London Vol
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GAME 9 – MISSISSIPPI STATE 9 NOVEMBER 2024
When a clock completes one hour the clock hand goes right round to the 12 again. Well, when it reaches the 9 you realise that it has almost completed its cycle. Tennessee`s 12 game season in 2024 has already reached the 9 which means there are only a few games left before the all too long close season. Please please somebody have the sense to play a couple of games in the spring, college players are professionals in all but name and not really there for studies and if nothing else it would raise a pile of cash for NIL. So as I lament the speed of the season, I can also wallow in the joy this season has bought including last night’s win of Mississippi State.
There is no division like the SEC in College Football where it doesn’t matter if you are top or bottom team, each game is a full-on battle. This is been no better demonstrated than by the last two weeks when Tennessee played two struggling teams and, boy both did not roll over. In the SEC you don’t get games like Rutgers v Northwestern or Purdue v Indiana (the normal Indiana not this season’s version) and don’t start me off on the BIG12 or the ACC. So, even if you think The Vols are a flawed lot this season do not underestimate their achievement or take for granted an 8-1 record.
Before I move on to this week’s grades I must comment on Nico Iamaleava. When I heard Gaston Moore was starting the 2nd half and Nico was still in the dressing room, I immediately thought ‘concussion’ from the broken play just before half time. Now lets get things in perspective, Nicos health is far more important than a trip to Athens and if it is concussion, please do return to the game until you are fully healed, remember you need your brain for a long time after football. But on the basis, it is short term absence Tennessee are very lucky as it was clear that Tennessee’s season will be infinitely worse without him than with him.
So, here’s this week’s grades:
QUARTERBACKS B
When Nico Iamaleava was in the game he threw for 174 yards and 2 TDs and particularly pleasing was that two of those went for 34 and 73 yards and TDs, but it was not a flawless performance in all honesty and he still has growth before he reaches the hoped for exalted level. I did feel that The Vols were going to pull away from Mississippi State whilst Nico was under Center and then…..
I must put my hand up at this stage to say I don’t have great faith in Gaston Moore but actually he was OK and at times it felt the play calling was more adventurous than under Iamaleava. But let’s be realistic 38 yards in a half is not going to get it done when its time for “big boy football” later this season.
RUNNING BACKS A-
Dylan Sampson might have trouble getting out of bed this morning after being asked to carry “the rock” 30 times and all this whilst being banged up. And to his credit he improved in the second half where there were a few moments when MISS ST looked as if they believed they could get back in the game. However, a third fumble in three games by Sampson stops this being a better grade. Even though 44 yards at 3.2 ypc implies that Peyton Lewis struggled, I thought he again looked impressive and even Cameron Seldon had some of his best carries in an Orange and White uniform
WIDE RECEIVERS A-
No drops from this unit this week and both TDs were not gimmes. Squirrel White laid out for the first one and Donte Thornton adjusted brilliantly to a slightly underthrown bomb and converted it into 6 points. He averaged 34 yards per catch which actually increases his already country leading ypc average.
TIGHT ENDS B
It seems I always start by mentioning Miles Kitselman and today is no exception. He had at least two big blocks that sprung chunk yards and I loved the way he set down in space to make a 3rd down conversation relatively easy. It was shades of another No 87 Travis Kelse. It was also interesting to see, that if Moore is going to be called on to play more (pardon the pun) then the shorter game will be more utilised and Ethan Davis will probably be the prime beneficiary as was shown last night with his 11 yard catch.
OFFENSIVE LINE B-
When you rush for 240 yards, incur only a couple of penalties and give up 1 SACK and 1 TFL you presume it was a very good night for the big uglies, but I just didn’t think they were that dominant. At least there were no big injuries and the two Tackles seem to be playing better than a few weeks ago.
DEFENSIVE LINE C+
Both trenches were not in control and that is even more surprising that the D`Line did not dominate especially down the middle and this resulted in a rather shocking 179 rushing yards conceded. There were actual signs of this last week against Kentucky so I will watch I bit more closely to see if this is a trend. But the mark is improved directly due to Jayson Jenkins who produced a strip/sack just as MISS ST were threatening to make a real game of it. It was quite reminiscent of last week and Joshua Josephs.
LINEBACKERS D
At first I was pleased with Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander who both made some slash plays but then they were repeatably missing in action with runs straight up the middle where the lanes where more open than the Mexican Border. The importance of Keenan Pili`s injury is more than I realised at the time.
DEFENSIVE BACKS A
This Unit is becoming one of the strongest on the team and that is amazing after all the years of being its biggest liability and only 87 passing yards against a fairly successful throwing team is very impressive. Jermod McCoy often get the plaudits, but I thought Ricky Gibson was really impressive and if he continues this level of improvement a 1st round Draft pick awaits him. The good news did not finish there as Boo Carter was all over the Box Score with big open field tackle a TFL and an INT. And to think we have at least two more years Booing
PLAY CALLING B-
It did start too vanilla for me and to run 4 times from 1st and goal was too predictable (where was a bootleg from Nico?) But that policy paid off later on as we had to rely on shortening the game and lean on the running game to close it out. But the smartest call was for a chip shot field goal from 24 yards to get help Max Gilbert going and his confidence visibly increased as each kick split the uprights even from a career high (OK short career) of 51 yards. There is every chance a game may depend on a pressure kick so this was really smart.
BOB KESLING A+
Please give me this grade everyone and I will explain why. When I “found” The Vols in 2009, for the next 6 years I had no access to the game until about 48 hours later when it was downloaded on You Tube and there was no way I could wait that long, so I would tune in to the Vol Network, listen to the pregame show and the actual game called by Bob Kesling and a co presenter called, I think it was Tim Priest (who always used to say that a Tennessee defender “whiffed” on that tackle”). Whilst I was listening, I would have the ESPN Game cast on the computer but it was Bob who brought the game to me. So, for me, Bob can do no wrong as my spirit lifts every time I hear his dulcet tones. Happy retirement Bob you get an A+ from me.
GO VOLS
When a clock completes one hour the clock hand goes right round to the 12 again. Well, when it reaches the 9 you realise that it has almost completed its cycle. Tennessee`s 12 game season in 2024 has already reached the 9 which means there are only a few games left before the all too long close season. Please please somebody have the sense to play a couple of games in the spring, college players are professionals in all but name and not really there for studies and if nothing else it would raise a pile of cash for NIL. So as I lament the speed of the season, I can also wallow in the joy this season has bought including last night’s win of Mississippi State.
There is no division like the SEC in College Football where it doesn’t matter if you are top or bottom team, each game is a full-on battle. This is been no better demonstrated than by the last two weeks when Tennessee played two struggling teams and, boy both did not roll over. In the SEC you don’t get games like Rutgers v Northwestern or Purdue v Indiana (the normal Indiana not this season’s version) and don’t start me off on the BIG12 or the ACC. So, even if you think The Vols are a flawed lot this season do not underestimate their achievement or take for granted an 8-1 record.
Before I move on to this week’s grades I must comment on Nico Iamaleava. When I heard Gaston Moore was starting the 2nd half and Nico was still in the dressing room, I immediately thought ‘concussion’ from the broken play just before half time. Now lets get things in perspective, Nicos health is far more important than a trip to Athens and if it is concussion, please do return to the game until you are fully healed, remember you need your brain for a long time after football. But on the basis, it is short term absence Tennessee are very lucky as it was clear that Tennessee’s season will be infinitely worse without him than with him.
So, here’s this week’s grades:
QUARTERBACKS B
When Nico Iamaleava was in the game he threw for 174 yards and 2 TDs and particularly pleasing was that two of those went for 34 and 73 yards and TDs, but it was not a flawless performance in all honesty and he still has growth before he reaches the hoped for exalted level. I did feel that The Vols were going to pull away from Mississippi State whilst Nico was under Center and then…..
I must put my hand up at this stage to say I don’t have great faith in Gaston Moore but actually he was OK and at times it felt the play calling was more adventurous than under Iamaleava. But let’s be realistic 38 yards in a half is not going to get it done when its time for “big boy football” later this season.
RUNNING BACKS A-
Dylan Sampson might have trouble getting out of bed this morning after being asked to carry “the rock” 30 times and all this whilst being banged up. And to his credit he improved in the second half where there were a few moments when MISS ST looked as if they believed they could get back in the game. However, a third fumble in three games by Sampson stops this being a better grade. Even though 44 yards at 3.2 ypc implies that Peyton Lewis struggled, I thought he again looked impressive and even Cameron Seldon had some of his best carries in an Orange and White uniform
WIDE RECEIVERS A-
No drops from this unit this week and both TDs were not gimmes. Squirrel White laid out for the first one and Donte Thornton adjusted brilliantly to a slightly underthrown bomb and converted it into 6 points. He averaged 34 yards per catch which actually increases his already country leading ypc average.
TIGHT ENDS B
It seems I always start by mentioning Miles Kitselman and today is no exception. He had at least two big blocks that sprung chunk yards and I loved the way he set down in space to make a 3rd down conversation relatively easy. It was shades of another No 87 Travis Kelse. It was also interesting to see, that if Moore is going to be called on to play more (pardon the pun) then the shorter game will be more utilised and Ethan Davis will probably be the prime beneficiary as was shown last night with his 11 yard catch.
OFFENSIVE LINE B-
When you rush for 240 yards, incur only a couple of penalties and give up 1 SACK and 1 TFL you presume it was a very good night for the big uglies, but I just didn’t think they were that dominant. At least there were no big injuries and the two Tackles seem to be playing better than a few weeks ago.
DEFENSIVE LINE C+
Both trenches were not in control and that is even more surprising that the D`Line did not dominate especially down the middle and this resulted in a rather shocking 179 rushing yards conceded. There were actual signs of this last week against Kentucky so I will watch I bit more closely to see if this is a trend. But the mark is improved directly due to Jayson Jenkins who produced a strip/sack just as MISS ST were threatening to make a real game of it. It was quite reminiscent of last week and Joshua Josephs.
LINEBACKERS D
At first I was pleased with Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander who both made some slash plays but then they were repeatably missing in action with runs straight up the middle where the lanes where more open than the Mexican Border. The importance of Keenan Pili`s injury is more than I realised at the time.
DEFENSIVE BACKS A
This Unit is becoming one of the strongest on the team and that is amazing after all the years of being its biggest liability and only 87 passing yards against a fairly successful throwing team is very impressive. Jermod McCoy often get the plaudits, but I thought Ricky Gibson was really impressive and if he continues this level of improvement a 1st round Draft pick awaits him. The good news did not finish there as Boo Carter was all over the Box Score with big open field tackle a TFL and an INT. And to think we have at least two more years Booing
PLAY CALLING B-
It did start too vanilla for me and to run 4 times from 1st and goal was too predictable (where was a bootleg from Nico?) But that policy paid off later on as we had to rely on shortening the game and lean on the running game to close it out. But the smartest call was for a chip shot field goal from 24 yards to get help Max Gilbert going and his confidence visibly increased as each kick split the uprights even from a career high (OK short career) of 51 yards. There is every chance a game may depend on a pressure kick so this was really smart.
BOB KESLING A+
Please give me this grade everyone and I will explain why. When I “found” The Vols in 2009, for the next 6 years I had no access to the game until about 48 hours later when it was downloaded on You Tube and there was no way I could wait that long, so I would tune in to the Vol Network, listen to the pregame show and the actual game called by Bob Kesling and a co presenter called, I think it was Tim Priest (who always used to say that a Tennessee defender “whiffed” on that tackle”). Whilst I was listening, I would have the ESPN Game cast on the computer but it was Bob who brought the game to me. So, for me, Bob can do no wrong as my spirit lifts every time I hear his dulcet tones. Happy retirement Bob you get an A+ from me.
GO VOLS
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