Other SEC scored more than Tennessee, but in the past four years, no team in the league left defensive coordinators guessing more than the Volunteers.
In that span, Tennessee ran for 85 touchdowns and passed for 84. It was the most balanced scoring attack in the league.
The Vols haven’t been that balanced every year, of course. In 2012, with Tyler Bray, the Vols threw 35 touchdown passes. Last season, they ran for 32 touchdowns. Jalen Hurd (12) and Joshua Dobbs (11) were the only set of SEC teammates to both rush for 10+ touchdowns.
The stated and repeated goal this offseason is to become even more dangerous in the passing game, which will only create more opportunities in the running game.
In their four losses last season, the Vols threw just one touchdown pass from inside the opponents’ 10-yard line. That’s prime play-action, tight end time, and the Vols have a good one in 6-6 Ethan Wolf (pictured). But they chose instead to hammer away.
Tennessee is in no danger of becoming as one-sided and predictable as LSU and Auburn, both of which had for at least 60 more rushing touchdowns than passing touchdowns from 2012-15, but they’d be wise in 2016 to bring their tight ends and big receivers more into the mix.
They did during the controlled spring game, and JUCO transfer Jeff George used his 6-6 frame effectively, catching two jump balls for touchdowns, including one during a one-on-one drill.
https://twitter.com/SDS/status/721404142862917633
George presents a weapon the Vols lacked last season, but he’s not the only option. Preston Williams is 6-4. Josh Malone and Jauan Jennings are 6-3. Each has the ability to win jump balls in the end zone.
Tennessee won’t and shouldn’t abandon the run in the red zone in 2016. But the mere threat of Williams on one side, George on the other and Wolf somewhere in between should create easy pitch-and-catches or a few more walk-in touchdowns from Dobbs.
Chris Wright is Executive Editor at SaturdayDownSouth.com. Email him at cwright@saturdaydownsouth.com.
Managing Editor
A 30-time APSE award-winning editor with previous stints at the Miami Herald, The Indianapolis Star and News & Observer, Executive Editor Chris Wright oversees editorial operations for Saturday Down South.
