UT-UA Postgame Notes

Oct. 3, 2015

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UT-UA Postgame Notes 

POSTGAME NOTES

Tennessee Tidbits

Tennessee now has had three home crowds of 101,000+ this season.
In its 119th season of football, UT’s all-time record now stands at 813-370-53.
The Vols are 450-123-17 all-time at Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee is 14-4 all-time on Oct. 3, including 10-3 at home.
UT improved its streak to 265 consecutive games with a score dating back to Sept. 17, 1994. It’s the fourth-longest active streak in FBS, 10th-longest in history.
Butch Jones is 64-43 overall and 14-16 as head coach of the Vols.
Jones is 35-17 in home games in his career, including 9-8 at Tennessee.

Vol Captains

Serving as captains for Tennessee tonight were Joshua Dobbs, Brian Randolph, LaDarrell McNeil and Jalen Hurd.
Tennessee won the coin toss and elected to receive.
The Vols are now 4-1 on coin tosses this season and had kicked off in their first four games until choosing to receive tonight.

For Starters

True freshman wide receiver Preston Williams earned his first career start.
Williams is the third UT rookie to start this season, following in the footsteps of wide receiver Jauan Jennings and linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr.

Series History

UT leads the series with Arkansas, 13-5, with the Hogs winning the last two.
Tennessee is 6-2 against Arkansas in Knoxville, seeing a six-game home winning streak in the series halted.

Offensive Highlights

Jalen Hurd had a 35-yard run from scrimmage on Tennessee’s first offensive possession, which ranks as his longest carry of the season thus far.
Hurd finished the first half with 89 yards on 15 carries and ended the game with 90 yards on 19 rushes.
Quarterback Joshua Dobbs scored from seven yards out on the Vols’ first possession of the game, capping an 11-play, 89-yard drive to put UT up 14-0 with 8:06 left in the first quarter.
That was Dobbs’ third rushing TD this season and 12th of his career.
UT now has scored on its opening possession in four of five games this season, getting a touchdown on three occasions.
Tennessee rushed for 93 yards in the first quarter and 129 total in the first half vs. the Razorbacks, who entered the contest allowing only 93.8 per game this season (ranked No. 2 in the SEC and 17th nationally).
With seven tackles for losses taking their toll, Tennessee finished the game with 133 yards on 33 carries.
Dobbs completed 14-of-22 passes for 146 yards in the opening 30 minutes and finished the game 20-of-36 for 232 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.
With his passing total vs. the Hogs, Dobbs threw for 200 or more yards for the second time this season and the fifth time in his career.
Dobbs completed eight passes at one point midway through the game.
The junior QB completed passes to seven different receivers in the first half and made the total number eight in the second half.
Josh Smith hauled in a 20-yard pass from Dobbs with the Vols facing a third and 13 and trailing 24-20 with 3:37 remaining in the game.
Tennessee was 2-of-4 in the Red Zone in the first half vs. Arkansas, and the Vols are 23-of-26 for the season in that area.
Sophomore tight end Ethan Wolf made a nifty grab across the middle from Dobbs for a 31-yard gain in the third quarter. The catch was a key play in a drive that produced a 45-yard Aaron Medley field goal to pull UT to within 24-20 of Arkansas.
Tennessee went for it on fourth and inches early in the second quarter, and Dobbs converted with a sneak up the middle. UT is now 3-of-5 on fourth down conversions this season.

Defensively Speaking

Freshman Darrin Kirkland Jr. led Tennessee with four tackles in the first half, including three of the solo variety. He also had a quarterback hurry. He finished with a career-best total of seven tackles for the game.
Freshman defensive lineman Kahlil McKenzie had a career-high three stops in the opening 30 minutes and finished with five vs. Arkansas.
Corey Vereen had two QB hurries in the first half and added two tackles.
Freshman defensive lineman Shy Tuttle came up with a huge play in the third quarter, blocking a 22-yard Arkansas field goal attempt to keep the Razorbacks within four points, 24-20, with 1:44 to go in the period.
UT also blocked a field goal vs. Bowling Green in the season opener.
Tennessee's defense also stuffed a fake field goal attempt by Arkansas with 8:32 to go in the game, as Kenny Bynum brought down Adam McFain short of the first down marker.

Spotlight On Special Teams

Sophomore Evan Berry returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown to open the game in great fashion for Tennessee.
Berry’s KO return for a TD was the first game-opening kick return score by a Vol since Willie Gault took one back 92 yards vs. Kentucky in Neyland Stadium during the 1980 season.
The kickoff return for a TD was Berry’s second this season and second for his career, with his first coming on Sept. 19 vs. Western Carolina.
Berry is the first Vol to have multiple kick returns for a touchdown in the same season since Willie Gault had three in 1980.
That return tied Gault’s 96-yard return at LSU in 1982 as the ninth-longest in UT history.
Cameron Sutton returned a second-quarter Arkansas punt 29 yards to set UT up at its 49 yard-line with 8:11 to go in the half.
Aaron Medley hit 2-of-2 PATs vs. Arkansas. He is now 23-of-23 this season and 65-of-66 for his career.
Medley hit field goals of 45 yards in the third quarter and 35 in the second quarter and missed from 28 yards on a first-quarter attempt. He now is 8-of-13 this season and 28-of-39 for his career.
Medley’s 45-yarder was the second longest of his career, and it occurred after the kick bounced off the left upright.

Upon Further Review

Seven plays have been reviewed in Tennessee games this season, with five benefitting the Vols, one going against the Vols and one not affecting UT’s situation.
Joshua Dobbs’ pass to Von Pearson with 8:24 left in the game was ruled incomplete. The review was upheld.