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Tennessee football: Five Vols to watch for at Arkansas

By Dean Zulkofske

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Jeremy Banks #33 of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts to scoring a touchdown during a game against the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Jeremy Banks #33 of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts to scoring a touchdown during a game against the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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Missouri offensive lineman Bobby Lawrence (64) defends against Tennessee linebacker Deandre Johnson (13) during a game between Tennessee and Missouri at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020.100320 Tenn Mo Jpg
Missouri offensive lineman Bobby Lawrence (64) defends against Tennessee linebacker Deandre Johnson (13) during a game between Tennessee and Missouri at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020.100320 Tenn Mo Jpg /

Senior. player. 839. Scouting Report. Linebacker. 5. Pick Analysis. Deandre Johnson

6’3″ 255 pounds; Hometown: Miami, Fla.

Though he’s tied for fifth in the SEC in sacks, Deandre Johnson has not had the season that was expected following his Week 1 performance against the South Carolina Gamecocks. Johnson posted a career high six tackles and two and a half sacks while forcing a fumble in that game, all of which earned him SEC defensive lineman of the week honors.

Since then, however, Johnson has only registered one sack and nine tackles. He failed to record a defensive stat against the Alabama Crimson Tide and was ejected during the first quarter of UT’s matchup with the Georgia Bulldogs for targeting. Needless to say, Johnson will want to get this season back on track the way he started it.

The senior edge rusher will have an opportunity to that this weekend against an Arkansas Razorbacks offensive line that has given up 15 sacks through five games. Though Hogs quarterback Feleipe Franks has racked up 156 rushing yards, that shouldn’t dissuade Jeremy Pruitt from rushing Johnson on the outside often.

For a Tennessee football secondary whose latest contest featured giving up 417 yards through the air to Alabama, pressuring Franks and hurrying his motion will be paramount to a Big Orange victory. What the Vols can’t afford is for top receiver Treylon Burks to pick apart UT’s secondary.

If Johnson were to force Arkansas to run the ball, a department that UT only gives up 153 yards per game in, that would be ideal towards providing Rocky Top an opportunity to win. When the Vols up against the Hogs Saturday, watch for Johnson to apply pressure in the backfield.

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