When Tennessee faced off against South Carolina in 2013, Marquez North made several critical catches that propelled the Volunteers to victory.
In 2014’s version of UT beating the Gamecocks, the storyline couldn’t be replicated as North sat on the bench, sidelined by a shoulder injury that he suffered early in the game.
The Vols, however, never missed a beat with their leader in touchdown catches (4) absent from the lineup, as eight different players caught a pass and combined for 301 yards receiving.
“We have a lot of good players out there,” wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni said. “We don’t even have Josh Smith in there, and we still have a lot of playmakers out there that can make some plays. We’ve been trying to get more playmakers while recruiting so that we don’t skip beats when guys go out.
“If we lose one guy and all of a sudden we can’t complete a ball, we’re in trouble.”
While the UT receiving corps showed no signs of trouble against the Gamecocks, North’s absence will not be a long one, with Azzanni stating that the 6-foot-4, 221-pound wideout will be a “full-go” when the Vols take on Kentucky Saturday inside Neyland Stadium.
“He’s been up and down a little bit with dings here and there this season,” Azzanni said. “He’s coming along, but it is that time of year, so I’m trying to make sure that he stays healthy.”
But North’s health is questionable.
Throughout the week, the Charlotte, N.C., native has donned a green no-contact jersey to prevent his shoulder from further injury and it is possible that he could be limited versus the Wildcats.
In the case that North is unable to play his normal amount of snaps, his receiving counterpart, Alton “Pig” Howard, is confident the rest of the Vols’ receivers will be able to shoulder the load once again.
“It causes other receivers to take more reps,” Howard said. “It makes us a little short here and there, but all around we have players that can step in. When one goes down, one steps up, but Marquez brings a lot to the table when it comes to playing.”
And Howard’s teammates have performed well enough to validate his trust.
Through nine games, five players have recorded more than 20 receptions, helping a UT offense that has amassed 2,121 yards through the air this season.
“It’s a testament to the depth and competition that exists,” offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian said. “It’s evidence of how our guys compliment one another, support one another and how our quarterbacks distribute the football.”
Four years ago, though, North’s injury would have been disastrous for Bajakian’s offensive scheme in Cincinnati.
In 2010, Bearcat receivers Armon Binns and D.J. Woods combined for 1,999 yards, 18 touchdowns and 132 receptions.
Now, Bajakian prefers the balanced receiver approach, and with or without North, he believes his pass catchers can continue to succeed in the Vols final three contests.
“When you have good depth and competition at the position, it affords you the opportunity to spread the ball around,” Bajakian said. “As much as anything, it makes the defense defend more guys. If you are keyed in to one player then they can roll to that player or double team him, but when you spread it around, it makes them defend all the skill guys.”
