Stocks to sell
Running backs
Yes, Ty Chandler and Eric Gray got a lot of praise. Chandler’s 26 carries for 154 yards now has him at 32 carries for 202 yards and a touchdown on the year, averaging over six yards a carry. Meanwhile, Gray managed to raise eyebrows as a freshman with 77 yards. Tennessee football clearly has some weapons here.
But they had issues eluding tackles in open space. A big reason for their gains was great blocking on the outside and good play-calling. One guy in the secondary would always wrap them up, though. It’s why Gray averaged fewer than five yards a carry, and Chandler was unable to do anything on two check-down passes from Jarrett Guarantano. So they’re being slightly overrated.
Play-calling
Speaking of play-calling, it’s true that Jim Chaney and Derrick Ansley deserve some credit for calling a good game on Saturday. They realized their strengths and tried to stick to them, which is always important. But situational play-calling by both was an issue, and people are overlooking that when touting these coaches. So we’re going to call it out.
Chaney made a huge mistake when, up 13-3, he called two pass plays after a Chandler run made it 2nd and 4. The second was Jarrett Guarantano’s only interception, which set up a BYU touchdown. Then there was Ansley’s call on that late pass to tie it up. He should have played softer coverage. Both were issues, and the hype behind them still is why we say sell the stock.