Vols make big defensive adjustments again
BRISTOL — The Tennessee defenders have praised new coordinator Bob Shoop for his calmness under pressure while making in-game adjustments.
After Tennessee fell behind 13-3 early in the second quarter of the season opener, the Vols pitched a shutout for the remainder of the game.
Shoop and the defense nearly did it again on Saturday night.
After Virginia Tech jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter of the Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, Tennessee’s defense stiffened.
The Vols stymied Virginia Tech’s up-tempo attack, forcing multiple turnovers to help trigger a run of 31-unanswered points as No. 14 Tennessee (No. 17 Associated Press) overran the Hokies 45-24 in front of a record crowd of 156,990 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Tennessee’s defense flipped the momentum at the start of second quarter by forcing a fumble from Virginia Tech quarterback Jerod Evans. Sophomore defensive back Micah Abernathy dove on the loose ball at the 5, and the Vols scored to spark the turnaround.
It was one of three fumble recoveries by Abernathy, a Tennessee single-game record.
One week after struggling with ball security issues, Tennessee watched an opponent suffer through an even worse fate. The Hokies fumbled five times and the opportunistic Vols recovered all five.
Following the first-quarter outburst by Virginia Tech, Tennessee waved the caution flag on the Hokies’ up-tempo scheme. Virginia Tech was only able to run 73 total plays.
Tennessee held the Hokies scoreless from the 2:48 mark of the first quarter to 3:41 remaining in the third quarter when Joey Slye kicked a field goal. The Hokies tacked on a late touchdown to make the final score more respectable.
Tennessee linebackers Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Darrin Kirkland Jr. made plays all over the field for the Vols, pressuring Evans and swarming to the ball for tackles.
But even in victory, the Vols may have suffered a big loss. Kirkland Jr. was carted off the field with an injury late in the third quarter.
Rhiannon Potkey covers Tennessee football for the Knoxville News Sentinel. Follow her on Twitter @TennesseeBeat
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