London Vol
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2015
- Messages
- 928
- Likes
- 7,657
GAME 3 – KENT STATE 14 SEPTEMBER 2024
So, we have now feasted ourselves on our three starters to our meal and now we move on to the main course at our favorite restaurant. The score of only 71-0 was a surprise when you are 65-0 up at half time against a Kent State side who were ranked 134 out of, yes you’ve guessed it, 134 in the national rankings. They were simply not up to the task and a number of records were broken, some BEFORE World War One. Oh, I wish these cupcake games were played in April, after all, College football no longer hides the fact that players are on the payroll and the Universities would improve their income stream with other games during the year and the football starved fans would turn out in force for anything in the Spring.
Anyway, back to Kent State, I have decided it is pointless to grade each unit as normal as it would just be a vanity project with a bunch of A+ but highlight the depth players who will form the backbone of the 2025 team. Last night was all about not getting injuries (Nico I was watching you with my hands over my face and peeping through tiny gaps as you continued to take unnecessary tackles) and getting reps for the back-ups.
QUARTERBACKS
I have often felt that Jake Merklinger should be the 1st name called after Nico, but I was wrong, Gaston Moore vastly outplayed him and secured the 2nd up role for rest of the season as he surprised me with not only his composure under center but his deep ball. It was a good chance once Nico erected his deckchair, to compare the two.
RUNNING BACKS
DeSean Bishop has been a very pleasant surprise as he has become the main backup due to firstly injuries and then inexperience of his other colleagues, but he again showed that this was well earned. 120 yards on 7 carries was classy, especially his jinking in the backfield. He doesn’t seem to be much of a drop-off of talent from either Dylan Sampson, Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small. We also had our first proper glimpse of true freshman Peyton Lewis (10 carries and 99 yards) and he was far better that Khalifa Keith and proves why Josh Heupel did not venture into the Portal after spring, as we have a three headed running monster already.
WIDE RECEIVERS
The main four WRs seem to have established themselves with Chris Brazzell the only one expected to be back next season, so I was interested in watching Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley who are both freshmen who were highly ranked in the 2024 class and both also showed up well in spring practice. It was Mike Matthews who really shone here, the YAC on a simple out route from his first catch showed his elusiveness, but the TD catch was a thing of beauty as he twisted in mid-air to snare a slightly inaccurate throw makes me wonder whether he should be in the starting four this season.
TIGHT ENDS
This Unit is already a established with all contributing in different ways this season already. Both Ethan Davis and Holden Staes are only able to come back next year so there was nothing new we could learn from yesterday.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The 2024 group are senior laden which means a) they should be really experienced this year but also b) the 2025 group will be inexperienced. Now we have some blue chip arrivals after this season but we all know that in the SEC any O`Line freshman will find it hard to shine, so I wanted to see if any of the existing depth O`Liners could show promise last night for next season. But as Lance Heard was a non-starter nobody really stood out for me at first viewing (I often need to watch the game again to observe this unit) but 456 yards on the ground sounds that they may have been some hidden jewels out there.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Like the O`Line the D`Line has a whole stack of players leaving after this season so it is interesting to see how Daevin Hobbs and Jason Moi are doing, and the answer was OK. But more interestingly for me was seeing how the most underrated Vol this season Joshua Joseph and the outrageously talented Jackson Ross was going to do last night and I was overall slightly disappointed that Kent State moved the ball as well as they did. People will point out 54 yards from 32 carries is pretty good for the Defensive Line but if the remove the five botched snaps resulting in 63 lost yards and a safety, the Golden Flashes ran for over 4 ypc.
LINEBACKERS
In 2025 Tennessee will be relying on Arion Carter, Jeremiah Telander Edwin Spillman and Jalen Smith and we already know what these guys are bringing to the table so this unit, like the Tight Ends is a known commodity already. Is there any chance of getting a 15th year for Keenan Pili?
DEFENSIVE BACKS
We are already quite inexperienced but talented at DB, so this season is a chance to bank 1st team reps for the likes of Jacobe Thomas, Ricky Gibson, Jordan Matthews as well as Jermod McCoy (did you see he defended a slant pass, something as rare as a Joe Biden coherent sentence) Boo and Edrees Farooq also flashed potential. The last name again stood out as he did last week against much stronger opposition and is one of those hidden gems. At this point it does finally seem that the DBs are not a liability to the team that they have been now for a few years.
Waiter, please bring me the main course of my gastronomic delight I’m hungry !!
GO VOLS
So, we have now feasted ourselves on our three starters to our meal and now we move on to the main course at our favorite restaurant. The score of only 71-0 was a surprise when you are 65-0 up at half time against a Kent State side who were ranked 134 out of, yes you’ve guessed it, 134 in the national rankings. They were simply not up to the task and a number of records were broken, some BEFORE World War One. Oh, I wish these cupcake games were played in April, after all, College football no longer hides the fact that players are on the payroll and the Universities would improve their income stream with other games during the year and the football starved fans would turn out in force for anything in the Spring.
Anyway, back to Kent State, I have decided it is pointless to grade each unit as normal as it would just be a vanity project with a bunch of A+ but highlight the depth players who will form the backbone of the 2025 team. Last night was all about not getting injuries (Nico I was watching you with my hands over my face and peeping through tiny gaps as you continued to take unnecessary tackles) and getting reps for the back-ups.
QUARTERBACKS
I have often felt that Jake Merklinger should be the 1st name called after Nico, but I was wrong, Gaston Moore vastly outplayed him and secured the 2nd up role for rest of the season as he surprised me with not only his composure under center but his deep ball. It was a good chance once Nico erected his deckchair, to compare the two.
RUNNING BACKS
DeSean Bishop has been a very pleasant surprise as he has become the main backup due to firstly injuries and then inexperience of his other colleagues, but he again showed that this was well earned. 120 yards on 7 carries was classy, especially his jinking in the backfield. He doesn’t seem to be much of a drop-off of talent from either Dylan Sampson, Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small. We also had our first proper glimpse of true freshman Peyton Lewis (10 carries and 99 yards) and he was far better that Khalifa Keith and proves why Josh Heupel did not venture into the Portal after spring, as we have a three headed running monster already.
WIDE RECEIVERS
The main four WRs seem to have established themselves with Chris Brazzell the only one expected to be back next season, so I was interested in watching Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley who are both freshmen who were highly ranked in the 2024 class and both also showed up well in spring practice. It was Mike Matthews who really shone here, the YAC on a simple out route from his first catch showed his elusiveness, but the TD catch was a thing of beauty as he twisted in mid-air to snare a slightly inaccurate throw makes me wonder whether he should be in the starting four this season.
TIGHT ENDS
This Unit is already a established with all contributing in different ways this season already. Both Ethan Davis and Holden Staes are only able to come back next year so there was nothing new we could learn from yesterday.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The 2024 group are senior laden which means a) they should be really experienced this year but also b) the 2025 group will be inexperienced. Now we have some blue chip arrivals after this season but we all know that in the SEC any O`Line freshman will find it hard to shine, so I wanted to see if any of the existing depth O`Liners could show promise last night for next season. But as Lance Heard was a non-starter nobody really stood out for me at first viewing (I often need to watch the game again to observe this unit) but 456 yards on the ground sounds that they may have been some hidden jewels out there.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Like the O`Line the D`Line has a whole stack of players leaving after this season so it is interesting to see how Daevin Hobbs and Jason Moi are doing, and the answer was OK. But more interestingly for me was seeing how the most underrated Vol this season Joshua Joseph and the outrageously talented Jackson Ross was going to do last night and I was overall slightly disappointed that Kent State moved the ball as well as they did. People will point out 54 yards from 32 carries is pretty good for the Defensive Line but if the remove the five botched snaps resulting in 63 lost yards and a safety, the Golden Flashes ran for over 4 ypc.
LINEBACKERS
In 2025 Tennessee will be relying on Arion Carter, Jeremiah Telander Edwin Spillman and Jalen Smith and we already know what these guys are bringing to the table so this unit, like the Tight Ends is a known commodity already. Is there any chance of getting a 15th year for Keenan Pili?
DEFENSIVE BACKS
We are already quite inexperienced but talented at DB, so this season is a chance to bank 1st team reps for the likes of Jacobe Thomas, Ricky Gibson, Jordan Matthews as well as Jermod McCoy (did you see he defended a slant pass, something as rare as a Joe Biden coherent sentence) Boo and Edrees Farooq also flashed potential. The last name again stood out as he did last week against much stronger opposition and is one of those hidden gems. At this point it does finally seem that the DBs are not a liability to the team that they have been now for a few years.
Waiter, please bring me the main course of my gastronomic delight I’m hungry !!
GO VOLS
Last edited:
