Justin Hunter (11) looks back for Montana defenders as he makes an 81-yard touchdown run during the first quarter of play.KNOXVILLE — Derek Dooley would prefer to find a third and fourth option for Tennessee’s passing game, but there’s certainly nothing wrong with the first and second options.
Sophomore receivers Justin Hunter and Da’Rick Rogers combined for 246 yards and two touchdowns on 11 catches in the Volunteers’ season-opening win against Montana on Saturday, and quarterback Tyler Bray targeted the duo on 15 of his 26 throws.
“If we can feed it to those two about 15 [times] a game, we won’t have to [find other options],” Coach Dooley said at his weekly news conference Monday. “If they start taking that away, we’re going to need some other guys.”
Zach Rogers was the only other receiver to catch a pass. Fullback Channing Fugate and freshman tailback Marlin Lane combined for five catches.
“What I don’t want to do is say, ‘Hey, we don’t want to show a tendency that we’re throwing to Justin Hunter,’ and then throw it to these other guys and they make 5 yards,” Dooley said. “I’d rather just feed it to the guy as long as he can catch it. It’s kind of my back yard in me: That guy’s good, throw it to him. They’ve got two on him? Well, give it a shot anyway. If they stop it, then we’ll think about something else.”