Photo: Tennessee Athletics
This is the hard week to write this series. When the other sideline is a cupcake, you can either fake a scouting report or tell the truth and still give the few players who can actually matter their names. I am going to do the second one.
Kennesaw State is 1 and 1. They won Conference USA last year. Most of that team is gone. They are walking into Neyland as a 35 point dog. The only reason this preview is worth your time is the gap between what they can do to Tennessee and what they cannot.
WHAT THEY CAN DO
Baron Hopson is still here. Co Defensive Player of the Year in that league last season. 138 tackles. He is the one Owl who can turn a lazy early down into a loss. If Bishop tries to bounce everything and treats him like a name on a depth chart, Hopson will stack a couple plays and the building will get quiet for a drive. That is their best shot on defense.
The edges can win a snap. Marcus Patterson and Donovan Westmoreland, the South Carolina transfer, are the rushers. Tennessee’s tackles have already had a messy night this year. If one of them falls asleep, somebody in an Owl jersey is going to be in Brandon’s lap. That is not a four quarter problem. It is a one play problem that becomes a clip if Tennessee is sloppy.
Rickie Collins can run. Syracuse transfer. The quarterback they got back when Amari Odom left. He has thrown it clean enough through two games. The thing that travels on Saturday is his legs. Georgia Tech already showed what happens when a quarterback buys time. Do not let this one turn a busted play into a first down. That is the only offensive matchup Tennessee should actually circle.
That is the package. A linebacker who finds the ball. An edge who can win a rep. A quarterback who can scramble. About ten plays if the Vols play down to the opponent.
WHAT THEY CAN’T DO
They cannot line up and beat Tennessee’s speed for a full series. Last year’s leading receiver is gone. Last year’s top three backs are gone. The interior line that helped win the league walked. Georgia State just ran for 230 on them at home and put 31 on the board. That is the tape. If Tennessee’s front plays honest, this run game is a short night.
They cannot cover Matthews and Staley if Brandon gets the ball out on time. Paul and Jones are fine CUSA returners. They are not taking this receiver room out of the game. Make Brandon hold it and stare and maybe they get a hero play. Let him play on schedule and this secondary is chasing.
They cannot match the physical gap for 60 minutes. Mack knows this building. He coached running backs here. That does not add a blocker or a corner. It adds a quote. Tennessee is bigger, faster, and deeper at every skill spot that decides this game.
So here is the assignment.
Respect Hopson. Keep Collins in the pocket. Do not donate a sack to an edge who came to Knoxville for one highlight. Do that and this week stays boring, which is exactly what you want against a team like this. Get sloppy in this game and the hype for Texas week cools a little.
Tune up week only gets interesting if the Vols let it.