REVIEW defensive touchdown. UT is now 10-3 in overtime games, tied with Missouri for the most overtime wins in NCAA history (the Tigers are 10-4 in OT games). Eric Gordon’s interception return for a touchdown also marked the first defensive score in overtime by any Division I FBS school since Ohio did so vs. Pittsburgh on Sept. 9, 2005, a span of 2,263 days (6 years, 2 months, 11 days).
FRESH STARTS
Over the last two seasons, a total of 46 Vols have made their first Division I FBS starts. A total of 25 UT players have made their first career start in 2011, three more than of the total of 22 Vols who made their first career starts a year ago in 2010. Tennessee Players Making First Career Starts in 2011 (25) OFFENSE (11): QB: Justin Worley, RB: Devrin Young, FB: Ben Bartholomew, WR: DeAnthony Arnett, Rajion Neal, Da’Rick Rogers, TE: Brendan Downs, Mychal Rivera, Cameron Clear, OL: Alex Bullard, Marcus Jackson. DEFENSE (12): DL: Willie Bohannon, Maurice Couch, Daniel Hood, Jacques Smith, Marlon Walls, LB: A.J. Johnson, Austin Johnson, Curt Maggitt, DB: Justin Coleman, Izauea Lanier, Byron Moore, Brian Randolph. SPECIAL TEAMS (2): P Matt Darr, K Derrick Brodus A total of 12 freshmen (10 true freshmen) started for Tennessee during the season, including WR DeAnthony Arnett (1 start), G Marcus Jackson (5), QB Justin Worley (3), TE Brendan Downs (1), TE Cameron Clear (2), RB Devrin Young (1), DB Brian Randolph (8), DB Justin Coleman (4), LB A.J. Johnson (10), LB Curt Maggitt (8), P Matt Darr (10) and K Derrick Brodus (1).
TRIFECTA
KR Devrin Young returned 27 kickoffs for 628 yards, a 23.3 yards per return average. Young also has eight punt returns for 94 yards (11.8 avg. per return). Young’s 722 total kick return yards rank as the seventh-most in UT history in a single season. Tennessee ranked fourth in the SEC in kickoff return average at 22.7 and sixth in punt return average at 8.1. These numbers represent an improvement over 2010, when the Vols averaged 21.5 yard per kickoff return and only 4.1 yards per punt return.
OFFENSE DYNAMIC DUO
In the first two games of the year, Hunter and Rogers partnered up for the 18th and 19th combinations in UT history in which two receivers recorded 100-yard games in the same game. Against Montana, Hunter (146) and Rogers (100) became the first tandem to each register 100-plus yards receiving in the same game since Lucas Taylor (118) and Austin Rogers (112) did so against Southern Miss. on 9/8/2007. The sophomore sensations followed it up against Cincinnati with a repeat performance, with Hunter posting a career-high 156 yards and Rogers notching another 100-yard outing. It marked the second time in Tennessee history in which the Vols have had multiple 100-yard receivers in consecutive games. Marcus Nash and Joey Kent each hit the century mark in back-to-back contests in 1996 (UNLV and UCLA). Those also happened to be the first two games of the season.
BRAY TO HUNTER
QB Justin Worley started three games for Tennessee (Oct. 29-Nov. 11) and was the third starting QB for the Vols in 2011, marking the fifth time since 1994 that the Vols have started as many as three quarterbacks in a season. Seasons in Which Tennessee Started Three Quarterbacks 2011 Tyler Bray (6), Matt Simms (2), Justin Worley (3) 2004 Brent Scheaffer (3), Erik Ainge (6), Rick Clausen (4) 2002 Casey Clausen (11), C.J. Leak (1), James Banks (1) 2000 Joey Mathews (1), A.J. Suggs (4), Casey Clausen (7) 1994 Jerry Colquitt (1), Todd Helton (3), Peyton Manning (8)
Bray connected with Hunter for an 81-yard touchdown with 8:36 left in the first quarter against Montana. The strike marked the second time the duo has hooked up for 80-plus yards, making them the third pair in UT history to do so. Last season on the first play against Ole Miss, Bray hit Hunter for an 80-yard TD. Other duos are Erik Ainge and Robert Meachem (84 yards at Memphis and 80 yards at Cal in 2006) and Alan Cockrell and Clyde Duncan (85 yards vs. Vanderbilt and 80 yards vs. Alabama in 1983). The 81-yarder ranked tied for the ninth-longest pass play in UT history
PASSING ATTACK
MR. ROGERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD
O-LINE PRIDE
Most Receptions in SEC Name School Da’Rick Rogers Tennessee Jarius Wright Arkansas Marquis Maze Alabama
Tennessee finished second in the SEC and tied for 50th nationally in pass offense at 242.6 yards per game. SEC Passing Offense Leaders, 2011 Arkansas 307.8 TENNESSEE 242.6 Georgia 241.3
The Vols have allowed only 18 sacks in 2011, the third-lowest total in the SEC this season, trailing only LSU (14) and Alabama (15). In the 2010 season, Tennessee allowed 41 sacks, more than double the current total for the Vols at the same point this year. Fewest Sacks Allowed, SEC, 2011 LSU 14 Alabama 15 TENNESSEE 18 After entering the 2010 season opener vs. UT Martin with three starts on the offensive line (all from Jarrod Shaw), the current UT depth chart lists five offensive line starters with a combined 94 career starts (Ja’Wuan James and Dallas Thomas 24 each, Zach Fulton 16, James Stone 15, Alex Bullard 11, Marcus Jackson 4). True freshman Marcus Jackson started the last five games at left guard for Tennessee. During the last two seasons, the Vols have a combined 31 starts from true freshmen on the offensive line (2011; Jackson 5; 2010: JaWuan James 13, James Stone 8, Zach Fulton 5). UT is one of seven Division I FBS schools who did not started a senior on the offensive line in 2011. The others were Arizona, Georgia Tech, Stanford, Texas A&M, UNLV, and USC.
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RETURN GAME
TENNESSEE FOOTBALL // 2012 RECORD BOOK
Sophomore wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers led Tennessee with 67 receptions for 1,040 yards and nine TDs. Rogers’ 67 catches ranked first in the SEC and T-49th nationally. His 86.7 yards per contest were second in the conference and T-30th nationally. His six 100-yard performances led the SEC. Rec./G 5.6 5.5 4.3
Rec. 67 66 56
Top WR in SEC (Yards) Name School Yds/G Yards Jarius Wright Arkansas 93.1 1,117 Da’Rick Rogers Tennessee 86.7 1,040 Rueben Randle LSU 65.5 917 Rogers cracked the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the season (1,040), becoming the sixth Vol to hit that total and marking the seventh time it has been achieved. His 1,040 yards are the fifthmost all-time in a season and are the most since Robert Meachem set the Vols’ record with 1,298 yards in 2006. Rogers was one of 40 receivers nationally to reach the 1,000-yard mark during the 2011 campaign. Tennessee Single-Season Receiving Yards Rank Name Year 1. Robert Meachem 2006 2. Marcus Nash 1997 3. Joey Kent 1996 4. Joey Kent 1995 5. Da’Rick Rogers 2011
Rec. 1,298 1,170 1,080 1,055 1,040