Containing Gibbs/McCellan is the key for Vols

[wmcovol]

Tennessee defense has been very good controlling the RB game for both Florida and LSU. Both teams had almost zero production from their running backs against the Vol defense and that stat was key in the Vol victories. I'd rate Fla OL and RBs a solid B and LSU a C or C+ (due to injuries in LSU OL).

Saturday, the Vols take a step up in class with the Alabama run game both vs OL and RB talent. Gibbs, the GT portal transfer, & McClellan appears to be the best RB pair in the SEC at this point. I'd give Bama a B+ (Alabama OL does allow a # of TFL) in this category and better than Fla due to RB talent, Regularless of who Alabama plays at QB, I think they will lean heavily on the run game vs Tennessee.

I dont expect Tennessee to hold Alabama RB production to the levels of Fla and LSU but they must contain it. Those two cannot combine for over 150 yds (they will get alot of carries I suspect and will get some yards) and cannot break long runs. They will undoubtedly be involved in the pass game, again, regularless of who the QB is.

Gibbs did have some shoulder issues last week and could be something to watch as the game goes on. After These two RBs, Bama becomes somewhat ordinary at the position IMO.

 

[sjt18]

UT's run D and O are hard to truly evaluate. Imagine filling your car without the automatic cutoff. You can't really know how much the tank will hold until it overflows. We have no idea how close UF or LSU were to stopping UT's O. Maybe they needed just a little more. We just know that they couldn't handle what UT gave them.

Same is true of the run D. How much better will a team have to be to have success against UT's run D? Some have said that UT's run D success is a function of opponents choosing to throw. I don't think so. I think their decision to throw is a product of UT being pretty stout up front and rotating a ton of guys on the DL. I think this in part because UT has success in pressuring the passer AND has shored up the QB run issues they had last year. Also while UT's passing D YPG isn't good. UT's ypa is mid-pack in the SEC and even better if you take UF out.

I am not saying the pass D is great or doesn't need to improve a lot. I'm just offering a perspective on the point made my the OP. You can argue that UT's run D hasn't been challenged but they're 2nd in ypc in the SEC in addition to ypg. That indicates they've pretty much taken the run away from every opponent so far. An interesting sidenote to that is that UT has allowed over 100 yds rushing twice. UF and Pitt both had 141. Bama allowed 187 to Arkansas. Nationally, Arkansas is the #11 rushing O while UF is 17 and Pitt is 32. UT is 23. If the Vols can get even 150 yds or so on the ground vs the 65 last year... then that will go a long way toward a victory.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

We need our guys not to over pursue and give up big cutback lanes or Gibbs will take it to the house.