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Tennessee football: Top five performers in Vols’ 48-45 OT loss to Purdue

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee linebacker Jeremy Banks (33) at the 2021 Music City Bowl NCAA college football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.Kns Tennessee Purdue
Tennessee linebacker Jeremy Banks (33) at the 2021 Music City Bowl NCAA college football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.Kns Tennessee Purdue /
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Tennessee running back Jabari Small (2) is tackled by a group of Purdue players during the 2021 TransPerfect Music City Bowl between Tennessee and Purdue at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.Hpt Music City Bowl First Half 09
Tennessee running back Jabari Small (2) is tackled by a group of Purdue players during the 2021 TransPerfect Music City Bowl between Tennessee and Purdue at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.Hpt Music City Bowl First Half 09 /

Running back. Jabari Small. 3. player. 839. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Sophomore

26 carries, 180 yards, 1 TD; 1 catch, 2 yards

One mark of Tennessee football all year was whether or not they averaged five yards a carry. Against FBS schools, they were 0-5 when averaging under five yards on the ground. Meanwhile, they were 6-0 when averaging over five yards a carry. Well, in this game, they averaged only just over four and a half yards, which describes their loss.

However, that wasn’t Jabari Small’s fault. Josh Heupel relies heavily on the running game to get things going, and Small did his part to allow that to happen. He averaged just under seven yards a carry, consistently fought for extra yards and had a touchdown.

The play of the game for Small, though, came in the fourth quarter. Purdue had just taken a 38-31 lead. Small, on the next possession, took the ball and ran it 60 yards into the red zone to set up the Vols’ next touchdown. That was a crucial play, and UT wouldn’t have had a shot without it.

Of course, if that play hadn’t happened Small would have also averaged under five yards a carry, but it would have been barely, as he would have had 25 carries for 120 yards, or 4.8 yards. However, you can’t ignore plays like that, and it’s more than enough to put him on this list. UT’s offense doesn’t do what it did without Small’s play.

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