KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — During a season when so much else has gone wrong for Tennessee, the Volunteers have done one thing better than nearly every other team in the nation.
Tennessee has allowed only three sacks, tied with North Texas and Oklahoma State for the second-lowest total of any Football Bowl Subdivision program. Even a top-ranked Alabama team that leads the nation in total defense, scoring defense, run defense and pass efficiency defense never sacked Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray last week.
This vastly improved offensive line faces its toughest challenge of the season Saturday when the Vols (3-4, 0-4 SEC) face No. 17 South Carolina, which leads the Southeastern Conference with 29 sacks. The Gamecocks (6-2, 4-2) boast All-America candidate Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor, who have combined for 33 ½ career sacks and 59 tackles for loss.
South Carolina averages more sacks per game (3.63) than Tennessee has allowed all year.
“I’ll say this with confidence and not with cockiness,” Tennessee offensive tackle Antonio “Tiny” Richardson said. “They’ve got two of the best defensive ends in the country, but I think we have one of the best offensive lines in the country and possibly two of the best tackles in me and Ja’Wuan (James), the way we’ve been playing lately.”
Richardson and James anchor a line that also features center James Stone and guards Dallas Thomas and Zach Fulton. Fulton is doubtful for this week’s game with an ankle injury, but reserve guards Alex Bullard and Marcus Jackson both have starting experience.
The only team to allow fewer sacks than Tennessee is Air Force, which hasn’t yielded a single sack but has attempted only 74 passes. Tennessee has thrown the ball 256 times. Bray deserves part of the credit for his ability to get rid of the ball quickly, but he has benefited from working behind a line that has emerged as the Vols’ biggest strength.
“We’re proud of our tackles, and I’m sure they’re proud of their defensive ends,” Tennessee offensive line coach Sam Pittman said. “I think it will be an exciting battle on Saturday between Ja’Wuan and Tiny and their two defensive ends. Clowney is as good as there is in college football without a doubt, and the other one (Taylor) is pretty good too.”
Tennessee’s ability to avoid sacks has caught the attention of Clowney and Co.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Clowney said. “I know they get the ball out pretty quick. We’re going to have to get our hands up. I’m looking forward to getting a sack or two, but if I don’t, we have to get our hands up to help the DBs.”
The lone first-year starter on the Vols’ line is Richardson, a sophomore who faces the toughest test of his young career Saturday. Richardson expects to line up against Clowney, a player he calls “probably the best defensive end in the country in the last decade or so.”
Clowney has compiled 7½ sacks and 14 tackles for loss this season to lead South Carolina. Tulsa and Utah State are the only FBS programs with more total sacks than South Carolina this season, though Arizona State and Southern California also are averaging more sacks per game.
“He is going to make his plays,” Tennessee offensive coordinator Jim Chaney said. “What you’ve got to do is try to minimize them. Kind of like (Michael) Jordan, when he used to score 30 you’re probably pretty happy, As long as it wasn’t 60, you’re OK.”
Richardson isn’t conceding anything. This challenge could help him cement his status as one of the SEC’s top young tackles.
“It’s kind of like a clash of the titans-type deal,” Richardson said. “Maybe I’ll make a better name for himself. Maybe he’ll make a better name for himself. We’ll see how it goes, but I’m going in there with aspirations of beating him.”
link: http://bleacherreport.com/tb/d8Nfn?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=south-carolina-football
Tennessee has allowed only three sacks, tied with North Texas and Oklahoma State for the second-lowest total of any Football Bowl Subdivision program. Even a top-ranked Alabama team that leads the nation in total defense, scoring defense, run defense and pass efficiency defense never sacked Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray last week.
This vastly improved offensive line faces its toughest challenge of the season Saturday when the Vols (3-4, 0-4 SEC) face No. 17 South Carolina, which leads the Southeastern Conference with 29 sacks. The Gamecocks (6-2, 4-2) boast All-America candidate Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor, who have combined for 33 ½ career sacks and 59 tackles for loss.
South Carolina averages more sacks per game (3.63) than Tennessee has allowed all year.
“I’ll say this with confidence and not with cockiness,” Tennessee offensive tackle Antonio “Tiny” Richardson said. “They’ve got two of the best defensive ends in the country, but I think we have one of the best offensive lines in the country and possibly two of the best tackles in me and Ja’Wuan (James), the way we’ve been playing lately.”
Richardson and James anchor a line that also features center James Stone and guards Dallas Thomas and Zach Fulton. Fulton is doubtful for this week’s game with an ankle injury, but reserve guards Alex Bullard and Marcus Jackson both have starting experience.
The only team to allow fewer sacks than Tennessee is Air Force, which hasn’t yielded a single sack but has attempted only 74 passes. Tennessee has thrown the ball 256 times. Bray deserves part of the credit for his ability to get rid of the ball quickly, but he has benefited from working behind a line that has emerged as the Vols’ biggest strength.
“We’re proud of our tackles, and I’m sure they’re proud of their defensive ends,” Tennessee offensive line coach Sam Pittman said. “I think it will be an exciting battle on Saturday between Ja’Wuan and Tiny and their two defensive ends. Clowney is as good as there is in college football without a doubt, and the other one (Taylor) is pretty good too.”
Tennessee’s ability to avoid sacks has caught the attention of Clowney and Co.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Clowney said. “I know they get the ball out pretty quick. We’re going to have to get our hands up. I’m looking forward to getting a sack or two, but if I don’t, we have to get our hands up to help the DBs.”
The lone first-year starter on the Vols’ line is Richardson, a sophomore who faces the toughest test of his young career Saturday. Richardson expects to line up against Clowney, a player he calls “probably the best defensive end in the country in the last decade or so.”
Clowney has compiled 7½ sacks and 14 tackles for loss this season to lead South Carolina. Tulsa and Utah State are the only FBS programs with more total sacks than South Carolina this season, though Arizona State and Southern California also are averaging more sacks per game.
“He is going to make his plays,” Tennessee offensive coordinator Jim Chaney said. “What you’ve got to do is try to minimize them. Kind of like (Michael) Jordan, when he used to score 30 you’re probably pretty happy, As long as it wasn’t 60, you’re OK.”
Richardson isn’t conceding anything. This challenge could help him cement his status as one of the SEC’s top young tackles.
“It’s kind of like a clash of the titans-type deal,” Richardson said. “Maybe I’ll make a better name for himself. Maybe he’ll make a better name for himself. We’ll see how it goes, but I’m going in there with aspirations of beating him.”
link: http://bleacherreport.com/tb/d8Nfn?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=south-carolina-football
