Tennessee’s defense held strong in the first half against Alabama, recording seven quarterback hurries
Knoxville, Tenn. – On the eighth play of Alabama’s third drive, quarterback Jalen Milroe dropped back to set up a throw to wide receiver Ryan Willams in the endzone.
As the ball releases, Tennessee’s defensive back Jermod McCoy runs in front of Williams, jumps up and intercepts the ball then returns it 54 yards to Alabama’s 46-yard line.
That was his season’s best. Jermod’s only other interception on the season was returned for 17 yards against Oklahoma.
Nico Iamaleava and the offense converted one first down but would settle for a 43-yard field goal attempt.
It went just right and missed the uprights.
Despite a scoreless first quarter.
The playbook seemed more open than the previous three SEC games for Tennessee.
Iamaleava was two of seven on his pass attempts.
He missed on a couple of explosive-worthy plays downfield.
On a go route by Chris Brazzlle and post route by Squirrell White, Iamaleava overthrew both of the receivers who beat the coverage and could’ve been walked in for a touchdown.
The miss to White in their final drive of the first quarter, Iamaleava wasn’t under pressure, yet overthrew White by several yards.
Another pair of misses came on slant routes to White and Bru McCoy.
The first pass of the game was a slant to Bru, and two plays later they drew up the same play and Bru was able to keep control of the ball for a first down.
Dylan Sampson had one explosive run in the first quarter for 20 yards but Jihaad Campbell stripped the ball out of his hands and Alabama recovered.
His other three carries of the first frame went for four yards.
Tennessee was held to 57 yards in the first quarter.
Meanwhile, the Vols defense held firm against explosive plays. Alabama averaged about 3.4 yards per play.
Will Brooks had a massive shoelace tackle early in the game.
On Alabama’s second drive, on a 3rd and 1 designed run by Jalen Milroe converted for a first down but the explosive run would stop at nine yards when Brooks came up a massive tackle.
That was one of three third downs Alabama converted, and the Vols defense allowed a 60% conversion rate in the first quarter. They entered the game only allowing a 24% conversion rate.
SECOND QUARTER
In the second quarter, Iamaleava would take a hard sack that resulted in him missing the next play.
So, insert Gaston Moore.
The veteran quarterback threw downfield but Alabama’s Malachi Moore jumped in front and returned the interception 41 yards to the Tennessee 36-yard line.
Alabama punts on that drive.
Next drive for the Vols, Iamaleava scrambles to his left as he’s pressured by two defenders, he throws across his body right into the hands of Jaylen Mbakwe who returns for 9 yards to the Alabama12-yard line.
Backed up at their own 20, Tennessee brings the house on a 3rd and 2.
Milroe immediately under pressure rolled to his right, tried to connect with Caleb Odom, but Jermod McCoy was there in coverage to come up with a crucial pass breakup.
Alabama punts.
With 5:11 left in the half, in shotgun Iamaleava connects with Thornton for 10 yards and first down.
What followed resulted in another field goal attempt.
Sampson had one run for three yards and the zero and then Iamaleava threw an incomplete pass to White.
The 50-yard FGA never had a chance. It was short and low of the cross bar.
With 2:31 remaining, Iamaleava was 5 of 9 with 2 interceptions.
However, the Vols defense was doing their job, as Alabama had only mustered one score.
With 2:00 minutes left, the Vols also had six TFLs for a loss of 17 yards, two sacks, and a trio of QB hurries.
Alabama attempted a 4th and 1 conversion from Tennessee’s 37-yard line with 1:02 remaining.
The Tide went uptempo out of the Tennessee timeout and called up a QB sneak.
Milroe was able to get just enough to move the chains.
Tennessee had only given up two on 10 tries this season entering the game.
However, after a QB hurry by James Pearce Jr., Dominic Bailey, and Omarr Norman-Lott on consecutive plays that ended in three straight incompletions, it’d draw up a 4th and 10 from the 36-yard line.
That brought the first-half total to seven QB hurries.
Alabama elected to try a 54-yard field goal attempt, but it was roughly five yards short of the goal, no good.
Iamaleava took the field after the turnover but wasn’t able to make anything of the final 32 seconds as he was sacked by T Overton for a loss of 5 yards to the Tennessee 31-yard line.
HALFTIME
Third Quarter
To open the second half, Iamaleava threw a nice pass to Squirrell White deep down the field on the right side in double coverage, it was slightly underthrown as White had to do a 180 in the air and as he was falling to the ground he wasn’t able to keep control.
Deonte Lawson sacked Iamaleava on the next play for a loss of 10.
Iamaleava rushed for nine on the next and the drive ended in a punt.
Tennessee’s dominance in third down stops continued when Alabama called a quarterback run design play and Milroe tried to rush on a 3rd and five.
Andre Turntine patiently waited for the run and came up with a massive stop at Alabama’s 48-yard line.
The offense complemented those efforts to start their drive.
Sampson rushed for 13 and 36 yards to bring the Vols to Alabama’s 38-yard line.
At Alabama’s 36, Iamaleava scrambled and juked out a defender to rush for 26 yards.
Following a defensive pass inference, Sampson recorded Tennessee’s first score of the game on a two-yard run up the middle.
Sampson now has 16 touchdowns on the season and has scored in all seven of Tennessee’s contests.
Alabama’s march downfield was stifled by tight coverage from Rickey Gibson on back-to-back endzone passes to Ryan Williams.
Alabama’s Graham Nicholson connected for a 35-yard field goal to go back in front, 10-7 with 3:11 remaining.
Tennessee would march down the field in a heartbeat!
Iamaleava finally connected for an explosive play with Dont’e Thornton for 55-yards!
His first 50+ yard reception since Oklahoma week when his longest reception went 66 yards.
Against Arkansas, he had a 42-yard reception.
The very next play, Samspon punched it for a three-yard rushing touchdown to regain the lead, 14-10 with 1:00 left in the quarter.
Sampson has now scored at least two touchdowns in six contests this season.
Fourth Quarter
After Alabama regained the lead on a rushing score, Iamaleava took over on offense.
The explosive-worthy passes continued this drive and a couple of times the passes fell incomplete.
One deep down the middle of the field to Bru McCoy, that was too high as Bru extended one arm to try and get a hand on it.
Later, Iamaleava threw a nice ball deep down the right sideline to Brazzell and this pass fell incomplete as Brazzell couldn’t keep control of the ball.
On 3rd and 5, DeSean Bishop rushed right for an 18-yard gain, but a holding penalty against Brazzell would call back the first down run.
The 10-yard penalty called up a punt by Tennessee.
A beautiful 42-yard punt by Jackson Ross pinned Bama at their won 4-yard line.
