Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) throws to a receiver before the start of an NCAA college football game against Arkansas Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015, in Knoxville, Tenn.LEXINGTON, Ky. – Josh Dobbs danced through a collapsing pocket and heaved the ball 55 yards downfield.
At first it looked like his only option for avoiding a sack, but it quickly became one of the highlights of Tennessee’s 52-21 win over Kentucky at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday night.
With UK’s Cody Quinn on his heels, Josh Malone caught Dobbs’ heave on the right sideline, escaped Quinn and ran into the end zone for a 75-yard touchdown to give UT a 17-14 lead with 5:26 remaining in the first half.
The catch gave Malone a new career-long reception. He became the first UT receiver this season to go over 100 yards in a game. It was also the longest pass of Dobbs’ career.
UT sent receivers over the 100-yard mark 20 times under former coach Derek Dooley and offensive coordinator Jim Chaney from 2010 to ’12, led by Justin Hunter with eight 100-yard games and Da’Rick Rogers with six. Under third-year coach Butch Jones, just three UT receivers have racked up more than 100 yards in a game.
Alton “Pig” Howard, who was dismissed from the team earlier this season, had five catches for 109 yards on Halloween weekend last year in UT’s 45-42 overtime win over South Carolina.
Marquez North had three catches for 102 yards in UT’s 23-21 win against South Carolina in 2013.
Jones coached 18 games at Cincinnati from 2010 to 2012 in which receivers went over 100 yards.
Emmanuel ejected
Emmanuel Moseley will miss the first half of the Vols’ game against South Carolina this week. The sophomore was called for targeting when he made helmet-to-helmet contact with UK receiver Garrett Johnson while Johnson tried to make a catch in the third quarter.
Injury report
Left guard Jashon Robertson was injured on the 11th play of UT’s first drive. Mack Crowder entered for him. Robertson also missed UT’s loss to Alabama on Oct. 24 with an ankle injury.
Preston Williams (hamstring), offensive lineman Brett Kendrick (ankle and knee) and safety Stephen Griffin (ankle) did not play.
Defensive tackle Kendal Vickers walked off the field with 10:43 to play in the second quarter after receiving attention from trainers. He did not return.
Fetzner travels
With UT’s wide receiving corps weakened by injuries, Bradley Central graduate Logan Fetzner made the travel roster for the first time this season. Fetzner made the team through a walk-on tryout last year. The 5-foot-9 walk-on was one of seven receivers who made the trip.
Where’s Wolf?
Dobbs found tight end Ethan Wolf for a pair of key conversions in the first half after Wolf caught just one pass for 5 yards against Alabama.
The sophomore hauled in a 16-yard pass on fourth-and-8 to extend UT’s first drive. Wolf caught another pass early in the second quarter on third-and-7 that extended a scoring drive.
Barnett sacking
Sophomore defensive end Derek Barnett recorded a sack for the third straight game.
Contact David Cobb at 423-757-6249 or dcobb@timesfreepress.com. Staff writer Patrick Brown contributed to this report.