Tennessee Quarterbacks Will Be Ready

The Tennessee Quarterbacks will be ready when the Alabama Crimson Tide roll in to Neyland Stadium today. They don’t have a choice. As to how they play, well….that is up to each of them individually and how well this offensive line can hold up.

Jimmy Hyams, who most of us Vol fans can’t stand here in Middle Tennessee tweeted that he had heard Justin Worley does not have a torn Labrum, but that he also expected Worley not to play today against Alabama.

Honestly, I hope that is the case. I don’t think Tennessee is ready to beat Alabama even with Worley.  I think Tennessee will need Worley down the stretch to beat teams like South Carolina, Missouri, Kentucky and Vanderbilt. Tennessee will have to win 3 of these remaining games to become bowl eligible. These teams are all beatable with the group Tennessee has assembled under Head Coach Butch Jones. But the Vols need Worley in order to win these games….unless Dobbs redshirt is blown today.

Live Feed

FanSided

I don’t want to sound like I am giving Alabama this game. I remember a Tennessee team that went to New Orleans several years back with a quarterback named Daryl Dickey. Dickey was forced into action when star Quarterback Tony Robinson was sidelined in the season that ended with the Vols facing top ranked Miami in the Sugar Bowl. No one gave the Vols a chance in that game, and I mean no one. After a game opening touchdown catch by Michael Irvin from Vinny Testerverde, the Canes looked to be in control. It was all Vols after that and Tennessee rocked the Football World with a 35-7 beat down of the darling Miami team.

So, it can happen. Just not likely.

It is appropriate that this is getting close to Halloween. Tennessee’s offensive line is “Frankenstein” like at the moment. It is pieced together with parts of lineman that are inexperienced, overmatched and out of position. Jacob Gilliam is starting and he has an ACL tear. How many other teams are glad they have a player with an ACL tear starting today? And oh by the way, it is the Alabama front he gets to face. The top defense in the SEC.

So whoever Tennessee starts at Quarterback today, they will be under extreme duress. Worley needs a week off. He has taken his shots, and needs this week to heal. Let Peterman take the snaps and try to survive this game. We need to get out of this game healthy on offense and defense, and then set our sights on South Carolina and the November schedule.

Nate Peterman is mobile, and has good wheels. I hope this is the plan. Run it right at Alabama early and have Peterman keep the ball at least 6 times today. This will take some pressure off of Jalen Hurd. Right now everyone knows Worley is handing the ball to Hurd in the Zone read. The offensive line and linebackers are in the backfield greeting Hurd before he ever gets the ball. Pull the ball down and make them respect the quarterback run.

I think it will be good to settle Peterman down as well. Taking a few shots when you know they are coming is not a bad thing. It helps kick in the “football instincts” that tell you it is game time for real. I would rather see him run early, than to sit back in the pocket and try to throw. There is no pocket, and there is no time to throw. If Peterman does throw, it will be quick bubble screens (which wont work against Alabama) or roll him out of the pocket, which may could work. Tennessee will have to find it’s tight ends in the seams today, and get the backs one on one with a linebacker in the passing game. Those both take time though.

Peterman + no time = sack and or fumble. So lets run it and play defense. I think the defense can be spectacular today. I am so excited to see Cam Sutton defend Amari Cooper. These guys are as good as it gets, and to see them matched up will be special. Lane Kiffin does a very good job of moving Cooper around so I don’t think Sutton will have the opportunity to be one on one with him every play. That is when Coach Jancek will hold his breath. Cooper going up against Moseley or Coleman is not a good thing if you are a Vol fan. These defenders are good, but Cooper is great.

As far as the run game goes, TJ Yeldon will get his yards, but it will be late in the fourth quarter. This game will more than likely look like Ole Miss II, The Sequel. We should be able to hang through the first half barring turnovers from the quarterback. The lack of depth will be telling by the end of the third, and Bama will make hay in the fourth quarter against a very tired Tennessee defense.

I really do not want to see Dobbs burn a redshirt today. I still think he is the better quarterback when compared to Peterman. I don’t think it is even close, but I am not at practice every day and there is something that Peterman does that Bajakian likes. So get behind this young man today Vol fans! This team needs it to be loud. This team needs you to show class in how you handle yourself with the Lane Kiffin situation, and how you handle yourself with a team that is struggling to score some points. Keep yourselves under control today. It is easy to get frustrated as a fan, I know I do.

In the movie Red Dawn Patrick Swayze tells his brother to “let it turn to something else”. We have to keep our frustration in today, and encourage this team. Our time is coming, believe me. It is coming.