Receivers/Tight Ends
Daniel: It was primarily Pig Howard and Von Pearson doing the heavy lifting for this group. Those two combined for nine catches for 164 yards and, especially Howard, made some huge plays down the stretch to fuel UT’s comeback. Jason Croom got wide open to catch the game-tying touchdown in regulation as well. Marquez North (shoulder) and Josh Malone didn’t play late, so that put pressure on others. They responded for the most part. There were a few drops, and this group can do more to help Dobbs out and to get the passing game clicking a little bit more. Ryan Jenkins perhaps should’ve been able to come up with an underthrown ball for a potential touchdown. But the Vols got plays when they need them from the guys who were out there. That played a big part in the win Grade: B
Houston: There were a few drops in this game that should have been completions, but Pig Howard’s effort alone may be enough to earn this group an A for the rest of the season. Howard scored Tennessee’s first touchdown of the night on a reverse in the first quarter, but he was just getting warmed up. With Marquez North banged up late and Josh Malone drawing tight coverage all night, Pig Howard really stepped up for this group and this team when they needed big chunks of yards in a hurry. In the final two drives for Tennessee, Howard caught four passes for 87 of his 109 total yards. Jason Croom also had a fantastic night on the edge blocking for wide runs and sweep plays, and was finally rewarded for his efforts with a game-tying touchdown catch with 11 seconds remaining in the game. Three tight ends also caught passes in this game, including a huge 26-yard snag by Alex Ellis in traffic for a big first down that set up Josh Dobbs’ touchdown run just before halftime. The truest sign of a good corps is when someone steps up to make plays when others are struggling. This group did that. Grade A-
Reed: Drops continue to plague the tight end position but they did haul in four passes for 50 yards and blocked well for the vast majority of the game. A shoulder injury forced North out of the game. Though he didn’t have a catch, he did draw a pass interference call. Josh Malone didn’t have a catch either. The lack of production from Malone and North was offset by a massive day from Pig Howard – he had 138 all purpose yards and a rushing touchdown. Von Pearson still isn’t 100% healthy, but he’s getting closer every week and had four big catches. Croom’s touchdown catch to tie the game with 11 seconds left was tremendously clutch. It was a nice overall day from this group, but they still need to step up and make more game breaking plays. Grade: B
Average Grade: B
