One Tennessee player took extensive notes. Another became ‘thrilled’ with the opportunity ‘to play the best’ in the near future.
But no matter which approach members of the current Volunteer squad took as they tuned in Jan. 2 to watch Oklahoma’s riveting Sugar Bowl win, one thing remained prevalent: Sooners’ quarterback Trevor Knight.
And for good reason. On the shoulders of a 31-point first half, the San Antonio native torched Alabama’s defense for 348 passing yards and four touchdowns en route to Oklahoma’s 45-31 victory in New Orleans.
“When I look at film of him, I see he’s a good game manager,” said defensive end Corey Vereen, who’ll be one of many in charge on containing the agile Knight this Saturday. “He’s very mobile — smart with his throws. He’s got an arm too. He’s a really good quarterback, and I just see a lot of good decisions being made out there.”
So far, Knight’s riveting Sugar Bowl performance has done nothing but spill over into 2014. Through two games this season, he’s accounted for 604 total yards and four touchdowns — three passing and one rushing — in blowout victories over Louisiana Tech and Tulsa.
‘You cannot do that’: Starting cornerback Cameron Sutton said he wasn’t tired. First-team linebacker A.J. Johnson recently stated he was ‘ready for it.’
But even with the tandem’s nonchalant responses to contributing heavily on special teams, Jones was adamant in saying the duo — along with a handful of other defensive starters — must tone down the extensive workload.
“We need more individuals to step up, take an ownership with a role on this football team, and it starts again with special teams,” head coach Butch Jones said. “We have too many players playing too many snaps right now.
“You look at Cam Sutton, he played almost 90 repetitions Saturday when you count in the special teams game. You cannot do that. Same thing with A.J. Johnson, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Justin Coleman — these individuals are playing too many reps, and it is a long, long season.”
Despite Jones’s plea, his defensive playmakers have already left their mark on the special teams unit Johnson’s forced a fumble on kickoff versus Utah State, and Sutton’s provided stability as a punt returner — albeit none of his opportunities have morphed into a legitimate gain just yet.
And while wide receiver Jacob Carter did step in Saturday for the Vols’ final punt return, both Jones and Sutton stressed the sophomore cornerback won’t be relinquishing that role, at least, heading into the Oklahoma matchup.
“I don’t expect anything different,” Sutton said. “I’m accustomed to playing 80 to 90 snaps per game, and like I said, I’m just willing to do anything to help the team out. If it goes as far as playing 90 or so snaps a game, then I’m going to do it.”
Owen-ing it up front: For a defensive line unit that Jones ideally wants ‘to be about 10 deep,’ some of depth up front arrived with redshirt junior defensive tackle Owen Williams, who racked up five tackles and a pair of sacks during UT victory over Arkansas State.
“That was very monumental for him,” Vereen said. “I kept telling him, ‘just keep pushing and keep grinding and your time will come.’ He takes up a lot of space for us, and we’re going to need that this game, the next game and throughout the season.”
A two-year starter at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas, Williams arrived in January as one of UT’s 14 early enrollees.
But despite checking in as UT’s fourth-heaviest defensive lineman, the 288-pounder has turned heads with his brute strength and agility inside the weight room.
“The moment he stepped onto campus in the spring, I knew he was gonna be a special player,” Vereen said. “He is the strongest player on the team easily. He’s freakishly strong — a burst. He just has quickness, and he’s really agile as well. Especially in pass rush, I knew he was gonna be a player for us.
“He’s definitely got a lot better because at times, he would just line up and go. As opposed to now, I think he’s thinking a little bit more — thinking about the game and actually using he’s keys a little bit better.”
