Tennessee Volunteers

2022

Season Report Posted: December 28, 2015 17:32  

New season opens with QB Jon Hall back to lead the offense and All-America MLB John Swain leading a rebuilt defense.

Hall, 91 rating, will mostly hand off to TB Isaiah Ivey, Curtis Singletary and Ricardo Pace. TE James Marshall and WRs Robbie Reid, Aaron Foreman and Ramon Mitchell (all 80s rated) are the receiving threats.

80-rated guards Dante Lemon and Dominique Lewis and center Scott Howell lead the line, which is expected to improve its road grader skills for the run game this season.

The defensive line was a mess after graduation, so Coach Nibble moved some players from other positions and got mid- to high-70s across the front including converted linebacker David Williams (77) at DT and true freshman Joel White at LE.

The schedule, as usual, is a bear with the opener against No. 18 USC followed by No. 2 Florida and No. 3 Alabama as part of the SEC meat grinder.

No. 18 USC 24, UT 17: Vols get carved up by QB Dustin Owens and his 20-of-27 passing for 276 yards. Isaiah Ivey carries 41 times for 156 yards and a score for Vols in the opener at Neyland Stadium.

UT 27, Oregon 23: Ivey rushes for 105 yards and a score, OLB Joe McIntire runs at INT back 61 yards for a score and the Vols quiet the crowd at Autzen Stadium.

UT 24, No. 2 Florida 21: Jon Hall hits freshman Brent Martin on a 32-yard TD pass with 6 seconds left to spring the upset at Neyland Stadium. Hall, who leads a comeback from a 14-0 first-half deficit, takes the Vols (2-1) on an 11-play, 99-yard drive starting at 1:06 left. He hits 6 of 11 passes, including three to Aaron Foreman. Gators receiver has a step toward a Hail Mary catch on the final play, but CB Doug Mitchell makes a leaping tip to bat the ball away and preserve the upset. ESPN No. 6 Classic.

UT 38, No. 18 Syracuse 30: Ivey pounds for 115 yards on 30 carries and Aaron Foreman returns the opening kickoff 96 yards for a score.

No. 6 Georgia 24, No. 22 UT 19: Bulldogs bat down Jon Hall's pass to Aaron Foreman at the goal line on the final play to stop UT's comeback. Vols fall behind 24-6 before scoring a pair of late TDs and driving from their 35 to the Georgia 13 in the final 2:06.

Ole Miss 41, No. 25 UT 17: Vols (3-3) can't get running game moving early and fall behind 27-3 at halftime. Ivey piles up yards late and finishes with 124.

UT 28, No. 12 Alabama 27: Ivey bulls over from the 1 with 6 seconds left to cap the comeback. Vols (4-4) somehow punch out 265 yards rushing against the Tide defense.

UT 29, Mizzou 15: Defense shows up, limits the Tigers (4-5) to 145 yards. JT Darby has 11 solo tackles and a sack. Ivey goes 29-156-1. UT (6-4) is bowl eligible.

No. 24 UT 28, Kentucky 7: Ivey pounds for 124 yards on 26 carries, Hall hits 15 of 20 for 186 yards. Vols (8-4) hold the Wildcats (2-10) to 196 yards in snowy Knoxville. Taylor Morton, the five-star dual-threat QB prospect, gets stolen by Georgia after having the Vols No. 1 on his list all season. Crap.

Music City Bowl: UT 35, Pitt 21: Ivey rushes for two scores and Hall throws for two to cap the Vols' 9-4 season with a sixth straight win.

Hall finishes the season with 149 of 209 for 2046 yards, 14 TDs, 4 INTs on 71 percent completion percentage.

Ivey rushes for 1670 on 330 carries with 10 TDs. Cody Duncan gets 697 on 149 carries with seven scores; Ricardo Pace 54 for 244 and four; Curtis Singletary 59 for 164.

TE James Marshall gets 37 receptions for a 14.2 average with 3 TDs; Robbie Reid 31 for 17.1 and four; Ramon Mitchell 22 for 301, one; Aaron Foreman 21 for 15.6 and four; freshman Brent Martin 12 for 13.3 and one.

MLB John Swain leads the nation with 81 tackles and is a second-team all-America. JT Darby gets 77 and is All-SEC along with Swain and Joe McIntire (68). DE Lee Wheeler leads with eight sacks and DT David Williams gets four. CB Eric Greene picks off four passes.

Vols finish 10th overall in defense and No.1 against the rush, but 87th against the pass.