By Jimmy Hyams
Sports Radio WNML blog
Through three games, Tennessee has yet to show that it is a top 10 team.
Heck, it’s hardly shown that it is a top 25 team.
Something is missing from a team that was picked to win the SEC East Division by most, the SEC Championship by some and the national championship by one.
The Vols’ not-so-impressive 28-19 victory over a mediocre Ohio team has led Tennessee with more questions than answers before hosting heated rival Florida this Saturday.
Tennessee’s offense line has been a liability, the pass game has been subpar, the penalties have been plentiful, the run defense has been spotty and the injury count mounts.
When you’ve got that working against you, it’s hard to find great chemistry, it’s hard to get into a rhythm, it’s hard to play to your potential.
Tennessee certainly hasn’t – at least not yet.
Now, they host Florida with many wounded warriors.
“We are decimated right now by injuries,’’ Tennessee coach Butch Jones said Saturday afternoon after the Vols posted a not-so-impressive 28-19 victory over Ohio.
Star linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin went down with a shoulder injury – a possible separation – and missed the last 2.5 quarters. Star cornerback Cam Sutton suffered a high ankle sprain in the first quarter. Both are unlikely to play against Florida.
Nickel back Malik Foreman was suspended for the Ohio game due to a violation of team rules. Cornerback Justin Martin didn’t dress due to injury. When Sutton went down, Martin went to the dressing room and suited up, just in case.
Two other key players are sidelined – middle linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. (ankle) and receiver Josh Smith (ankle).
Against that adversity, however, Tennessee at least showed enough resolve to win. The key was the play in the red zone. Tennessee made four trips and scored four touchdowns. Ohio made four trips and scored one touchdown and hit three field goals.
“To me, that was the different in winning and losing,’’ Jones said.
There were two 20-yard touchdown passes to Josh Malone, a 1-yard dive by Jalen Hurd and a 13-yard run by Josh Dobbs, who had 59 hard-earned yards on 14 carries and was under duress often in the passing game.
But there is so much to improve upon. UT was assessed nine penalties, but twice had two penalties on the same play and had one nullified, meaning UT was guilty of 12 infractions.
They had five fumbles, fortunately recovering each one. The Vols now have had 11 fumbles and – luckily – lost just one.
Preston Williams had a pass hit off his hands and was intercepted.
How maddening were the miscues?
“What do you think?’’ Jones said. “I’m not happy with it. It’s not the way we play football around here. The penalties are inexcusable. The balls on the ground are inexcusable. … Our players understand that, but I’m pulling my hair. It’s bizarre ways we’re dropping the ball. It’s untimely. Those are part of the momentum killers.
“As we move into conference play, we can’t do that are we don’t have a chance.’’
Jones said what makes it more “frustrating’’ is that the team isn’t sloppy in practice.
But sloppy play in games will get you beat against a foe like Florida.
One major concern is the offensive line. The Vols started Coleman Thomas at right tackle and Brett Kendrick at left tackle, benching Drew Richmond. That didn’t exactly solve the problem.
“We’re searching right now for the best five that give us an opportunity (to win),’’ Jones said.
Better find them fast, considering how disruptive the Florida front four is.
The Vols are 3-0 and riding a nine-game win streak spanning two seasons – second longest in the nation — but they don’t look like a top 10 team. They don’t look like a top 25 team.
Whether Tennessee can put things together before facing Florida remains to be seen.
