Former Vols defender explains why SEC teams may now have the blueprint to stop Tennessee’s top playmaker
Tennessee Vols wide receiver Chris Brazzell has been one of the best players in college football this season, but he was limited to just one catch in UT’s win against the Arkansas Razorbacks
Did the Arkansas Razorbacks give the rest of the SEC the “blueprint” for stopping Tennessee Vols wide receiver Chris Brazzell?
Former Vols defensive lineman Marlon Walls believes that could be the case.
Brazzell has 32 receptions for 536 yards and seven touchdowns in six games this season. Almost none of that production came against the Razorbacks — Brazzell had just one catch for five yards in the Vols’ win over Arkansas.
“What if Arkansas just gave the rest of the SEC the blueprint on how to play our offense?” said Walls on The Sports Source this week. “Move the safety over the top — or cheat the safety over to Brazzell. Take away the deep play from Brazzell, and now challenge those guys (wide receivers Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley) to beat them….What if the rest of the season, it’s we double that guy and make these other guys beat us?”
Braylon Staley certainly benefitted from the extra attention that Brazzell received against Arkansas. The South Carolina native caught six passes for 109 yards against the Razorbacks.
Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar said after the game that Arkansas was double-teaming Brazzell.
“Today, they were trying to take Brazzell out of the game,” said Aguilar. “[Arkansas] was trying to double-team him and play super soft (coverage). Braylon stepped up. When he got the ball, he produced pretty well.”
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel made similar comments about Brazzell’s performance against Arkansas during his weekly appearance on The Mike Keith Show on Thursday.
“I don’t think you have to get [Brazzell] restarted,” said Heupel. “Sometimes, coverage dictates that the ball goes somewhere else. And Chris was a huge part of Braylon having a massive game in the middle of the football field. And Chris played at a really high level and man, can’t wait to go play with him on Saturday.”
Former Vols offensive lineman Ollie Lane says it may be time to get Boo Carter involved on offense
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see teams give Brazzell more attention moving forward after seeing the way Arkansas held him in check.
The best way to combat that, of course, is for Staley and Mike Matthews to continue to perform at a high level. Then teams won’t be able to cheat toward Brazzell quite as much (or they’ll just decide to take their chances with Staley and Matthews).
Former Vols offensive lineman Ollie Lane suggested on The Sports Source that it may be time to get defensive back Boo Carter involved on offense to help confuse defenses.
“Sounds like it would be a great time for some Boo Carter on offense,” said Lane.
The plan coming into the season was for Carter to see some time on offense for the Volunteers.
But due to Carter missing some team activities during the summer (which put his status with Tennessee in question in late July), the Chattanooga native hasn’t been part of the offensive game plan so far this season.
Still, it might not be a bad idea to put Carter on the field when Tennessee has the ball on Saturday against Alabama. Even if there’s only a play or two in the game plan for Carter — or even if he never touches the ball — it would at least give the Crimson Tide a new look they weren’t prepared for. If nothing else, Carter could serve as a decoy to open up some other things for Tennessee’s offense.
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