Tennessee wide receivers step up in Vols' 33-27 win over Kentucky
Tennessee's passing attack has been largely disappointing in 2023. Between Joe Milton misfires, receivers dropping passes, and players unable to get open at times, the passing game is a shadow of what it was in 2022. However, without it, Tennessee might not have prevailed over Kentucky 33-27 on Saturday night in Lexington. The Vols were […]
Tennessee's passing attack has been largely disappointing in 2023. Between Joe Milton misfires, receivers dropping passes, and players unable to get open at times, the passing game is a shadow of what it was in 2022.
However, without it, Tennessee might not have prevailed over Kentucky 33-27 on Saturday night in Lexington.
The Vols were their usual effective selves running the football. 47 carries for 254 yards (5.4 yards per carry). Jaylen Wright and Dylan Sampson blasted through sizeable holes in the Kentucky secondary. Joe Milton was also involved again on the ground with designed runs, just as he was last week. To be sure, the ground game was the star of the show again for the Vols.
That being said, the passing game came through in some key moments, and it was some different names than normal making big plays.
WR Dont'e Thornton, who had yet to have a real impact in his first year in Knoxville, led the Vols with 63 receiving yards on 3 catches. His impact came with the Vols leading 23-17 in the third quarter. Backed up and facing 2nd and 19 after a holding penalty, Thornton caught a ball from Milton and weaved through the Kentucky defense for a 47-yard gain. The Vols would end up tacking on a field goal to add to their lead.
Before that, redshirt freshman Chas Nimrod had the Vols' only receiving touchdown of the game. The 6'3" redshirt freshman went deep on a go route and pulled in Milton's lob in the endzone near the sideline for a 39-yard scoring strike and a 20-10 lead.
There had been a number of questions about who would replace Bru McCoy on the perimeter after suffering his gruesome ankle injury against South Carolina. Now, it appears that a couple of players are beginning to provide some answers.
And the Vols' passing attack is beginning to take off as a result.
Mark Stoops adds to growing belief of the fate of the Tennessee-Kentucky rivalry
Kentucky’s coach set the record straight on how he sees the annual rivalry with Tennessee ending up
