KNOXVILLE — There were times Saturday when Tennessee bent on defense, and there were times when the Volunteers broke.
There were also times Tennessee defenders made significant plays of impact, which ultimately factored into the 12th-ranked Vols pulling out a 34-31 triumph over Arkansas inside Neyland Stadium. The Razorbacks racked up 496 yards of total offense in defeat, including a punishing 240 rushing yards on 45 carries for a 5.3 average.
“Today was not our best ball,” Vols junior linebacker Arion Carter said. “We played a really good offense with a really good quarterback with great coaches, and I just feel like we’ve got to tighten up some things. We did a lot of good things also.
“We just have to clean up some things and get on the same page.”
Senior running back Mike Washington led the Razorbacks with 19 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown, averaging 6.9 yards per rush, and fifth-year senior quarterback Taylen Green was effective both rushing and throwing in compiling 319 yards of total offense.
“When you play a guy that athletic, as you’re pushing the pocket, you can feel where you’re getting in a vulnerable spot and you’re creating a lane for him to get out,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said. “There were a couple of times he escaped out the backside of the pocket where we should be on the top shoulder, and we’ve got to go make those plays. He’s a good player, too.”
Said Carter: “Playing a guy like that can only make us better.”
Green completed 21 of 31 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns, but his most impressive play was a 22-yard scramble to Tennessee’s 15-yard line midway through the second quarter. Arkansas was facing third-and-9, and Tennessee sent seven defenders on the play, but Green eluded the rush, headed left, then raced down the sideline.
Fortunately for the Vols, their five sacks, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries were just enough to counter the Arkansas attack.
“Their quarterback got out of the pocket and made some big plays,” Heupel said. “We were there at times to make the play, and he would make the play. We gave them some things in our coverage, particularly in zone. We were not recognizing patterns and bodies changing.
“We need to clean some of that up.”
Brazzell quiet
Tennessee redshirt freshman Braylon Staley had the first 100-yard receiving game of his career, producing six catches for 109 yards. He had 105 of his total in the first half.
It was not a busy night for Vols redshirt junior Chris Brazzell II, who was targeted four times but had only one reception for 5 yards.
“A little bit was it just not coming his way because of the coverage,” Heupel said. “We missed a deep one early to him, and there was one in the red zone on a back-shoulder throw where we were not able to come down with it. I felt like early, in some ways, we were a bit off, but there were a lot of unknowns coming in, too, in this one with what we were going to see.”
Brazzell entered Saturday’s game ranked fifth nationally with 106.2 yards per game and tied for first with seven touchdowns.
Despite Brazzell’s lack of production, the Vols still amassed 485 yards of total offense.
“I think that says that we’ve got a lot of really good players on this team,” Tennessee fifth-year senior tight end Miles Kitselman said. “You can’t always rely on one guy. If certain teams are going to double-cover somebody or show more attention to somebody, then somebody else is going to show up.
“Chris is going to keep being him, but Braylon stepped up and had a really good game tonight.”
Hobbs debuts
Vols junior defensive lineman Daevin Hobbs missed the first five games this season due to a foot injury he suffered in August camp. His debut consisted of five tackles, an 11-yard sack and a forced fumble.
“I just felt like Daevin was going to play really well,” Heupel said. “Our medical staff and strength team and him did a great job in getting prepared for when he was going to be cleared, and he played well tonight.”
Odds and ends
Tennessee improved to 14-7 all-time against Arkansas, which includes a 7-2 mark in Neyland Stadium. … Heupel now has 70 career victories as a head coach, improving to 42-16 with the Vols after going 28-8 at UCF. … Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar on getting the wind knocked out of him after a 28-yard run late in the game: “I feel good right now, but that ball was deep in my stomach and took the air out of me for sure.” … Vols redshirt freshman linebacker Edwin Spillman was ejected for targeting with 8:26 remaining in the game and will have to sit out the first half next Saturday at Alabama. … Unavailable for the Vols were cornerbacks Rickey Gibson III and Jermod McCoy, receivers Radarious Jackson and Travis Smith Jr., and tight end Ethan Davis. … Arkansas did not commit a penalty that was accepted by the Vols until 15 seconds remained in the third quarter.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.