It’s important to grade on a curve when playing lesser teams, but the Vanderbilt Commodores are a bowl eligible SEC program, so despite the early mistakes, UT showed a lot in their 36-23 win in Nashville Saturday. Here is our report card for every Tennessee unit in all three phases of the game and a look at the Vols responsible for each grade.
Quarterbacks: A-
If not for Nico Iamaleava’s one interception, which was a truly awful underthrow, the quarterback grade would easily be an A+. Everything he else did was nearly perfect, averaging just under 10 yards an attempt, completing 18 of 26 passes for 257 yards and throwing for four touchdowns while rushing for another 42 yards. His 90.8 QBR speaks for itself.
Running backs: A-
Dylan Sampson’s fumble early, similar to Iamaleava’s interception, is the only reason this isn’t an A+. From there, running backs were perfect despite Peyton Lewis leaving the game due to injury. Sampson had 25 carries for a career-high 178 yards along with two catches for six yards. DeSean Bishop had 13 carries for 61 yards. Those two kept Vandy off the field in the final six minutes of the game.
Wide receivers: A
Bru McCoy was out due to an injury in pregame warmups. Dont’e Thornton Jr. left at halftime due to injury. It didn’t matter. The wide receivers combined to catch 13 passes for 222 yards. Before getting hurt, Thornton had three catches for 118 yards and two scores. Chris Brazzell II had five catches for 54 yards, and Mike Matthews had three catches for 30 yards and a touchdown.
Tight ends: A-
A drop by Ethan Davis is the only reason this isn’t an A, but overall, the unit was great. The tight ends were elite in pass protection, helping UT to not allow a sack, and they were big in the passing game. Miles Kitselman had two catches for 33 yards and a touchdown, and Davis had a six-yard reception.
Offensive line: A-
Failing to get a push early on a 3rd and 1 and then 4th and 1 is what keeps this unit from getting an A+. You have to win those battles. However, everything else was elite, as the offensive line didn’t give up a sack, and they paved the way for the Vols to carry the ball 47 times for 281 yards and milk the final six minutes of the game off the clock.
Defensive line: B+
Part of this was due to containment being the focus, but Tennessee only had three sacks and five tackles for a loss, and they did allow Vanderbilt to carry it 30 times for 109 yards. Okay, so they were still fine overall, as Tyre West got a safety, Jaxson Moi had a sack, and Joshua Josephs, Bryson Eason and Omarr Norman-Lott were all in on sacks, but the defensive line could have done more.
Linebackers: C
Arion Carter had seven total tackles, three of which were solo, while breaking up a pass and assisting on a tackle for a loss, but early, the Vols linebackers were out of position way too much. It’s why Vanderbilt did move the ball well, and the offense didn’t start stalling until the Jermod McCoy interception. Jeremiah Telander could still play better.
Secondary: A
Letting Diego Pavia move down the field on a milk the clock drive late kept this from being an A+. Still, Jermod McCoy had an amazing interception, Will Brooks had a crucial fourth down sack, Boo Carter was in on a ton of plays, and Pavia was 8-of-17 for just 104 yards with that pick. Until it happened, the Vols’ defensive backs were elite.
Place kicking: C-
Max Gilbert is an A+ for nailing a 50-yard field goal, another 22-yarder and all four extra points, but place kicking includes kickoff and kickoff coverage. The Vols allowed a return for a touchdown on their opening kickoff and would’ve allowed another big return were it not for a holding penalty. That negative slightly outweighs the place kicking positive, so it’s a C-.
Punting: A+
Jackson Ross had just one punt in the game, and although it went only 36 yards, he managed to pin Vanderbilt on its own four-yard line. That punt set up a safety that Tyre West forced with a tackle in the end zone, so Ross literally played as perfect as you could for a punter, and that warrants an A+, even if it was incredibly significant.
Return game: C
Tennessee didn’t return any punts, but Peyton Lewis had two kickoff returns for 36 yards while Dylan Sampson had one for four yards. None of these were impactful, nor was there anything negative about them, so the grade as a whole just gets a C. It wasn’t the bonus it has been in recent weeks for the program, though.
