Tennessee football: Five Alabama Crimson Tide to watch for against Vols

6’3″ 214 pounds; Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla.

Last year, Tennessee football faced Mac Jones after Tua Tagovailoa was knocked out of the game. The Vols weren’t awful against Jones either. Late in the second half, a horrible roughing the passer penalty against Darrell Taylor and Jarrett Guarantano going rogue on 4th and goal from the one-yard line kept this from potentially being a tie game in the fourth quarter.

Well, this year, a different Jones is playing. Despite the losses of Henry Ruggs III and Jerry Jeudy, this passing game is as dominant as ever. Jones has completed 78 percent of his passes for 1,518 yards, 12 touchdowns and just two interceptions through four games. He’s got two receivers averaging over 100 yards a game and another averaging nearly 90 yards.

Last week, Jones managed to go 12-of-16 with three touchdown passes when he was under pressure, showing a side of his game he hasn’t shown in the past. As a result, at this point, the Vols have to find some way to stop him. Steve Sarkisian has done a great job putting him in a position to succeed, and he’s capitalized on it in a big way.

There is no matchup issue here. Jones is just one of the best quarterbacks in the nation, and he now has a chance to pile on against a program that is falling apart. Jeremy Pruitt and Derrick Ansley will have to dial up every complicated blitz package they have against him, but it still may not be enough.