Tennessee Blog: Bray, Bray, and What Impressed/(Un)Impressed at Memphis

Quarterback Tyler Bray started his first career game Saturday night in Memphis, but the true freshman looked more like a true leader and veteran than an 18 year-old kid.

Bray lead the Vols to a 50-14 win over a truly terrible Memphis team that sadly enough gained the first lead of the game, taking advantage of a poor Tennessee secondary on a quick 62-yard touchdown drive.

It was all Tennessee from there out as Bray made it look like as easy as beating your little brother on his Xbox, breaking the Tennessee record for passing yards and touchdowns in a half, as well as tying the record for passing touchdowns in a game.

Bray finished with 325 yards and 5 TDs passing, and was not able to break the record given the opportunities he had before he left in the middle of the third quarter.

No one believed (outside of Memphis, and then again… maybe not) that Memphis’ finest were going to actually put up much of a struggle against the Vols; but the Tigers were able to help Tennessee confirm some of their strengths, and raise some red flags to alert its weaknesses.

What impressed me:

Tyler Bray

This one’s obvious. Bray showed leaps and bounds of improvement over the first time we saw him get real playing time against Alabama.

Bray was able to make all the throws he had to, with velocity, and despite some of the pressure he faced, didn’t turn the ball over.

What really impressed me about Bray was his pocket presence. The freshman was able to step up in the pocket, avoid sacks, and step in to throws even when he was stepping right into a defender. All are qualities of a seasoned vet.

The Wideouts (All of them)

Not a lot of complaints came from the wide receiver camp Saturday night, as four of Bray’s five TDs went to the receiving corps. Seniors Gerald Jones and Denarius Moore, as well as freshman Justin Hunter and Da’Rick Rodgers, all scored one touchdown a piece.

The Vols receivers have been a real shining point for the team this season, and will have to keep it up down the stretch to keep the bowl dream alive.

What (un)impressed me:

The offensive line

The O-line may not have given up a sack, but at times the Memphis pass-rush was able to push around a young Volunteer line and put pressure and hits on Bray. Bray did his best to avoid Tiger pass-rushers, but Memphis is a team that shouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to put No. 8 on the ground.

Right Guard Zach Fulton went down in the first half with an ankle injury, adding to an already ankle deprived line. Left tackle Dallas Thomas also has an ankle injury that has caused him to lose a step in the past few weeks. This battered line will have to sure up this week against a more athletic Ole Miss D-Line.

The Corners

Memphis QB Ryan Williams was able to effectively pass the ball against the Vols, finishing with 221 yards, 2 TDs and 2 INTs. Memphis did have a good receiver in Marcus Rucker, but the Vols made it too easy in man coverage. The Vols didn’t have nickel Art Evans due to a team rules suspension, or Marsalis Teague who is still out with turf toe, and that really hurt them in man coverage.

Anthony Anderson and Eric Gordon were a step behind at times, and that really limits what Tennessee can do in the blitz game if they can't cover one-on-one.

The secondary did have three interceptions, so its wasn’t a terrible night for them, but there still is a need for improvement in the man coverage department. Teague returning from his injury will greatly aid the pass defense.

Other Notables

True freshman defensive end Corey Miller made his first start, and looked a little stiff in the pass rush. Coming out of high school, Miller was 235 pounds, and is now 255 pounds. It seems to me that the extra weight may have reduced his flexibility, a very important trait for a defensive end.

Tauren Poole quietly rushed for 101 yards and accounted for 2 TDs. Poole is an integral part of the Tennessee offense, and when he’s running well, so is the offense.

Brett Parisi can be reached at [e-mail], or you can follow him at twitter.com/brettparisi.