HOUSTON – Senior offensive lineman Darnell Wright was named a semifinalist for the 49th Rotary Lombardi Award, the Rotary Club of Houston announced on Wednesday afternoon.
Wright becomes just the fifth Tennessee Volunteer in program history to be a semifinalist for the award, joining Chip Kell (1970), Reggie White (1983), John Henderson (2001) and Jesse Mahelona (2005).
The Rotary Lombardi Award goes annually to the college football lineman —offense or defense –who, in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the character and discipline of Vince Lombardi. As the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers, Lombardi first made a name as the smallest but toughest member of Fordham University’s “Seven Blocks of Granite,” renowned in their day (1934-37) for being the most unyielding line in college football. Hence why the trophy features a block of granite.
A staple of the potent Tennessee offense, Wright has anchored the offensive line of college football’s No. 1 offense that currently leads the country with 49.4 points per game and 553.0 yards per game. The West Virginia native has started every game this season at right tackle and has logged 540 offensive snaps.
Wright has been a brick wall on the line as he has not allowed a sack in 14 consecutive contests, dating back to last season. He went toe-to-toe with star Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. on The Third Saturday and October and stood his ground for 60 minutes, not allowing a hit on the quarterback and conceding just half of a tackle for loss.
His prowess up front has put the country on notice as he is projected as a Day 1-2 prospect and is a two-time SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week, garnering recognition following games against Alabama and Kentucky.
Wright is one of 12 semifinalists for the trophy that is comprised of six offensive linemen, three defensive linemen, two linebackers and a tight end.
Further balloting will take place from (Nov. 4-14) at which time the final four will be announced on Nov. 17. Those four individuals will be invited to attend the gala award presentation in Houston on Dec. 7 when the winner of the 49th Rotary Lombardi Award will be announced live.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Burlsworth Trophy selection committee announced that Tennessee redshirt junior long snapper Matthew Salansky is one of 81 players nominated for the 2022 Burlsworth Trophy.
The Burlsworth Trophy is named in honor of former Arkansas walk-on and All-American offensive lineman Brandon Burlsworth. The award is given annually to the most outstanding football player in America who began his career as a walk-on and has shown outstanding performance on the field.
In his fourth year with the program and third as Tennessee’s starting long snapper, Salansky enrolled at Tennessee and joined the Vols as a walk-on in the fall of 2019. The Morristown native has played in 31 games, logging more than 300 snaps over the course of his collegiate career.
A model of consistency for the Tennessee special teams unit, Salansky has delivered on 82 snaps for the top-ranked Vols through the first eight weeks of the 2022 campaign—including 49 PATs, 18 punts and 15 field goals. His most notable snap came in the final seconds against No. 3 Alabama, thrusting the ball to holder Paxton Brooks before placekicker Chase McGrath converted a 40-yard field goal as time expired to defeat the Crimson Tide, 52-49.
Prior to Tennessee, Salansky was a three-year starter at nearby Morristown West High School. He starred at linebacker for the Trojans while also seeing time at running back and long snapper, helping lead his squad to the Class 5A state quarterfinals in 2015 and 2016. As a senior in 2018, Salansky recorded 84 tackles, a sack and an interception.
The 81 Burlsworth Trophy nominees will be narrowed to a list of 10 semifinalists next week before three finalists are announced in two weeks. The award ceremony to honor the three finalists and announce the 2022 winner will be held on Dec. 5th at 7 p.m. CT at Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Here’s a look at my Week 10 SEC football game predictions.
Check back on my “Vince’s View” blog page for future posts including weekly SEC football and NFL game predictions. Bookmark my blog page and check back often.
2022 Week 9 Straight-Up Record: 4-1 (80%) 2022 Week 9 Spread Record: 3-2 (60%) 2022 Season Straight-Up Record: 62-13 (83%) 2022 Season Spread Record: 44-31 (59%) 2021 Season Straight-Up Record: 92-34 (73%) 2021 Season Spread Record: 63-63 (50%)
NOVEMBER OPENS WITH DIVISIONAL SHOWDOWNS
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5 Kentucky (5-3, 2-3 SEC) at Missouri (4-4, 2-3 SEC) Series: UK leads, 8-4 Noon ET • SEC Network Last: UK, 35-28 (2021 at Lexington) Columbia, Mo. • Faurot Field (62,621) SiriusXM: 81/81 – 137/190 Line: Kentucky -1.5 Pick vs. Spread: Kentucky -1.5 Score Prediction: Kentucky 24 Missouri 20
Florida (4-4, 1-4 SEC) at Texas A&M (3-5, 1-4 SEC) Series: TAMU leads, 3-2 Noon ET • ESPN Last: TAMU 41-38 (2020 at College Station) Bryan-College Station, Texas • Kyle Field (102,733) SiriusXM: 108/192 – 138/191 Line: Texas A&M -1.5 Pick vs. Spread: Florida +1.5 Score Prediction: Florida 17 Texas A&M 16
No. 1 Tennessee (8-0, 4-0 SEC) at No. 3 Georgia (8-0, 5-0 SEC) Series: UGA leads, 26-23-2 3:30 p.m. ET • CBS Last: UGA, 41-17 (2021 at Athens) Athens, Ga. • Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium (92,746) SiriusXM: 138/191 – 81/81 Line: Georgia -9.5 Pick vs. Spread: Tennessee +9.5 Score Prediction: Tennessee 42 Georgia 38
Liberty (7-1) at Arkansas (5-3, 2-3 SEC) Series: First Meeting 4 p.m. ET • SEC Network Fayetteville, Ark. • Reynolds Razorback Stadium (76,000) SiriusXM: 137/190 Line: Arkansas -14.5 Pick vs. Spread: Arkansas -14.5 Score Prediction: Arkansas 42 Liberty 14
Alabama (7-1, 4-1 SEC) at LSU (6-2, 4-1 SEC) Series: UA leads, 55-26-5 7 p.m. ET • ESPN Last: UA, 20-14 (2021 at Tuscaloosa) Baton Rouge, La. • Tiger Stadium (102,321) SiriusXM: 138/191 – 81/81 Line: Alabama -13.5 Pick vs. Spread: LSU +13.5 Score Prediction: Alabama 34 LSU 31
Auburn (3-5, 1-4 SEC) at Mississippi State (5-3, 2-3 SEC) Series: AU leads, 65-28-3 7:30 p.m. ET • ESPN2 Last: MSU, 43-34 (2021 at Auburn) Starkville, Miss. • Davis-Wade Stadium (60,311) SiriusXM: 99/206 – 137/190 Line: Miss State -12.5 Pick vs. Spread: Miss State -12.5 Score Prediction: Miss State 35 Auburn 17
South Carolina (5-3, 2-3 SEC) at Vanderbilt (3-5, 0-4 SEC) Series: SC leads, 27-4 7:30 p.m. ET • SEC Network Last: SC, 21-20 (2021 at Columbia) Nashville, Tenn. • FirstBank Stadium (40,350) SiriusXM: 108/192 – 113/202 Line: South Carolina -6.5 Pick vs. Spread: South Carolina -6.5 Score Prediction: South Carolina 16 Vanderbilt 9
KNOXVILLE, TN – September 10, 2022 – Quarterback Hendon Hooker #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the game between the Pittsburgh Panthers and the Tennessee Volunteers at Acrisure Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
As Tennessee prepares to play Georgia today in the Game of the Century, here are a few notes of interest.
*This is a rare matchup of No. 1 v. No. 1.
UT is No. 1 in the CFP poll. Georgia is No. 1 in the AP and coaches’ poll.
This is the 25th regular-season matchup of teams ranked 1-2 in the AP poll.
This is the third regular-season meeting of 1-2 between SEC teams. Alabama and LSU were 1-2 in both 2019 and 2011. LSU won both of those contests on the road.
The only other time Tennessee was in a 1-2 bout was the national championship game Jan. 4, 1999 against Florida State.
Tennessee has not beaten an AP No. 1 team since Auburn in 1985 although UT beat coaches’ poll No. 1 Alabama earlier this season.
*Tennessee scored 52 points against No. 1 Alabama (coaches’ poll) on Oct. 15. It scored 38 against No. 1 Auburn (1985). It scored 29 in a loss to No. 1 Notre Dame (1990).
In 15 other matchups against top-ranked teams, Tennessee scored fewer than 20 points 13 times.
It’s a safe bet that Tennessee will lose today if it scores fewer than 20 points against Georgia.
*Tennessee coach Josh Heupel is 43-7 when his team scores at least 30 points (15-2 at Tennessee). He is 0-7 when his team fails to score at least 30 points (he’s lost two of those at UT – to Pitt and Purdue). He is 10-7 when he and his opponent score 30 points.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart is 1-9 when his team allows at least 30 points (he beat Oklahoma 54-48), 53-1 when his team scores at least 30 points. He is 1-1 when his team and the opponent score at least 30 points (he lost to Tennessee 34-31 in 2016).
*Tennessee receiver Jalin Hyatt has nine receptions of at least 40 yards. That’s more than 117 FBS schools and more than 12 SEC schools.
Hyatt’s 14 touchdown receptions is already a UT single-season record. When Alabama’s DeVonta Smith won the Heisman Trophy in 2020, he had 17 TD catches at the time he won the award. He finished with 23 counting postseason.
Hyatt has more TD catches than seven SEC teams.
*Tennessee’s quick-strike attack has registered at least one 45-yard pass in each game. It has completed 30 passes of at least 30 yards (Ohio State is next at 23). Six different Vols have a 50-yard reception. And UT has 19 pass plays of at least 40 yards (six more than the runner-up).
*When Tennessee played Alabama, the Crimson Tide was No. 1 in the SEC’s in scoring defense and total defense. Tennessee scored 52 points and gained 567 yards.
When Tennessee played Kentucky, the Wildcats were No. 2 in the SEC in scoring defense and total defense. UT scored 44 points and gained 422 yards.
Georgia is ranked No. 1 in the SEC in scoring defense and total defense.
Last year, Tennessee scored a season-low 17 points against Georgia and had just 387 total yards – the second fewest in a game started by Hendon Hooker.
*Tennessee claims five wins over teams that were ranked at the time of the game. But only two of those teams are still ranked in the AP poll – Alabama and LSU. Pitt (4-4) Florida (4-4) and Kentucky (5-3) are no longer ranked. UT has two wins over teams ranked in the CFP poll top 10 – No. 6 Alabama, No. 10 LSU.
Georgia claims just one win over a ranked opponent – then-No. 11 Oregon. However, Georgia also beat Florida when the Gators were unranked. In fairness, Georgia should get just as much credit for beating Florida as Tennessee, which is a flaw in the criteria.
Based on the CFP poll, the Bulldogs have one win over a top 25 team – Oregon.
*There have been 10 matchups of 1 v. 2 when one team was at least a seven-point underdog.
Georgia is favored by eight.
In those contests, the underdog is 8-2 against the spread and 6-4 straight up.
*Tennessee sold 3,000 of its 5,000 ticket allotment from Georgia. Tickets had to be returned by July 1, which might explain why UT fans left 2,000 tickets on the table because those tickets were $120 each.
You can bet the Vol Nation wishes it hadn’t done that.
The cheapest get-in ticket for the game is $626, according to TickPick. That is the highest ever for a regular-season college football game. The previous high was $519 for an Ohio State-Michigan game.
The most expensive ticket, per TickPick: $5,233.
*Georgia has won 16 home games in a row. Tennessee has lost 12 in a row to AP top-ranked teams. … UT’s 395 points is the third most by an SEC team through eight games, behind only Alabama (218) and Florida (1996) … Hendon Hooker has thrown a TD pass in a UT-record 20 games in a row. … UT has outscored opponents 96-24 in the first quarter. Georgia has outscored opponents 74-6 in the opening period. … In the past five recruiting classes, Georgia has signed 25 five-stars, UT two.
