Published Nov 2, 2019
The Cheat Sheet
Brent Hubbs  •  VolReport
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@Brent_Hubbs

Tennessee hosts UAB on homecoming in what is the fifth straight game for the Vols. How does Tennessee get win #4? Here are four keys with our weekly Cheat Sheet.

1. Find an edge - For the last three or four weeks, Tennessee has played with an edge. Tennessee hasn’t been favored in in a month. Now, suddenly they are favored. Everyone expects a win and the talk is about bowl games which is crazy considering where things were leaving Gainesville on September 21. After losing the season opener to Georgia State, it’s hard to think this team would over look anyone at least that’s the head coach’s thought.

“We have four games left. We work really hard for the opportunity to do this,” Jeremy Pruitt said. “I don’t know why anybody would not take advantage of the opportunity. As much time and effort you put in to something that you love to do, it would be shame on us to not be ready to play on Saturday against a really good football team and a great opportunity for us to continue to improve as a football team.

2. Affect the quarterback — Tyler Johnston III has thrown for 1763 yards and 15 touchdowns. He’s also rushed for 201 yards and a score. He also only been sacked 5 times. Tennessee must make him uncomfortable. In the Blazers loss to Western Kentucky, Johnston threw 4 of his 10 interceptions and was sacked 3 times. Pruitt’s defense has been better at affecting the quarterback the last three weeks. Against South Carolina they had 3 sacks and 5 quarterback hurries. They had 3 sacks and hurries against Alabama. They had 7 sacks against Mississippi State. They had just 7 sacks the first five games. Tennessee must make Johnston uncomfortable.

3. Continue to finish — After being a poor second half team most of the year, the Vols have put together impressive second halves in their last two home games. Tennessee shutout South Carolina 24-0 in the second half and against Mississippi State they won the second half 10-7. The second half against South Carolina was the best second half of the Pruitt era. Pruitt knows his team continue to finish.

“We haven’t done anything yet,” Pruitt said. “We have to continue to work hard, learn how to sustain and do it for multiple weeks at a time. We learned how to finish one game, but we need to learn how to finish two games.”

4. Win the turnover battle —Tennessee finished even in the turnover battle last week as never team turned the ball over. In the Vols three weeks this season, the Vols are +6 in the turnover margin. UAB has forced 12 fumbles this season, but only have two interceptions. Conversely, the Blazers have 11 interceptions and four fumbles this season. In the Blazers lone loss of the season, UAB was -3 in the turnover margin. Turnovers are always important in any game. For the Vols winning it this week is important to avoid an upset.