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Tennessee vs Missouri Report Card: Grading the Vols Against the Tigers

By Caleb Calhoun

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Nov 21, 2015; Columbia, MO, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Jalen Hurd (1) runs the ball as Missouri Tigers defensive back Anthony Sherrils (22) attempts the tackle during the second half at Faurot Field. Tennessee won the game 19-8. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Offensive Grades

Quarterback: B+

You can’t give an A to a quarterback when he did not even have 100 yards passing on the day and did not throw for any touchdowns. It’s hard to even award a B at that point. But Joshua Dobbs completed 67 percent of his passes, did not throw an interception, and ran for another 54 yards while scoring the only touchdown of the game for the offense.

With no sacks or turnovers to go with that, what is there to complain about? The only reason he does not get an A is because of the numbers alone. But there was really nothing to complain about.

Running Backs: A

Now this is clearly where you can award an A. Jalen Hurd alone allowed this with 151 yards on the ground on 34 carries, setting up plenty of scores for the Vols. He was the workhorse all night, and Butch Jones and Mike DeBord were able to rely on him to sit on the lead in the second half as well.

Meanwhile, Alvin Kamara was Alvin Kamara. He ran for 43 yards on six carries, averaging over six yards a carry as the big play guy, and he also caught four passes for 23 yards. There was nothing you could say to complain about the running backs. They were the catalyst for 250 yards on the ground for the Vols this game.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: C-

This is the one weak link of the team that did not show up for this game. The only reason this is not a D or an F is because Jones and DeBord employed a conservative game plan to avoid turnovers, limiting the chances receivers had to make plays.

But while Josh Malone had 35 yards and Von Pearson had 28 yards, there were multiple key drops on their end that stalled drives and forced field goals. Malone had multiple drops on his own Saturday. Fortunately, it never came close to costing them.

Offensive Line: A+

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    • Can we give this unit any extra credit on this A+? You could not have asked for a better performance. The inexperienced unit is finally coming together. Against an elite pass rush for a team that torched them last year, Tennessee’s offensive line controlled the game all night.

    They did not give up a sack all night, paved the way for 250 yards on the ground, and did not allow any big mistakes in the backfield. This unit was huge in allowing the Vols to play conservative, dominate time of possession, and never put them in a position to have to make a risky play. This was the best game the line played all year, and they should be acknowledged for it.

    Overall Offensive Grade: B+

    Despite the struggles of the wide receivers and tight ends, it did not cost the Vols. Joshua Dobbs did exactly what was needed of him to win the game, and the running game was perfect. Sure, the Vols only scored 19 points, which is why they cannot get an A. The receivers held them back on that. But they still completely controlled the game thanks to dominating time of possession, which is a testament to the offense.

    Next: Defensive Grades

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