Tennessee kicker Michael Palardy kicks a first-half field goal.KNOXVILLE — Tennessee entered Saturday night’s game against Georgia with the Southeastern Conference’s worst running game.
The Volunteers backed up those stats in a 20-12 loss to Georgia at Neyland Stadium.
Bad snaps, sacks and intentional-grounding penalties helped lower the total to minus-20 yards rushing.
“If we can’t run the ball,” UT coach Derek Dooley said, “we’re not going to beat good football teams. That’s a fact.”
Senior tailback Tauren Poole had 7 yards on seven carries before leaving the game for good in the first half with a hamstring injury. Marlin Lane was not much better, running for 8 yards on seven carries, though the freshman did catch six passes for 84 yards.
UT’s offensive line struggled to get any push against a Georgia front that features John Jenkins and Kwame Geathers, 350-pound nose tackles who anchor coordinator Todd Grantham’s 3-4 defense.
The Vols were inconsistent running the football last year but had higher expectations entering this season. They ran well against Cincinnati and Buffalo but have a combined rushing total of minus-29 yards in SEC losses to Florida and Georgia.
“I thought we would be OK,” Dooley said. “I thought we’d be better than what we’re doing. We haven’t run the ball well against two good defenses yet, and that was disappointing. We will consider giving anyone some reps in the backfield if they can generate some yards.”
Big pass plays
Georgia hit on pass plays of 43 and 71 yards to freshman receiver Malcolm Mitchell, but the Bulldogs narrowly missed on at least three more.
“We were playing quarters [coverage] and the corners were supposed to be high and inside and they just got run by,” Dooley said. “It was just their guy running by our guy.”
Dooley added that the Vols were focusing on Georgia’s ground game and also quarterback Aaron Murray’s mobility. Murray ran for a couple of first downs on draw plays in the first half.
“Sometimes you have to figure out what you want to do, and we gave up a couple of big plays,” Dooley said. “You have to hold up out there.”
Georgia tailback Isaiah Crowell averaged just 3 yards per carry, but Mitchell had 126 yards on just three catches.
“We were playing a lot of run defense and crowding the box,” defensive back Prentiss Waggner said. “We were leaving the post of the field open and that is a tough job for the corner. We did a good job but they made a big play.”
Good special effects
Devrin Young was a bit of a bright spot for UT on Saturday night. The freshman had 127 yards on two punt returns and two kickoff returns. Kicker Michael Palardy hit field goals from 28 and 44 yards, the second a career long, but he narrowly missed a 51-yarder and had an extra-point try blocked.
“Our return game was good today,” Dooley said. “We punted the ball well. I thought we had a good game on special teams.”
New nickel man
UT’s nickel package took on a new look Saturday night, when Eric Gordon reassumed the role as the Vols’ fifth defensive back.
Waggner had been sliding to nickel back with freshman Brian Randolph taking the junior’s spot at free safety, but the Vols elected to use Gordon.
The redshirt sophomore finished with two of his three tackles going for losses and also took over kickoff-return duties. Randolph did return to UT’s nickel package later in the game.
What depth chart?
Corey Miller lost his place on the UT two-deep chart this past week, but he made his presence felt on Georgia’s opening possession when he stopped Murray for a 3-yard loss on third down.
In the depth chart the Vols released Thursday, Miller was replaced by Maurice Couch as Malik Jackson’s backup at defensive tackle. Freshman Allan Carson took Couch’s backup spot at nose tackle.
Miller, who’s a converted defensive end, remained in the Vols’ line rotation as a pass rusher, along with freshman Jordan Williams and junior Willie Bohannon.
Brief additions
UT linebacker Daryl Vereen was flagged for two pass-interference penalties that ultimately led to 10 Georgia points. … Georgia kicker Blair Walsh’s 35-yard field goal was the third time in five games this season UT’s defense has allowed points on an opponent’s first possession. … The first quarter was only the second time in 17 quarters this season the haven’t scored. The first quarter at Florida three weeks ago was the other. … Saturday night was UT’s first sellout of the season and first since last October’s Alabama game.