All for Tennessee
Fansided

Tennessee Beats Kentucky: 5 Things We Learned About the Vols

ByCaleb Calhoun|

Here are the three things we learned Tennessee Volunteers football team in their victory over the Kentucky Wildcats at Commonwealth Stadium Saturday.

They trailed 7-0 and 14-10, but the Tennessee Vols had a complete performance as they dominated the Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington Saturday night.

From Joshua Dobbs’s numerous touchdowns to the big plays from the weapons on offense to the return touchdowns to the big plays on defense, it was a complete performance for the Vols.

But it’s hard to learn a lot that we did not already know about the Vols. After all, we already knew how great Dobbs is. We also already knew that this was the perfect game for an offensive onslaught.

And we already knew that the Vols had great special teams.

Still, they did affirm quite a few things in this game.

Here are the biggest takeaways for Vol Nation from Tennessee’s victory over Kentucky.

More from Vols Football

1. Darrin Kirkland Jr. Should Remain the Starter at Middle Linebacker

This has become more and more clear each week, but it showed significantly on Saturday night. Kirkland looked the way we have said Jalen Reeves-Maybin usually looks in this game. Reeves-Maybin is clearly a stud at outside linebacker.

Numerous tackles, plays, and an awesome interception to set up a touchdown affirmed that. A big question about the Vols at this position at the beginning of the season has finally been answered. Butch Jones and John Jancek should make sure Colton Jumper never sets foot on the field again with Kirkland’s play.

2. Joshua Dobbs Has Got to Protect the Football

It’s hard to criticize him after having such a great game, but one issue with Joshua Dobbs all year has been protecting the football. He had three more fumbles today, one of which Kentucky recovered and returned for a touchdown. He also threw too many high passes, one of which was finally intercepted.

Don’t forget what happened in the Florida game. Dobbs is a great playmaker who can do a lot of nice things, but he’s got to protect that football better. That way, he can make big plays and keep big plays from happening for other teams.

More from All for Tennessee

3. Tennessee is on Track for the Best Pass Rush in College Football

We knew this going into the year, but it is ringing more and more true by the minute. The Vols once again dominated on defense thanks to a great pass rush from Corey Vereen and Derek Barnett. After pressuring Alabama all night, they came through again.

Barnett had two sacks on the game and is looking more and more like Jadeveon Clowney did in his prime in the SEC. The best part is that outside of Owen Williams, the least important player on the line, everybody is back next year. Kentucky racked up numerous holding penalties desperately trying to block the Vols, but they could never stop them.

As Jessee Palmer once said of the Wildcats during the game: They cannot block Tennessee.

4. Aaron Medley Can Still Become a Great Kicker

As we should have known all year, distance has never been a problem for Aaron Medley. It only took one kick to prove that, a 44-yarder that he nailed. Medley is still automatic under 40, and Butch Jones was right to believe in him. Being reliable under 40 is the most important thing for a college kicker.

If Medley continues to get better at doing what he can do at kicker, then he should be fine going forward. He is still young.

5. Justin Martin Should Stay the Starter at No. 2 Cornerback

There is no reason to put Malik Foreman back out there anymore. Justin Martin has carved out a spot for himself. The junior college transfer is a deadly speedster who has proven himself to be a very physical player as well.

And he showed it again  Saturday.

Martin is the total package at cornerback and honestly looks as good as Cameron Sutton on the other side. Now, fully healthy, he is going to be a great player for the Vols in the future. Heck, he already is.

Home/Vols Football