If Tyler Bray continues to have all the time in the world to slice apart the Florida secondary, as he has against the previous two opponents, then the mighty Vols could be headed back to Knoxville victorious over the Florida Gators for the first time in six years.
Conversely, if Bray spends much of the afternoon gazing at the big blue Gainesville sky from the comfort of his posterior, then it could be a long long ride home.
None of this is to discount the role of Tennessee’s defense in Saturday’s matchup, but it is highly expected that the Gators will be able to score against the Vols. The defense could only surprise to the upside, and such a surprise would go a long way toward ensuring a Vols victory.
But, in reality, the Tennessee O-line appears to hold the master key. Here’s the most recent OL depth chart for Saturday’s game:
LT
Jr. Dallas Thomas 71
Fr. Antonio Richardson 74
LG
So. Alex Bullard 78
Fr. Marcus Jackson 68
C
So. James Stone 64
Fr. Mack Crowder 57
RG
So. Zach Fulton 72
So. JerQuari Schofield 75
RT
So. JaWuan James 70
Fr. Kyler Kerbyson 77
If the big men up front are able to protect Bray and possibly carve an opening or two for Tauren Poole and Marlin Lane, then prepare to celebrate on “The Strip” Saturday night.
If Florida is forced to rush more than the front defensive four just to get to Bray then that too could be bad news if you’re a Gator fan.
Florida’s defensive line was somewhat less than impressive against UAB last week. They recorded no sacks with only three QB hurries. They did manage to shut down the UAB ground game, allowing 3.1 yards per carry and a total of 71 yards. The Gators have yet to give up a TD this season.
Meanwhile, the Vols O-line allowed zero sacks with only one QB hurry in its victory over Cincinnati.
Realistically, the Gators have revealed very little on offense or defense in their first two games against token opponents, and with a 38.5 average margin of victory they haven’t had to. It is reasonable to expect that Florida’s 1st year coach Will Muschamp will pull a swamp rat or two out of his hat.
Either way, it looks like it could be another high-powered offensive display, and if the ‘Big Uglies’ in orange come to play then this could be Tennessee’s best chance for a victory over Florida in many moons.
GO VOLS!!!
Comments