| 📈 | Javonta Payton — The transfer receiver has been the Vols best vertical weapon the last two weeks. He followed his toe tap touchdown against Tennessee Tech up with a 75 yard touchdown at Florida. The smooth athlete seems to be getting more and more comfortable in this offense. Bonus: turnover margin. After being -5 in turnovers the first two games the Vols are +4 the last 2 games as they have forced 5 takeaways. The Vols didn’t have a turnover at Florida in their first road game of the year. For a team with a small margin of error winning the turnover battle is key. |
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📉 | Sophomore wide receivers — It’s been a woefully slow start for Jaylen Hyatt. Jimmy Callaway made a nice play against Pitt but has been inconsistent week to week and had a huge drop at Florida. Jimmy Holliday was ejected from the Florida game and hasn’t been a factor on offense. |
↔️ | The 2021 season — Most had the Vols either 3-1 or 2-2 after four games and everyone had the Vols losing their SEC opener so to this point the season had gone as most expected. Saturday Tennessee plays a winnable game at Missouri which will be big in setting the course for the rest of the season. |
📈 | Hendon Hooker — The transfer quarterback played turnover free at Florida as he threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns. Hooker seemed to have a rhythm going in the first half and over the course of the last three games he has shown to be the Vols best option at signal caller. |
📉 | Defending the edge — Emory Jones will be a challenge for everyone who plays Florida, but Tennessee has to be better in containing guys. The Vol defense has given up some scrambles as well as some edge runs by not playing containment. That doesn’t just mean the defensive ends either. It also includes the rest of he defensive line as well as the linebackers. Bonus: penalties — This team is not going to be comparable teams if they commit double digit penalties as they did against Pitt and now Florida. They have to clean that up. |
↔️ | OL sans Cooper Mays — Mays will likely miss some time over the course of the next month and he’s clearly one of the Vols best five especially with his operation of the game. Can Jerome Carvin pick up the slack at center in what will be his third start there and can this offensive line create any depth. |
