UT at OU Postgame Notes

Sept. 13, 2014

UT-Oklahoma_Postgame_Notes

POSTGAME NOTES

TENNESSEE TIDBITS

In its 118th season of football, UT's all-time record now stands at 805-362-53.
UT stands at 0-1 after their first-ever regular-season meeting against Oklahoma, while Head Coach Butch Jones is now 0-2 against the Sooners.
UT is now 1-2 all-time vs. Oklahoma, including two Orange Bowl matchups in 1939 (W, 17-0) and 1968 (L, 26-24).
Tennessee is now 9-7 all-time vs. current Big 12 Conference schools.
UT is 135-67-9 all-time in September and 2-3 on Sept. 13.
With the lost coin toss tonight, UT has now lost nine consecutive coin tosses.
UT is 0-0 when winning the coin flip and 2-1 when losing the toss.
Tonight's attendance: 85,622 - the sixth-largest crowd in OU history.

TENNESSEE CAPTAINS

#14 Justin Worley, #45 A.J. Johnson and #56 Curt Maggitt represented the Vols for the pregame coin toss.

FRESH STARTS CONTINUE

Five true freshmen started for UT tonight, including #6 Todd Kelly Jr. (SS), #9 Derek Barnett (DE), #55 Coleman Thomas (RT), #80 Daniel Helm (TE) and #73 Jashon Robertson (RG).
The five freshmen starters marks the most for UT since Nov. 12, 2011 at Arkansas: DeAnthony Arnett (WR), Marcus Jackson (LG), Justin Worley (QB), A.J. Johnson (LB), Brian Randolph (SS) and Justin Coleman (CB).
Thomas and Robertson are the first pair of true freshmen to start on Tennessee's offensive line since the 2010 Music City Bowl, with Zach Fulton at right guard and Ja'Wuan James at right tackle.
#55 Coleman Thomas made his first-career start at right tackle, becoming the second frosh to start on the right side of the offensive line this season.
#80 Daniel Helm also made his first-career start at tight end, the second true freshman to start at the position for the Vols this year (also, Ethan Wolf).
Thomas and Helm's starts give UT seven true freshman to start in 2014.
UT played a total of 16 true freshmen in tonight's matchup with Oklahoma.

OFFENSE

Making Connections

#14 Justin Worley connected with #25 Josh Smith (14 yards) and #2 Alton Howard (19 yards) on a 29 yard offensive drive in the first quarter.
Worley also connected with #1 Jalen Hurd in the second quarter for a 30-yard gain. The play marked Hurd's longest reception of the year.
#1 Jalen Hurd made a 44-yard run in the third quarter to put the Vols on their own 25 yard line. The rush marked his longest of the season with UT and is the longest since Rajion Neal had a 60-yarder in the Vols' 2013 finale at Kentucky.
Hurd's 97 yards rushing tonight established a new career high.
With five catches in tonight's game, #25 Josh Smith established a career high for receptions in a single game.

HOW THEY SCORED

#25 Josh Smith caught a 40 yard pass (Worley) and ran for his first touchdown of the year in the second quarter, putting the Vols on the board.
The touchdown also marked Smith's second of his career.
#25 Aaron Medley made a 31-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter, narrowing the Vols' deficit to 27-10.

DEFENSE

Making Stops

#45 A.J. Johnson recorded his 19th-career double-digit tackle game (39 career games) with ## tackles against OU.
#54 Jordan Williams recorded his first sack of the season on OU's Trevor Knight, haulting the Sooners' first offensive drive of the game.
#33 LaDarrell McNeil intercepted OU Knight's pass in the second quuarter, with less than 30 seconds left in the first half.
UT blocked OU's attempt at a field goal in the fourth quarter.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Getting a Leg Up

#43 Matt Darr punted eight times tonight, including a 35-yarder on his team's first offensive drive.
#34 Jalen Reeves-Maybin recovered a fumble on Darr's punt in the third quarter, putting UT on their own 36-yard line.
#25 Aaron Medley made his first PAT of the night on the Vols first score in the second quarter. He later made a 31-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter. On the year, Medley is 9-of-9 on PATs and 4-for-6 in field goal attempts.

Running Man

#19 Devrin Young returned three kicks tonight and by doing so, moved into third place all-time for returning yards at UT. Young had 1,346 career return yards entering tonight's game. Only Willie Gault (1,854, 1979-82) and Leonard Scott (1,788, 1999-2002) are ahead of Young on the Vols all-time list.

ODDS AND ENDS

University of Tennessee Athletics