London Vol
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GAME 13 – IOWA 1 JANUARY 2024
During the summer, sometimes when you wake up, the curtains are slightly ajar and bright sunlight shines through. Now it doesn’t mean the day is definitely going to be a cracking day but your heart lifts in the hope that it could be, so that’s how I can best sum up how I felt after watching the Vols dismantle a 10 win team last night, a team in fact that was actually ranked above us, and also by a score of 35-0. Don’t forget this was more of the 2024 version of Tennessee on display than the 2023 version with Nico Iamaleava Dylan Sampson, Cameron Seldon and Rickey Gibson laying down markers that they can all be big contributor’s next season.
So, with a big smile on my face, here are my grades:
QUARTERBACKS A-
We all knew where all the eyes would be focused and I must say I was concerned before the game that if Nico flopped Volnation would have eight months of panic. Don’t worry he was as good as promised and there was also evidence that he can be even better. The stat line was not eye watering and whilst three running touchdowns against a Defense that has only given up 4 all season was a pleasant surprise, there were two points I wish to highlight. He gave the impression of being in command of the game and the second he seemed to get the plays in much quicker than Milton which will allow the plays to speed up to the 2022 warped version with all the benefits that this reaps. In short, we can all relax as we are in very good hands for the next two seasons
RUNNING BACKS A
Iowa have a top 5 Defense which had given up only 105 yards rushing per game this season so for Tennessee to post 232 was mighty impressive, First the good news, Dylan Sampson was great, recording 133 yards on 20 carries at 6.6 yards per pop and Cameron Seldon showed he will be fine as the backup with 55 yards at 4.2 yards per carry. But there was a reason why this unit did not get an A+ from me and that was the blocking assignments. Sampson was particular poor and if he replicates that next season two things will happen, 1) he will be benched (maybe that was the reason why he did not feature so much this season) and Nico will get injured and that changes everything. So practice blocking for the next 8 months Dylan.
WIDE RECEIVERS C
Maybe the Joe Milton doubters may have to start to reassess his performance in 2023 as Nico experienced the same dropsy world of our Receivers with only Squirrel White exempt of any criticism. Ramel Keyton produced one of his classic games from snaring a sideline circus catch, tiptoeing a first down to an easy drop then failing to run though a beautiful bomb from Iamaleava. The good news is that the cavalry is coming and the WRs will be very different next season.
TIGHT ENDS B
As always, the blocking is an important requisite of the Tight Ends so its easy to not see what they bring to the table, but McCallen Castles converted a screen pass for a touchdown, I am beginning to believe we didn’t fully utilize this man on his all too short time in Knoxville. Given Sampson's blocking you can see why Coach Heupel targeted Holden Staes in the Transfer Portal as his primary skill is his blocking.
OFFENSIVE LINE A-
Considering the level of opponent and with a makeshift lineup that will be much stronger next season, the O`Line did very well. When the Running Backs pass 200 yards it is no small amount down to these guys creating lanes and the six sacks were more down to the Sampson blocking or lack of to be precise (sorry to mention it again) and Nico still learning when he should “throw it away and live for another day” mentality. We do need to hear the Spraggs is returning.
DEFENSIVE LINE A+
I know that Iowa is hardly a remake of the “greatest show on turf” but boy did the D`Line run the show only allowing a total of 155 total yards of which 51 of those came in garbage time. James Pearce just continues to add to his already bulging resume and, in my opinion, the strip sack on the Iowa 2-yard line and a 52-yard pick six, he was the Player of the Match. Another who deserves a mention in despatches is Tyre West who snagged 1 ½ sacks, he looks like he could be Tyler Barons replacement come next September.
LINEBACKERS D
Not a good day for the Linebackers. Aaron Beasley seemed to have gone missing towards the end of the season and whilst Elijah Herring gives his all including 1 Sack and 2 TFL’s, he again looked lost using the wrong lanes on a few occasions. Surely, he looks perfect for a Rodney Garner conversion to SDE in the future. Not to panic too much though as I think Keenan Pili and Arien Carter are penciled in as the starters going forward.
DEFENSIVE BACKS A+
At last I can praise our last line of Defense. Its not always easy on TV to see how good the coverage is but when the opponent only passes for 60 yards then it must have been excellent. Andre Turrentine was a big surprise and his INT changed the game as it stopped Iowa getting a lead which followed by controlling the clock was their only game plan. Using a more aggressive scheme, Gabe Jeudy Lally and Ricky Gibson are both serviceable next season.
That’s the last match report for the 2023 season (I will write when the news warrants it), please Tennessee, have some warm up games in the Spring in the future as the close season is sooooo long. Thank you for all the likes and kind words that came my way during the season, it makes the effort so worthwhile.
Remember “the futures bright the futures orange.”
GO VOLS
During the summer, sometimes when you wake up, the curtains are slightly ajar and bright sunlight shines through. Now it doesn’t mean the day is definitely going to be a cracking day but your heart lifts in the hope that it could be, so that’s how I can best sum up how I felt after watching the Vols dismantle a 10 win team last night, a team in fact that was actually ranked above us, and also by a score of 35-0. Don’t forget this was more of the 2024 version of Tennessee on display than the 2023 version with Nico Iamaleava Dylan Sampson, Cameron Seldon and Rickey Gibson laying down markers that they can all be big contributor’s next season.
So, with a big smile on my face, here are my grades:
QUARTERBACKS A-
We all knew where all the eyes would be focused and I must say I was concerned before the game that if Nico flopped Volnation would have eight months of panic. Don’t worry he was as good as promised and there was also evidence that he can be even better. The stat line was not eye watering and whilst three running touchdowns against a Defense that has only given up 4 all season was a pleasant surprise, there were two points I wish to highlight. He gave the impression of being in command of the game and the second he seemed to get the plays in much quicker than Milton which will allow the plays to speed up to the 2022 warped version with all the benefits that this reaps. In short, we can all relax as we are in very good hands for the next two seasons
RUNNING BACKS A
Iowa have a top 5 Defense which had given up only 105 yards rushing per game this season so for Tennessee to post 232 was mighty impressive, First the good news, Dylan Sampson was great, recording 133 yards on 20 carries at 6.6 yards per pop and Cameron Seldon showed he will be fine as the backup with 55 yards at 4.2 yards per carry. But there was a reason why this unit did not get an A+ from me and that was the blocking assignments. Sampson was particular poor and if he replicates that next season two things will happen, 1) he will be benched (maybe that was the reason why he did not feature so much this season) and Nico will get injured and that changes everything. So practice blocking for the next 8 months Dylan.
WIDE RECEIVERS C
Maybe the Joe Milton doubters may have to start to reassess his performance in 2023 as Nico experienced the same dropsy world of our Receivers with only Squirrel White exempt of any criticism. Ramel Keyton produced one of his classic games from snaring a sideline circus catch, tiptoeing a first down to an easy drop then failing to run though a beautiful bomb from Iamaleava. The good news is that the cavalry is coming and the WRs will be very different next season.
TIGHT ENDS B
As always, the blocking is an important requisite of the Tight Ends so its easy to not see what they bring to the table, but McCallen Castles converted a screen pass for a touchdown, I am beginning to believe we didn’t fully utilize this man on his all too short time in Knoxville. Given Sampson's blocking you can see why Coach Heupel targeted Holden Staes in the Transfer Portal as his primary skill is his blocking.
OFFENSIVE LINE A-
Considering the level of opponent and with a makeshift lineup that will be much stronger next season, the O`Line did very well. When the Running Backs pass 200 yards it is no small amount down to these guys creating lanes and the six sacks were more down to the Sampson blocking or lack of to be precise (sorry to mention it again) and Nico still learning when he should “throw it away and live for another day” mentality. We do need to hear the Spraggs is returning.
DEFENSIVE LINE A+
I know that Iowa is hardly a remake of the “greatest show on turf” but boy did the D`Line run the show only allowing a total of 155 total yards of which 51 of those came in garbage time. James Pearce just continues to add to his already bulging resume and, in my opinion, the strip sack on the Iowa 2-yard line and a 52-yard pick six, he was the Player of the Match. Another who deserves a mention in despatches is Tyre West who snagged 1 ½ sacks, he looks like he could be Tyler Barons replacement come next September.
LINEBACKERS D
Not a good day for the Linebackers. Aaron Beasley seemed to have gone missing towards the end of the season and whilst Elijah Herring gives his all including 1 Sack and 2 TFL’s, he again looked lost using the wrong lanes on a few occasions. Surely, he looks perfect for a Rodney Garner conversion to SDE in the future. Not to panic too much though as I think Keenan Pili and Arien Carter are penciled in as the starters going forward.
DEFENSIVE BACKS A+
At last I can praise our last line of Defense. Its not always easy on TV to see how good the coverage is but when the opponent only passes for 60 yards then it must have been excellent. Andre Turrentine was a big surprise and his INT changed the game as it stopped Iowa getting a lead which followed by controlling the clock was their only game plan. Using a more aggressive scheme, Gabe Jeudy Lally and Ricky Gibson are both serviceable next season.
That’s the last match report for the 2023 season (I will write when the news warrants it), please Tennessee, have some warm up games in the Spring in the future as the close season is sooooo long. Thank you for all the likes and kind words that came my way during the season, it makes the effort so worthwhile.
Remember “the futures bright the futures orange.”
GO VOLS
