Tennessee football: Five takeaways from Vols 30-7 win vs. UAB

1. Vol defense made the breaks.

General Robert Neyland’s second game maxim is clear. Play for and make the breaks, and when one comes your way, score. That was the case for Tennessee football as they dominated the UAB Blazers on the night, and it was all thanks to what the defense did.

UT got an interception on the first play of the game and forced four turnovers overall. Bryce Thompson was the star with three interceptions, but Darel Middleton got in on the play by forcing and recovering a fumble as well. Meanwhile, one of Thompson’s interceptions came off a pass that was deflected, so those four forced turnovers were a team effort.

On the other side, the Vols scored 20 points off those turnovers. They got two touchdowns and two field goals. Now, you can say that they maybe should have had one more TD, but scoring 20 points off of four turnovers is legitimately cashing in on the breaks.

Jeremy Pruitt had the book out on UAB. They had thrown the fifth most interceptions on the year nationally with 11, and in their one loss, they threw four interceptions against the Western Kentucky Wildcats. So this was the way to win, and the defense came through with that plan.

The only real break that UT gave UAB was Jarrett Guarantano’s interception at the end of the half. But Neyland’s first maxim states that the team that makes the fewest mistakes will win. Rocky Top clearly made the fewest mistakes.