Tennessee defenders A.J. Johnson (45) Owen Williams (58) and Jalen Reeves-Maybin jump onto Utah State running back Joe Hill during their game on Aug. 31, 2014, at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.KNOXVILLE – Tennessee’s defense cut down on the number of big plays allowed during the first half of the season.
The issue that plagued the Volunteers in the past two seasons reared its ugly head the past two weeks.
After giving up just 16 plays of 20-plus yards in its first six games, Tennessee surrendered up 12 such plays against Ole Miss and Alabama in its past two games.
Those dozen plays accounted for 419 yards, or 49 percent of what the Vols allowed to the Rebels and Crimson Tide.
Defensive coordinator John Jancek said after Wednesday’s practice “a variety of things” have been the root of the problem.