All for Tennessee
Fansided

Tennessee football vs. Alabama: 10 keys for Vols and Crimson Tide

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 20: Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers and head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide shake hands after the second half of the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on October 20, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Alabama won 58-21. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 20: Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers and head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide shake hands after the second half of the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on October 20, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Alabama won 58-21. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 11
Next
ATHENS, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 10: Kivon Bennett #95 of the Tennessee Volunteers recovers a fumble by Stetson Bennett #13 of the Georgia Bulldogs for a touchdown during the first half at Sanford Stadium on October 10, 2020 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATHENS, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 10: Kivon Bennett #95 of the Tennessee Volunteers recovers a fumble by Stetson Bennett #13 of the Georgia Bulldogs for a touchdown during the first half at Sanford Stadium on October 10, 2020 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

7. Will the Vols force any fumbles?

All the talk has been about Tennessee football’s turnovers the past two games, and with good reason, but lost in that is the fact that the defense has actually been pretty good at forcing turnovers too. They just continue to be let down by an offense that makes mistake after mistake, which led to these guys quitting against the Kentucky Wildcats last week.

Anyway, UT actually forced the first turnover against UK. Bryce Thompson had a great strip on Kentucky receiver Josh Ali, as he ripped the ball right out of Ali’s hands to force and recover a fumble. Against the Georgia Bulldogs, the Vols’ first touchdown was a fumble recovery in the end zone off a bad snap. They forced and recovered another fumble in the second half.

In their season-opener, UT won because a punt accidentally hit South Carolina Gamecocks player, and the Vols recovered. Although two of these fumbles are unforced, the Vols have been great at recovering the ball once it’s on the ground, and as a result, they are tied for second in the SEC in fumble recoveries on the year. That’s something they can work with.

Alabama has actually been great at protecting the ball, but Najee Harris did have a fumble against the Ole Miss Rebels. After no fumbles last week, they may be due for one in this game. A lack of focus, which was another key, could contribute to that. Should that happen, can the Vols cash in? If so, they could make this interesting at some point.

Home/Vols Football