Tennessee football’s top five performers in Vols’ 60-14 win vs. South Alabama
Redshirt senior. 2. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Wide receiver. Velus Jones Jr.. player. 839
6 catches, 103 yards; 3 PR, 47 yards; 1 KR, 96 yards, TD
What didn’t Velus Jones Jr. do in this game? Everything Tennessee football uses him for on a week to week basis, he cashed in on. Jones was elite on offense, making big catch after big catch, and he was elite on special teams multiple times.
Probably the first major play Jones made was a 14-yard grab on 3rd and 10 at the South Alabama 33 on UT’s opening drive. They scored a touchdown on that drive thanks to that play by Jones. He then had a 21-yard grab to set up the Vols’ third touchdown as they went up 21-0.
On the next two drives, though, Jones worked his magic on special teams. He returned a punt in the second quarter 33 yards to the South Alabama 36-yard line. That allowed UT to go up 28-0 by scoring on just three plays. Then, after South Alabama scored to make it 28-7, Jones ran his first kickoff back for a touchdown all year to keep the Vols in complete control 35-7.
Throughout the season, Jones had been knocking on the door with a return, and he finally came through there. Then, in the second half, he had an impressive 41-yard grab on 3rd and 12 that set up another UT touchdown, putting them up 49-7 at the time. Simply put, Jones produced at a high level all night, and he was easily the Vols’ top offensive weapon.