The Day After

Costly penalties, injuries and a key turnover ended any hope the Vols had of pulling off an upset of the #1 team in the country. We review the Vols 35-13 loss to Alabama with The Day After.

HOT

Jeremy Pruitt — The head coach was livid. Livid with officiating and livid with quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, who either changed the play or improvised on his own on the fourth down fumble, to the point he tugged on the redshirt juniors facemask as he came off the field following his fumble into the end zone that Alabama recovered for a score.

Darrel Middleton — The junior college defensive lineman is starting to find his way in the SEC. Middleton who play well against Mississippi State recording a sack. He had 4 tackles including one for loss at Alabama. Middleton wrecked Alabama’s first series of the second half. Middleton is still raw, but you can’t coach the size he has. The Vols defensive front is improving. Greg Emerson is making plays and Middleton is starting to become much more of a force.

Jauan Jennings — Another routine night at the office as Jennings had 6 catches for 66 yards. Jennings is clearly the playmaker of the Vols offense and is having a terrific senior campaign. Jennings for the year now has 478 yards receiving on 35 catches.

NOT

Discipline — In a game where you have to be extremely clean to knockoff the top ranked team in the country, Tennessee wasn’t committing a season high 13 penalties for 93 yards. A third quarter holding penalty cost the Vols a score and a roughing the passer penalty extended an Alabama drive that the Tide turned into a touchdown and a two score lead. It should be noted that both were ticky-tack calls at best.

Officials -- Not normally one to pile on but after rewatching things, it's hard to see the holding penalty that negated a score. The penalty on Taylor isn't called 95% of the time. The stopping of play for a "play clock" issue was bad. Alabama was given a time out instead of a delay of game penalty. The SEC has officiating issues and this morning Jeremy Pruitt and Will Muschamp have every right to be livid.

Defending the middle of the field — Tennessee’s inside linebackers bit hard on play action in the first half. Creating a void in the middle of the field that Alabama had a field day with. Tennessee struggled to cover the middle of the field against Florida. Mississippi State’s touchdown last week came on a middle of the field throw. The Vols have to clean up coverage in the middle of the field.

The kicking game (minus Brent Cimaglia) — Tennessee struggled on kickoff returns as they did try and return them, but struggled to get to the 25. Tennessee’s punters continue to struggle punting the football. The Vols gave up a 22 yard punt return. Tennessee needs Joe Doyle to find his groove so they can flip field position. The kicking game will be a real factor for this team the next five weeks.

Third quarter holding penalty negates touchdown — Jauan Jennings out of the wildcat found the end zone which would have cut the score to 21-17. But a ticky tack at best holding penalty called the score back forcing Tennessee to settle for a field goal. It was a big early second half momentum swing.

Darrell Taylor’s penalty — Down 8 at 21-13, Tennessee had momentum and a chance to make Alabama nervous forcing a three and out, but after a clean hit on the quarterback Darrell Taylor pushed Mac Jones as he got up resulting in a 15 yard penalty giving the Alabama drive new life that they turned into a touchdown and a two score lead. Replay showed the call to be a bad call and a flag should have never been thrown, but it was and the flag had a huge bearing on the game.

Jarrett Guarantano’s fumble — After chewing up 8 minutes of the game clock on a 14 play drive, Guarantano extended the ball towards the goal line on 4th and 1. As he did, the ball was knocked out of his hands. Alabama’s Trevon Diggs recovered it in the end zone and raced 100 yards for a 14 point swing, turning what looked like a 28-20 game into a 35-13 game ending any upset hopes.

Brian Maurer’s injury — Maurer was 5 of 7, with a rushing touchdown and was giving the Alabama defense problems then he was knocked down hitting his head on the leg of another player sending him into the locker room and out of the game. You can’t say that Tennessee would have won the game, but it would have been interesting to see how things would have played out of Maurer had been able to remain in the game.

13-93 — Tennessee’s total number of penalties and penalty yards in the loss. Both are season highs. In fact coming into the game, Tennessee only had been flagged 30 times in 6 games.

-7 — Tennessee’s turnover margin in losses this season. In their two wins, the Vols are +6 in the turnover margin. To win you can’t turn the ball over

16 —Number of tackles for loss by the Tennessee defense the last two games. In their first five games, the Vol defense only had 21 TFL’s.

4.2— Tennessee’s average yards per carry by tailbacks the last two weeks. They also have just 9 rushing yards lost in the last 8 quarters. Pruitt has routinely said that the offensive line is getting better and the numbers the last two weeks back that up. Tennessee is getting more physical and finishing better.

Jauan Jennings is always a candidate for the gameball. Jennings had 6 catches for 66 yards and continues his really nice senior season. He is the Vols best playmaker. Maurer before the injury showed good command and poise in a tough road environment. The offensive front is improving as are guys on the defensive front. But for me the game ball is going to Tim Jordan.

Jesse Simonton said back in fall camp that everyone was forgetting about Jordan because of the buzz around Eric Gray and Ty Chandler in open space, but Jordan is taking over the feature back role in this offense and on Saturday in Tuscaloosa ran harder than he has in his career in my opinion. The offensive front is getting better for sure. Jordan is taken advantage of that, but he’s also making those guys look better as well with how hard he’s attacking the line of scrimmage and the fact he’s falling forward.

No need to dwell on this one ,the biggest concern is simply the health of Brian Maurer. Tennessee’s offense is more explosive and more productive with Maurer on the field.

The freshman doesn’t shrink in big moments. He’s not rattled by things as he was plenty poised Saturday night.

The problem is he can’t stay on the field. Tennessee has a chance to win some games down the stretch of the season and make the run to the finish exciting. To do that, they need Maurer on the field.

With South Carolina coming to down and a winnable game for the Vols, the only question this week is whether or not Maurer can play.