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Tennessee football vs. Akron: 10 keys to the game

By Caleb Calhoun

A worker works on the S of the newly re-installed V-O-L-S letters on the south side of Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Wednesday, July 6, 2022. The letters were taken down in 1999. The re-installation of the letters are part of Phase I renovations to the stadium which include two new videoboards on the north and south ends of the stadium, a lower-west premium club, enhanced chairback seating in multiple lower-west sections and a party deck on the upper north end.RANK2 Kns Vols Letters
A worker works on the S of the newly re-installed V-O-L-S letters on the south side of Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Wednesday, July 6, 2022. The letters were taken down in 1999. The re-installation of the letters are part of Phase I renovations to the stadium which include two new videoboards on the north and south ends of the stadium, a lower-west premium club, enhanced chairback seating in multiple lower-west sections and a party deck on the upper north end.RANK2 Kns Vols Letters /
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Sep 10, 2022; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Akron Zips head coach Joe Moorhead looks at the scoreboard that shows Michigan State winning, 45-0. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2022; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Akron Zips head coach Joe Moorhead looks at the scoreboard that shows Michigan State winning, 45-0. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports /

9. Familiarity between Joe Moorhead and many Vols players

Don’t forget that Joe Moorhead led the Mississippi State Bulldogs into Knoxville back in 2019. Tennessee football won that game 20-10, but with Jeremy Pruitt no longer there, the familiarity between coaches and their schemes is irrelevant. What is relevant, however, is Moorhead’s familiarity with the players he’s going against.

Shockingly, there are lots of Vols who started in that game against Mississippi State and are back now. Trevon Flowers had an interception in that game before breaking his leg and suffering a season-ending injury. Jaylen McCollough then came in to take Flowers’ spot at safety.

Darnell Wright was a starter on the offensive side of the ball. Jerome Carvin was a utility offensive lineman. LaTrell Bumphus and Kurott Garland were both in the rotation on that team at defensive end and defensive tackle respectively. Ramel Keyton had a 41-yard catch. Even Solon Page III had a tackle in the game.

When you look at all of those players, there is clearly going to be some familiarity. Who has the advantage with that, though? The players will be familiar with Moorhead’s schemes, but Moorhead will be familiar with the players’ talents. It’s hard to tell which side you’d rather be on in that scenario, but it’ll certainly impact the game.

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