In a rush
Tennessee’s rushing yardage totals from each game this season:Bowling Green — 399Oklahoma — 129Western Carolina — 210Florida — 254Arkansas — 133Georgia — 207Alabama — 132Kentucky — 249South Carolina — 153North Texas — 237Missouri — 248
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Tennessee's offensive line heard all week about how good Missouri's defense was up front.
That was only part of what has motivated the Volunteers all season long.
The team's most maligned unit a year ago, the offensive line has come a long way from giving up sacks by the bunches in 2014, when the Vols ranked near the bottom of the Southeastern Conference in rushing.
"Almost every week we have a point to prove because of what happened last year and how we were looked down upon and looked at as the weakness of the team," senior left tackle Kyler Kerbyson said after Tennessee ran for 248 yards and allowed no sacks in Saturday night's 19-8 win at Missouri.
"All year we've had a point to prove. Every game we went into it saying we've got to show them something, and we've done a great job. Almost every game we've had over 100 yards rushing versus really good SEC defenses."
The Vols have run for 200 or more yards in four of their seven SEC games this year and can make it five against Vanderbilt this week to close the regular season.
Tennessee failed to surpass the 150-yard mark on the ground in seven of 13 games in 2014, when the Vols ranked 92nd nationally in rushing and allowed the fourth-most sacks in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
The Vols currently rank second in the SEC and 26th nationally in rushing and could average more than 200 yards in a season for the first time since 1998. They have have allowed 21 sacks in 11 games after surrendering 43 in 2014.
"The whole group takes great pride in their performance," Vols coach Butch Jones said. "Whoever it is, they've stepped up. They have a great unity together, and they have a standard and an expectation now. Having Jashon (Robertson) back means a lot to us, but I'm just proud of everyone up front, because we knew it was a great challenge coming in here and they answered that challenge."
Backfield talent has helped the offensive line. Running back Jalen Hurd had 151 yards on 34 carries Saturday. After the game, the sophomore posed with many of the offensive linemen who helped him reach the 1,000-yard mark for the season with one regular-season contest and a bowl game to spare.
"The O-line was creating holes for him," quarterback Josh Dobbs said, "and he was hitting them."
Hurd, Dobbs and Alvin Kamara had nine runs of 10 or more yards.
"They were impressed with what they did tonight, and they should be," Dobbs said of the offensive line. "They deserve to be. They did a great job, and it was great to see that."
Sutton the tone
Jones mentioned last week after Tennessee shut out North Texas that his defense needed to generate more turnovers and more three-and-outs, and the Vols responded.
Cameron Sutton intercepted a pass on the Tigers' first possession, and Darrin Kirkland Jr. recovered a fumble forced by LaTroy Lewis to thwart one of the three Missouri drives to reach Tennessee territory.
"It was something we emphasized all week," linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin said. "We knew we hadn't been winning the turnover battle lately, and we knew that was something we had to do to be successful tonight, because they have a good defense, too. We knew we had to get the offense extra possessions."
Sutton's first interception was an impressive play by the junior along the sideline with Missouri receiver Wesley Leftwich in close quarters.
"I was in a form of a man coverage," Sutton said. "I'm running down the field, and I kind of take a peek back, and he's trying to block me. The ball's in the air, and I'm just trying to make a play on the ball."
The Vols kicked a field goal on the ensuing possession.
"We talked about starting fast," Jones said. "We needed to generate some of our own momentum on the road. Obviously that turnover was key to the start of the game."
Bouncing back
Aaron Medley's sophomore season was at a crossroads last month when he missed three field goals in a 19-14 defeat at Alabama.
He has made eight of nine kicks since, including a 4-of-5 performance Saturday. Three of his field goals made since the Alabama game were of more than 40 yards. That range has troubled Medley in his career.
Medley had made seven straight field goals when he missed from 31 yards against the Tigers, but he bounced back to convert a 30-yarder.
"After the Alabama game the rest of the season there's only two options: I can fold, or I can keep going," he said Saturday.
"I decided to keep going and really get after it."
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.