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Tennessee vs Texas A&M: Five Vols to Watch for vs Aggies
Oct 1, 2016; Athens, GA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Georgia Bulldogs during the second quarter at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Tennessee vs Texas A&M is a game featuring two of the remaining three undefeated teams in the SEC. Here are the five Volunteers players to watch for.
Each week, things seem to get more difficult for Tennessee football. Tennessee vs Texas A&M won’t eliminate either team from the SEC or national title picture. But it will sure put pressure on them going forward.
So while the Vols may be playing with a bit of house money in the SEC picture this week, they want to do all they can not to think that way.
With the Alabama Crimson Tide coming to Knoxville next week, Butch Jones and Co. would love nothing more than to get to 6-0 with what would be their most impressive win yet.
However, Tennessee is still without its top two defensive players, and two other players on the depth chart are questionable for this game.
That means that the key players left will have to step up in a big way for the Vols. After all, they are going against the most potent offense in the SEC.
They are also going up against an offensive genius in Kevin Sumlin, and they are going up against an SEC defensive veteran in John Chavis, who spent 14 years as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator.
So this is another game where the big players have to step up to make big plays. Let’s take a look at who from Rocky Top matters most in this game.
These are the five key Vols to pay attention to in the Tennessee vs Texas A&M match-up in College Station.
Oct 11, 2014; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Evan Berry (29) reaches for the ball fumbled by Chattanooga Mocs wide receiver C.J. Board (86) as teammate Tennessee linebacker Cortez McDowell (20) rushes in to assist during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 45-10. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Cortez McDowell
Linebacker, Junior
The news broke Wednesday afternoon that Jalen Reeves-Maybin would be out once again on Saturday in College Station for the Tennessee vs Texas A&M game. So as the Vols get set to face the most potent offense of any opponent they’ve seen this year, they need reliable play from their other linebackers.
Time to call on Cortez McDowell.
With Darrin Kirkland Jr. day-to-day, Colton Jumper could get help in the middle. But McDowell as the other linebacker is going to be crucial in this game. He’s going up against an offense led by Trevor Knight, who is deadlier with his legs than even Joshua Dobbs is.
McDowell’s biggest goal has to be two things: containing Knight when he tries to scramble and closing the gaps against Trayveon Williams when he runs the ball. Williams has averaged nine yards a carry so far this year. It’s up to McDowell to shut that down.
If McDowell can’t close the gaps and contain Knight, the Vols’ defense will be in for a long day. He struggled last week against the Georgia Bulldogs, so this game is his chance to make amends.
As a matter of fact, he has no choice but to make amends. If he doesn’t the Aggies will expose him very quickly. His play will go a long way towards helping the next guy on this list do his job as well.
Sep 1, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Todd Kelly Jr. (24) (right) and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (21) talk after their win against Appalachian State Mountaineers. Kelly was ejected in the first half at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Todd Kelly Jr.
Safety, Junior
For the first three games of the year, Todd Kelly Jr. was looking like a disappointment at safety. However, he always seems to refocus his game once the big opponents come. And against the Florida Gators, he stepped up with a crucial third down tackle and a huge interception.
Last week against the Georgia Bulldogs, he took a step back. But that was mainly because he had to cheat up a lot since Cortez McDowell and Colton Jumper struggled to fill the gaps in the running lanes.
That’s why we said McDowell was such a huge deal in the Tennessee vs Texas A&M game. But provided he does his job, Todd Kelly Jr. will be a huge deal as well.
Trevor Knight does not step up in the pocket when teams get pressure on him. He runs back, then he rolls out. If he can’t run, he’ll try to force the pass. By extending the play, he gives safeties plenty of opportunities for interceptions.
In fact, all three of his interceptions have been to safeties this year. Kelly has proven himself to be a ball-hawking safety with seven interceptions in 10 games. And since he saves his best for big games, this is the perfect chance for him to come away with a pick.
But more than just making a play, Kelly has to play center field. He has to contain Knight and keep him from being able to make a pass after extending a play. And on short-routes, it’s Kelly’s role to close in. Micah Abernathy is a crucial player here as well, but Kelly is more of a playmaker. That’s just like the next defensive guy on our list.
Oct 1, 2016; Athens, GA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive end Derek Barnett (9) hits Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jacob Eason (10) causing a fumble recovered by Tennessee for a touchdown during the fourth quarter at Sanford Stadium. Tennessee defeated Georgia 34-31. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Derek Barnett
Defensive End, Junior
With all the talk about Myles Garrett this week, Derek Barnett has his chance to show the world the he is the true superstar defensive end of the SEC. The junior playmaker, just like Kelly, has developed a reputation for coming up big in big games.
And he does it far beyond even Kelly.
So with another star on the other side, the Tennessee vs Texas A&M game screams for a big day from Barnett. Not only is he on a roll with two sacks in each of his last two games. But his expectations are also even higher this game because he’s facing an elite veteran tackle in Avery Gennesy on Saturday. So it’s Barnett vs Gennesy on the field and Barnett vs Garrett in sacks.
This match-up puts Tennessee vs Texas A&M in a nutshell.
If Cortez McDowell and Todd Kelly Jr. do their jobs in coverage and containment, Barnett should have plenty of chances to get to Trevor Knight. As fast and elusive as he is, Knight’s biggest weakness is knowing where to step in the pocket if he’s under pressure.
That’s why he always tries to run backwards and then roll out. Doing that gives Barnett the perfect chance to wrap him up for big plays.
Now, this year Texas A&M has improved dramatically in preventing sacks after allowing 37 last year. However, they haven’t faced a front quite like Tennessee’s. So Barnett will have to show a lot more this week with such an elusive passer.
But if he does, he’ll cement himself as far and away the best pass rusher in college football.
Sep 24, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) drops back to pass the ball against the Florida Gators during the first quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Joshua Dobbs
Quarterback, Senior
Speaking of elusive quarterbacks, Tennessee vs Texas A&M features two going head to head. These two quarterbacks tend to be erratic at times but can be deadly accurate when they get on a roll. And they are huge threats with their rushing abilities.
However, Joshua Dobbs is the veteran senior leader with the Tennessee football program who should be able to do a much better job of keeping his players under control. He’s got a huge task this week in doing that.
John Chavis has become a master at rattling mobile quarterbacks, particularly those who run out of a spread formation. So Dobbs will have to make quick decisions in this game and think on his feet.
He has shown that he can face different looks already, which is good news. He torched a pressure-based 4-3 defense in the Virginia Tech Hokies, dominated a secondary-based defense in the Florida Gators, and just finished a solid day against a 3-4 defense in the Georgia Bulldogs.
Now he has to face the Chief, the former Vols defensive coordinator for 14 years who has yet to lose to them since leaving Knoxville. Chavis uses pressure packages and tons of blitz schemes to stop the spread, and Dobbs will have to deal with all of them.
However, he has shown that he can handle pressure. So once again, the senior quarterback will have to keep everybody together. He will also have to find ways to be a playmaker.
And against Chavis’s defense, his biggest weapon will be the most important player in this game.
Sep 17, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Alvin Kamara (6) runs the ball against the Ohio Bobcats during the first half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Alvin Kamara
Running Back, Junior
Mike DeBord loves those quick, horizontal screens in his offense. Well, the Tennessee vs Texas A&M game is the perfect chance for him to use them as much as possible.
John Chavis is going to focus heavily on his vertical blitzes and getting as much pressure on Joshua Dobbs as he can, something that has been successful against less experienced quarterbacks running the spread offense. But two things stop that: a great quarterback and a deadly playmaker at running back.
Just ask him what Dak Prescott and Nick Marshall did to his LSU Tigers in 2014 when they had Josh Robinson and Cameron Artis-Payne respectively.
With Dobbs as the veteran quarterback in this game, Alvin Kamara has to be the veteran playmaker. This is for two reasons. For starters, Jalen Hurd is still day-to-day. So Kamara has got to be the feature back in this game and make huge plays.
Also, Kamara is the speedster capable of breaking off long runs. Against a Texas A&M defense that likes to over-pursue, he should have plenty of chances to do that in this game. The Aggies have not yet faced an offense like Tennessee’s this year, as they’ve only faced a west coast and a power offense.
For the Vols to be the offense that gives them trouble, Kamara has to make plays all night. This includes special teams.
Against that 12th man, the Aggies feed off winning the special teams game. With his solid punt returning over the past few weeks, Kamara has a great chance to neutralize that or even make it work in Tennessee’s favor with a few great returns.
However you scheme it, Kamara needs to be the one to make plays for the Vols. If he doesn’t have at least two touchdowns and 150 total yards, Tennessee is in trouble.
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