THE STOCK REPORT
📈 Hendon Hooker — The transfer quarterback is the gift that keeps on giving. Hooker is having a terrific season with 21 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions. He’s completing 69% of this throws and has made Tennessee a big play offense with his ability to get the ball down the field vertically. His legs aren’t bad either. Hooker is the Vols second leading rusher with 458 yards and that accounts for the 124 yards lost on sacks this season.

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Middle of the field —The middle of the field is wide open and offenses will continue to attack there. Part of it is linebacker drops in zone. Part of it is a lack of pass rush from a four man rush and a lot of it is on the safeties. Tennessee’s safeties struggled in coverage at Kentucky and the linebackers and safeties both struggled tackling. Over the last two weeks, Tennessee has given up over 500 yards passing over the middle. Look for Georgia to attack that area early and often on Saturday.

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Darnell Wright —Lots of times stock stagnant is a negative deal, but that’s not the case here. Wright has quietly had a really solid season. After being over weight and out of shape a year ago, the left tackle has played well in the Vols new system. It’s a good thing that his name is not getting called often.

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Cedric Tillman —The Las Vegas native has simply been outstanding since the Florida game as there as been a clear emphasis to get him the ball. Tillman has responded with 28 catches for 447 yards and 4 touchdowns including one the last three weeks. Tillman has been most consistent at beating man coverage and he’s the guy Hooker trusts the most as evident by the three plays at the end of the first half at Kentucky.

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3rd down defense — It hasn’t been great all year. It’s been awful the last three weeks. In the first 6 games the Vols gave up 37 conversions on 3rd and 4th down. The last three weeks it’s 38. Tim Banks’ unit has struggled with quarterback scrambles, with zone coverage especially in the middle of the field and they haven’t gotten home enough rushing four. The result has been a ton of snaps for a rail thin defense.

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Penalty discipline — When the Vols win, they have been solid in limiting mistakes. In losses, not so much. Against Pitt, Florida, Ole Miss and Alabama they Vols were flagged 41 times for 365 yards. In their wins, it’s been 18 for 210 yards