Vols Tied for No. 2 Ranking in AP Poll, Hold on to No. 3 in Coaches Poll

Vols Tied for No. 2 Ranking in AP Poll, Hold on to No. 3 in Coaches Poll

Posted on October 30, 2022

AP Poll | Coaches’ Poll

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Following a 44-6 thrashing of No. 19/17 Kentucky that displayed Tennessee’s high-powered offense, along with a brick-wall defensive performance, the Volunteers moved up one spot into a tie with Ohio State for the No. 2 ranking in the Associated Press Top 25. Tennessee held steady at No. 3 in the USA TODAY AFCA Coaches Poll.

The Vols (8-0, 4-0 SEC) ascended to their highest ranking since Dec. 2, 2001, when it garnered the No. 2 position after beating then-No. 5 Florida on the road, 34-32, prior to the SEC Championship Game.

Tennessee added first-place votes in each of the polls, adding five in the AP to a total of 18 votes. In the Coaches Poll, the Vols accumulated five total first-place tabs.

After earning their fifth ranked victory of the season on Saturday night, the Volunteers have another challenge looming as they take to the road to play top-ranked Georgia in Athens at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday on CBS. It will mark just the second time that UT is involved in AP No. 1 vs. No. 2 game. The No. 1 Vols beat No. 2 Florida State, 23-16, to win the national championship on Jan. 4, 1999, in the Fiesta Bowl. 

This week also marks the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season. The inaugural 2022 rankings will be released at 7 p.m. Tuesday on ESPN. 

The full AP Top 25, along with the AFCA Coaches Poll, can be found below.

Vols in the Polls
Preseason: RV AP, RV Coaches
Sept. 6: 24 AP, RV Coaches
Sept. 11: 15 AP, 16 Coaches
Sept. 18: 11 AP, 12 Coaches
Sept. 25: 8 AP, 9 Coaches
Oct. 2: 8 AP, 8 Coaches
Oct. 9: 6 AP, 8 Coaches
Oct. 16: 3 AP, 4 Coaches
Oct. 23: 3 AP, 3 Coaches
Oct. 30: t-2 AP, 3 Coaches
 
Associated Press Top 25
1. Georgia (30)
t2. Tennessee (18)
t2. Ohio State (15)
4. Michigan
5. Clemson
6. Alabama
7. TCU
8. Oregon
9. Southern Cal
10. UCLA
11. Ole Miss
12. Utah
13. Kansas State
14. Illinois
15. LSU
16. Penn State
17. North Carolina
18. Oklahoma State
19. Tulane
20. Wake Forest
21. NC State
22. Syracuse
23. Liberty
24. Oregon State
25. UCF
 
Others receiving votes: Texas, Kentucky, Maryland, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Washington, Arkansas, Baylor, Coastal Carolina, Florida State, Troy, Mississippi State, Boise State, East Carolina, South Carolina, Louisville, UTSA
 
USA TODAY AFCA Coaches Poll
1. Georgia (45)
2. Ohio State (13)
3. Tennessee (5)
4. Michigan
5. Clemson
6. Alabama
7. TCU
8. Oregon
9. Southern Cal
10. Ole Miss
11. UCLA
12. Utah
13. Illinois
14. Kansas State
15. North Carolina
16. Penn State
17. LSU
18. Oklahoma State
19. Wake Forest
20. NC State
21. Tulane
22. Syracuse
23. Liberty
24. Kentucky
25. UCF
 
Others receiving votes: Oregon State, Maryland, Texas, Washington, Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina, Baylor, Notre Dame, Boise State, Louisville, Arkansas, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Troy, UTSA

Vols RB Jaylen Wright / Credit: UT Athletics
Vols Tied for No. 2 Ranking in AP Poll, Hold on to No. 3 in Coaches Poll

Vols Tied for No. 2 Ranking in AP Poll, Hold on to No. 3 in Coaches Poll

Posted on October 30, 2022

AP Poll | Coaches’ Poll

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Following a 44-6 thrashing of No. 19/17 Kentucky that displayed Tennessee’s high-powered offense, along with a brick-wall defensive performance, the Volunteers moved up one spot into a tie with Ohio State for the No. 2 ranking in the Associated Press Top 25. Tennessee held steady at No. 3 in the USA TODAY AFCA Coaches Poll.

The Vols (8-0, 4-0 SEC) ascended to their highest ranking since Dec. 2, 2001, when it garnered the No. 2 position after beating then-No. 5 Florida on the road, 34-32, prior to the SEC Championship Game.

Tennessee added first-place votes in each of the polls, adding five in the AP to a total of 18 votes. In the Coaches Poll, the Vols accumulated five total first-place tabs.

After earning their fifth ranked victory of the season on Saturday night, the Volunteers have another challenge looming as they take to the road to play top-ranked Georgia in Athens at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday on CBS. It will mark just the second time that UT is involved in AP No. 1 vs. No. 2 game. The No. 1 Vols beat No. 2 Florida State, 23-16, to win the national championship on Jan. 4, 1999, in the Fiesta Bowl. 

This week also marks the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season. The inaugural 2022 rankings will be released at 7 p.m. Tuesday on ESPN. 

The full AP Top 25, along with the AFCA Coaches Poll, can be found below.

Vols in the Polls
Preseason: RV AP, RV Coaches
Sept. 6: 24 AP, RV Coaches
Sept. 11: 15 AP, 16 Coaches
Sept. 18: 11 AP, 12 Coaches
Sept. 25: 8 AP, 9 Coaches
Oct. 2: 8 AP, 8 Coaches
Oct. 9: 6 AP, 8 Coaches
Oct. 16: 3 AP, 4 Coaches
Oct. 23: 3 AP, 3 Coaches
Oct. 30: t-2 AP, 3 Coaches
 
Associated Press Top 25
1. Georgia (30)
t2. Tennessee (18)
t2. Ohio State (15)
4. Michigan
5. Clemson
6. Alabama
7. TCU
8. Oregon
9. Southern Cal
10. UCLA
11. Ole Miss
12. Utah
13. Kansas State
14. Illinois
15. LSU
16. Penn State
17. North Carolina
18. Oklahoma State
19. Tulane
20. Wake Forest
21. NC State
22. Syracuse
23. Liberty
24. Oregon State
25. UCF
 
Others receiving votes: Texas, Kentucky, Maryland, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Washington, Arkansas, Baylor, Coastal Carolina, Florida State, Troy, Mississippi State, Boise State, East Carolina, South Carolina, Louisville, UTSA
 
USA TODAY AFCA Coaches Poll
1. Georgia (45)
2. Ohio State (13)
3. Tennessee (5)
4. Michigan
5. Clemson
6. Alabama
7. TCU
8. Oregon
9. Southern Cal
10. Ole Miss
11. UCLA
12. Utah
13. Illinois
14. Kansas State
15. North Carolina
16. Penn State
17. LSU
18. Oklahoma State
19. Wake Forest
20. NC State
21. Tulane
22. Syracuse
23. Liberty
24. Kentucky
25. UCF
 
Others receiving votes: Oregon State, Maryland, Texas, Washington, Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina, Baylor, Notre Dame, Boise State, Louisville, Arkansas, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Troy, UTSA

Vols RB Jaylen Wright / Credit: UT Athletics
Hoops Preview: Lady Vols vs. Carson-Newman (Exhibition)

Hoops Preview: Lady Vols vs. Carson-Newman (Exhibition)

Posted on October 30, 2022

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 5/4 Tennessee plays its lone exhibition game of 2022-23 on Sunday afternoon, as Carson-Newman travels from Jefferson City to Thompson-Boling Arena to take on the Lady Vols. Tip-off is slated for 2:02 p.m., with the contest being streamed on SECN+.

This will mark the 17th occasion the teams have met in preseason play, with UT holding a 16-0 mark in the previous exhibition contests between the schools. UT is 50-4 in exhibition games after defeating Georgia College last season, 108-44, on Nov. 3.

Kellie Harper begins season four at the helm of the Big Orange with what looks to be one of the deepest, most talented teams in recent history on Rocky Top.

After Sunday’s game, the Lady Vols will have a little over a week to prepare for their regular-season opener on Nov. 8, as they travel to Columbus to face defending Big Ten champ and No. 14/15 Ohio State at Value City Arena. That game will serve as a homecoming for UT senior Jordan Horston, who prepped at Africentric Early College in Ohio’s state capital.

Tennessee’s home opener will come on Nov. 10, as UMass visits Rocky Top, followed by a Nov. 12 tussle in Knoxville with No. 11/11 Indiana.

Broadcast Information

  • Zack Nelson (play-by-play) and VFL Steve Hamer (analyst) will have the call for SECN+.
  • All of the games included in the ESPN package (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU) will be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 or Xbox One to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
  • The contest also can be heard on Lady Vol Network radio stations and by audio stream, with Brian Rice behind the microphone. He will be joined by studio host Andy Brock. 
  • A link to the live audio stream can be found on each game’s Hoops Central page or the Lady Vol schedule on UTSports.com. 
  • For a list of Lady Vol Network affiliates, please click on the Fans tab at the top of UTSports.com, select Vol Network and then click on the Vol Network Affiliates tab.
  • Air time for games on the Lady Vol Radio Network generally occurs 30 minutes prior to tip-off.

Big Things Are Brewing On Rocky Top

  • Tennessee returns 10 players, including four full-time starters, from a squad that began last year 18-1 and finished 25-9 overall and 11-5 in the SEC (third).
  • The Lady Vols did so while advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16 despite season-ending injuries to three key contributors (starters Keyen Green, Jordan Horston and Marta Suárez).
  • UT also brings aboard six newcomers, including three heralded senior transfers, a sophomore transfer who was a five-star prep recruit, a five-star freshman signee and a walk-on who turned down scholarships to be in Knoxville.

Six Returnees With Starting Experience

  • The Lady Vols feature four full-time starters returning from 2021-22, a fifth with two games in the jump circle as a freshman a year ago and a sixth who was in the first five 14 times as a rookie in 2020-21.  
  • Leading the returning starters are 6-foot-2 senior All-SEC/All-America Honorable Mention combo guard Jordan Horston (16.2 ppg., 9.4 rpg., 4.0 apg., 23 starts before injury) and 6-6 senior All-SEC/All-Defensive Team center Tamari Key (10.5 ppg., 8.1 rpg., 3.5 bpg., 34 starts, school blocks single-season and career record holder). 
  • Additional starters back include 5-8 graduate point guard Jordan Walker (7.6 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 3.5 apg., 34 starts) and 6-1 junior guard/forward Tess Darby (5.3 ppg., 2.4 rpg., 49 3FGs, 30 starts). 
  • Other returning contributors with starting experience include 6-2 sophomore guard/forward Sara Puckett (6.4 ppg., 3.5 rpg., two starts, 2022 SEC All-Freshman) and 6-3 redshirt sophomore guard/forward Marta Suárez (4.1 ppg., 3.6 rpg., 14 starts, 2021 SEC All-Freshman, missed 2021-22 due to injury).

Experience Off The Bench

  • UT also welcomes back a trio of sophomores with 88 combined games of experience and a senior who has seen the court in 65 career contests.
  • Rising sophomores who logged substantial playing time a year ago include 5-4 point guard Brooklynn Miles (2.5 ppg., 2.8 rpg., 33 games), 6-0 guard Kaiya Wynn (2.3 ppg., 2.0 rpg., 30 games) and 6-3 forward Karoline Striplin (2.6 ppg., 2.1 rpg., 25 games).
  • Miles built a reputation as a defensive menace, Wynn overcame an injury to flash her potential on both ends and Striplin had one of her finest efforts of the year vs. Louisville in the NCAA Sweet 16, carding seven points, six boards and a block in 13 minutes.
  • Jessie Rennie (0.6 ppg., 0.5 apg., 0.4 rpg., 21 games) is the aforementioned senior, but the three-point specialist will be sidelined for an extended period of time following surgery in June to repair an offseason knee injury.

Newcomers Add To Decorated Roster  

  • The Lady Vols welcome three all-conference transfer additions, giving Tennessee a roster flush with eight players earning league recognition at the college level, including six all-conference performers.
  • That trio of newcomers includes starters and all-league performers Rickea Jackson, a 6-2 forward from Mississippi State (20.3 ppg., 6.8 rpg., 2021 All-SEC, two-time WBCA All-America H.M., Cheryl Miller Award Finalist), Jasmine Franklin, a 6-1 graduate power forward from Missouri State who played for Jon and Kellie Harper there as a freshman (14.9 ppg., 12.1 rpg., 2.4 bpg., two-time All-MVC, 2022 MVC Def. Player of the Year), and Jasmine Powell, a 5-6 senior point guard from Minnesota (12.4 ppg., 5.7 apg., 4.4 rpg., 2021 All-Big Ten, 2020 All-Big 10 Honorable Mention and Big Ten All-Freshman).
  • They join returning All-SEC performers Jordan Horston (first team) and Tamari Key (second team), 2020 All-Mid-American Conference performer Jordan Walker, as well as 2022 SEC All-Freshman honoree Sara Puckett and 2021 SEC All-Freshman Team member Marta Suárez.

Wait…There Is More!  

  • In addition to Franklin, Jackson and Powell, Kellie Harper welcomes another player with college experience in Jillian Hollingshead, a mobile 6-5 sophomore forward transferring from Georgia (5.1 ppg., 2.5 rpg., two-time 2021-22 SEC Freshman of the Week).
  • Hollingshead was a 2021 McDonald’s H.S. All-American whose time on the court was limited a year ago with an illness and nagging injury. She appears back to full strength and has unlimited potential.
  • UT also welcomes two high school signees, including McDonald’s and WBCA All-American Justine Pissott, a 6-foot-4 wing, and 5-7 lefty guard Edie Darby, the younger sister of Tess. Both newcomers bring long-range shooting prowess to the program.
  • Pissott and Hollingshead join Jordan Horston and Rickea Jackson as McDonald’s A-A honorees on the UT roster after the Lady Vols had only one (Horston) last season.

Tennessee By The Numbers

  • UT returns 58.1 points per game (of 70.1) and welcomes an additional 52.7 ppg. from four incoming transfers for a total of 110.8 ppg.
  • Tennessee returns 38.4 rpg. (of 48.1/No. 2 in NCAA) and welcomes an additional 25.8 from four incoming transfers for a total of 64.2 rpg.
  • The Lady Vols welcome back 338 career starts and bring aboard 205 career starts from their newcomers for a total of 543.

Our Largest Roster Ever

  • Tennessee features 16 players on its 2022-23 squad list, which marks the largest roster ever in the modern-day history of Lady Vol basketball. 
  • UT’s previous high was 15 players on a season roster on four occasions, including 1973-74, 1983-84, 2000-01 and 2004-05.

Personnel Losses From A Year Ago

  • Rae Burrell (12.3 ppg.) was the No. 9 pick in the WNBA Draft despite playing only 22 games and starting 13 after a game-one injury.
  • UT also lost 34-game starter Alexus Dye (10.2 ppg., 7.7 rpg.) and reserve posts Keyen Green (7.0 ppg., 3.2 rpg.) and Emily Saunders (1.0 ppg.), all of whom graduated. 

A Look At Carson-Newman

  • The Lady Eagles return a pair of first-team all-conference selections in Braelyn Wykle and Lindsey Taylor.
  • Wykle, an All-American as a sophomore, enters the year third on the school’s all-time scoring list and fourth in three-pointers. 
  • Taylor was fourth in the country in field-goal percentage, and C-N was 26-0 when she scored in double figures last year
  • Carson-Newman has collected hardware in each of the last two seasons winning the South Atlantic Conference’s regular-season crown in 2020-21 and the tournament championship in 2021-22. 
  • The program has reached the NCAA Tournament in five straight seasons, the longest postseason stretch in three decades. Over that period, the club has won 80 percent of its games.
  • Head Coach Mike Mincey’s team can tout one of the top scoring offenses in the country leading the league in seven straight years and ranking in the top 13 nationally in each of the last six. 
  • In 2021-22, C-N was fifth with 81 points per game scoring at least 80 18 times while leading the country with 18.4 assists per game.

UT/C-N Notes

  • According to the UT record book, this is the 34th meeting between these schools in women’s basketball.
  • It marks the 17th match-up in an exhibition contest, with UT winning all 16 previous battles at Thompson-Boling Arena.
  • In regular-season match-ups, Tennessee leads the all-time series vs. Carson-Newman with a 14-2 record. There also was another contest in 1971 when no final score was available.
  • UT and C-N didn’t play one another in 2020 during the limited-attendance COVID-19 pandemic era or in 2021, when Kellie Harper welcomed her younger brother Ross Jolly’s Georgia College team to The Summitt as the exhibition opponent in a 108-44 Big Orange romp on Nov. 3.
  • Tennessee opened the 2019-20 campaign with a 70-44 exhibition victory over Carson-Newman on Oct. 29. It was the first time that seniors Jordan Horston, Tamari Key and Jessie Rennie donned a Lady Vol uniform and the initial game with Kellie Harper on the sideline as coach of the Lady Vols.
  • Horston had six points, four steals, four rebounds and two assists in 22 minutes.
  • Key posted six points, four rebounds, an assist and a block in 15 minutes.
  • Rennie saw 20 minutes of duty and went scoreless while grabbing a rebound.

-UT Athletics

Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics
Quotes/Notes/Stats/Story: No. 3 Tennessee Rolls Over No. 19 Kentucky, 44-6

Quotes/Notes/Stats/Story: No. 3 Tennessee Rolls Over No. 19 Kentucky, 44-6

Posted on October 30, 2022

Final Book (PDF) | Box Score (XML) | Postgame Notes (PDF) | Postgame Quotes (PDF) |

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – In a nationally-televised Saturday night showdown in which No. 3/3 Tennessee debuted its highly-anticipated “Dark Mode” uniforms, junior wide receiver Jalin Hyatt turned out the lights on the school single-season record for receiving touchdowns and the Volunteers remained unbeaten, rolling over No. 19/17 Kentucky, 44-6.
 
The 38-point margin of victory was the largest against a ranked Southeastern Conference team since a fifth-ranked squad from Rocky Top took down No. 9 Florida in Knoxville, 45-3, on Oct. 13, 1990.

With a fifth-straight sellout crowd of 101,915 packing Neyland Stadium, UT scored at least 40 points for the sixth time in 2022, including the past four games, to improve to 8-0 overall and 4-0 in SEC play. UK managed only 205 yards of total offense, including 98 passing, against a stout Big Orange defense and committed three turnovers. The Cats fell to 5-3 in all games and 2-3 in league contests. It marked the first time since Nov. 9, 2019 the Vols held an opponent under 100 yards passing and was the lowest point total UT held an SEC opponent to since Oct. 18, 2008 when the Vols defeated Mississippi State 34-3.
 
After hauling in two touchdown passes versus the Wildcats, Hyatt now has 14 scores via the air in 2022, surpassing the previous program record of 13 recorded by Marcus Nash in 1997. Hyatt ended the evening with five receptions for 138 yards (his fourth 100-yard receiving effort this year) and became the first receiver in school history to record multiple receiving touchdowns in four consecutive games in the same season. He also is the first Vol wideout with multiple receiving touchdowns in four games in a single season since Nash did so in 1997.
 
Hyatt’s quarterback, redshirt senior Hendon Hooker, put together a 19-of-25 night for 245 yards and three touchdown tosses while rushed for another. It marked the 20th consecutive game Hooker has recorded a touchdown pass. He now has 52 touchdown tosses and only four interceptions during his UT career, including totals of 21 and one, respectively, in 2022.
 
The Vols finished with 422 yards of total offense, with 177 of that on the ground. Junior running back Jabari Small led the way with 79 yards on 21 carries, while sophomore Jaylen Wright was good for 73 yards and a touchdown on only seven carries.
 
Defensively, redshirt-senior linebacker Juwan Mitchell, junior safety Doneiko Slaughter and redshirt-junior corner back Brandon Turnage all intercepted highly-touted Kentucky quarterback Will Levis. Mitchell also led his team in tackles with eight in the ballgame. The Vols added four sacks for 23 yards in losses. Senior end Byron Young led Tennessee with 1.5 sacks, while Da’Jon Terry and Omari Thomas each tallied one.
 
It didn’t take long for the Big Orange to strike first. After receiving the opening kickoff, on the fifth play of the game, Hooker found Hyatt wide open down the field for a 55-yard touchdown bomb. That reception was the 13th score of the year for Hyatt, tying Nash for the UT standard. Senior Chase McGrath’s extra point kick made it 7-0 UT with 13:33 left in the opening stanza.
 
The Wildcats got on the scoreboard with 4:44 to go in the first quarter when running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. barreled into the end zone from the three yards out to cap a nine-play, 68-yard drive. Matt Ruffolo’s PAT attempt, however, was blocked by UT’s Terry, allowing Tennessee to maintain the lead, 7-6. As it turned out, those would be the only points Kentucky scored.
 
The Vols tied a mark from the Pitt game for the most plays in a scoring drive all season, converting a pair of fourth-down tries and going 75 yards to hit paydirt with 14:56 left in the second period. Redshirt-senior tight end Princeton Fant notched a rushing touchdown for the third straight game, and his fourth rushing TD during that span, barreling into the end zone from two yards out after lining up as a running back in the shotgun. McGrath’s PAT try was off the mark, making it 13-6 Big Orange.  
 
After forcing the Cats to punt, Tennessee needed just two minutes, 42 seconds to pad its lead. Wright punctuated an eight-play, 77-yard possession with a touchdown carry, providing the Vols their 11th one-yard scoring play of the season. McGrath was accurate on the PAT this time, pushing the score to 20-6 with 11:12 remaining in the second quarter.
 
UK threatened to put more points on the board late in the second, facing a 3rd & seven at the Tennessee 12. The Wildcats came up empty, however, as Slaughter delivered a timely hit on intended receiver Dane Key. The pigskin squirted skyward, and Mitchell was there to snare his first career interception and return it 48 yards to the Kentucky 45.
 
With just 44 seconds left in the half, Tennessee got another shot at points when a Colin Goodfellow’s punt from deep was forced directionally sideways by Kalib Perry, who narrowly missed a block, and sailed out of bounds at the UK 35. The Vols needed only two plays and 22 seconds to find the end zone, with Hooker finding Hyatt wide open again for a 31-yard strike that reset the UT single-season record for receiving touchdowns at 14. Tennessee would open up a 27-6 lead and take that tally into the locker room.
 
After successive sacks of Levis by Terry and the tandem of Tyler Baron and Young, the Wildcats were forced to punt on their first possession of the second half. The Vols took over at the Kentucky 41-yard line and advanced to the visitors’ 12 before McGrath came on to boot a 29-yard field goal that increased the lead to 30-6 with 8:57 to go in the third.
 
Slaughter recorded another takeaway for the Vols with 5:29 left in the third, blanketing the Kentucky wideout in coverage and snaring the 50-50 ball, handing Levis his third interception of the evening and setting up Hooker and company at the UT 42. Five plays later, Hooker ran the option to the left side, looked the defender off, and kept the ball, bouncing into the end zone from eight yards out, extended Tennessee’s advantage to 37-6 with 3:58 remaining in the third period.
 
After a nifty 34-yard punt return by junior Dee Williams set Tennessee up at the UK 13, Hooker found Small wide open in the end zone for six on the first play from scrimmage. McGrath’s extra point put the Vols up 44-6 with 7:47 left in the ballgame, and that’s the way it would end.
 
The Vols travel to Athens next weekend to take on No. 1/1 Georgia at 3:30 p.m. in Sanford Stadium. The game will be televised by CBS.

-UT Athletics

Vols WR Jalin Hyatt / Credit: UT Athletics
WATCH: Hooker, Young, Slaughter, Turnage postgame after Vols’ 44-6 win vs. UK

WATCH: Hooker, Young, Slaughter, Turnage postgame after Vols’ 44-6 win vs. UK

Posted on October 30, 2022

Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker, defensive back Doneiko Slaughter, defensive back Brandon Turnage and defensive end/outside linebacker Byron Young spoke to the media after Tennessee routed Kentucky 44-6 to move to 8-0, 4-0 SEC.

Vols DB Doneiko Slaughter, QB Hendon Hooker, DB Brandon Turnage & DE-OLB Byron Young / Credit: 99.1 The Sports Animal
Jimmy’s blog: Hooker outplays Levis, proves he’s the better NFL prospect

Jimmy’s blog: Hooker outplays Levis, proves he’s the better NFL prospect

Posted on October 30, 2022

By Jimmy Hyams

With all due respect to ESPN and Pro Football Focus and anyone else who ranks Will Levis as the No. 2 quarterback in the upcoming NFL – you’re crazy as hell.

Kentucky’s quarterback has a strong arm and a body-builder physique, but he’s not a great quarterback.

And he’s certainly not as good as Hendon Hooker.

Tennessee’s senior quarterback beat Levis for the second game in a row and totally outplayed the Penn State transfer as the No. 3 Vols (8-0) routed the 17th-ranked Wildcats 44-6 before an ESPN audience Saturday night at Neyland Stadium.

Hooker completed 18 of 24 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another to keep alive his Heisman Trophy hopes.

Levis was a miserable 16 of 27 for 98 yards and three interceptions while being sacked four times.

Hey, Todd McShay, you can have Levis.

I’ll take Hooker.

Levis didn’t have much help as his weak offensive line didn’t provide much protection. But even when Levis had time, he was inaccurate and made poor decisions throwing into coverage.

If you like Levis over Hooker, you might like JaMarcus Russell over Peyton Manning. After all, Russell had a much better arm.

OK, that’s a bit of a stretch, but I don’t think it’s close when it comes to evaluating Hooker and Levis as college quarterbacks or pro prospects.

Hooker is the catalyst of an offense that leads the nation in scoring and total offense.

He has an insane touchdown-to-interception ratio of 21 to one. He has completed over 70% of his passes. He has accounted for 25 touchdowns and almost 2,700 total yards.

He is Tennessee’s best quarterback since Manning – and that includes a guy that helped the Vols win a national championship.

Speaking of national championships, isn’t it hard to count out Tennessee?

No team has a better resume. Not team has more wins over ranked opponents (five). No team has a better offense.

And while UT’s secondary has been suspect, it picked off Levis three times. That says something about an improving collection of defensive backs. It also says something about Levis.

Levis is not as good of a decision maker as Hooker. He’s not as accurate. And he doesn’t see the field as well. Those are three important traits in college – and in the NFL.

As for the surprising Vols, only one team the rest of this regular season has a chance to beat Tennessee, and that team is top-ranked Georgia, which hosts the Vols on Saturday.

Since the start of this season, I have been on Georgia’s bandwagon.

I didn’t think Tennessee could beat the defending champions.

I’ve changed my tune. Tennessee’s offense can score against anyone – including Georgia.

Jalin Hyatt has developed into the best receiver in the SEC. Over a 14-quarter stretch, he had 11 touchdown catches. He has set the UT single-season record with 14 scoring catches after two touchdown, five-catch, 138-yard night against Kentucky.

In 2020, Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith had 17 touchdown catches at the time he was voted the Heisman Trophy winner.

That underscores what a brilliant season Hyatt is having.

And now with Cedric Tillman back from an ankle injury, UT’s offense is even more explosive.

The job that Hooker and Hyatt and Josh Heupel and the rest of the players and coaching staff have done in a shot period of time is one of the greatest stories college football has seen in years.

With eight games under its belt, what is Tennessee now chasing?

“A championship,’’ Hooker said. “We want to win the SEC Championship. That’s our goal – to be playing in Atlanta at the end of the season.’’

Hooker has given his team a chance to be in the championship conversation.

Levis has not.

That’s another reason I’d take Hooker.

Sponsored by Big Kahuna Wings: The wings that changed it all

Stats/Story: #11 Vols Storm Past #2 Gonzaga in Exhibition, 99-80

Stats/Story: #11 Vols Storm Past #2 Gonzaga in Exhibition, 99-80

Posted on October 29, 2022

BOX SCORE 

FRISCO, Texas – A second-half explosion and five double-figure scorers led the way for No. 11 Tennessee, as the Vols ran past No. 2 Gonzaga Friday at the Legends of Basketball Classic exhibition, 99-80.
 
After heading into halftime trailing by four points, Tennessee outscored Gonzaga by 23 points in the second half—holding the Bulldogs to 16 points in the game’s final 13 minutes after they scored 64 points in the opening 27 minutes.

Making his first appearance in a Tennessee uniform, graduate transfer Tyreke Key led the way with a game-high 26 points on 8-for-12 shooting, including 4-for-7 from 3-point range.
 
Sophomore Zakai Zeigler and senior Uros Plavsic (6-for-6 shooting) contributed 13 points apiece, while freshman Julian Phillips added 12 and senior Olivier Nkamhoua had 11.
 
Nkamhoua recorded a double-double on the night, pulling down a game-high 14 rebounds.
 
As a team, Tennessee shot 57 percent from the field on the night—including 46 percent from 3-point range (13-for-28). The Vols had 28 assists on 36 made baskets.
 
Defensively, the Vols limited preseason AP All-American Drew Timme to 8-for-18 shooting on the night. Preseason second-team All-SEC selection Josiah-Jordan James did not play for Tennessee.
 
Neither team led by more five points for the first 29:10 of the game, but Tennessee took control of the contest by going on a 12-1 run to take a 77-65 lead—highlighted by five points apiece from Key and Plavsic.
 
From there, Tennessee continued to steadily built its lead. After trading baskets with the Bulldogs, the Vols rattled off another run—this time 12-2, capped off by a Phillips 3-pointer to push Tennessee’s lead to 91-72 with 5:16 remaining.
 
Neither team led by more than five points during a high-scoring, back-and-forth, first half—with Gonzaga taking a 54-50 lead into the break.
 
Tennessee shot 57 percent (17-for-30) from the field during the first half and made eight 3-pointers, while Gonzaga shot 59 percent (19-for-32).
 
Six players made multiple field goals during the first stanza for the Vols, led by Key—who scored 16 first-half points on 4-for-5 shooting, including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. Zeigler had eight points and five assists.
 
UP NEXT: Tennessee officially opens its 2022-23 season on Monday, Nov. 7, inside Thompson-Boling Arena against Tennessee Tech at 7 p.m. ET. The game will air on SEC Network+. Tickets remain available at AllVols.com.

-UT Athletics

Vols G Tyreke Key / Credit: UT Athletics

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