London Vol
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GAME 8 – KENTUCKY 3 NOVEMBER 2024
When I watch Tennessee I am a neurotic pessimist. It only takes the first drive and I am off “the QBs not looking too good today” “why do we always seem to miss the first tackle”, “If I can see James Pearce is being rugby tackled all the way from England, how comes the zebras can’t see holding right in front of them”, “It’s gonna be today we decide to have our annual clunk game that torpedoes the season”. Well, I decided last night we are going to whoop these Wildcats, the Offense is going to explode as it threatened to do in the second half against Alabama” “so I should sit back and actually enjoy the game in peace and harmony. Well that didn’t last long as on the very first play Kentucky completed a 50 yard run, then I watched in horror as we dropped TD pass after dropped TD pass, missed field goal after missed field goal. The creative ways the Vols manage to avoid scoring in the 1st half it almost has an extra-terrestrial feel about it this season and it is starting to be up there with the Florida curse.
But the most important fact that did not materialise was the fact we DID NOT LOSE and now 7-1 for those who lived through the Dooley, Jones and Pruitt eras try to embrace that and we can move one step closer to the PlayOffs despite me finishing as my normal wreck watching Tennessee.
So, here’s this week’s grades:
QUARTERBACKS B+
It wasn’t perfect but probably it was probably the best performance this season by Nico Iamaleava. Despite throwing 292 yards and 1 TD he could have had so much more if Brazzell, Kitselman and Nimrod stopped impersonating Roberto Duran (look up his nickname, youngsters) more of this later.
I thought his throws were crisper, I really liked the development with the TEs, and particularly Miles Kitselman. I saw a few designed runs which we thought would be quite an asset of his. However, he still doesn’t seem to have that escape ability when things breakdown and I realise we have been spoilt with both Josh Dobbs and Hendon Hooker in recent years.
Overall, I thought his demeaner was more comfortable and the game is slowing down and am very hopeful that his “star will continue to rise” in the coming weeks.
RUNNING BACKS B
Dylan Sampson had a rollercoaster evening. He starting by fumbling again and being sent to the doghouse, then to breaking the Tennessee TD season record which has stood since 1929. I liked his response to the shaky start he had to the game. Another 142 yards was the backbone of the win (more of that later) as the running game allowed The Vols to control the game more and more as it progressed.
As the saying is “next man up” and that was Peyton Lewis and I really liked what I saw from him. This reassures me that life after Sampson could be as positive as life after Jaylen Wright
WIDE RECEIVERS D+
Not a good day with far too many drops again, especially with the three certain TDs. The only ones exempt of criticism was Bru McCoy (who is clearly banged up) and it was he who stopped this mark being lower with his 56 yards from 5 receptions and to certain extent Donte Thornton with 5 catches for 35 yards.I have read articles that our Wide Receiver unit is not very talented this season which I had disagreed with but I am starting to think others were right and not me.
TIGHT ENDS A
At last, I can post an A for the TEs who were led brilliantly by Miles Kitselman who had 6 catches for 97 yards, I also thought he was unlucky with the endzone drop as, as he caught the ball and he brought it down to his chest the defenders helmet made contact. Holden Staes also contributed with 3 catches for 27 yards. If this department can continue this improvement in the passing game, it will open up a great deal of green grass for which Coach Heupel can exploit and this will not only help the running game but also the long bomb as well.We have a couple of blue chip TEs in the 2025 class on the way so this might be a new avenue in Coach Heupel’s armour going forward.
OFFENSIVE LINE B-
I felt the O`Line became more dominant as the game progressed but it wasn’t a vintage performance against a “banged up” Kentucky front four. I think Tennessee are missing getting Sampson to run outside of the hash marks, but John Campbell in particular continues to be vulnerable to holding calls that stall drives so it is better to attack though the interior behind Karic (a pleasant season so far from the year two guy). Cooper Mays and Javontez Spraggins.
DEFENSIVE LINE A
What another top performance from the D`Line by almost all of the participants (it feels that this statement is cut and pasted every week). If you ignore the aforementioned 50-yard run on the first play then the front seven held Kentucky to just over 3 ypc. But what was the cherry on the cake, was more than just stopping the opponent was the Strip/Sack by Joshua Josephs. That was the moment when my nerve was starting to go, we were 3 down and still we were not finishing drives, and I thought at that moment if Kentucky were to go down the field and increase their lead to 10, we just might not come back from that, so it was a massive play by probably our biggest overachiever (bar Will Brooks) this season.
LINEBACKERS B-
I have seen more explosive days by this unit and whilst they were not bad it wasn’t as flashy as it has been. I thought the 50-yard run was more on them but it is hard to place criticism on this unit when Arion Carter had 10 tackles and Jalen Smith 9.
DEFENSIVE BACKS B+
Again, like the Linebackers it was not a bad day for the DBs and the TD against Jermod McCoy (a rare occurrence indeed) was more down to the circus catch rather than the coverage by McCoy, so no complaint there as sometimes you need to just give credit to the opponent. Rickey Gibson and Christian Harrison had good moments, but the star of this department was again Will Brooks who is in danger of having the word “folklore” attached to his name when being mentioned and his 67-yard INT was almost as important as the Joseph play mentioned earlier.
PLAY CALLING B
Overall, it was not too bad. I think they held their nerve and stuck with the Running game and that paid big dividends and it often does late in the game (look at Derrick Henrys career stats in the 1st and the 4th quarters) and I was very pleased to see the TEs really opening up the passing game which was a another positive. I do have two grips though, firstly it was clear Max Gilbert was having a mare last night so knowing this and we were on the 30 yard line, why throw a 2 yard screen pass leaving him a 40+ kick? My second point, and its happened repeatably this season, was when we have under a minute at the end of a half we seem to have no quick drill in place and go absolutely nowhere, this may punish us later this season.
GO VOLS
When I watch Tennessee I am a neurotic pessimist. It only takes the first drive and I am off “the QBs not looking too good today” “why do we always seem to miss the first tackle”, “If I can see James Pearce is being rugby tackled all the way from England, how comes the zebras can’t see holding right in front of them”, “It’s gonna be today we decide to have our annual clunk game that torpedoes the season”. Well, I decided last night we are going to whoop these Wildcats, the Offense is going to explode as it threatened to do in the second half against Alabama” “so I should sit back and actually enjoy the game in peace and harmony. Well that didn’t last long as on the very first play Kentucky completed a 50 yard run, then I watched in horror as we dropped TD pass after dropped TD pass, missed field goal after missed field goal. The creative ways the Vols manage to avoid scoring in the 1st half it almost has an extra-terrestrial feel about it this season and it is starting to be up there with the Florida curse.
But the most important fact that did not materialise was the fact we DID NOT LOSE and now 7-1 for those who lived through the Dooley, Jones and Pruitt eras try to embrace that and we can move one step closer to the PlayOffs despite me finishing as my normal wreck watching Tennessee.
So, here’s this week’s grades:
QUARTERBACKS B+
It wasn’t perfect but probably it was probably the best performance this season by Nico Iamaleava. Despite throwing 292 yards and 1 TD he could have had so much more if Brazzell, Kitselman and Nimrod stopped impersonating Roberto Duran (look up his nickname, youngsters) more of this later.
I thought his throws were crisper, I really liked the development with the TEs, and particularly Miles Kitselman. I saw a few designed runs which we thought would be quite an asset of his. However, he still doesn’t seem to have that escape ability when things breakdown and I realise we have been spoilt with both Josh Dobbs and Hendon Hooker in recent years.
Overall, I thought his demeaner was more comfortable and the game is slowing down and am very hopeful that his “star will continue to rise” in the coming weeks.
RUNNING BACKS B
Dylan Sampson had a rollercoaster evening. He starting by fumbling again and being sent to the doghouse, then to breaking the Tennessee TD season record which has stood since 1929. I liked his response to the shaky start he had to the game. Another 142 yards was the backbone of the win (more of that later) as the running game allowed The Vols to control the game more and more as it progressed.
As the saying is “next man up” and that was Peyton Lewis and I really liked what I saw from him. This reassures me that life after Sampson could be as positive as life after Jaylen Wright
WIDE RECEIVERS D+
Not a good day with far too many drops again, especially with the three certain TDs. The only ones exempt of criticism was Bru McCoy (who is clearly banged up) and it was he who stopped this mark being lower with his 56 yards from 5 receptions and to certain extent Donte Thornton with 5 catches for 35 yards.I have read articles that our Wide Receiver unit is not very talented this season which I had disagreed with but I am starting to think others were right and not me.
TIGHT ENDS A
At last, I can post an A for the TEs who were led brilliantly by Miles Kitselman who had 6 catches for 97 yards, I also thought he was unlucky with the endzone drop as, as he caught the ball and he brought it down to his chest the defenders helmet made contact. Holden Staes also contributed with 3 catches for 27 yards. If this department can continue this improvement in the passing game, it will open up a great deal of green grass for which Coach Heupel can exploit and this will not only help the running game but also the long bomb as well.We have a couple of blue chip TEs in the 2025 class on the way so this might be a new avenue in Coach Heupel’s armour going forward.
OFFENSIVE LINE B-
I felt the O`Line became more dominant as the game progressed but it wasn’t a vintage performance against a “banged up” Kentucky front four. I think Tennessee are missing getting Sampson to run outside of the hash marks, but John Campbell in particular continues to be vulnerable to holding calls that stall drives so it is better to attack though the interior behind Karic (a pleasant season so far from the year two guy). Cooper Mays and Javontez Spraggins.
DEFENSIVE LINE A
What another top performance from the D`Line by almost all of the participants (it feels that this statement is cut and pasted every week). If you ignore the aforementioned 50-yard run on the first play then the front seven held Kentucky to just over 3 ypc. But what was the cherry on the cake, was more than just stopping the opponent was the Strip/Sack by Joshua Josephs. That was the moment when my nerve was starting to go, we were 3 down and still we were not finishing drives, and I thought at that moment if Kentucky were to go down the field and increase their lead to 10, we just might not come back from that, so it was a massive play by probably our biggest overachiever (bar Will Brooks) this season.
LINEBACKERS B-
I have seen more explosive days by this unit and whilst they were not bad it wasn’t as flashy as it has been. I thought the 50-yard run was more on them but it is hard to place criticism on this unit when Arion Carter had 10 tackles and Jalen Smith 9.
DEFENSIVE BACKS B+
Again, like the Linebackers it was not a bad day for the DBs and the TD against Jermod McCoy (a rare occurrence indeed) was more down to the circus catch rather than the coverage by McCoy, so no complaint there as sometimes you need to just give credit to the opponent. Rickey Gibson and Christian Harrison had good moments, but the star of this department was again Will Brooks who is in danger of having the word “folklore” attached to his name when being mentioned and his 67-yard INT was almost as important as the Joseph play mentioned earlier.
PLAY CALLING B
Overall, it was not too bad. I think they held their nerve and stuck with the Running game and that paid big dividends and it often does late in the game (look at Derrick Henrys career stats in the 1st and the 4th quarters) and I was very pleased to see the TEs really opening up the passing game which was a another positive. I do have two grips though, firstly it was clear Max Gilbert was having a mare last night so knowing this and we were on the 30 yard line, why throw a 2 yard screen pass leaving him a 40+ kick? My second point, and its happened repeatably this season, was when we have under a minute at the end of a half we seem to have no quick drill in place and go absolutely nowhere, this may punish us later this season.
GO VOLS
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LMAO.
