Tennessee football earned its most lopsided victory in the modern era of college football on Saturday night, annihilating Kent State 71-0 at Neyland Stadium.
Each week, we’ll look at the Tennessee football stock report from the game before. After a blowout win over a terrible Kent State team it’s hard to figure out what is worth drawing conclusions about.
Here’s a look at the Tennessee football stock report following its win over Kent State.
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Stock Up
Gaston Moore
My biggest question entering the game was how backup quarterback Gaston Moore would perform after an average season debut against Chattanooga two weeks prior.
Moore looked great, leading a pair of touchdown drives while completing all four pass attempts for 94 yards and two touchdowns. He connected with Dont’e Thornton on a 53-yard deep ball that was one of the best throws any Tennessee quarterback has made this season.
The redshirt senior played just those two drives but looked like a quarterback capable of winning some games for Tennessee this season if the Vols need him to. My only complaint is that I wish we got to watch Moore for more than two drives.
Return Game
Tennessee special teams’ coach Mike Ekeler told the media this preseason that this would be the Vols’ best special teams unit during his time in Knoxville. With the Vols losing starting kicker Charles Campbell and elite return man Dee Williams, I was pretty skeptical.
But through three weeks they do look improved and there hasn’t been a very big drop off in the return game.
That was the case against Kent State when Squirrel White returned a punt 22 yards, Jermod McCoy returned a punt 23 yards and Boo Carter returned punts 35 and 20 yards. Mike Matthews returned the lone Kent State kickoff of the night 32 yards.
Tennessee did have another penalty on a punt return, and that’s happening too often so far this season, but the return game has been a plus so far this season.
Stock Hold
Tight Ends
Tennessee didn’t run nearly as much 12 personnel as they did a week ago against NC State, but the Vols tight ends had another strong game against Kent State.
Miles Kitselman had one catch for a 15 yard touchdown while Holden Staes had a 16 yard catch that may have been a touchdown if the throw wasn’t as low.
Tennessee’s tight ends also graded out well run blocking. It wasn’t a spectacular game but the Vols’ tight ends played well again and continue to prove that they’re receiving threats over the middle, especially in scoring range.
Dylan Sampson and DeSean Bishop
With Cam Seldon out, Tennessee leaned on both Dylan Sampson and DeSean Bishop in the first half. Both players stock held and that’s a good thing after strong early performances this season.
Sampson continues to look like one of the best running backs not just in the SEC but in the entire country. The junior rushed for 101 yards and four touchdowns. We’re just three games into the season but Sampson is already halfway to the Tennessee single-season rushing touchdown record.
Bishop might have been even more impressive, totaling 120 yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries. The redshirt freshman looked like Tennessee’s No. 2 back a week ago against NC State. He further proved it against the Golden Flashes.
Stock Down
Backup Offensive Linemen
When you win a game by 71 points, the stock isn’t going down for anyone too much. But I thought Tennessee’s backup and reserve offensive linemen struggled when they got extended playing time in the second half. The PFF numbers backed it up with most Tennessee backup offensive linemen earning poor grades.
It certainly isn’t the end of the world and one game is just one game. However, Tennessee’s reserve offensive linemen’s performance backed up my thoughts that the Vols badly need to stay healthy on the offensive line this season.
If not, things might get rocky for Tennessee up front.
