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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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Nov 27, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers linebacker Aaron Beasley (24) and linebacker Jeremy Banks (33) ready to play defense during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers linebacker Aaron Beasley (24) and linebacker Jeremy Banks (33) ready to play defense during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Can the Vols’ linebackers stay in assignment?

We’ve hailed Aaron Beasley over the past two weeks, but he was going against standard, drop-back passing offenses. This week, Tennessee football is facing its first run-pass-option offense on the year, and Joe Moorhead is one of the guys who perfected that system. Without the 3-4 Jeremy Pruitt ran in 2019, it could become much more difficult.

It’s clear Jeremy Banks still has issues in coverage, as he got lost on a 57-yard touchdown pass last week at Pitt. Most of Beasley’s success was still in the pass rush. Juwan Mitchell is still not on the field. Against Akron, the ability of the linebackers to stay in the right position based on the RPO is going to be crucial.

An underrated part of the past two weeks is how the Vols were carved up in the intermediate passing game. John Paddock, despite throwing two picks, did have 269 yards through the air and should’ve had two touchdown passes. Kedon Slovis was getting some yards, despite getting pressure, before he went out at Pitt last week.

Moorhead can use that to his advantage, and Tennessee football has to be prepared. If the Vols aren’t, this could end up being a very difficult night, particularly if they aren’t as focused as they should be, which goes back to our first key. Can UT linebackers finally stay home?

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