Tennessee’s vaunted defense was still good against Arkansas as the Vols lost 19-14 to the Razorbacks. However, it certainly showed some signs of weakness.
Perhaps for the first time this season, Tennessee’s secondary was truly tested as the Razorbacks were able to handle the Vols’ highly acclaimed defensive front just enough to attack Tennessee’s defensive backfield.
The result? Despite having a backup quarterback in the game for much of the contest, Arkansas picked up 297 passing yards, which included some clutch plays late in the game the helped Arkansas pull ahead after trailing 14-3.
“We just didn’t execute,” Tennessee defensive back Jakobe Thomas said. “I think we prepared really well for that receiving corps last week and went into the game prepared very well. We just didn’t execute. We didn’t stick to the code and we just didn’t play like ourselves last week.”
The Vols appeared to have Arkansas down and out when Razorback quarterback Taylen Green was knocked out of the game. He was replaced by Malachi Singleton. The redshirt freshman completed two of three passes for 31 yards and ran for 15 yards and a touchdown on four carries.
The Vols will now face Florida, which is also expected to play two quarterbacks against Tennessee on Saturday in Neyland Stadium. The No. 8 Vols will have to prepare for senior Graham Mertz, who is considered more of a game manager, and freshman D.J. Lagway, who is more of a running quarterback, when they host the Gators.
“They do have two quarterbacks, two really good athletic quarterbacks,” Thomas said. “So we’ve got to prepare well for that. I think we can adjust. We adjusted really well last week…We just didn’t execute as much as we wanted to. And, you know, it kind of caught up to us. So, going to this week, we’re going to do our best and prepare just the same way we did. But this time we’re coming out to execute.
The key for the Vols this week might not be X’s and O’s. It might just be overcoming the emotions of the loss to Arkansas.
“We flush it,” Thomas said. “…It’s about how you bounce back and the adversity that we face. Championship teams, which is what we want to be, (have) got to come back…All good teams face adversity differently. This team especially does not like to lose and I saw that today.
“There was definitely a sour taste in everyone’s mouth. And we came differently to practice, prepared. We’re preparing a lot harder this week. There’s a lot on our plate. We’re ready to attack.”
The Vols have only beaten Florida once in the last seven contests. Thomas, who transferred from Middle Tennessee State before the 2024 season and grew up in Tullahoma, Tenn., knows the intensity of the rivalry even if he hasn’t been a part of the series quite yet.
“It’s my first year playing Florida, but I’ve always been a Vol fan since the beginning, so I know what this week means,” Thomas said. “I know what it means to them. So, it’s a tense week for us, especially for me.”
When asked specifically what he’s seen from Mertz and Lagway on video, Thomas said, “Those are two different quarterbacks, but they’re two very, very talented guys that we’ve got to prepare for the right way. They can be lethal to DB’s if we don’t play the right way.”
So can the wrong mentality if the Vols don’t move on from Arkansas.
