Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee: Game Preview, Prediction and Players to Watch
Exhale, Vol Nation.
Or as Tennessee head football coach Butch Jones would say in what has become another one of his many-mentioned cliches: "Snap and clear."
The No. 17-ranked Volunteers were far from dominant Alabama—nowhere close—in Thursday night's 20-13 overtime win over Appalachian State. But they also aren't in the same boat as LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Kentucky or Auburn. All of those teams are 0-1. Arkansas narrowly escaped Louisiana Tech, 21-20, also.
So, UT isn't alone in the Week 1 woes. At least Jones' crew survived and is 1-0 heading into Saturday night's Battle at Bristol tilt against Virginia Tech that will be played at Bristol Motor Speedway. A crowd of more than 150,000 fans is expected, and, with a light schedule, all college football eyes will be on the game.
It's the perfect opportunity for the Vols to put a poor season opener in the rearview mirror and start fresh against head coach Justin Fuente's Hokies, who are 1-0 following a win over Liberty where new quarterback Jerod Evans looked strong.
Here's everything you need to know about the game.
Date: Saturday, September 10
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Place: Bristol Motor Speedway
TV: ABC
Spread: Tennessee -10.5, according to Odds Shark
Tennessee Keys to Victory
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Chain game
At first glance, Tennessee's 4.3 yards per first-down play average against Appalachian State doesn't look so poor.
But factor in the 67-yard Joshua Dobbs touchdown pass to Josh Malone, and that skews it considerably. On the other 27 plays, the Vols averaged just 1.9 yards.
That won't get it done against the Hokies, and Dobbs knows it.
"First-down efficiency is going to be huge," Dobbs told VolQuest's Paul Fortenberry and Rob Lewis. "We're playing a very aggressive defense. We're going to see all different kinds of pressures, man coverage on the outside. It's going to be about winning one-on-one matchups and identifying the defense we're given."
The Vols were about as vanilla as you can possibly be on first downs. Offensive coordinator Mike DeBord called 10 passing plays out of the 28, and 14 of them were Jalen Hurd runs. Most were on zone plays between the tackles. Everybody in the stadium knew what was coming.
UT must be better on first down. If the Vols get behind the chains, VT defensive coordinator Bud Foster will dial up the pressure on Dobbs and make Saturday night difficult. The Vols have to mix it up better against the Hokies.
Jump ahead
When Cameron Sutton fumbled his first punt return and the Mountaineers turned it into a touchdown, it gave them belief.
The Vols can't give that to a team as good as the Hokies.
As was the case last week, UT is the more talented football team. But the Vols can't make the same mental errors that get them behind in the game. Fuente is a good coach, and Foster is one of the best coordinators in all of college football. If the Hokies get ahead and get momentum, they could get going.
The crowd will be predominantly orange, and if Tennessee gets off to a hot start, it could get loud and rocking. That's the best way to forget about App.
Virginia Tech Keys to Victory
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Rattle Dobbs
Foster's name keeps coming up, but it should considering he's one of the most heralded coordinators in all of college football over the past three decades.
According to the Knoxville News Sentinel's Rhiannon Potkey: "Since 1987, Virginia Tech's Bud Foster-led defense has scored 58 times on pass interceptions and 30 times on fumble returns/recoveries."
The Hokies thrive on havoc, and that's why Jones mentioned to the media this week that the Vols will face every blitz known to man. With Dobbs' decision-making issues still not proved to be resolved, why wouldn't VT come after him early and often?
If they make Dobbs win the game with his arm, he's got to prove he's able to do that. Force him into quicker decisions, and it's going to be tough for the Vols to have offensive success. When you throw in the concerns UT had across the offensive line in the opener, it's easy to see what Foster's game plan will be.
Getting UT behind the chains and getting Dobbs to make fast decisions is the key to winning.
Deceive and believe
Fuente's offense was known for its misdirection when he was at Memphis, and after the Hokies struggled to find run lanes against FCS Liberty in the opener, they need to try some creativity.
Watching the Vols' Appalachian State game film will provide a little relief. If Fuente can design ways to get speed like Isaiah Ford on jet sweeps or get quarterback Jerod Evans on the perimeter to help the running backs, it'll open up the run game.
Yes, UT linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin will be back after his targeting suspension, and Darrin Kirkland Jr. must have a better game, but VT needs to try to deceive the Vols with some motion and zone-run concepts.
If they get going early with a few big runs to gash the Vols, they'll get to believing they can open things up.
Tennessee Players to Watch
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Joshua Dobbs
The Dobbs everybody saw last Thursday night wasn't the Dobbs that Tennessee leans on to win games.
Even last season when he wasn't electric throwing the ball, Dobbs didn't make too many mistakes. His interception at the end of the first half was disastrous, and though he was trying to win the game at the end, he put the ball on the ground, too.
He's got to be better than that.
UT wants to more in the downfield passing game, and Dobbs (of course) is the key to that.
"We thought we left about five more opportunities out there for explosive plays, and when we talk about the progress from Week 1 to Week 2, that's one of the areas of progress than we have to make," Jones said, according to GoVols247's Wes Rucker.
But they've also got to be smart and take care of the ball, too. The Vols need a big game from their senior signal-caller.
Shy Tuttle
With all of App State's cut-blocking schemes, the Vols elected not to play Tuttle in the season opener.
They missed him.
The sophomore defensive tackle who hasn't played since last season's Georgia game is the Vols' best interior lineman. They need him to be at their best on defense. But it's no guarantee he'll play against the Hokies. If he does, just how many snaps will he get?
It wouldn't be surprising if UT tries to rest him again, but Jones will play Tuttle if he's ready. If he's close to 80 percent, he'll be among the best Vols on Bob Shoop's defense, and he'll help the rotation and raise the level of play on that side of the ball.
Preston Williams
After raising his level of play through spring drills and again in the preseason, the sophomore receiver began 2016 with a bang.
Then, he disappeared.
Following five catches for 45 yards early in the opener, he wasn't heard from again, and UT's passing game suffered because of it. Williams has the ability to be elite, and Dobbs desperately needs him to be consistent, dynamic and run quality routes.
The Vols could use some big plays from him Saturday.
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Virginia Tech Players to Watch
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Jerod Evans
When Fuente convinced the 6'4", 235-pound top-ranked JUCO quarterback to come to Blacksburg, it was the biggest win on the recruiting trail for the first-year coach's first VT class.
It didn't take long for the dynamic dual-threat signal-caller to take over, either. He won the job at the end of camp and looked sharp against Liberty, tossing four touchdown passes.
Last year, quarterbacks gave UT fits once plays broke down, extending plays with their feet. Evans has that ability, and the Vols will have to account for his skill to freelance when plays break down. It would behoove the Vols to blitz him often and require him to make quick decisions. Spying him at times works, too.
But Evans is going to be a force with which the Vols will contend.
Isaiah Ford
It didn't take long for Evans to find his go-to man.
That's the speedy Ford, who is 6'1" and can get around defenders in a hiccup. He had more than 1,000 receiving yards as a sophomore a season ago, and he's already building a rapport with Evans. Ford was targeted 17 times against Liberty and wound up with 11 catches for 117 yards.
"I think we're pretty comfortable with each other," Ford told the Daily Press' Norm Wood. "As of now, we still have some little minor details that we have to get used to. That'll get better the longer we play together."
Ken Ekanem
The Hokies have to be excited about facing UT's offensive line after its struggles against App State, and one of the biggest beneficiaries could be leader and upperclassman Ken Ekanem.
He had a sack against Liberty, and he may be one of Foster's biggest weapons. If the Hokies are going to get a push, a lot of it is going to come from Ekanem. The Vols need to know where he is on every play.
What They're Saying
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The massive Jumbotron and perhaps the biggest crowd to ever watch a college football game live are just a couple of the potential distractions facing Tennessee and Virginia Tech this weekend.
That's why the Vols and Hokies have to focus on the football, the field and the opponent in front of them. Jones told GoVols247's John Brice:
"I think the biggest challenge is our players being a mature competitor and understanding that has nothing to do with the game. All the, from the Jumbotron to the atmosphere, don't get me wrong, the opportunity to break the world record for fan attendance for the game of football, that's a tremendous opportunity, it's something that will live with these individuals for the rest of their lives, you look at the opportunity our football team has had the first two games they will have competed in front of over 250,000 people in the stands, and that's the power of Tennessee. You're going to have that opportunity week in and week out.
But we're playing a very, very talented football team and all of our focus has to be on the one-on-one battles and doing what it takes to play winning football. No more, no less. We can't get caught up in any of the extracurricular items out there. It all comes down to playing winning football.
"
VT defensive tackle Woody Baron knows a lot of Vols. He played on the same defensive line at Brentwood Academy with Derek Barnett. He's also a friend of UT defensive back Rashaan Gaulden.
So, this game carries some added significance for him, but it's really just the same as all the others, he told Tech Sideline's Ricky LaBlue:
"You know, I've been doing this thing for a long time. I try to put as much significance as I can myself, being from Tennessee. I know a lot of people on the sidelines for the Vols. At the end of the day, when this game ends, it's just going to count as another game, whether it's in the win column or the loss column for us. It's going to be just as significant as any other game on the schedule.
"
Prediction
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There are so many unknowns for both of these programs following the first week.
After the Vols were ranked so highly in the preseason and everybody speculated they'd be dynamic on offense, they sputtered against Appalachian State as the Mountaineers controlled the tempo by running the play clock down and capitalizing on turnovers.
While Fuente needs time to get his program established, he's got some nice offensive pieces, and there were spurts where the Hokies looked good. Still, it was a mixed bag against Liberty.
Both of these teams have a ton to prove, and Tech is known for rising to the occasion in national-spotlight games. That's why a talented Tennessee team can't overlook the Hokies. That didn't seem to be an issue with all UT's senior leadership entering the season, but it's in doubt after the opener.
If Evans can pose problems with his feet and the Hokies can get off to a hot start, this is going to be a battle. It would behoove UT to silence any doubts early, open up the offense and strike a balance.
Creating havoc on defense is something Shoop's group needs to do, too.
It was an ugly Thursday for the Vols, but having nine days to prepare for the Hokies should be a benefit for Jones and Co. Look for UT to bounce back and wind up 3-0 before playing Florida in two weeks.
But it still won't be easy.
Prediction: Vols 27, Virginia Tech 17
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