Tennessee spent the first month of this football season becoming the national leader in sacks.
Some sacks had more impact than others, with Nathan Robinson causing a fumble in the opener against Syracuse in Atlanta that was returned 22 yards by Colton Hood for a touchdown. Even more impactful was Tyre West’s sack at Mississippi State that caused a fumble Joshua Josephs returned 41 yards for a score.
Robinson, West, Josephs, Dominic Bailey and Caleb Herring each had multiple sacks among the defensive linemen through Tennessee’s first five games, but Daevin Hobbs was sidelined for all that due to a foot injury he sustained in preseason camp.
“It was hard always seeing your teammates get ready every week for the game on Saturday,” Hobbs said earlier this week in a news conference. “You’re still part of the team, but it’s hard. Just being back really makes you think of all the times you were sitting in the training room when everybody else is at practice.
“Thinking about all that makes you feel good that you’re back.”
The 6-foot-4, 290-pound junior from Concord, North Carolina, became a better-late-than-never story for the No. 11 Volunteers, who are 5-1 overall and 2-1 in Southeastern Conference play heading into their showdown at No. 6 Alabama (5-1, 3-0) on Saturday night (7:30 Eastern on ABC).
Hobbs made his season debut in last weekend’s 34-31 topping of Arkansas inside Neyland Stadium, announcing his presence with five tackles, an 11-yard sack and a forced fumble.
“I just felt like Daevin was going to play really well,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said Saturday night. “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.”
Said Hobbs: “I was expecting to make plays, and that felt good. It felt really good to be back out there playing with all my guys in front of all the fans. Sitting on the sideline kills.”
The Vols tallied five sacks against the Razorbacks and lead the Football Bowl Subdivision with 4.33 per game, but their run defense has become an issue against SEC foes. They allowed 198 rushing yards in their loss to Georgia, including Nate Frazier’s 21-yard carry on Tennessee’s first defensive snap of overtime, and have since given up 203 to Mississippi State and 240 to Arkansas.
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson doesn’t possess the same rushing threat as Taylen Green of Arkansas, but Simpson’s accuracy coupled with concerns in Tennessee’s injury-riddled secondary puts even more of a demand on the Vols stopping the run.
“We’ve just got to play behind our pads more and be more physical,” Hobbs said. “It’s a whole bunch of little stuff.”
In the 2023 signing class, Hobbs was the top prospect in North Carolina, the No. 4 defensive lineman nationally and the No. 36 overall prospect, according to 247Sports. The only other top-50 recruit nationally to sign with Tennessee that year was quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
Hobbs committed to Tennessee on Nov. 25, 2022, after taking official visits to Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and Tennessee, and unofficial visits to Ohio State, Michigan and North Carolina.
“The fact that Alabama was one of my top schools juices things up for me,” Hobbs said. “It’s a different type of motivation this week.”
A different look
Tennessee announced Thursday that the Vols will wear white jerseys, white pants and white helmets Saturday night, which is commonly referred to as their “Stormtrooper” look.
The Vols have worn orange jerseys in each of their first six games.
Unlike late last year, when Tennessee also wore all white at Georgia, at Vanderbilt and in the College Football Playoff at Ohio State, the Vols will be wearing black socks and black accessories against Alabama for a bit of a different wrinkle.
Odds and ends
Alabama and Tennessee are not only 2-2 against one another since Heupel’s arrival in Knoxville, but both teams have held the lead in all four meetings. … The Vols are 17-4 in their past 21 games. … Alabama and Boise State share the nation’s longest active home winning streak at 15 contests. … Simpson and Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor were named this week as Associated Press first-team midseason All-Americans, with Tennessee receiver Chris Brazzell II making the second team. … Tennessee’s average of 39.2 points per game since Heupel’s 2021 arrival leads all FBS programs.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.