University of Tennessee Athletics
Four Downs: Kentucky by the Numbers
November 02, 2015 | Football
By Brian Rice
UTSports.com
Each week, UTSports.com takes a look at the numbers from the weekend past and the weekend ahead in Four Downs. This week: can’t stop Berry, can’t stop Dobbs either and points on points on points.
First Down: 100 -- Berry Kickoff Return Yards
This returning kicks thing seems to be working out for Evan Berry. It works so well that opponents are not bothering to kick to him anymore. The sophomore only had one opportunity to return a kickoff against Kentucky. He made the most of it.
Berry went a little farther back in the end zone than he normally would to field the third quarter kick that followed a UK touchdown that cut the Vol lead to 38-21. 100 yards without being so much as brushed up against later, Berry had his third kick return touchdown of the season.
His three kick return TDs not only lead the nation, Berry also has more touchdowns than the rest of the Southeastern Conference combined. Only two other SEC players, Rashad Fenton of South Carolina and Mississippi State’s Brandon Holloway have returned kicks for a score in 2015.
Berry’s 100-yard kickoff return continued his assault on the Tennessee record book, moving him past Gary Moore for eighth place on the career yardage chart with 1,094. He is just 36 yards away from Dale Carter (1,130) for seventh, 39 yards from Dennis Rogan’s 1,133 in sixth and 81 yards from David Oku (1,175) for fifth.
On the single season yardage list, Berry’s return took him from outside of the top 10 to third with 681. He is just 182 yards away from David Oku’s record of 863 set in 2009, 17 yards away from Dennis Rogan’s 698 from 2008 for second.
His three touchdowns tie Willie Gault for most in a single season, a feat Gault accomplished in 1980. Berry is now one away from Gault’s career record of four.
Berry increased his NCAA lead in both total kickoff return yardage (681) and average (42.6). For his career, Berry’s average stands at 36.5 yards per return, first all-time at Tennessee among players with 25 returns or more.
The 100-yard return was the fifth in Tennessee history, the first since Leonard Scott’s against Georgia in 1999.
Second Down: 4 -- Dobbs Touchdowns
With two rushing touchdowns and two passing touchdowns against the Wildcats, Dobbs recorded multiple passing and rushing TDs in a game for the third time in his career and second time this season. He previously recorded those numbers against Georgia earlier this season and against South Carolina last year.
Dobbs accumulated 284 yards of total offense, his second-highest total of the year, behind only his 430 in the win over Georgia. His 233 yards passing were also the second-most this season to the 312 against the Bulldogs.
His two passing touchdowns brought the junior to 11 on the season, 22 for his career, meaning that half of his career passing TDs have come this season. He has thrown for a touchdown in three straight games, with six total scores through the air in that period.
The 75-yard pass that Dobbs completed to Josh Malone in the second quarter was not only the Vols’ longest play of the year, it was the longest pass of Dobbs’ career and the longest play by the Volunteers since Tyler Bray hit Justin Hunter for an 81-yard score against Montana in 2011. It was also the longest surrendered by Kentucky’s defense in 2015.
With his 51 yards on the ground, Dobbs has 438 rushing yards on the season, just 155 yards away from Jimmy Streater’s single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback of 593 in 1978. Dobbs sits at 1,096 career rushing yards, 278 from the 1,374 for Streater from 1976-79.
Dobbs’ two rushing touchdowns on the day gave him seven for the season, one away from the eight he scored in 2014. He now has 16 rushing touchdowns for his career, which ties him with Tee Martin for second-most among UT quarterbacks. Streater holds the record with 25.
Kentucky became the first team that Dobbs started against for the third time. In those three starts, Dobbs is 3-0 while completing 49-of-79 passes for 729 and seven touchdowns. On the ground, Dobbs has carried 24 times for 151 yards and four scores.
Third Down: Quick Hits
52 – Points scored by Tennessee. The Volunteers scored 50+ points for the third time this season and fifth time under Butch Jones. UT has scored 50+ against Kentucky each of the last two seasons.
10 – Brian Randolph tackles. The senior has his best tackling performance on the season, recording the sixth double-figure tackle game of his career and second against Kentucky. Randolph had 12 stops against UK as a freshman in 2011.
63 – Yards covered on Alvin Kamara’s second quarter run, the longest of his career. It also marked the longest run given up by Kentucky this season.
103 – Josh Malone receiving yards, a new career high and the most by a UT receiver this season.
2 – Jalen Hurd touchdowns, his fifth career multi-TD game.
2 – Third down conversions allowed by the Tennessee defense, the fewest by an SEC opponent this season. It also marked a season low for the Wildcats.
26 – Yards covered on Darrin Kirkland Jr.’s interception return, the first of his career.
84 – Yards on Cameron Sutton’s punt return touchdown in the third quarter that increased the UT lead to 52-21.
268 – Consecutive games with a point scored by UT, dating back to Sept. 17, 1994. It marks the fourth-longest active streak in FBS, the 10th-longest in history.
7 – Offensive plays of 20+ yards by Tennessee. The Vols have 39 plays of 20 yards or more this season.
15 – Career rushing touchdowns for Dobbs, giving him sole possession of third place in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback at Tennessee.
Fourth Down: A Look Ahead
45 – Points scored in a comeback win over South Carolina in 2014, the first win for Joshua Dobbs as a starter last season. He has started every game since for the Volunteers.
467 – Yards of total offense from Dobbs in that game last season, which still stands as a career best.
24 – All-time wins against the Gamecocks, including a 12-2 record in Knoxville. The Vols have won back-to-back games in the series, 23-21 in Neyland Stadium in 2013 and 45-42 in overtime in Columbia last year.
314 – All-time wins in November. The Vols are 14-3 all-time on Nov. 7 and have not lost ion the date since 1908, 13-0 in that stretch. They will look to make it 14 on Saturday when it’s once again Football Time in Tennessee!
