5 things Tennessee needs to accomplish with bowl practices
The Tennessee Volunteers kicked off their first bowl practice this past Saturday. The Vols haven’t appeared in a bowl since 2010 and haven’t won a postseason game since 2008.
With a roster lacking prior bowl experience, Tennessee will need to make the most of its upcoming practices. Here are five things the Vols need to accomplish leading up to its bowl game.
1. Extra experience for freshmen: Tennessee’s biggest storyline has been its freshmen class. The Vols signed a top-5 recruiting class in 2014 and played more than 23 true freshmen. The first-year players showed improvement through the season with gained in-game experience. The extra month of football should benefit the young team in its maturation process.
2. Focus on struggles in the trenches: The Vols o-line has been abysmal all season. Tennessee ranked No. 118 overall in sacks allowed with a total of 42. Iowa ranks No. 59 in team sacks and should pressure the struggling line. The Vols must make adjustments in the trenches order to see an efficient offensive performance.
3. Improve Dobbs’ accuracy: Joshua Dobbs has displayed impressive athleticism, but struggled with accuracy in the Vols’ final two games. After a hot start, the sophomore was held to just one passing touchdown against Missouri and Vanderbilt. Dobbs is the best option at quarterback, but needs to make adjustments entering the bowl game to prove his legitimacy as an elite SEC passer.
4. Focus on Iowa’s strengths: Iowa’s biggest strength is its defense. The Hawkeyes rank No. 18 overall in total defense and No. 8 in passing yards allowed. The Vols need to establish a strong rushing attack to set up its passing offense against one of the nation’s top secondaries.
5. Exploit advantages in matchup: Iowa ranks No. 99 in turnover margin. The Hawkeyes are averaging -0.4 turnovers per game. Tennessee’s secondary ranks No. 16 in passes intercepted (15). The Vols must force the Iowa offense to make mistakes and have an efficient offensive performance.