KNOXVILLE – When the scoreboard shows a zero next to the opponent’s logo, it’s hard for a defense to complain.
Unless you’re Tennessee’s Derek Barnett, that is.
The Volunteers blanked North Texas and held the Mean Green to less than 200 yards of offense in Saturday’s 24-0 win at Neyland Stadium, but Barnett believes he and his defense can be better.
“That’s a good feeling for us,” he said after Tennessee’s first shutout since 2013. “But we should have more three-and-outs, I think. We can get that corrected.”
The Vols did allow North Texas to move the ball, and at one point in the third quarter the 1-9 Mean Green had just two fewer first downs than the Vols.