Behind Enemy Lines: Q&A with Patrick Brown, Tennessee beat writer

Florida and Tennessee face off this weekend, a rivalry that both teams know all too well. The Vols have struggled against the Gators in the last decade, not defeating their SEC East rival since 2004. But Tennessee has visions of downing Florida at Neyland Stadium, while the Gators are hoping to stay afloat in the midst of outcries to make a change at starting quarterback.

Before kickoff, we spoke with Patrick Brown of the Times Free Press to get his thoughts on the Gators’ upcoming opponent and how he sees the game playing out on Saturday.

Drew Laing: Despite the loss last weekend, there seems to be a lot of momentum for the Vols right now (fan enthusiasm, young talent, good recruiting). How long until you think Tennessee is a real contender in the SEC again?

Patrick Brown: Well, they’re a lot closer to being a contender in the SEC East than maybe the SEC overall simply because the division is so wide open – a nice word for mediocre, really – this season. I have said that I think they are a year away. Tennessee has followed up the 2014 recruiting class that ranked in the top five and has produced eight starters already with a 2015 class that’s headlined by a couple of big-time defensive tackles – a position at which the Vols always have fallen short.

Obviously, the offensive and defensive lines have the most ground to make up, the depth isn’t there yet and the QB situation after this season is dicey at best, but they are moving that way.

Laing: In your opinion, who do you think will have the more decorated career at UT: Josh Malone or Jalen Hurd?

Brown: Based on the small size from both I will say Jalen Hurd, though I think  Josh Malone will have a good career. Butch Jones’ teams typically have always run the ball well. Last year, with essentially no passing game, they had the most rushing yards UT’s had since 2004. At Cincinnati, he had Isaiah Pead run for 1,000 for two years, then turned George Winn into one.

I was very impressed with just how hard Hurd ran against Georgia and Tennessee has not had a guy that could do that in a long time – and Hurd should only get better.

Laing: Quarterback Justin Worley has made a strong case for one of the SEC’s most improved players this season. Could you talk about what specific areas where he’s gotten better and the importance to this football team?

Brown: Obviously he benefited from going through half a season as a starter, but the biggest reason is probably his supporting cast. Tennessee lost Justin Hunter, Cordarrelle Patterson and Mychal Rivera from 2012, and in 2013 their top four receivers were a sophomore, two true freshmen and a redshirt freshman. The tight end position was non-existent.

This year those four guys are a year older and better, they’ve added Josh Malone and Von Pearson, the JUCO transfer who’s a poor man’s Patterson (he’s been hurt the past two games) and Ethan Wolf at tight end.

Worley is stronger and much, much more confident, and it’s translating to his play.

Laing: How important is the game against Florida for Tennessee? Would you say it could be the difference between a successful or failure of a season?

Brown: Well, Jones and his players pointed to a bowl game as the expectation for the season, and assuming the Vols handled their three non-Oklahoma games outside of the SEC and took care of Vanderbilt and Kentucky, they needed just one more. I always thought Florida and Missouri at home were the best bets. I don’t think this team is ready to go win on the road yet.

This game is always important for Tennessee, particularly as Florida’s run of nine straight in the series. So there’s that aspect of it, and even more than getting to six wins, at some point Tennessee has to turn improvement into wins. Tennessee is certainly improved, but the coaches and players know that is hollow without wins.

Laing: AJ Johnson garners all of the defensive headlines for the Vols – and rightly so. But who is another defensive playmaker for the Vols that UF fans need to be aware of?

Brown: Florida needs to avoid throwing the ball to Cam Sutton’s side of the field. Oklahoma got a long pass over the top of the sophomore cornerback, an All-SEC freshman pick last season, but Georgia tried and Sutton easily picked off a jump ball. He’s turned a couple of well-set-up screen plays into losses with his reaction and tackling ability, too. In that game in Gainesville last season I think he broke up a deep pass and recovered a fumble, and the kid is just a good football player. Jones has mentioned in the same breath as Johnson from a talent and work ethic standpoint. I’d imagine Sutton will want to show out with another talented sophomore corner – Florida’s Vernon Hargreaves – on the other sideline, too.

Laing: Is this Tennessee team for real? They certainly look much better than last season, but it’s been tough to get a true read on them so far.

Brown: My take is Tennessee is improved but still not all that great, and I’m still not sure I can trust them. They are still mistake-prone on offense – the two interceptions in the end zone at Oklahoma and the fumbled handoffs at Georgia back that up – and their defense is good if they get to third down. They lead the SEC in third-down D, but Georgia’s four TD drives never got there.

Jones said leading up to the season that this team would go as the new-look offensive and defensive lines would go. So far, the D-line has held its own against Oklahoma (146 rushing yards) and Georgia (155 yards through three quarters before they got Gurley’d) thanks to game plans geared toward the run. The O-line has given up 12 sacks – three less than all of ’13.

Laing: Where do you see Tennessee finishing up in the SEC East this season based off of what you’ve seen so far?

Brown: First off, they have to keep Worley healthy. He got beat up pretty good at Oklahoma and nearly suffered a significant injury at Georgia. If he gets hurt all bets are off.

I look at their schedule, and the only two games I think Tennessee can’t win is at Ole Miss and Alabama at home this month. Based on what those SEC East teams have shown there’s nobody I can sit there and say, “Tennessee just can’t beat them.”

I think anywhere from third to fifth in the East, depending on those Florida and Missouri games, is where they’ll end up, but I said in august they’d make a bowl game and I stand by that prediction.

Laing: Prediction for Saturday’s game?

Brown: This will look like a cop out, but I have a fairly staunch not-until Friday policy on game predictions, so you’ll have to checkout timesfreepress.com later this week to see my pick. The recent trajectories and location of the game suggest Tennessee should win. But it’s been a decade since the Vols beat Florida, and I may have to see it happen before I forecast it will happen.

*A huge thank you to Patrick Brown for participating! You can follow him on Twitter @patrickbrownTFP.

Drew Laing

Drew Laing will be providing analysis and insight on Florida, Georgia, Missouri and South Carolina.