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Tennessee (2-0) continues the non-conference portion of its schedule with an 8 pm ET kickoff against No. 4 Oklahoma (2-0) on Saturday. Let’s take a look inside some of the numbers.
THE GOOD
141.02: Justin Worley’s passer rating. After struggling to find consistency through his first three seasons, Worley has shown poise and confidence in Tennessee’s first two games. Against Utah State and Arkansas State, Worley threw for 520 yards and five touchdowns on 49-of-76 passing.
11: The number of different receivers that caught passes in each of Tennessee’s first two games. Butch Jones has used several different rotations and given the Vol depth chart an open audition for playing time. The wideouts combined for 50 receptions and average 260.0 yards per game and 25.0 receptions per game.
34-24: The number of rushing attempts split between Jalen Hurd and Marlin Lane. In Week 1, the backs shared carries evenly at 11 a piece. However, Hurd gained an edge after seeing 23 to Lane’s 13 in Week 2. Hurd impressed with 83 yards and a touchdown, earning SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
THE BAD
3: Starters expected to miss Saturday’s game. Jacob Gilliam suffered a torn ACL in Week 1 and will miss the remainder of the season. Von Pearson has a high ankle sprain and could miss significant time for the Vols. Ethan Wolf is questionable with a bruised knee and his status is day-to-day.
60.0: Aaron Medley’s field goal percentage. The freshman kicker has struggled during his first season in Knoxville, missing seemingly easy attempts in back-to-back games. Tennessee has yet to name an official starting kicker and claim the position battle is still open between Medley and sophomore George Bullock.
3.31: Yards per carry by Tennessee running backs. Butch Jones considers an efficient run to be four yards or more, or the amount needed to convert a first down. The Vols saw a growth last week after averaging just 2.8 yards per rush in their Week 1 opener.
A former freelance journalist from Nashville, Jason covers Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Kentucky
