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Vols Have Playmakers To Beat Florida

By Randy Sharber

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The Vols of Tennessee will bring plenty of playmakers to Gainesville this Saturday.

This has been a tough week for Vol fans for the past 10 years. Face it. Florida is Tennessee’s white whale. This will put it in perspective. Outkast was singing Hey Ya! the year the Vols last beat the Gators. There were a whole bunch of Usher songs on that 2004 list that I have never heard of, so I went with that one.

Tennessee had to get a long field goal from James Wilhoit with 6 seconds left in that game to win 30-28 in Knoxville. That is the last time there has been any joy in Tennessee after a Florida game that did not have the name Bruce Pearl and Billy Donovan associated with it.

The Vols have been better than Florida in a few of these contests during that 10 year period. The Vols usually do not come close to winning though. It is a strange, strange game for Vol fans.

The Vols let the latest one slip away last season at Neyland Stadium. As young as Tennessee was at this time last season, they were actually a better team than Florida. Head Gator Will Muschamp had sufficiently spread his poison in the Gator program to the point they were about dead. Much like he is doing at Auburn this season.

But Tennessee squandered opportunity after opportunity in route to a 9-0 lead going into the fourth quarter. The Vols allowed the Gators to hang around. Enter a young Gator Quarterback that would be suspended by Florida the very next weekend and Florida wins 10-9. Tennessee was better. Florida won.

So now what can be different? Well, Tennessee does have more playmakers than before. Florida wins with defense however.

Jim McElwain is now at the helm of the Gators. He was the offensive coordinator for Alabama for years. He is accustomed to good defense, and just enough offense to win. McElwain got his first SEC win last week at Kentucky by holding off the Wildcats 14-9. Just enough. That is all it takes.

As the Gators struggles against an improved Kentucky team, the Vols beat a Western Carolina team that was overwhelmed. But the Vols again struggled with timing in the passing game, although they scored at will.

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Tennessee has more weapons than Florida. The running back situation at Tennessee is good. Really good. Tennessee can run inside with Jalen Hurd, and they have the speed to get outside with Hurd and Alvin Kamara. Both o these guys can catch the ball out of the backfield as well.

I think that will be a big factor this week. Tennessee will have to get these guys out on the edge on one on one situations with the Gator defense. I don’t think they will be able to just hand it off to them on the read option. Florida will own the line of scrimmage when we have the ball.

Joshua Dobbs is also a playmaker with his legs. He can keep the Gators off balance by using his skill running the ball. Dobbs is elusive, and he has the speed to make you pay if you key on Hurd. The Vols went at Florida with a stationary quarterback last season. Dobbs is anything but stationary. He will cause Florida problems.

As bad as the passing game is at the moment, Tennessee has the playmakers all over the field. Pig Howard is explosive in the slot. So is Jauan Jennings. Josh Malone is finally coming into his own, although he needs to make a catch on a ball that is not right in his hands. He has had trouble tracking the ball in Neyland Stadium it seems, and is not making plays on the 50/50 balls being thrown his way.

Now enter the future of Tennessee receiving. Preston Williams has “it”. You can already tell. This 6’4″ guy can go get the ball. He is the offenses version of Todd Kelly, Jr. He makes plays. He just takes the ball away from you at it’s pinnacle, and there is nothing you can do about it. He may take over. although Marquez North is still the man. I think North just needs to be targeted more personally.

The tight end position at Tennessee also has a weapon. Ethan Wolf will play a big part in this game as well. He is a danger to all opposing teams in the red zone especially. Wolf against a linebacker is a match up I like. Even if it is a Gator linebacker.

So offensively the Vols are better than they have been in a while. The Tennessee offense with Tyler Bray and Justin Hunter was good. But not this good. Florida will have to defend the entire field against Tennessee. It gives Tennessee a chance to move the ball on this stout Gator defense.

Vegas has spoken this morning. Florida has opened as a three point favorite over the Vols. I think that is about right, even though I think Tennessee is simply better. It will be Tennessee’s playmakers that make the difference in this game. Either they make the play and win, or they don’t make the play and lose. It is simple as that. They can make them. It’s just a matter if they believe they can make them against Florida.

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