November 23, 2009 | Football
Nov. 23, 2009
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| ESPNU / Vol Network Stations / XM Radio: 199 / Sirius Radio: 212 / / GAME 12: Vols Look to Extend Win Streak Over Kentucky
Quick Hits
Vol Network StadiumCastThe Vol Network's "StadiumCast" frequency for Tennessee's game versus the Kentucky Wildcats at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday will be 93.5 on the FM dial. Fans attending the game can tune into the Vol Network broadcast at the stadium by bringing a portable radio. The "Kickoff Call-In Show" begins coverage at 5:30 p.m. EASTERN on Saturday. Crompton Climbing All-Time ChartsCrompton on Seven-Game Tear Senior quarterback Jonathan Crompton has overcome early season struggles to become one of the top quarterbacks in the Southeastern Conference. The Waynesville, N.C. native ranks fourth in the league in passing at 213.2 yards per game and is second in the league with 25 touchdown strikes. His 25 passing touchdowns are the tied for the fourth most in school history with Heath Shuler's 25 in 1993 and behind Peyton Manning's 36 in 1997, Erik Ainge's 31 in 2007 and Casey Clausen's 27 in 2003. Crompton has thrown for 2,345 yards this season, which ranks as the 10th most prolific passing year in program history. Crompton also threw for a school record 305 yards in the first half vs. Memphis and fell one pass short of the school record for attempts without an interception at 142 between the Alabama and Vanderbilt games. In his last seven games, Crompton has completed 134 of 228 (.587) passes for 1,694 yards and 18 touchdowns vs. just three interceptions. In those seven games, he is averaging 242 yards per game through the air and an interception every 76 attempts. Through the season's first four games, Crompton had completed 62 of 105 (.590) passes for 641 yards and seven touchdowns vs. eight interceptions. Those numbers work out to an average of 160.25 yards per game and an interception every 13 attempts. Crompton also finds himself as one of UT's top ten passers of all time. He has 3,732 career passing yards, which ranks ninth in program history. He needs 91 passing yards to reach eighth on the all-time list. Hardesty Posts 1,000-Yard SeasonIn 11 games during the 2009 season, senior tailback Montario Hardesty has averaged 102.5 yards per game and scored nine rushing touchdowns. He posted a career high 171 yards on a career high 32 carries vs. Vanderbilt. That game was his fourth 100-yard game this season, and it made him the 13th back in school history to post 1,000 yards rushing in a single season. His 1,127 yards on the ground rank as the 11th most in a season in school history. He needs just 82 yards per game in the Vols' last two contests to reach the top five in school history, but a stellar 168.1 yards per game to reach the school record of 1,464 yards set by Travis Stephens in 2001. Hardesty has reeled off 34 runs of 10 yards or more, including eight 20-plus yard treks and touchdown runs of 39 and 43 yards. His nine rushing touchdowns rank fourth in the SEC. He became the 13th back in school history to eclipse the career 2,000-yard mark with his 55-yard effort at Ole Miss. He has rushed for a total of 2,173 yards and has scored 22 career rushing touchdowns, which ties for ninth in program history. Thanks in large part to Hardesty, the Vols are rolling up an average of 164 yards per game on the ground and have scored 14 rushing touchdowns. Offense Continues to Make Big PlaysTennessee has produced 35 plays of 20 yards or more in the last seven games, and eight of those plays have gone for touchdowns. In the last five games, Tennessee posted 23 20-plus yard plays and 46 additional plays that gained between 10 and 19 yards. The Vols have scored 18 touchdowns in their last five games, and the average number of plays on those scoring drives has been six plays. On eight of the 18 scores, UT took five plays or less to find paydirt. In the first four games of the season, the Vols produced only three touchdown drives of five plays or less, and one came off a UCLA turnover in its own red zone. The Vols managed just 15 plays of 20 yards or more in those games as well. Tracking The True FreshmenTennessee has played no fewer than seven true freshmen in each of its 11 games this season. Among those players are offensive standouts Bryce Brown, David Oku and Marsalis Teague. The three have combined for 147 offensive touches and 855 total yards, good for 77.7 yards per game and 5.8 yards per touch. The trio has combined to score seven touchdowns. Oku is averaging 26.0 yards per kickoff return as well. Moore, Jones Excel after Early Season InjuriesJunior wideout Gerald Jones caught just three passes in his first three games of the season after sitting out the Western Kentucky game due to injury. In the last seven games, Jones has caught 33 passes for 468 yards and four touchdowns. He set a career high for receptions with seven in the Auburn and Alabama games and set a career high for receiving yards with 105 in the Georgia game. Senior Denarius Moore has also overcome early season injuries to become a threat in the passing game. Moore made only one catch for four yards in the season's first three games, but he has posted 34 catches for 451 yards and six touchdowns in the last eight contests. Moore posted a career-high seven receptions in the Memphis game and also notched the first multi-touchdown game of his career. After using three different starting lineups at wide receiver in the first five games, Moore and Jones have each started the last five contests and combined for 53 catches, 753 yards and nine touchdowns. Tight Ends Playing Major Role in Passing GameJunior Luke Stocker and senior Jeff Cottam have played a pivotal role in the resurgence of the Tennessee offense in 2009. The two tight ends are both in their second season as contributors and their progress has been clearly noted. Stocker caught just 13 passes for 139 yards in 2008, but has 22 grabs for 292 yards and four touchdowns this season. Cottam did not catch a pass in 2008 and has three receptions for 41 yards and a score this season. The two are combining to average 13.3 yards per catch and have made 10 grabs of 15 yards or more in 11 games this season. Stocker grabbed his fourth touchdown of the season at the end of the first half of the Vanderbilt game. McCoy Continues Stellar PlaySenior linebacker Rico McCoy continues to be a factor on the defensive side of the ball despite many of his position mates missing time due to injury. McCoy led the team in tackles for the sixth time this season vs. Vanderbilt with 15 tackles and was second on the team with eight stops at Ole Miss. The Washington, D.C., native has notched double-digit tackle efforts in four of his last seven games and has led the team in stops 20 times in his career. McCoy also has four forced fumbles through 11 games, which ranks fourth nationally and atop the SEC. He leads the team and ranks fourth in the SEC with 99 stops (9.0 per game) after posting 87 (7.3 per game) last season. McCoy has posted 330 tackles in his career, which ranks as the 12th most in school history. He needs just three tackles in the last two games of the season to move alone into 10th place on the all-time chart. No UT defensive player has posted 330 tackles in a career since Earnest Fields posted the last of his 407 stops in 1991. Only six Vols have posted 100 tackles in a season since Fields did it in 1991. Berry A Standout in New RoleJunior defensive back Eric Berry entered the 2009 campaign in search of the school record for career interceptions and the NCAA record for career interception return yards, but a change in coordinators has forced Berry into a new role playing closer to the line of scrimmage. While Berry is second nationally among active players in interceptions with 14, he is also second on the team in tackles with 75, an average of 6.8 per game. He is also fourth on the team in tackles for loss with five for nine yards. In his first two seasons, Berry averaged six stops per game and 5.25 tackles for loss per season. He tied his career high with 14 stops vs. Auburn, and has posted three double-digit tackle games this season and seven in his career. Though his pursuit of the NCAA interception return record has slowed, Berry is still making big plays at key moments for the Vols. He posted a 46-yard fumble return that set up UT's final score vs. Georgia, forced and recovered a crucial fumble in the fourth quarter at Alabama and posted an interception and a fumble recovery vs. Memphis. He now stands at 494 career pick return yards, just eight ticks shy of breaking the NCAA record of 501 yards held by Terrell Buckley of Florida State. He has 103 career fumble return yards on four returns. Berry also ranks sixth in school history in total passes defensed with 30 in his career. The junior from Fairburn, Ga., is in contention for five major postseason awards: the Jim Thorpe Award , the Walter Camp Player of the Year award, the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Lott Trophy and the Bronco Nagurski Award Williams, Walker Making Strides on D-LineSenior defensive tackle Dan Williams has posted 39 tackles in the last seven games after posting only 16 in the first four games of the season. Williams also has seven quarterback hurries, two sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss on the season. Williams posted 48 tackles last season, and has already notched 56 this season with two games left to play. That mark ranks fourth among UT defensive tackles since 1990. He would need seven tackles in his last two games to pass Carey Bailey, who notched 62 tackles in 1991. Junior defensive end Walker missed the South Carolina game with a back injury, but returned with a flurry, posting two sacks for 14 yards in the next two games. He has a team-high six sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss this season. In 2008, he managed just three sacks and four tackles for loss in a backup role. Youth Being Served on Defense as WellTennessee has played at least three true freshmen on defense in each of the last seven games. Safety Janzen Jackson has started seven contests this season, but has missed the last three games for disciplinary reasons. Defensive tackles Montori Hughes and Marlon Walls along with linebacker Greg King are also seeing significant snaps on defense. King earned a start vs. Vanderbilt and Walls saw his first action in a Tennessee uniform at Alabama and has played in the last five games. Redshirt freshmen Herman Lathers has earned starts in the last three games as well. Lathers has taken over middle linebacker duties after both Nick Reveiz and Savion Frazier were lost for the season with knee injuries. Defense Forcing Turnovers, Creating PointsAfter failing to win the turnover battle in each of the season's first five games, the Vols have finished even or won the turnover margin in their last six games. The Vols are plus-4 in turnover margin on the season, but plus-8 since the Georgia game on Oct. 10, producing 13 takeaways while surrendering five turnovers. Tennessee has forced a turnover in six-straight games and has not lost the football in two of the last four contests. On the season, Tennessee has scored on 18 of 20 possessions created by turnovers, scoring 15 touchdowns and kicking three field goals. The Volunteer defense has surrendered just 36 points on 17 turnovers. Tennessee has two interception returns for touchdowns as well, both by defensive linemen ( Wes Brown and Chris Walker). |
