'I was just hoping Nico didn't check to something else' Vols WR details one of Tennessee's biggest plays of the 2024 season
One of the Tennessee Vols' most important plays of the year came in the third quarter of UT's 24-17 win against the Alabama Crimson Tide last month. With 1:46 left in third quarter and the Vols facing a third-and-six while trailing 10-7, Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava hooked up with wide receiver Dont'e Thornton for a […]
One of the Tennessee Vols' most important plays of the year came in the third quarter of UT's 24-17 win against the Alabama Crimson Tide last month.
With 1:46 left in third quarter and the Vols facing a third-and-six while trailing 10-7, Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava hooked up with wide receiver Dont'e Thornton for a 55-yard gain. Running back Dylan Sampson scored on the next play, giving the Vols their first lead of the day.
If Tennessee doesn't get the first down there, they probably would've punted. And who knows how the game would've played out from there.
Perfect play call leads to huge completion for the Tennessee Vols
Earlier this week, Thornton discussed his big catch against Alabama during an appearance on TPL Tennessee.
Thornton said that as soon as he heard the play call, he knew he'd been in position to make a play.
"The offense was at a standstill," said Thornton. "In my head, I was thinking 'we gotta make a play regardless'. And on the play, I was just hoping that Nico [didn't] check the play to something else. I already knew this is the one play that we talked about all week long. And the look was the exact same. [The defensive back] was off nine yards, two yards inside. I'm like 'oh my goodness'. [Nico] threw a dot."
"I thought I was going to score on that play," added Thornton.
Tennessee fans are certainly glad that Iamaleava didn't check out of the play (Vols wide receiver Kaleb Webb noted in the interview that UT repped that play a lot the week before the game).
That play, in fact, could be the turning point for Tennessee's offense this season. The Vols still stumbled out of the gate a bit in their win against Kentucky last Saturday night, but Tennessee's offense, for the most part, has looked much more crisp since that second half against Alabama.
By the way, Thornton made sure to point out how much beating Alabama meant to him.
"I feel like that's one of those games — that win is going to stick with me for a long time," said Thornton. "The next few days after the game was over I was still hype about the win."
