Tennessee has lost eight consecutive games to Alabama, but the Vols are going to Tuscaloosa fresh off a bye week and with a Week 6 win against Georgia fueling optimism for a strong second half of the season following a 3-3 start.
Related: Is Tennessee’s ‘best shot’ enough to topple Alabama?
Here are five impact players to watch (in no particular order) as Tennessee tries to break its losing streak against Crimson Tide on Saturday:
1. Tennessee RB Jalen Hurd – The Vols are a team that enjoys most of their offense success on the ground, where they have rushed for an average of 222 yards through six games this season. Unfortunately for Tennessee, the Crimson Tide defense is one of the best in the nation at stopping the run, allowing just 70.9 yards per game. That statistical disparity points to Hurd being one of the impact players in this game. Tennessee needs him if its going win. Alabama is likely to focus on shutting him down. His performance will impact the outcome of the game, one way or the other.
2. Tennessee QB Joshua Dobbs – Simply put, Dobbs was the man in a 38-31 win against Georgia. He threw for a season-high 312 yards passing and three touchdowns, while also running for 118 yards and two additional scores. If the Vols expect to beat Alabama, they likely will need a similar performance from the junior signal caller. The best quarterback performance against the Alabama defense this season belongs to Ole Miss junior Chad Kelly, who threw for 341 yards and three scores in a 43-37 win at Tuscaloosa in Week 3.
3. Tennessee RB Alvin Kamara – We covered the statistics behind it when discussing Jalen Hurd, but the same emphasis on the Tennessee run game makes Kamara a potential impact player as well. Adding to the intrigue of Kamara’s performance this week is that he is a former Crimson Tide player, signing to play there before transferring to a junior college and ultimately landing at Tennessee. The relationships involved could add a little spice to this already heated rivalry and could induce an inspired performance from the former five-star recruit.
4. Tennessee LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin – Now firmly entrenched as the heart and soul of the Tennessee defense, the Vols will look to Reeves-Maybin for another big performance in a big game. The junior weakside linebacker has shown up in big games before, with a 21-tackle performance in a double-overtime loss to Oklahoma earlier in the season indicating just how capable he is of making an impact on a game.
5. Tennessee S/KR Evan Berry – In case you haven’t heard, the younger brother of Vols legend Eric Berry has been distinguishing a reputation for himself that extends beyond being the sibling of a famous alumnus. Berry ranks No. 1 in the nation with a 39.3 yard average on kickoff returns, and is one of only four FBS players to return two kickoffs for touchdown this season. Winning the field position battle will be critical for the Vols in this game, and having a home run hitter like Berry waiting to receive kicks should be considered a huge advantage for Tennessee.
Nick Cole is a former print journalist with several years of experience covering the SEC. Born and raised in SEC country, he has taken in the game-day experience at all 14 stadiums.
