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Tennessee stock report after Week 5: Revenge win over Gamecocks keeps Vols rolling
By Mark Nagi
Published:
Revenge is a dish best served cold. Or … you know … something else witty that describes how much its win over South Carolina mattered to Tennessee.
A year ago, the Vols’ 63-38 drubbing in Columbia ended their Playoff hopes. And while Saturday night’s 41-20 victory doesn’t make up for what might have been in 2022, it does give the Vols and their fans some much desired payback.
Most telling, South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler threw for 438 yards and 6 TDs against the Vols in in 2022 but could only muster 169 yards in this year’s meeting.
Let’s take an in depth look at a well-deserved victory for the No. 21 Vols (4-1, 1-1).
Player of the Week: RB Jaylen Wright
The Vols have a trio of RBs who match up well against any such trio in the country. Against South Carolina, Jabari Small and Dylan Sampson combined for 108 rushing yards and they each had a TD.
But it was Jaylen Wright’s turn in that rotation to have the lion’s share of opportunities.
Wright gained 123 yards on 16 carries, 7.7 per attempt. He also had the 1st score of the game, a 42-yard run that capped a 94-yard drive.
Wright was banged up in the UTSA win a week ago, getting only 4 carries in that game. But he looked healthy against USC.
Freshman of the Week: Arion Carter
We seem to write the same thing after every game. The Vols are a veteran team that doesn’t play many freshmen. Tennessee LB Arion Carter finished the game with 3 tackles, including 1 for a loss.
Give fellow freshman LB Jeremiah Telander some credit as well, as he collected 2 tackles and was very active against the Gamecocks in some key spots.
Biggest surprise: Kamal Hadden Pick 6
There might not be a more maligned player on the Vols roster than senior DB Kamal Hadden. Missed tackles seem to happen on his watch a whole bunch.
But Hadden was in the right place at the right time near the end of the 1st half. Rattler’s overthrown pass found its way into Hadden’s mitts, and he coasted 28 yards into the end zone, giving UT a 24-10 lead. The Gamecocks would get no closer.
It was good to see Hadden get noticed for something positive.
Biggest concern: Bru McCoy’s health
In the 2nd quarter, Tennessee 5th year senior WR Bru McCoy was carted off the field after having his right foot twisted awkwardly following a 17-yard reception. McCoy was taken to UT Medical Center.
We will know more about McCoy’s status in the next day or so, but it didn’t look good. The top priority is, of course, McCoy’s health. You want to see him have a shot at playing at the next level when his Tennessee career comes to an end, whenever that is.
As far as this season is concerned, without McCoy there will be a lot more pressure on Squirrel White and Ramel Keyton to pick up the slack.
Developing trend: Neyland dominance
Do you know the last time the Vols lost a game at Neyland Stadium? It was Nov. 17, 2021, against eventual national champion Georgia.
Since then, the Vols have won 12 straight home games. It has once again turned into one of the most intimidating environments for visitors.
A lot has been made about the noise that the Vols crowd brings to help their team. They’ve posted 9 straight sellouts, and the 101,000+ are making their presence felt.
Key stat: QB sacks
Tennessee entered the South Carolina contest as one of the top groups in the nation at getting to the opposing QB. They averaged 4 sacks per game, 3rd best in the country.
On Saturday night, the Vols sacked Rattler 6 times. James Pearce Jr. had 2 of those sacks, and now has 5 on the season. The Vols need to continue to get that type of pressure as the season hits its 2nd half.
First impression about Week 6: Bye
The Vols will get 2 weeks to prepare for Texas A&M. Which is good, because backup QB Max Johnson didn’t look very much like a backup in A&M’s win over Arkansas.
Johnson completed 17 of 28 passes for 210 yards and 2 scores against the Razorbacks. He also rushed for 57 yards on 9 attempts.
Tennessee has an unwelcome history of making backup QBs look like Joe Montana. If that continues, the Vols will have their hands full.
Mark Nagi has covered Tennessee athletics for over 20 years. He is the author of “Decade of Dysfunction,” an in-depth look at all that led to the crazy coaching search of 2017 at Tennessee. The book is available on Amazon.
