BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Southeastern Conference women’s basketball preseason media poll is out, and the Tennessee Lady Vols have been picked to finish second in the league in 2022-23 by a vote from a select panel of SEC and national media members.
Tennessee returns 10 players, including four full-time starters, from a squad that started last year 18-1 and finished 25-9 overall and 11-5 in the SEC (third) while advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16. UT also brings aboard six newcomers, including three all-conference recipient transfers, a sophomore newcomer who was a five-star prep recruit and a five-star freshman signee.
Members of the media also selected a Preseason All-SEC Team, and three Lady Vols were named to the first unit, including returning seniors Jordan Horston and Tamari Key and senior transfer Rickea Jackson.
Horston, 6-foot-2 guard, averaged 16.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in 23 starts last season before suffering a season-ending injury at Alabama on Feb. 17. She was a 2022 All-SEC First Team pick by the media and coaches, and was named All-America Honorable Mention by AP and the WBCA. Additionally, Horston made the 2022 Ann Myers Drysdale Top 10, Wooden Late Season List and Naismith Midseason List, and was the South Point Shootout Most Outstanding Player.
Key, a 6-foot-6 center, put up 10.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.5 blocks while starting all 34 contests as a junior. The school’s all-time record holder for blocked shots and triple-doubles in a career and season, she was named All-SEC Second Team by the media and coaches a year ago and is a two-time member of the SEC All-Defensive Team. Key also was named a 2022 Lisa Leslie Award Top-Five Finalist and was a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist.
Jackson, a 6-foot-2 forward, averaged an SEC-leading 20.3 points as well as 6.8 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals while starting all 15 games she played before entering the transfer portal out of Mississippi State last January. Jackson has previously earned WBCA All-America Honorable Mention accolades twice and made the All-SEC Second Team, SEC All-Freshman Team and SEC All-Tournament Team in 2019-20.
South Carolina tops the predicted order of finish by the media, with Tennessee, LSU, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Florida and Kentucky rounding out the top half the league. Mississippi State, Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M, Missouri, Auburn and Vanderbilt complete the bottom half.
South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston, last season’s unanimous National Player of the Year, was the media’s unanimous choice for 2023 SEC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year. She is joined by teammate Zia Cooke and the three players from Tennessee on the Media Preseason All-SEC First Team.
PRESEASON MEDIA PREDICTIONS
Order of Finish 1. South Carolina 2.Tennessee 3. LSU 4. Arkansas 5. Ole Miss 6. Florida 7. Kentucky 8. Mississippi State 9. Georgia 10. Alabama 11. Texas A&M 12. Missouri 13. Auburn 14. Vanderbilt
Preseason SEC Player of the Year Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Preseason All-SEC First Team Aliyah Boston, South Carolina Zia Cooke, South Carolina Rickea Jackson, Tennessee Jordan Horston, Tennessee Tamari Key, Tennessee
Preseason All-SEC Second Team Brittany Davis, Alabama Alexis Morris, LSU Angel Reese, LSU Jessika Carter, Mississippi State Anastasia Hayes, Mississippi State Hayley Frank, Missouri
AMBLER, Pa. – Adding to his list of honors following a historic performance against Alabama on Saturday, Jalin Hyatt was named the Maxwell Award Player of the Week by the Maxwell Football Club on Tuesday morning.
Hyatt had six catches and was electric with each touch of the ball, finishing the game with five touchdowns – a mark that set a single-game program record and tied the Southeastern Conference single-game record. He also had 207 receiving yards, the sixth-best performance in a game in Tennessee history.
The junior wideout became the second Vol of the Heupel Era to amass 200 yards or more receiving, joining Cedric Tillman’s 200-yard output against Georgia a season ago. Hyatt finished with an average of 34.5 yards per reception, thanks in large part to three long completions of 36, 60 and 78 yards with Hendon Hooker, each going for a touchdown.
Hyatt and the Vols continue their three-game homestand next weekend, welcoming UT Martin to Rocky Top for Homecoming at noon ET on SEC Network. Tickets for the matchup with the Skyhawks are available in limited quantities at AllVols.com. In addition, season tickets for the 2023 campaign are on sale now at AllVols.com.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Returning to Anderson Training Center following an epic, buzzer-beating victory over Alabama, the third-ranked Tennessee Volunteers turned the page to a new week of preparation for UT Martin on Monday morning.
With all the excitement and energy on campus, it created an atmosphere unlike any other in college sports. It has been one of the most impressive parts about the University of Tennessee since coach Josh Heupel assumed the reigns of the program prior to last season. Between ESPN’s College GameDay, SEC Nation, a jam-packed Vol Walk and nationally televised showdown in the premier timeslot in front of a sold-out Neyland Stadium, last weekend on Rocky Top epitomizes what makes collegiate athletics so special.
“From (Saturday) morning until the celebration on the backend, truly a really unique experience. I appreciate our fans. They were awesome all night long,” Heupel said in his Monday press conference. He noted that though the win was special, they were quick to snap to a new task at hand.
“This morning, for our players we pushed forward. For our staff, we did it yesterday when we got back in the building. Had a really good morning with the guys. Obviously, from the outside looking in everybody is excited about the win. From the inside looking forward, we have a lot of things that we have an opportunity to get a whole lot better at and the challenge for us is to become our best. We are in the early stages of that. The urgency and preparation and focus has to remain consistent and that was the message to the players.”
A big part of the Vols offense was the strong play from the offensive line. No one can attest more to the work that group has put in every practice this week than defensive lineman Omari Thomas.
“We see it all the time in our group work,” Thomas said at the podium Monday. “They are just always encouraging each other. They are always pushing each other to do better, and they always just keep coaching each other up. I feel like that’s something that they’re doing good at, they are just playing for each other, honestly.”
That is something he sees the whole team doing week-in and week-out.
“That’s what we’re trying to do as a team, just continue to play for each other.”
For many of the guys, the Alabama game will be a cherished memory shared with friends and family. For veteran tight end Princeton Fant, that was the highlight of the game. Having his mom and other people close to him in the stands and seeing him score, that is something he will never forget.
“It’s a blessing. Just my mom, that’s definitely my number one supporter and somebody I really do this for, play football for,” Fant said. “Just being able to have her there and see me score a touchdown. She’s definitely proud, and that’s the number one thing I want to do is make her proud.”
The Vols return to the practice field Tuesday morning, continuing their game prep in welcoming the UT Martin Skyhawks to Neyland Stadium for Homecoming on Oct. 22, tickets are still available in limited quantities on AllVols.com.
Opening Statement… “Hope everybody is doing great. Great weekend here on Rocky Top. Obviously, a unique celebration the way the game unfolded and the passion and pageantry that was Saturday here in Neyland. From the morning until the celebration on the backend, truly a really unique experience. I appreciate our fans. They were awesome all night long. This morning, for our players we pushed forward. For our staff, we did it yesterday when we got back in the building. Had a really good morning with the guys. Obviously, from the outside looking in everybody is excited about the win. From the inside looking forward, we have a lot of things that we have an opportunity to get a whole lot better at and the challenge for us is to become our best. We are in the early stages of that. The urgency and preparation and focus has to remain consistent and that was the message to the players. Looking forward to getting it going this week. This weekend will be a unique one as well. It’s Homecoming. We’ll have a lot of former students, former players that will be back for this one. Look forward to celebrating Homecoming with them. It’s unique too that this is a celebration of Title IX and obviously Pat Summitt and her legacy in sports and her legacy here at UT is really special and we’ll have a chance to celebrate that, too. Looking forward to that this weekend.”
On if the players came into practice Monday with a good mindset… “Yeah, they got a good dose of reality from their position coaches and from me too. The look in their eye too said that they wanted to improve. You know, the short time we spent on the grass was really good and I’m looking forward to this week unfolding the right way. The reason that we have been able to play and find a way to win each week is their preparation has been good, not perfect, but been really good. That urgency, that focus, as we get our game plan and get on the practice field here in the early part of the week is going to be critical. I say it every week, it’s about us, it’s about our preparation but the challenge is about us becoming our best, too. They all understand there is a lot of things we have got to get better at.”
On the postgame feeling and recruiting after the game… “There was a lot of recruiting. Long celebration in the locker room as there should be after a win like that. Just the way it unfolded, that game anyways, that’s a celebration we want to have more of. Opportunity on the back end of that to do a bunch of recruiting. There was a great amount of guys that were here. That’s important for the future of our program. I got postgame things that I have to do too and so once I got out of here and got home, probably close to midnight, I got a chance to spend a bunch of time with my family. Had a bunch of my friends in for the game too, and you know eventually get to bed at some point in the early morning.”
On the final series with 15 seconds to go… “You practice those things in training camp. How you want to function and operate in a lot of different scenarios. It’s impossible to give those guys those scenarios every single week. Love the fact that our kids understood what we were trying to accomplish. From wideouts, to quarterback, to protection up front, able to go execute in those situations. The fact that we still had timeouts left was critical. Our guys understanding the concepts that we’re running but being able to handle the pressure of that situation, go out and execute speaks to it. We try to replicate some of those scenarios throughout the course of the week, but you are really kind of cycling through those things, and it was a big-time performance by those guys at the end of the football game.”
On Alabama missing the field goal and what his response was… “Well, you immediately transition right? They make the field goal and you’re flipping to a different scenario and you got to go play that out and execute it. They miss it, (so you think) where are we at, time allotted, timeouts left, how do we go get two chunks and get ourselves into field goal range? So absolutely, you flip the script, and your players have to do that as well.”
On his even keeled nature and whether it is natural or something that he’s learned over the years… “My dad was a lot more emotional than I am on the sideline, so that might be because he’s a defensive guy by nature too. I think having played the position and I’m saying playing quarterback, having been in a lot of different positions and understanding. I think from being a kid to being a player that your players are going to feel off of you way more than they listen to you. They feed off of your body language and your energy that you give off. So, you know, I try to be consistent and calm in those situations, hopefully keeping them calm in the storm too.
On Tennessee winning the line of scrimmage against Alabama… “In comparison to them, I didn’t really look at it that way. I knew the physicality was something that we were going to have to win, the line of scrimmage was going to be important, on both sides of the line of scrimmage for us. Defensively, our front seven, safeties and their fits, defeat blocks, get off and make plays. It was going to be critical to not let their run game get started. When their backs get out in space, it’s an issue. Then for us on the offensive line, we knew that the run game – you guys heard me say earlier in the week – that there’s a huge difference in twos against those guys because of how third down gets played out versus four, five, sixes. The tempo, the mentality, the attitude – we showed it to the team today – just the way we finished our runs, the pile moving forward was a huge difference in that game. Proud of the effort and strain that everybody had on both sides of the line of scrimmage.”
On Jaylen McCollough being out against Alabama and who’s decision that was… “Yeah, he’s not suspended. He’s been around, just wasn’t available for Saturday. The process is still going with him, and we’ll see how that continues to play out here. We look forward to having him available soon.”
On Darnell Wright and his performance… “Yeah, Darnell did a great job. Starting just in pass protection, our offensive line as a whole did a really good job. He was solid all night long, won his one on ones. I thought in the run game he did a really nice job. That is when he was in man, blocking one on one, some of the double teams on the right side of the line of scrimmage were changing the way the game was played. I thought he played really solid football all night long.”
On Hendon Hooker and how is composer bleeds into the rest of the offense… “Yeah, great players and great quarterbacks have to be able to reset from one play to the next. There is no way you’re going to go out a play a perfect game. You have the ball in your hands all the time and eventually it probably doesn’t go your way. (We’ve) been really fortunate that it has gone his way, our way most of the first half of the season. The other night, his maturity, his understanding of the game allows him when something isn’t perfect and it doesn’t go right, to understand the why behind it which gives you confidence and calmness to be able to go reset and play the next play. There’s no doubt that his maturity and his confidence and his ability to reset also allows the 10 other guys around him and our entire offense unit to do that as well. You can’t take that for granted.”
On challenges facing UT Martin… “For us defensively and them offensively, they’ve put up a bunch of points, a bunch of yards here in the first half of the season. The line of scrimmage is going to be important. We got to apply pressure to the quarterback and got to be able to match guys out on the outside on the perimeter. It will be important to win the line of scrimmage on the defensive side of the football in this one. For us offensively, the line of scrimmage is where it starts. We’ve got to be able to run the football. Defensively, in their structure, we got to be able to understand what they’re playing, adjust to it, and then go win some one on ones out on the perimeter.”
On Brandon Turnage’s play against Alabama and trying to get some younger players more playing time to help develop more depth… “Brandon was really solid. Did some good things on special teams. Helped us get the first punt return started that we had. He did a really good job when he was in there defensively, matching things out and man-to-man. He’s a really smart, intelligent player and we have a lot of trust in him. As far as young guys playing, the other night is a perfect example, you don’t know when your opportunity is going to come up. William Wright is out there at the end of the football game playing his butt off. For all of our guys, continuing to prepare and being ready for your opportunity whenever that comes. This weekend, we’re going to have to play a bunch of guys. Look forward to seeing all of our guys go out and compete.”
On Alabama’s offense just making plays versus stuff that needs to be cleaned up defensively… “There’s things that we can absolutely clean up. That’s from coverage, to matching things out, to understanding scramble drill. Your end zone coverage, you better match things out. It’s containing the quarterback, it’s making plays on the quarterback. At the same time, they got a special player back there too that was able to extend plays and create some things, too. I do love the way we continued to reset and go play the next play and continued to play hard.”
On William Wright playing at the end of the game… “I talked about it this morning with our football team. He did some really really good things throughout the course of spring ball. His ability to trust us and to continue to grow from the time that we’ve shown up is a part of why he’s grown as a player. Unfortunate, gets nicked up on the back half of training camp. We had planned on him playing a lot of football for us, starting first and foremost on special teams. He’s been banged up. It’s easy to check out when you’re nicked up and not be engaged in meetings and continue to grow mentally as you are rehabbing. That wasn’t him man. He was fully engaged in everything, and it’s a great lesson for all of our players that you don’t know when your opportunity is coming and all of the sudden, he’s playing on special teams, but all of the sudden you’re thrust out there in one of the most critical moments defensively too and does a really nice job. It’s a great lesson for everybody, especially our young players in the program.”
On his two-yard rushing score… “We had been practicing it all week. Just playing an emergency running back. It’s definitely something that we’ve been talking about, me and coach. Just with that, it’s just a blessing to be able to go back there at fullback and just do whatever I can for my team, get in the end zone and help our team.”
On working offensively from under center and the development of that… “We’ve been talking about it, just talking to the coaches. They’ve seen my running back skills, they see I can run the ball. With that, it’s just, honestly, out there having fun with it. Coach was just like ‘Man, you can run the ball?’ and I was like ‘Yeah, coach.’ We just went from there and are having fun with it.”
On sharing the moment and victory with his family and friends… “It’s a blessing. Just my mom, that’s definitely my number one supporter and somebody I really do this for, play football for. Just being able to have her there and see me score a touchdown. She’s definitely proud, and that’s the number one thing I want to do is make her proud.”
On the celebration after the game… “Loss for words honestly. Seeing all the videos and things like that, it’s just like wow, I really was a part of that. I was a part of history like that. It was amazing. Just in that moment, just sitting there, I’m on field goal (block). Just sitting there, I and so much confidence in Chase McGrath. I don’t know if you watched the video, but you just see me soon as the kick, I didn’t even look at the ball I just ran straight to the student section. That’s how much confidence I had in Chase. It was just amazing. Loss for words in that moment.”
On making sure this isn’t peak of the season… “I’d say a small thing that a lot of us have been talking about now is just being in the training room. We know that it’s a long season, we’re just halfway through it. You have players that are banged up and things like that, but you just have to continue to be in the training. Room. That’s something that Coach Rodney Garner has preached to us too, as well. Just as a d-line group, you want to live in the training room. That’s how you protect your body, that’s how you continue to play these long seasons like that.”
On Tennessee’s offensive line… “They have been gelling. We see it all the time in our group work. They are just always encouraging each other. They are always pushing each other to do better and they always just keep coaching each other up. I feel like that’s something that they’re doing good at, they are just playing for each other, honestly. That’s what we’re trying to do as a team, just continue to play for each other.”
HOUSTON – Tennessee senior offensive lineman Darnell Wright is one of 88 players who will be up for the Rotary Lombardi Award this season, as the award, in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Houston, released its midseason update on Monday afternoon.
The Rotary Lombardi Award® goes annually to the college football offensive or defensive lineman, who in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the character and discipline of NFL Hall of Fame Head Coach Vince Lombardi.
Wright is one of 15 players from the SEC on the list, which leads all conferences.
The Huntington, West Virginia, native has been the leader of the Vols’ offensive line, which is among the best in the country. Tennessee leads the nation in total offense, averaging 551.0 yards per game, and also rank fourth nationally in yards per play (7.35).
Wright has started all six games at right tackle for the Big Orange this season, helping lead the program to its first 6-0 start since 1998, including a nation’s best four wins over ranked opponents. He has not given up a single sack and has allowed just four pressures in 422 offensive snaps played this season while consistently grading out as one of the team’s top offensive linemen by PFF.com.
The 2022 Rotary Lombardi Award® watch list is compiled by a subcommittee of the Rotary Lombardi Award® committee and included SID submissions. On the preliminary watch list, players were selected based on their past performance and expectations for the upcoming 2022 college football season. The updated list includes additional players whose play on the field at the halfway point in the season has merited their inclusion.
The full watch list can be found HERE. The voting process and timeline for this year’s award can be found below.
October 24 – 31, 2022: Vote to determine semifinalists
November 2, 2022: Semifinalists announcement
November 4 – 14, 2022: Vote to determine four finalists
November 17, 2022: Four finalists announcement
November 18 – December 5, 2022: Final vote to determine winner
December 7, 2022: Rotary Lombardi Award® Winner announced
Hooker’s showing against the Crimson Tide marked a career-day for the redshirt-senior signal caller. He posted a new career high in passing yards with 385 against Alabama’s stout defense. He also completed the longest pass of his collegiate career, a 78-yard beauty to Jalin Hyatt early in the fourth quarter, and tied his career-best total for passing touchdowns with five, matching his 2021 TransPerfect Music City Bowl performance a season ago.
At the halfway point in the season, the Volunteer signal caller has amassed 1,817 yards on 119-of-170 (70 percent) passing. He has completed 15 touchdown passes and thrown only one interception, increasing his Tennessee career total to 46 aerial scores which ranks sixth in program history.
His impact is not just felt in the pass game, as the savvy quarterback has rushed for 287 yards on 59 carries (an average of 4.9 yards per attempt) and gotten in the end zone three times on the ground.
In total, the Greensboro, North Carolina, native has 2,104 yards of total offense for an average of 350.67 yards per game, which ranks first in the Southeastern Conference in total offense and is seventh nationally. The veteran leader of the Vols also leads the SEC in passing efficiency at 187.72, a figure which sits No. 2 in the country and is joined by his 10.69 yards per attempt, which is second-best in the country and leads the conference.
This season, Hooker has earned 11 different weekly awards. He is a three-time member of the Davey O’Brien Great 8 List, adding an appearance on the chart after a strong day at Pitt to go along with his Florida outing. Hooker also was named the Manning Award Quarterback of the Week on Sept. 29 by the Allstate Sugar Bowl after being the top-voted quarterback after the Florida game.
Hooker and the Vols return to the gridiron on Saturday, Oct. 22 at noon ET to take on UT Martin inside of Neyland Stadium on the SEC Network. Tickets for the Homecoming matchup against the Skyhawks are available in limited quantities at AllVols.com. In addition, season tickets for the 2023 campaign are on sale now at AllVols.com.
Tennessee basketball is set to open the season as a top-15 team, as the Vols came in ranked No. 11 in the Preseason AP Top 25, which was released Monday.
It marks the fourth time in the past five seasons that Tennessee has been ranked preseason and the 17th time in program history that the Vols have been ranked as a preseason top-25 team.
Tennessee spent the entirety of the 2021-22 season—19 weeks—ranked in the AP Poll last season, including rising all the way to No. 5 in the final rankings of the season.
Tennessee is scheduled to face at least six of the AP Preseason ranked teams during the regular season: No. 4 Kentucky (twice), No. 10 Arkansas, No. 12 Texas, No. 15 Auburn (twice), No. 17 Arizona and No. 20 Alabama.
Before the regular season begins, the Vols are set to face preseason No. 2 Gonzaga in the Legends of Basketball Classic exhibition on Oct. 28 in Frisco, Texas.
Coming off a season in which it captured the SEC Tournament championship and posted a perfect 16-0 record at home, Tennessee is primed for another breakout campaign in 2022-23.
Tennessee’s returning contributors are complemented by four scholarship newcomers—transfer guard Tyreke Key along with highly-rated high school prospects B.J. Edwards, D.J. Jefferson and McDonald’s All-American Julian Phillips.
Tennessee opens its regular season on Monday, Nov. 7 against Tennessee Tech inside Thompson-Boling Arena. Fan interested in being part of the action can purchase season tickets HERE.
-UT Athletics
Vols Gs Santiago Vescovi & Zakai Zeigler / Credit: UT Athletics
Tennessee basketball is set to open the season as a top-15 team, as the Vols came in ranked No. 11 in the Preseason AP Top 25, which was released Monday.
It marks the fourth time in the past five seasons that Tennessee has been ranked preseason and the 17th time in program history that the Vols have been ranked as a preseason top-25 team.
Tennessee spent the entirety of the 2021-22 season—19 weeks—ranked in the AP Poll last season, including rising all the way to No. 5 in the final rankings of the season.
Tennessee is scheduled to face at least six of the AP Preseason ranked teams during the regular season: No. 4 Kentucky (twice), No. 10 Arkansas, No. 12 Texas, No. 15 Auburn (twice), No. 17 Arizona and No. 20 Alabama.
Before the regular season begins, the Vols are set to face preseason No. 2 Gonzaga in the Legends of Basketball Classic exhibition on Oct. 28 in Frisco, Texas.
Coming off a season in which it captured the SEC Tournament championship and posted a perfect 16-0 record at home, Tennessee is primed for another breakout campaign in 2022-23.
Tennessee’s returning contributors are complemented by four scholarship newcomers—transfer guard Tyreke Key along with highly-rated high school prospects B.J. Edwards, D.J. Jefferson and McDonald’s All-American Julian Phillips.
Tennessee opens its regular season on Monday, Nov. 7 against Tennessee Tech inside Thompson-Boling Arena. Fan interested in being part of the action can purchase season tickets HERE.
-UT Athletics
Vols Gs Santiago Vescovi & Zakai Zeigler / Credit: UT Athletics
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After an outstanding offensive performance and monumental victory on the Third Saturday In October over the third-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, three members of the Tennessee football program have been recognized by the Southeastern Conference with weekly awards. Junior receiver Jalin Hyatt was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week, senior tackle Darnell Wright took home SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week honors, and redshirt senior placekicker Chase McGrath was tabbed the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week.
Tennessee collects three weekly awards from the conference office for the first time since also having three honorees on Oct. 28, 2019 after a 41-21 win over South Carolina. Through the first six weeks of the season, the Vols have earned nine SEC weekly honors—the most of any team in the conference.
Hyatt and Wright are both first-time recipients of SEC weekly honors, while McGrath picks up his second career and second consecutive SEC Special Teams Player of the Week nod.
Hyatt delivered arguably the greatest receiving performance in school history on Saturday, tying the SEC single-game record and shattering the UT program record with five receiving touchdowns. He finished the contest with six catches for 207 yards, ranking sixth in Tennessee single-game history and marking the most by a UT player in an SEC game since Denarius Moore had 228 against South Carolina on Oct. 30, 2010.
The junior from Irmo, South Carolina, became the fifth player in SEC history to catch five or more touchdowns in a game and the first since Alabama’s DeVonta Smith vs. Ole Miss in 2019. He also tied the single-game program record for points with 30, a mark that evened with Gene McEver who had 30 points on five rushing TDs against South Carolina in Dec. 7, 1929.
Furthermore, Hyatt was the first player to register three or more touchdowns and 100 receiving yards against Alabama in the Nick Saban era. He also was the first FBS player with five or more receiving touchdowns against an AP top-five team since NC State’s Terry Holt did so at No. 3 Florida State on Nov. 8, 1997.
Wright, making his 35th career start on the offensive line, protected and paved the way for a Tennessee offense that racked up 567 total yards against an Alabama defense that entered the game allowing an SEC-best 250.8 yards per game. A 2023 NFL Draft prospect, Wright played all 70 offensive snaps at right tackle and did not allow a sack or pressure as the Vols also rushed for 182 yards in the victory. He has not allowed a sack in 12 straight games.
According to Pro Football Focus, the senior from Huntington, West Virginia, was the highest graded offensive lineman in the contest as Tennessee averaged a stellar 8.1 yards per play—the most allowed by Alabama since giving up 8.85 yards per play against Texas A&M on Sept. 14, 2013. The Volunteer offensive line neutralized a dominant Alabama front on Saturday, surrendering only two tackles for loss and one sack as a unit for the entire game.
The hero from Saturday night, McGrath connected on his only field goal attempt of the game from 40 yards as time expired to give Tennessee its first victory over Alabama since 2006. The kick was UT’s first game-winner as time expired since Michael Palardy hit a 19-yard try to defeat No. 11 South Carolina on Oct. 19, 2013, and McGrath’s first game-winning field goal since a 43-yard make against Texas as a true freshman at Southern Cal on Sept. 16, 2017. From 40 yards and in, the redshirt senior from Newport Beach, California, is 16-of-17 for his Tennessee career, including 10 makes in a row.
McGrath’s heroic boot on Saturday lifted the Vols to a 52-49 triumph over the Tide, which stands as the most points allowed by Alabama since 1907. Tennessee’s 52 points on Saturday were its most against an AP Top 25 opponent in program history, breaking the school record of 51 set in a 51-33 victory at No. 10 Georgia on Oct. 7, 2006.
Homecoming week has arrived on Rocky Top as the Vols gear up for an in-state, inter-system tilt with the UT Martin Skyhawks on Saturday inside Neyland Stadium. Kickoff is slated for noon ET on SEC Network, and tickets remain available on AllVols.com.
-UT Athletics
Vols WR Jalin Hyatt, OT Darnell Wright & PK Chase McGrath / Credit UT Athletics
DALLAS – Tennessee has been named to the Cheez-It Bowl National Team of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America after its thrilling 52-49 victory over rival Alabama on Saturday night inside Neyland Stadium.
The win over the No. 3/1 Crimson Tide helped the Vols move up to third in the AP Poll this week, its highest ranking in the poll since opening the 2005 season at No. 3.
UT’s historic victory marked its first win over Alabama since 2006, snapping a 15-game losing streak in the series. With the victory, the Vols improved to 6-0 for the first time since 1998 when they went on to win the BCS National Championship.
The Big Orange’s high-powered offense led the way with 52 points and 567 yards of total offense. The 52 points were the most against an AP Top 25 opponent in program history and were the most allowed by an Alabama team since giving up 54 to Sewanee back in 1907.
The duo of redshirt senior quarterback Hendon Hooker and junior wide receiver Jalin Hyatt torched the Crimson Tide’s normally stout defense. Hooker passed for a career-best 385 yards and threw five touchdown passes – all to Hyatt – who broke the single-game program record and tied the SEC single-game record for touchdown catches. Hyatt also finished with a career-high 207 receiving yards, which ranks sixth most in program annals.
After the Vols’ defense stood tall and forced a 50-yard field goal that missed wide right on Alabama’s final drive, Hooker and the UT offense got the ball back with just 15 seconds remaining and proceeded to connect on passes of 18 and 27 yards to get into field-goal range with just two seconds remaining on the game clock.
Redshirt senior kicker Chase McGrath booted the game-winning 40-yard field goal as time expired to send the sold-out Neyland Stadium crowd of 101,915 into a frenzy as they rushed the field and tore down the goalposts in celebration.
This marks the third time that the Vols have been named National Team of the Week by the FWAA and their first since 2016. The other was in 2006. To read the FWAA’s full release, click HERE.
Tennessee continues its three-game homestand this Saturday when it welcomes in-state foe UT Martin to Neyland Stadium for Homecoming. Kickoff against the Skyhawks is slated for noon ET on the SEC Network.
Tickets for the contest are available in limited quantities at AllVols.com. In addition, season tickets for the 2023 campaign are on sale now at AllVols.com.
DALLAS – Tennessee has been named to the Cheez-It Bowl National Team of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America after its thrilling 52-49 victory over rival Alabama on Saturday night inside Neyland Stadium.
The win over the No. 3/1 Crimson Tide helped the Vols move up to third in the AP Poll this week, its highest ranking in the poll since opening the 2005 season at No. 3.
UT’s historic victory marked its first win over Alabama since 2006, snapping a 15-game losing streak in the series. With the victory, the Vols improved to 6-0 for the first time since 1998 when they went on to win the BCS National Championship.
The Big Orange’s high-powered offense led the way with 52 points and 567 yards of total offense. The 52 points were the most against an AP Top 25 opponent in program history and were the most allowed by an Alabama team since giving up 54 to Sewanee back in 1907.
The duo of redshirt senior quarterback Hendon Hooker and junior wide receiver Jalin Hyatt torched the Crimson Tide’s normally stout defense. Hooker passed for a career-best 385 yards and threw five touchdown passes – all to Hyatt – who broke the single-game program record and tied the SEC single-game record for touchdown catches. Hyatt also finished with a career-high 207 receiving yards, which ranks sixth most in program annals.
After the Vols’ defense stood tall and forced a 50-yard field goal that missed wide right on Alabama’s final drive, Hooker and the UT offense got the ball back with just 15 seconds remaining and proceeded to connect on passes of 18 and 27 yards to get into field-goal range with just two seconds remaining on the game clock.
Redshirt senior kicker Chase McGrath booted the game-winning 40-yard field goal as time expired to send the sold-out Neyland Stadium crowd of 101,915 into a frenzy as they rushed the field and tore down the goalposts in celebration.
This marks the third time that the Vols have been named National Team of the Week by the FWAA and their first since 2016. The other was in 2006. To read the FWAA’s full release, click HERE.
Tennessee continues its three-game homestand this Saturday when it welcomes in-state foe UT Martin to Neyland Stadium for Homecoming. Kickoff against the Skyhawks is slated for noon ET on the SEC Network.
Tickets for the contest are available in limited quantities at AllVols.com. In addition, season tickets for the 2023 campaign are on sale now at AllVols.com.
