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Tennessee football report card: Grading the Vols in their 59-10 win vs. Ball State

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson (24) is stopped by Ball State defenders on a run during football game between Tennessee and Ball State at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022.Kns Utvbs0901
Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson (24) is stopped by Ball State defenders on a run during football game between Tennessee and Ball State at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022.Kns Utvbs0901 /
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It’s hard to fully judge how teams like Tennessee football truly performed when they’re facing low-level opponents like the Ball State Cardinals, but they clearly looked better than they looked in their opener against last year’s MAC team, the Bowling Green Falcons. That doesn’t make them any easier to grade.

As we get set to deliver our first report card of the season surrounding Rocky Top, the difficulties in grading against a Group of Five team won’t outweigh the clear differences in how each unit performed. There’s no question when it comes to specific units that outperformed others.

Just like we did all last year, we’ll separate the pages out, including two for offense, one for defense, one for special teams and one for coaching. Pay attention to how these grades compare to what those units do this week against the Pittsburgh Panthers. Here is our Tennessee football report card from the Vols’ 2022 opener.

These are our grades for the Tennessee football Volunteers in their opener against the Ball State Cardinals.

Sep 1, 2022; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) hands the ball off to running back Jabari Small (2) during the first quarter against the Ball State Cardinals at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2022; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) hands the ball off to running back Jabari Small (2) during the first quarter against the Ball State Cardinals at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

Offensive grades part I

Quarterbacks: A

You can’t overstate how great both quarterbacks were for the Vols. Hendon Hooker was obviously the star, completing 72 percent of his passes, averaging nine yards an attempt and gaining 233 yards overall. He also scored four total touchdowns and didn’t turn the ball over.

Joe Milton III was also, shockingly, great too, completing 8-of-9 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown while carrying it once for 21 yards. Now, Hooker and Milton each overthrew one touchdown pass, and Hooker took one sack, so they weren’t perfect, but they were pretty close.

Running backs: B+

We have to count what was even done in garbage time, and Justin Williams-Thomas did lose a fumble. Jabari Small gained 63 yards and scored a touchdown but averaged under five yards a carry. Dylan Sampson scored a touchdown but had just 32 yards on 10 carries.

Carrying this unit was Jaylen Wright, who had 13 carries for 88 yards and a touchdown. However, Wright had a fumble too despite losing it. As a result, Tennessee football’s backs can’t get an A. To be fair, the schemes of Ball State made it tough for them to score big plays, and Sampson and Small each had first-down catches, so they still were solid.

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