QB Contain
UTEP doesn’t have a great bounty of play-makers on offense, but the one player Tennessee’s defense needs to make sure they key in on is the Miners’ starting quarterback, Kai Locksley.
Though he’s yet to throw for a touchdown this season, Locksley is dangerous on the ground and actually leads the team in carries, rushing yards, and touchdowns. He’s completed just 42.2 percent of his 45 pass attempts for 177 yards and an interception, but he’s run for 169 yards and two scores on 38 carries. UTEP’s starting running back, Quardraiz Wadley, only has 15 carries on the season so far (though he’s averaging 9.3 yards per carry on those 15 attempts).
Tennessee has yet to face a quarterback this year who can run like Locksley can. This will be the Vols’ first test at containing a dual-threat quarterback, and it will go a long way in showing just how diverse and multiple Pruitt’s defense can be this season. Tennessee likely won’t face too many dual-threat quarterbacks with Locksley’s ability to run this season, but quarterbacks like Tua Tagovailoa/Jalen Hurts at Alabama, Terry Wilson at Kentucky, and Jake Bentley at South Carolina can all make plays with their feet. Saturday’s game will give a taste of how the Vols can deal with such quarterbacks.
