Georgia head coach Mark Richt gestures toward the crowd after defeating Troy 66-0 Saturday in Athens, Ga.The Tennessee Volunteers have shown improvement this football season, and the coach of their fourth foe has taken notice.
Georgia’s Mark Richt said Sunday that he has been impressed with the Vols in their second year under coach Butch Jones. Tennessee opened with victories over Utah State (38-7) and Arkansas State (34-19) before losing at No. 3 Oklahoma (34-10), and the Vols have held all three opponents to their lowest point production of the season.
Tennessee is one of the nation’s youngest teams but also one of the most disciplined, committing just 21.3 penalty yards per game.
“I’ve watched them on TV a few times, and I’ve had a chance to watch them a little bit today, and the thing I see more than anything is just a high level of energy,” Richt said. “I see a bunch of guys playing really hard and playing with maximum effort. They look very well-coached, and they look really excited about playing.
“I was told in the offseason that they were the only team in the country that had their whole offensive and defensive line groups leave. There is certainly a learning curve there, but I just see a bunch of guys playing hard.”