Ever since Tennessee’s season opener last year, Marquez North has been the Volunteers’ most talked about wide receiver.
Despite leading the Vols with 32 catches, however, the 6-foot-4-inch, 221-pound wide out only managed to find the end zone once last year – a diving, toe-tapping 19-yard catch along the sidelines against Georgia.
But on Saturday, the sophomore made his presence felt, catching four passes for 68 yards and two touchdowns as he helped lead the Vols (2-0) to a 34-19 victory over Arkansas State (1-1).
“Marquez has done a great job in fall practice and throughout camp, dating back to the spring as well as going up and getting balls in the end zone,” senior quarterback Justin Worley said. “It was good to see that transition from the practice field to the game field. He had an opportunity to go up and make a play, and he did.”
And every bit of those two scores from North were needed.
After Arkansas State’s Fredi Knighten got the Red Wolves off to a great start with a four-yard rushing touchdown, Tennessee’s offense responded with authority, scoring 24 points in the remaining 26 minutes of the half to go into the locker room up, 24-12.
The second half, though, was a different story.
After Worley went 17-of-24 in the first half, throwing for 206 yards, he and the offense struggled to put points on the board in the second half; the lone touchdown being North’s second score – a 14-yard catch in the back of the end zone on a fade pattern.
“I thought you saw us play complimentary football,” Worley said. “The offense sputtered a little bit in the second half, especially late in the third and early in the fourth, but the defense did a great job of stepping up and getting us some key stops to get us back the football.
“I don’t think it’s disappointing to see how the game ended, but it’s definitely something we can learn from.”
The defense, however, was reliable in spite of offensive problems. Throughout Saturday’s contest, it was the Tennessee defense that carried the Vols, especially to close out the game.
With the Red Wolves still alive following a 24-yard rushing touchdown by DeKeathan Williams that cut the Vols lead to 12, the UT defense played their best.
On the Red Wolves ensuing drive, the Vols forced a three-and-out and on ASU’s final drive of the game UT forced a turnover on downs after LaTroy Lewis stuffed Knighten, sealing the game.
“There were ebbs and flows but that’s the game of football,” said second-year head coach Butch Jones of his defense. “We made critical stops, critical plays at critical stages of the game. The fourth and one, at the end of the game, was critical.”
“I thought we did some good things and we persevered. We created some adverse situations for them in terms of field position and I thought they responded overall.”
While the Volunteers may have not played their cleanest contest, Tennessee remains undefeated going into their away matchup against the Oklahoma Sooners on Sept. 13.
“Teams find ways to win football games when they don’t play their best football,” Jones said. “So I’m very proud of them, but make no mistake about it, we have a long ways to go.
“A win is a win and it’s a great win against a very quality opponent that challenges you. I thought our players grew up a little bit today.”
