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Postgame analysis: Tennessee starts 2016 with a blowout victory in Outback Bowl
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Tennessee started its new year with a bang. The Volunteers came away with a 45-6 win over Northwestern in Friday’s Outback Bowl.
Here’s a closer look at the game:
5 TAKEAWAYS
1. Tennessee has dominated both bowl games under coach Butch Jones: The Vols dominated Iowa in last year’s TaxSlayer Bowl, accumulating 45 points and four rushing touchdowns while winning by a 17-point margin. It was more of the same this year in the Outback Bowl as Tennessee had five rushing TDs and won by 39 points.
2. The countdown to Tennessee’s 2016 season has officially begun: There will be a lot of buzz around the Vols for many reasons. Tennessee returns nine starters on offense and potentially eight starters on defense. The Vols are likely to be SEC East favorites next season.
3. RB Jalen Hurd seems to get stronger in the second half: Hurd rushed for 97 yards and averaged 9.7 yards per carry in the second half of the Vols’ regular-season finale against Vanderbilt. In the Outback Bowl, he rushed for 86 yards on 16 carries before he was taken out. Hurd’s ability to close out games could be vital during Tennessee’s 2016 campaign.
4. Tennessee’s defensive line and linebacking corps will be ferocious next season: Tennessee’s defense shut down Northwestern’s conservative offense. DE Derek Barnett, LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin and LB Darrin Kirkland Jr. led the charge as the Vols finished with eight tackles for loss and four sacks. If Reeves-Maybin stays for his senior season, the Vols should have one of the best defensive fronts in the nation.
5. Outback Steakhouse will serve free Bloomin’ Onions to everyone who dines there on Saturday: As a result of the SEC’s representative winning, Outback Steakhouse is serving free Bloomin’ Onions. If Northwestern had won, the restaurant would serve free Coconut Shrimp instead.
REPORT CARD
Offense: (A-) — Tennessee QB Joshua Dobbs needs to work on his deep passing game during the offseason. But Tennessee’s offense did what it does best to defeat Northwestern: it ran the ball. Hurd finished with 24 carries for 130 yards — his third straight game with more than 100 yards — and a touchdown. Dobbs rushed for 48 yards and two TDs against a Northwestern defense that had only allowed 99 rushing yards to quarterbacks during the regular season. RB Alvin Kamara’s speed added another dimension to Tennessee’s rushing attack, as he carried the ball 11 times for 53 yards and a TD. Tennessee finished with 226 rushing yards.
Defense: (A) — Tennessee’s front seven put pressure on Northwestern QB Clayton Thorson and backup QB Zack Oliver on almost every passing down, accumulating four sacks. That pressure forced both quarterbacks to make mistakes. They combined to complete only 14-of-33 passes for 129 yards and four interceptions.
Special Teams: (B) — Tennessee’s special teams unit didn’t have much of an impact. Aaron Medley made a 35-yard field goal, but missed a 49-yard attempt. Trevor Daniel had an excellent 57-yard punt downed at Northwestern’s 3-yard line. But the biggest win for Tennessee’s special teams might have been Northwestern punter Hunter Niswander opting to kick away from returners Cameron Sutton and Alvin Kamara. As a result, four of Niswander’s punts went less than 40 yards, and Tennessee’s offense started beyond its own 30 on five of its possessions that weren’t a result from turnovers.
Coaching: (B+) — Tennessee’s coaches deserve credit for sticking to their offensive game plan of mostly running the football when Northwestern contained the Vols’ rushing attack in the first quarter. Adding a few new offensive plays to the game plan — two of TE Alex Ellis’ long receptions came on plays Tennessee hadn’t used during the regular season — caught Northwestern’s defense out of position.
Defensive coordinator John Jancek also made a nice in-game adjustment on defense. After Thorson successfully scrambled from the pocket a few times, Jancek made sure his defensive ends didn’t out-rush Thorson and allow him to find lanes to run through.
Tennessee’s coaching staff made a mistake attempting a fake field-goal pass on fourth-and-10 early in the third quarter while only holding an 11-point lead. The play didn’t have a chance from the start, and the failed attempt gave Northwestern momentum. If Tennessee had attempted the field goal, it would have been beyond 50 yards, but Medley has proven that he has a strong enough leg to make kicks from that distance. Fortunately for Tennessee’s coaching staff, the Vols defense played another solid set of downs after the missed conversion and forced the Wildcats into a three-and-out.
Overall: (A-) — Tennessee executed its game plan on offense and gave up one TD on defense. It was a near-perfect way for the Vols to end their season.
GAME PLAN
Tennessee’s game plan on offense was to run the football until Northwestern’s defense proved it could stop it. The Wildcats contained Tennessee’s rushing attack in the first quarter, but the Vols aggressive offensive line and their dynamic rushers took control for the final three quarters.
The Vols defensive game plan was to contain Northwestern RB Justin Jackson and force Thorson to make plays in third-and-long situations. Tennessee held Jackson to 74 rushing yards and allowed Northwestern to convert only 4-of-15 third down attempts.
GAME BALLS
RB Jalen Hurd: The sophomore carried Tennessee to the finish line with his 3-yard TD run in the third quarter. Hurd carried the ball seven times for 25 yards on the drive, which gave the Vols a 24-6 lead.
Tennessee’s starting front seven: This group dismantled Northwestern’s offensive line, accumulating four sacks, coming up with eight tackles for loss, and forcing Northwestern’s quarterbacks to make quick decisions that led to interceptions.
INJURIES
DB Cameron Sutton injured his hamstring in the first half.
Chase Erickson is a contributing writer for SDS. He covers Tennessee. Follow him on Twitter @ChaseDownField.
