IIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTT’SSSSS MONDAY!!!!!!!!!!
And it’s a victory Monday, something this fan base will never take for granted after the last almost two decades.
As such, let’s grab those orange hardhats and pickaxes and go looking for Tennessee Vols-related nuggets of thoughts scattered about through my mind.
1) It wasn’t pretty. But what has been lately (aside from the second half of Alabama and overtime against Florida)?
And it was good enough on both sides of the ball to get by a plucky bunch of Kentucky Wildcats 28-18. I’ll start off by saying I was pleased with Nico’s arm on Saturday. 28/28, 292 yards with a touchdown. I thought he looked better throwing the football and fit the ball into some windows. His wide receivers are another story and I’ll get to them. But still felt like progress from him despite the offense failing to reach 10 points for yet another game.
2) James Pearce continues to look like a beast off the edge.
Had a sack and totaled a game-high five pressures on the day. He was also held on multiple occasions that went unflagged, because, well, that’s what SEC officials do. A great all-around night for the Vols’ star edge rusher.
3) Of course it was a record-setting night for Dylan Sampson.
27 carries, 142 yards, and two touchdowns. The second was a thing of beauty, as the entire team – including Nico – used every ounce of strength they had to slowly push #6 across the goal line from about 5 yards out. Not something you see every day. A perfect way to set a new UT record for rushing touchdowns in a season AND put the dagger in the Wildcats at the same time.
4) However, the wide receivers….WOOF.
I have no idea what’s going on with this unit right now, but it’s a bad group as far as productivity right now. That Chas Nimrod drop of a sure touchdown on a dart from Nico was inexcusable. Chris Brazzell dropped a touchdown, too.
This unit needs a shakeup in the worst way because this bunch is a big reason why the Vols have scored 7 points in the last four first halves combined.
5) The tight ends picked up some of that slack though.
Miles Kitselman led all pass catchers with 6 grabs for 97 yards and a touchdown. Holden Staes had 3 grabs for 27 yards. If Heupel needs to lean on this group to help compensate a wide receiver room that’s not getting it done, so be it. Between Kitselman, Staes, and Ethan Davis, I think this group can help make plays from here on out. Don’t forget about these guys.
6) The Georgia game is set for 7:30 pm next Saturday night.
Not ideal, but once again a chance for the Vols to be before a whole bunch of eyeballs in the ABC night slot. That also means the Sanford Stadium crowd have more time to fuel up in the parking lot before the game. Oh well. Primetime spot to shock the world, I suppose.
Go Vols!