Tennessee football vs. Tennessee Tech: Five Golden Eagles to watch for
On paper, the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles are a horrendous team. We’re talking about an FCS program that has yet to see a winning season into its fourth year under head coach Dewayne Alexander and one that has started 0-2 this year. Tennessee football is the heavy favorite in this game, despite all the program’s issues, for a reason.
However, this doesn’t all mean that the Vols don’t have to worry about anybody on TTU. After all, the roster does have some players who transferred from FBS programs, and others were teammates with current UT players at the same junior college.
As we get set to break down the key players UT needs to watch out for Saturday, we will have a JuCo transfer and an FBS transfer on the list. Still, there are some proven players who generated a lot of preseason hype and are bright spots for TTU. These are the five Golden Eagles to watch out for against Tennessee football this weekend.
5. Quinten Cross, WR
Redshirt sophomore; 5’11” 175 pounds; Hometown: Clarksville, Tenn.
Ashton Maples is actually a rising star at receiver, and Seth Carlisle almost made this spot as the leading tackler at linebacker. However, in spite of all the questions surrounding TTU’s passing game, a go-to receiver is needed to stand out, and Quinten Cross has managed that role so far through two games.
Cross had 23 catches for 255 yards and a touchdown last year, and he now has 10 catches for 94 yards this year. Nobody else has more than 50 yards receiving, and no other receiver has more than even 40 yards receiving so far.
Simply put, Cross is the top playmaker in the passing game right now for TTU. After struggling to get pressure last week, Tennessee football had some major lapses in the secondary. Don’t ignore the fact that a guy like Cross could take advantage of that if the Vols aren’t careful. What the passing game holds is not yet clear, and that makes it crucial for them to key in on him.