Five Things the Tennessee Vols Must Do to Salvage the 2015 Football Season

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Sep 26, 2015; Gainesville, FL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) throws the ball against the Florida Gators during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

5. Joshua Dobbs Needs to Improve Under Pressure

The most overrated analysis a person could ever give about a quarterback is whether or not they are mobile enough to deal with a pass rush. Peyton Manning is completely immobile, but you think anybody dares to blitz him? Of course not. He would beat it with his arm.

UTSA vs. Tennessee Prediction, Odds, Trends and Key Players for College Football Week 4
UTSA vs. Tennessee Prediction, Odds, Trends and Key Players for College Football Week 4

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  • Meanwhile, Johnny Manziel is extremely mobile, but nobody minds going after him. Why? Because as fast as you may be, you beat a pass rush by reading coverage and making a quick, accurate pass.

    Joshua Dobbs has been struggling to do that all year. When he is rushed, he luckily has the mobility to make a play and often times turns nothing into something. But he cannot make an accurate throw when defenders are coming after him, and that is a huge problem.

    We almost forgot about that weakness when he eluded pressure on one play that final drive and had a nice run before fumbling it out of bounds, which kept the clock running. But what he was doing beforehand really kept the Vols offense one-dimensional.

    It allowed Florida to sell out to stop Jalen Hurd and the running game, and Tennessee could not generate anything on the ground clinging to a 27-21 lead as a result.

    Dobbs’s mobility and accuracy from the pocket with protection is all admirable. He has shown plenty of times that he is great at both, but to really be a complete quarterback, he is going to have to get more accurate under pressure.

    Next: #4: Receivers Need to Start Making Plays