University of Tennessee Athletics
Kamara Revs Up Vol Offense
November 14, 2015 | Football
Defense Stifles Mean Green
Tennessee's defense was on lockdown mode all afternoon against North Texas, holding the Mean Green to the fewest yards gained by an opponent since UT-Martin has 142 on Sept. 4, 2010.
It was the first shutout for the Volunteers since the opening game of the Butch Jones era, 45-0 over Austin Peay in 2013 and the first shutout against an FBS opponent since another 24-0 win, over Middle Tennessee in 2011, also a Homecoming game.
"I was really proud of our defense," head coach Butch Jones said. "I thought it was a great defensive effort. I thought they had a very, very good game plan going into it."
Even more impressive than the yards and the shutout was Tennessee's dominance of field position. Not only did the Vols hold North Texas out of the end zone, but also the red zone and then some. The Mean Green never crossed the Tennessee 44 yard line.
The farthest advance from North Texas came on its final drive, which reached the 44, but was pushed back to the 47 before the Mean Green's final punt.
The Volunteers built a game plan around stopping quarterback DeMarcus Smith's ability to make plays with his legs. Mission accomplished, and then some. Smith was held to -6 yards on 11 carries, a 6-yard gain on his first run was his longest.
"We were always concerned about the quarterback run," Jones said. "They've done such a good job with the quarterback run, and then the attachment plays off of the run game. We knew that we were going to have to have great eye discipline, really read our keys. I thought for the most part we were able to do that today."
- Brian Rice
By Brian Rice
UTSports.com
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Entering the 2015 season, Alvin Kamara was seen as the perfect compliment to Jalen Hurd in the Tennessee backfield.
As the season has played out, time after time Kamara has been that and much more, just as he was on Saturday in Tennessee's 24-0 victory over North Texas. Kamara started and finished the scoring against the Mean Green and provided a spark whenever needed in between.
"We needed him," head coach Butch Jones said. "He did a great job of really making the second level defender miss and getting the ball north and south. He provided a spark for us. That was great to see because we needed that. We needed some momentum plays."
Kamara ran for 127 yards on just 15 carries with the two scores, his second 100-yard game and fifth multi-TD game. He averaged 8.5 yards per carry and had four plays of 11 yards or longer.
"When you need to get going, you need to get the fans involved, you need to get momentum, especially playing at home, you need more big plays," Jones said.
He filled his role to perfection on the opening drive. The Vols began at their own 46 and marched down the field on the back of a pair of runs from Hurd and a swing pass from Joshua Dobbs to the sophomore. Facing a 2nd-and-10 at the UNT 27, Kamara entered the game and sprinted to the near side, juking a defender and trotting into the end zone for the Vols' first score.
"It felt good getting those touches," Kamara said. "Give credit to the o-line, they did a great job all week and the receivers on the perimeter blocking. Our scheme came through and opened a lot of those big holes for me."
On Tennessee's second scoring drive, it was Kamara on the field first, carrying on the first three plays of the possession for 5, 20 and 5 yards, respectively. Hurd would then carry on three straight plays before Dobbs hit Jauan Jennings for 26 yards to set up a 1-yard TD run for Hurd on the first play of the second quarter.
"It was great to have that production from him," Dobbs said. "That's what we expect from Alvin. We know what kind of player he is and the kind of playmaker he is with the ball in his hands. It is great to have that weapon."
As the third quarter began to tick away, the Vols held to a safe, yet simultaneously uncomfortable 17-0 lead. But a 12-play, 80-yard drive would shift that completely to the safe side. Kamara carried six times for 37 yards on the drive, capped by a 15-yard run for his second touchdown of the day.
Kamara credited the blocking for his performance, both up front and on the perimeter.
"[The offensive line] got good push and the receivers stayed on their blocks well the whole game," Kamara said of the effort in front of him. "Even when the offense was stalling out a little bit, they kept doing their jobs."
