2 Tennessee players showed against Virginia that they're going to make a major impact in 2023
The Tennessee Vols looked a little rusty at times against the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday, but they still managed to leave Nashville with a 49-13 win. It's probably a good sign for Tennessee when fans walk away from a game feeling like the Vols left a few points on the field despite winning by 36 […]
The Tennessee Vols looked a little rusty at times against the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday, but they still managed to leave Nashville with a 49-13 win.
It's probably a good sign for Tennessee when fans walk away from a game feeling like the Vols left a few points on the field despite winning by 36 points against a Power-5 opponent.
Tennessee was able to secure the big win thanks in large part to the play of junior running back Jaylen Wright and sophomore edge rusher James Pearce.
Wright looked like a different player on Saturday. He showed patience while letting his offensive line open holes. And he showed quick bursts once those holes were opened.
The Durham, NC native finished the game with 115 rushing yards on 12 carries. The only reason Wright didn't have a bigger stat line is because it wasn't necessary on Saturday.
Sophomore running back Dylan Sampson ended up scoring four total touchdowns (three rushing and one receiving), which shows how many weapons Tennessee has on the offensive side of the ball. It was Wright, however, that was clearly the Vols' best running back on Saturday. And the improvement that he showed in the win against Virginia should have fans excited. Wright's ability to pick up huge chunks of yards while maintaining a physical running style opens up a lot of unique options for Josh Heupel and his offensive coaching staff.
As for Pearce, he looked like a major problem coming off the edge.
The Charlotte, NC native finished the day with three total tackles, two sacks, and two tackles for loss.
It wasn't just the numbers in the box score that were impressive for Pearce. Even on plays where he didn't get to the quarterback, he still affected the pocket, which helped disrupt several opportunities for Virginia.
If the Vols are going to make a serious run in the SEC East this fall, they'll need to have one of the best run games in the nation. And they'll need a dominant edge rusher. It's too early to know how dominant Pearce might be this season, but he certainly showed signs on Saturday against the Cavaliers that he has the potential to be one of the more feared pass rushers in the SEC. If that ends up being the case, then the Vols' goal of winning the SEC East might become a reality.
Tennessee shouldn’t forget about Kirby Smart’s haughty gesture at the end of the 2022 season
Tennessee and the rest of the SEC shouldn’t forget about Kirby Smart’s haughty gesture at the end of the 2022 season
Featured image via Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
