The highly anticipated 2015 season for the Tennessee Volunteers opened with plenty of fireworks on offense. In Week 1, UT running backs combined for 399 yards and five touchdowns on the way to a 59-30 win over Bowling Green. The high-scoring victory gives fans plenty to be excited about while also bringing some concerns about the pass defense to the forefront.

5 TAKEAWAYS

  • Hurd and Kamara make case to get noticed: When people talk about elite running backs in the SEC, they usually mention Georgia’s Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, LSU’s Leonard Fournette and Alabama’s Derrick Henry. If UT running backs Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara can maintain this high level of play against SEC defenses, they’ll join the conversation about the best backs in the conference.
  • Jury still out on Dobbs’ passing: Quarterback Josh Dobbs only threw 22 passes. He hit the majority of his throws and made some big plays, but one has to wonder how he’ll look when the backs aren’t running at will and teams are forcing him to beat them in the air.
  • Encouraging start for offensive line: One of Tennessee’s uncertainties heading into the season, the offensive line, allowed only one sack and opened up plenty of running lanes.
  • Secondary issues a primary concern: BGSU’s Matt Johnson might be more experienced than most quarterbacks in the SEC East, but after the Falcons’ success with the deep ball, every UT opponent is going to air it out in hopes of racking up some easy scores.
  • No killer instinct: UT had multiple chances to kill Bowling Green’s hopes of an upset bid with a stop on defense or one more score on offense. Instead the Falcons were allowed to hang around until an unforced fumble deep in Tennessee territory finally crushed BGSU’s spirit at the end of the third quarter.

REPORT CARD

Offense: A — Six hundred yards gets any team an A against any opponent. Two penalties that brought back touchdowns keep this from being an A+.

Defense: C- — Tennessee coach Butch Jones sugarcoated the defensive issues by giving credit to Bowling Green’s veteran players for making plays, but the fact remains that a MAC offense lit up an SEC defense. A slight deduction from a traditional passing C due to Bowling Green’s drives that ended in missed opportunities or self-destruction and don’t show up in the final score.

Special Teams: B — More good than bad in this area, with punt and kick returns resulting in plenty of highlights. Two missed field goals by K Aaron Medley are worrisome.

Coaching: B — New offensive coordinator Mike DeBord could not have asked for a better debut. Defensive backs coach Willie Martinez’s absence hurt in-game adjustments.

Overall: B+ –The Volunteers won by more than the Las Vegas line and unveiled a dangerous rushing attack. Even with defensive issues, a 29-point win over a non-cupcake deserves a worthy grade.

GAME PLAN

Many teams try to control the time of possession when they face uptempo opposing offenses. Tennessee bucked that common strategy and moved quickly on offense. The Volunteers had eight scoring drives finish in 2 minutes or less. When UT does need to ground and pound, it certainly has the running backs to carry the load.

GAME BALLS

  • RB Alvin Kamara: The newcomer at running back led all UT ball carriers with 144 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns.
  • RB Jalen Hurd: Tennessee’s other feature back registered 123 yards on 23 carries with a team-leading three touchdowns.
  • TE Ethan Wolf: Wolf made two key touchdown receptions to help Tennessee balance the offensive attack.

INJURY UPDATE

  • RB Ralph David Abernathy left the game on a cart in the third quarter with an apparent ankle injury. He was later seen wearing a boot.