Fluster Feleipe Franks
Tennessee and Florida have played in just four night games in Knoxville since 1990, with the Vols going 3-1 in those games and their lone loss coming to the Gators’ 2006 National Championship team.
Saturday’s game will be at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Neyland Stadium crowd will be ready to rock after a long day of sippin’ moonshine, but Tennessee’s defense is going to have to match the intensity of the crowd because it is crucial the Vols fluster the Gators’ starting quarterback, Feleipe Franks.
On the season, Franks is completing just 53.2% of his passes while throwing for 570 yards and nine touchdowns. The sophomore has also thrown two interceptions this season.
Last week against Colorado State, the Rams got after Franks early on and it paid off. Former Tennessee defensive coordinator John Jancek showed Franks some new looks, and as a result, Franks started the game 0-for-6 with an interception. He would settle in, finishing with two touchdowns on 8-of-15 passing, ironing out some timing issues with his receivers. But early on, he got rattled.
Tennessee needs to follow this exact plan. With the Neyland Stadium crowd behind them and Pruitt dialing up some looks Franks isn’t expecting, the Vols defense should be able to force a turnover or two.
Franks isn’t a world-beater, but he’s also not a bad quarterback. When he has time to throw the ball, he’s very successful, showing off his big arm. With defenders in his face, he’s very inaccurate. Tennessee’s defense has to get after Franks early and often, not allowing him to settle in and pick apart an inexperienced secondary.
