Sep 12, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) drops back to pass the ball against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Offensive Grades
Quarterback: C-
We should have reserved our excitement surrounding Joshua Dobbs at the beginning of the season knowing that he had still never truly proven himself against a good defense. And that showed on Saturday night.
Dobbs had trouble with Oklahoma’s pressure from that elite front seven in the 3-4 defense all night. And while all of it can’t be attributed to him, going 13 of 31 for 125 yards, one touchdown, and an interception is simply not good enough. So we have to hold him accountable and say that his play was not up to par.
Running Backs: B+
Alvin Kamara was nowhere t be found in this one, but again, it was against an elite front seven, and Jalen Hurd still managed to star. Hurd ran for 106 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, and he was clearly the best offensive player on the field.
Despite a few issues, he is the one thing that kept the offense from being a complete atrocity in this game, so we have to give him the respect he deserves for the heart and guts that he showed. But he carried this unit and the whole offense.
Betsided
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: D+
For years now, the Tennessee Vols have been beefing up their recruiting rankings by bringing in elite wide receivers. And they have generated the return of the Wide Receiver U hype surrounding the program.
So, at some point, Butch Jones’s guys are going to have to live up to that mentality. Yes, Dobbs struggled, but the receivers barely got open this game, and given how elite they are, playing against an elite secondary is not an excuse.
The tight end play got even worse, as Dobbs threw two perfect passes to Alex Ellix on one drive that were both dropped. The only thing that keeps this unit from being a complete failure in this game is that one pass from Dobbs to Josh Malone.
Offensive Line: C
It was a heck of a lot better than the blowout loss in Norman last year, but the offensive line of the Vols still struggled significantly. The unit missed way too many blocks and allowed Dobbs to be pressured too often, and only Jalen Hurd saved them from being a complete travesty.
You had to expect that the offensive line would struggle significantly against such an elite front seven that runs a complex 3-4 scheme when they are so young. Add in the fact that Jashon Robertson got hurt, and this was no shock.
So, to be fair, the unit played a lot better than it could have. But it still struggled significantly, and we cannot ignore that.
Overall Offensive Grade: C-
They were going up against an elite defense and obviously have issues with overall experience. But you have to hold the offense accountable for being unable to generate anything after the 17-0 lead. The line is technically the biggest culprit, but your elite talent has to step up and play elite. And they did not do that in this game.
Next: Defensive Grades