Tennessee career as a running back, carrying three times for 7 yards as a redshirt freshman in 2018.
He collected his first collegiate rushing score from 2 yards out in last week’s 52-49 upset of Alabama.
As far as throwing the ball, Fant said he has stood at midfield in practice and hit a goal post.
“I’ll do whatever I can do to help the team win — whether that’s throwing the ball, running the ball, catching the ball, being on the punt team or going out and hitting somebody in the face,” Fant said. “Whatever it is, I want to help us win.”
Wright’s interception
Technically, it was still a game.
With a little less than four minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Vols were up 14-7 and the Skyhawks had driven to the Tennessee 31. On thirdand-12, redshirt sophomore walk-on cornerback William Wright intercepted Dresser Winn at the 18 and had a 5-yard return out to the 23.
“I got a lucky call, because it was more of a vision coverage for me,” Wright said, “so I was able to keep my eyes on the quarterback and saw the throw. I was able to jump it.”
Wright was mobbed by teammates as he reached the sideline, calling it “a special moment for me.”
“It’s awesome for him that he’s paid the price,” Heupel said. “He went through adversity getting injured (in August) and has come back. He invested the right way while he was injured and has competed the right way. He got his opportunity, and he did a lot of really good things today.
“Obvviously that pick early in the game was a momentum turner.”
Dee strikes again
Tennessee junior cornerback and junior-college transfer Dee Williams made quite the introduction to big-time college football with his 58-yard punt return earlier this month at LSU, and he added a 33-yarder Saturday.
“Dee has done a really good job of tracking the football and catching the football and being a really good decision maker back there,” Heupel said. “He’s been electric when the ball is in his hands, and he’s got a natural feel for space and for leverage and for how to set up blocks.
“The other guys on that unit have stepped up their game, too.”
Against the run
The Vols entered Saturday ranked 10th nationally in run defense, allowing 93.3 yards per game, and could move up in that category after holding the Skyhawks to 29 rushes for 76 yards.
“That’s always a point of emphasis for us,” sixth-year senior inside linebacker Solon Page said. “When teams can run down your throat, it’s hard to win, so it’s always a point of emphasis. We always go over their top running plays and stuff to look for throughout the week.”
Odds and ends
Tennessee has scored 351 points through seven games, already topping the season totals from the final Butch Jones team in 2017 and all three of Jeremy Pruitt’s teams from 2018-20. … Fifth-year senior punter Paxton Brooks struggled Saturday, averaging 28.0 yards on two attempts. … Junior safety Doneiko Slaughter was flagged for targeting at the 9:58 mark of the third quarter, but replays showed Slaughter leading with his shoulder, so the call was overturned. … Tennessee’s inactive players Saturday were receiver Cedric Tillman, safety Jaylen McCollough, left tackle Gerald Mincey, cornerbacks Kamal Hadden and Christian Charles, and linebackers Juwan Mitchell and Kwauze Garland. … The Vols have played before four home sellouts in a season for the first time since 2007.