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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) /
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Alabama quarterback Mac Jones (10) throws during Alabama’s game with Texas A&M Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, in Bryant-Denny Stadium. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]Alabama Vs Texas A M
Alabama quarterback Mac Jones (10) throws during Alabama’s game with Texas A&M Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, in Bryant-Denny Stadium. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]Alabama Vs Texas A M /

4. Mac Jones’ ability to spread the field

While Tennessee football wants to bring pressure on Mac Jones, the Alabama Crimson Tide will want Jones to spread the field. So far, he’s been pretty good at that. Okay, he’s been amazing. Through four games, Alabama has two receivers averaging over 100 yards and another receiver averaging 87 yards a game. This is how they dominated an elite Georgia Bulldogs secondary.

Jaylen Waddle leads the way with 557 yards and four touchdowns. Devonta Smith adds 483 yards and four touchdowns. The breakout player, though, is John Metchie III, who has 348 yards and three touchdowns as the No. 3 guys. Simply put, with Steve Sarkisian, the Tide know how to spread the field and overwhelm secondaries.

They will want to continue that against the Vols. Bryce Thompson has handled his assignments well at cornerback. The same is true of Alontae Taylor if he’s able to play. Even without Taylor, Kenneth George Jr. has been a solid veteran. The problem for the Vols has been containing the slot receivers, tight ends and No. 3 guys, and that’s where somebody like Metchie comes in.

If UT’s cornerbacks doe their jobs on the wideouts, they still need their inside linebackers and safeties to be great in coverage. Shawn Shamburger’s return hasn’t had the impact we thought it would yet, and the safeties have struggled severely. That puts them in trouble Saturday if Alabama can still incorporate everybody into its passing game. Can UT change its issues overnight?

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