‘It can change your season’ — Josh Heupel praises incredible effort that may have saved Tennessee from defeat against Arkansas
A huge play that won’t shine in the box score might have saved Tennessee’s bacon against the Hogs.
Sometimes, a box score, stat, or mark can’t define a player’s contribution to a game. We have advanced analytics, Pro Football Focus grades, and other ways of analyzing a player’s contribution to or performance in a game.
And sometimes, a single hustle play can outshine everything in a game. And that’s exactly what Tennessee got from wide receiver Radarious Jackson in the Vols’ 24-17 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday afternoon in Fayetteville.
Jackson entered the game with nine catches for 115 yards and no scores. He didn’t record a catch or carry in the game on Saturday. But Jackson had as much to do with Tennessee’s win as everyone.
Tennessee WR Radarious Jackson chased down and tackled Arkansas defender after George MacIntyre fumble
With the Vols up 7-0 and in the red zone in the final seconds of the first half, DeSean Bishop bumped into George MacIntyre’s arm as the latter was throwing. The ball fell to the turf, and Arkansas defensive lineman Quincy Rhodes, Jr. scooped it up and took off running the other way.
MacIntyre chased after him and dove, but couldn’t bring him down. Enter Jackson, who caught up to Rhodes and tackled him around the Tennessee 20-yard line. It saved a touchdown, obviously. But it ended up keeping the Hogs off the scoreboard altogether there after former Tennessee kicker Max Gilbert pulled a 38-yard attempt wide to end the half.
Josh Heupel praised Jackson’s hustle
After the game, Josh Heupel praised Jackson’s hustle, saying it’s the type of play that can change a game and a season.
“Huge, huge play,” Heupel said. “It changes the game. It can change your season. It’s actually something that, through our experience, we’ve talked about, shown to our players. That’s why our offensive guys are going to be involved in tackling at some point during the course of the offseason.
“It’s a big time play. Just continuing to compete, get a guy down, and it’s a three-point play, or a seven-point play, right? That ends up negating all of it. It’s a straight wash walking in at halftime.”
Jackson likely isn’t done making big plays this year, with half a season still to play. But it’ll take something special to top his contribution from Saturday. The box score will say one tackle, but Tennessee might not be coming home victorious without it.
