TN Explosive Passing Plays 20yds or more (4): 1Q (Hooker-to-Payton 75yds TD), 1Q (Hooker-to-Jones 72 yds TD), 2Q (Hooker-to-Hyatt 41 yds), 4Q (Hooker-to-Tillman 37yds)
TN Explosive Run Plays 15yds or more (6): 2Q (Hooker 15 yds, scramble), 3Q (Small 37yd TD – juke), 3Q (Small 16 yds, middle), 3Q (Hooker 19 yds, middle), 4Q (Hooker 25 yds, scrambles middle), 4Q (Wright 21 yds, middle)
KY Explosive Passing Plays 20yds or more (5): 2Q (Levis-to-Robinson 31 yds), 3Q (Levis-to-Robinson 27 yds), 4Q (Levis-to-Robinson 25 yds), 4Q (Levis-to-Cummings 24yds TD), 4Q (Levis-to-Cummings 28 yds)
KY Explosive Run Plays 15yds or more (4): 1Q (Soke 18 yds, middle), 2Q (McClain 16 yds, left), 3Q (Levis 17 yds, keeper middle), 4Q (Rodriguez 18 yds, middle)
QB Will Levis rush 3rd down rush for 1st down: 4
First Quarter: Tennessee 14, Kentucky 7
D1 (TN) -25: 1 play, 75 yards, 00:11…..TOUCHDOWN
Hooker throws simple screen pass out to Payton outside on the left and Payton does the rest – winning the foot race to the end zone. Fantastic perimeter blocking from Fant and Jones to spring him, Payton breaks one tackle and then goes. A great start for UT on the road…..Vols 7-0
D1 (KY): -25: 14 plays, 75 yards, 8:36…..TOUCHDOWN
Kentucky’s first drive is what we knew they would do; long and methodical. 11 runs to 3 passes. Kentucky picked up 5 first downs on the drive. Smoke a big gain up the middle, missed tackle from Beasley. Two plays later, Beasley reads option-give perfectly but is carried by Rodriguez three yards after contact. OL bullying front-7. On Smoke 9 yd TD run, Blakley and Theo are split, McCollough misses tackle….Tied 7-7
D2 (TN) -25: 3 plays, 75 yards, 00:26……TOUCHDOWN
Vols go right back to screen play to Payton on play #1 of this drive, goes for 3 yards. This time, TN flew Small out in flat to block. Following an incompletion from Hooker to Velus over the middle, the QB goes back to Velus for the big play. Mismatch nightmare for Kentucky as LB was on Velus in slot. Velus carries towards sideline and Hooker hits him in stride for the 72 yd TD strike…..Vols 14-7
D2 (KY) -25: 11 plays, 43 yards, 5:58…..MISSED FG
The drive carries into the second quarter. ON third & 3, McCollough hits Rodriguez at the line of scrimmage, but back falls forward to gain four and a first down. Too many times early (and later) in this football game, Kentucky is blocking it perfectly to where there’s only one LB or safety to make the play for TN – and they miss. Plays go for gains of 7+. Kentucky possessed the football for 14:23 of the first quarter. ‘Cats take a shot to the end zone on 3rd & 15, misses Ali w/ Theo in coverage. Kentucky missed 50-yd FG attempt, Vols take over -32.
Second Quarter: Tennessee24, Kentucky 21
D3 (TN) – 32: 4 plays, 39 yards, 1:15…..FUMBLE
Big play of drive goes to Hyatt, 41yds down far sideline where he steps out. The play was out of quads where RB Small looped around as decoy or even insurance policy. Two plays later, Tennessee fumbles. Only the fifth ‘takeaway’ of the season for Kentucky.
D3 (KY) -29: 6 plays, 71 yards, 3:11…..TOUCHODWN
Kentucky’s big play on the drive was a 31-yard reception to Robinson where he split to safety playing over and corner playing up. Soft spot in zone where KY attacked all night. Kentucky does a quarterback throwback to Levis to get inside the 10-yd line. Levis takes it in from the eight on a rollout on the next play. He leaps over Flowers and Beasley into the end zone as Kentucky ties it up at 14-14.
D4 (TN) -25: 3 plays, -9 yards, 1:03……PUNT
Hooker overthrows Fant on play one. A holding penalty (Spraggins) on second down backs thing sup and drive never recovers. Hooker is sacked the next play as he runs out of bounds behind the LOS. Paxton Brooks punts for 52 yards. Disclaimer: Darnell Wright is called for ‘tripping’ on third down, which is declined. Color announcer calls it ‘chopping’ three times and it couldn’t be further from the truth. A ‘chop’ block in football is a high-low, a dirty play. A ‘chop’ is also not a ‘cut’ block. A ‘cut’ block was legal in football for years and now they are flagging it. A ‘chop’ has always been illegal. That play was not a ‘chop’ it was indeed ‘tripping’ as Wright rolled.
D4 (KY) -32: 11 plays, 68 yards, 5:23……TOUCHDOWN
Levis was wrapped up on third down by Baron in backfield for would-be sack, gets out of it and hurdles for a first down run. Next play, McClain picks up 16 yards off edge – Beasley takes horrible angle and gets caught up in trash underneath. Another third down was picked up when defense flew to Robinson underneath and Levis hits Magwood behind on dig – safeties still playing back. Levis converts on another third down with draw up the middle. Levis hits Rigg on crossing rout for 3 yd TD…..Kentucky 21-14
D5 (TN) -48: 7 plays, 52 yards, 2:36….TOUCHDOWN’
Great KOR from Velus (31 yds) up to the 48-yard line thanks to penalty. Evans goes down on play #2 after picking up nine yards on first down. Doesn’t return. A penalty and sack back things up for Vols before they hit Velus for a fourth and manageable. Kentucky DPI no fourth down and drive continues. It was the right call as contact was made prior to ball arriving. Hooker burles ahead for 15 and then hits Warren over the middle off PA. I love this play call – they ran it against PITT and scored too. Should do it more often…18 yd TD strike….Tied 21-21
D5 (KY) -25: 8 plays, 36 yards, 00:58…..TOD
Smoke gets 10 up the middle on first down. Kentucky passes on next seven plays with just over a minute left in first half – completes three of them down to the Tennessee 39 where the drive turns over on downs. Warren Burrell dropped a sure pick on the drive…..TOD
D6 (TN) -39: 4 plays, 35 yards, 00:16…..FIELD GOAL
First down success makes this drive happen. Tillman gains 8 and gets out of bounds. Heupel & Hooker go back to Tillman on an OUT and FLAG two more times of 13 & 14 yards, both getting out of bounds, to set up field goal. This was the difference in the game, in my opinion. What fantastic play-design with only 16 seconds left in the half to STEAL three points. McGrath GOOD from 43 yards as time expires…Disclaimer: Clock operator did a ‘make-good’ in my opinion. ON second Tillman catch, clocked rolled for additional second when play was over out of bounds. On third Tillman catch, clock didn’t start util a second in the play….FIELD GOAL…….VOLS 24-21
Tennessee possessed the football for only 5:54 of first half.
TN Explosive Run Plays 15yds or more (6): 2Q (Hooker 15 yds, scramble), 3Q (Small 37yd TD – juke), 3Q (Small 16 yds, middle), 3Q (Hooker 19 yds, middle), 4Q (Hooker 25 yds, scrambles middle), 4Q (Wright 21 yds, middle)
KY Explosive Passing Plays 20yds or more (5): 2Q (Levis-to-Robinson 31 yds), 3Q (Levis-to-Robinson 27 yds), 4Q (Levis-to-Robinson 25 yds), 4Q (Levis-to-Cummings 24yds TD), 4Q (Levis-to-Cummings 28 yds)
KY Explosive Run Plays 15yds or more (4): 1Q (Soke 18 yds, middle), 2Q (McClain 16 yds, left), 3Q (Levis 17 yds, keeper middle), 4Q (Rodriguez 18 yds, middle)
QB Will Levis rush 3rd down rush for 1st down: 4
First Quarter: Tennessee 14, Kentucky 7
D1 (TN) -25: 1 play, 75 yards, 00:11…..TOUCHDOWN
Hooker throws simple screen pass out to Payton outside on the left and Payton does the rest – winning the foot race to the end zone. Fantastic perimeter blocking from Fant and Jones to spring him, Payton breaks one tackle and then goes. A great start for UT on the road…..Vols 7-0
D1 (KY): -25: 14 plays, 75 yards, 8:36…..TOUCHDOWN
Kentucky’s first drive is what we knew they would do; long and methodical. 11 runs to 3 passes. Kentucky picked up 5 first downs on the drive. Smoke a big gain up the middle, missed tackle from Beasley. Two plays later, Beasley reads option-give perfectly but is carried by Rodriguez three yards after contact. OL bullying front-7. On Smoke 9 yd TD run, Blakley and Theo are split, McCollough misses tackle….Tied 7-7
D2 (TN) -25: 3 plays, 75 yards, 00:26……TOUCHDOWN
Vols go right back to screen play to Payton on play #1 of this drive, goes for 3 yards. This time, TN flew Small out in flat to block. Following an incompletion from Hooker to Velus over the middle, the QB goes back to Velus for the big play. Mismatch nightmare for Kentucky as LB was on Velus in slot. Velus carries towards sideline and Hooker hits him in stride for the 72 yd TD strike…..Vols 14-7
D2 (KY) -25: 11 plays, 43 yards, 5:58…..MISSED FG
The drive carries into the second quarter. ON third & 3, McCollough hits Rodriguez at the line of scrimmage, but back falls forward to gain four and a first down. Too many times early (and later) in this football game, Kentucky is blocking it perfectly to where there’s only one LB or safety to make the play for TN – and they miss. Plays go for gains of 7+. Kentucky possessed the football for 14:23 of the first quarter. ‘Cats take a shot to the end zone on 3rd & 15, misses Ali w/ Theo in coverage. Kentucky missed 50-yd FG attempt, Vols take over -32.
Second Quarter: Tennessee24, Kentucky 21
D3 (TN) – 32: 4 plays, 39 yards, 1:15…..FUMBLE
Big play of drive goes to Hyatt, 41yds down far sideline where he steps out. The play was out of quads where RB Small looped around as decoy or even insurance policy. Two plays later, Tennessee fumbles. Only the fifth ‘takeaway’ of the season for Kentucky.
D3 (KY) -29: 6 plays, 71 yards, 3:11…..TOUCHODWN
Kentucky’s big play on the drive was a 31-yard reception to Robinson where he split to safety playing over and corner playing up. Soft spot in zone where KY attacked all night. Kentucky does a quarterback throwback to Levis to get inside the 10-yd line. Levis takes it in from the eight on a rollout on the next play. He leaps over Flowers and Beasley into the end zone as Kentucky ties it up at 14-14.
D4 (TN) -25: 3 plays, -9 yards, 1:03……PUNT
Hooker overthrows Fant on play one. A holding penalty (Spraggins) on second down backs thing sup and drive never recovers. Hooker is sacked the next play as he runs out of bounds behind the LOS. Paxton Brooks punts for 52 yards. Disclaimer: Darnell Wright is called for ‘tripping’ on third down, which is declined. Color announcer calls it ‘chopping’ three times and it couldn’t be further from the truth. A ‘chop’ block in football is a high-low, a dirty play. A ‘chop’ is also not a ‘cut’ block. A ‘cut’ block was legal in football for years and now they are flagging it. A ‘chop’ has always been illegal. That play was not a ‘chop’ it was indeed ‘tripping’ as Wright rolled.
D4 (KY) -32: 11 plays, 68 yards, 5:23……TOUCHDOWN
Levis was wrapped up on third down by Baron in backfield for would-be sack, gets out of it and hurdles for a first down run. Next play, McClain picks up 16 yards off edge – Beasley takes horrible angle and gets caught up in trash underneath. Another third down was picked up when defense flew to Robinson underneath and Levis hits Magwood behind on dig – safeties still playing back. Levis converts on another third down with draw up the middle. Levis hits Rigg on crossing rout for 3 yd TD…..Kentucky 21-14
D5 (TN) -48: 7 plays, 52 yards, 2:36….TOUCHDOWN’
Great KOR from Velus (31 yds) up to the 48-yard line thanks to penalty. Evans goes down on play #2 after picking up nine yards on first down. Doesn’t return. A penalty and sack back things up for Vols before they hit Velus for a fourth and manageable. Kentucky DPI no fourth down and drive continues. It was the right call as contact was made prior to ball arriving. Hooker burles ahead for 15 and then hits Warren over the middle off PA. I love this play call – they ran it against PITT and scored too. Should do it more often…18 yd TD strike….Tied 21-21
D5 (KY) -25: 8 plays, 36 yards, 00:58…..TOD
Smoke gets 10 up the middle on first down. Kentucky passes on next seven plays with just over a minute left in first half – completes three of them down to the Tennessee 39 where the drive turns over on downs. Warren Burrell dropped a sure pick on the drive…..TOD
D6 (TN) -39: 4 plays, 35 yards, 00:16…..FIELD GOAL
First down success makes this drive happen. Tillman gains 8 and gets out of bounds. Heupel & Hooker go back to Tillman on an OUT and FLAG two more times of 13 & 14 yards, both getting out of bounds, to set up field goal. This was the difference in the game, in my opinion. What fantastic play-design with only 16 seconds left in the half to STEAL three points. McGrath GOOD from 43 yards as time expires…Disclaimer: Clock operator did a ‘make-good’ in my opinion. ON second Tillman catch, clocked rolled for additional second when play was over out of bounds. On third Tillman catch, clock didn’t start util a second in the play….FIELD GOAL…….VOLS 24-21
Tennessee possessed the football for only 5:54 of first half.
